D91 Employee News:
September 20, 2024
Superintendent message
A Strong Start to the School Year!
It’s hard to believe that just one month ago, we were preparing for the first day of school. Since then, teachers and staff have eagerly welcomed students back, with a strong focus on learning. Together, we’ve kicked off the Intervention Model, helping students build on prior learning while mastering new skills. It’s been a positive and productive start to the school year!
One key area of success is attendance. Students who attend school regularly are more likely to pass classes, read at grade level, and graduate on time. It’s surprising how quickly absences can add up! However, while many districts around the state are seeing drops in attendance, District 91's attendance is on the rise! In August, attendance was over 3% higher than last year, and September is on track to be at least 1% higher than in 2023. That’s amazing!
What’s making the difference? Let’s take a closer look at what our teachers and staff are doing:
- Strong relationships: Creating a positive school climate based on strong relationships is key to learning. When students feel safe and like they belong, they thrive.
- At the middle school level, students attend Advisory, a class designed to build community and allow teachers to check in with students regularly.
- Teachers invite students' experiences into the classroom, ensuring all feel valued.
- Staff collaboration: You might be surprised to learn that collaboration among staff not only strengthens trust but also positively influences student attendance. A united and supportive staff creates an environment that students want to be part of every day.
Our improved fall attendance reflects the tremendous work of our teachers and staff. I am incredibly grateful for everyone’s efforts to make students feel welcomed and safe, whether in the classroom, on the school bus, or on the playing field. A simple smile or asking a student how they’re doing shows them they belong.
Thank you for showing compassion to put our students at the heart of everything we do. Our students are thriving, and it’s because of each and every one of you!
Superintendent Karla LaOrange
Introducing Our New Substitute Dispatch Coordinator: Ashley Nichols!
We are excited to welcome Ashley Nichols as the new Substitute Dispatch Coordinator for District 91. Ashley is a dedicated mom of three, all of whom attend D91 schools. She brings not only her passion for education but also a love for photography, which she enjoys sharing with others.
If you need a substitute teacher, simply use A&S (formerly known as Ready Sub) to submit your request, and Ashley will take care of the rest! For any questions regarding substitute teachers, feel free to reach out to Ashley by email at nichashl@sd91.org or by phone at (208) 612-7654.
We are thrilled to have Ashley on board and look forward to working with her!
Get to Know Heather Jarrell: New Principal at Linden Park Elementary
Heather Jarrell is from the Dallas, Texas area. She graduated high school in 2002 from Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas.
She went on to Texas A&M University where she earned a Bachelor’s in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in grades 4-8 Literacy in 2006. Heather then earned her Master’s of Education, School Administration in 2009 from Lamar University.
Before coming to Idaho, Heather worked in Tennessee as an Instructional Coach with a focus on Literacy and Technology. She also worked in her native Texas as a 6th-8th grade ELA teacher.
Heather started at Idaho Falls District 91 in 2019 as a 6th grade teacher at Edgemont Elementary and has been the Assistant Principal at Linden Park for the last two years. Overall, Heather has 15 years of experience in education.
Heather loves to get outdoors. In the winter her family will be out doing lots of skiing and in the summer they are back out there hiking. She also loves reading and playing golf.
She has been married to her husband Josh for 18 years. He is an engineer at the Idaho National Laboratory. They have two daughters. Kenlee is a freshman who plays soccer and tennis. Lydia is a 6th grader who likes rock climbing and orchestra. They also have two dogs.
- Sept 26: Tiger Grizz Cup, 1 pm at Sage Lakes Golf Course
- Sept 28: Emotion Bowl, 7pm at Ravsten Stadium
- Oct 3-4: No School, State/District Professional Development Days
- Oct 3-4: Annual Wellness Clinic, 7:30 am to 1 pm at Compass Academy
- Oct 17: Parent Teacher Conferences- Middle and High School
- Nov 5: Election Day, Online Learning Day
- Nov 25-29: Thanksgiving Break, No School
Tickets for the 59th Emotion Bowl on Sale
Tickets for the 59th annual Emotion Bowl are now available through the IdaFan app. The annual game between Skyline and Idaho Falls is one of the oldest and most storied rivalries in the nation. This year it will be Saturday, September 28 at 7 pm. What color will the goalposts be this year? Come find out!!
New D91 Golf Tradition for Emotion Week
A new tradition begins this week! The Tiger Grizz Cup will be Thursday, September 26 at Sage Lakes Golf Course starting at 1 pm. The Idaho Falls Tigers and the Skyline Grizzlies boys and girls golf teams will go head-to-head.
The winning school will get to spray paint the flag pole its school color. A great addition to Emotion Week! Come out and support our D91 golf teams.
Two IFHS Seniors named National Merit Semifinalists
Congratulations to Idaho Falls High School Seniors Simon Karroum and Michael Wu for being named National Merit Semifinalists.
Simon is captain of his Mountain Bike Team past 8 years. He also participated in basketball. His favorite subject is Biology.
Michael is the founder of Idaho Falls Chapter of AYLUS (The Alliance of Youth Leaders in the United States). He also participates in Congressional Debate and is doing a Computing Internship for the INL.
We are proud of both of them. Way to represent D91!
Bikers Against Bullying Donates to D91 Child Nutrition Department
A big thank you to Bikers against Bullies Idaho Falls for helping our students whose families need some help paying for school breakfast and lunch .
This week they came by the D91 Nutrition Office and donated $3,100 to go toward student meal accounts. Thank you so much for this generous gift. We appreciate their support for our students.
Emerson Alternative High School leads off Stop the Bleed Training
The staff Emerson Alternative High School received life-saving Stop the Bleed training last week. Thank you to Aaron Nelson from the Idaho Falls Fire Department for providing the training.
More D91 schools are scheduled to get the training later this fall. Thank you to all the staff for being ready to step up and help keep our students safe.
New Job Postings this Week
Eagle Rock Middle School: Title I Tutor-Part-time
Taylorview Middle School: Wrestling Coach
Taylorview Middle School: 7th Grade Girls Basketball Coach
Taylorview Middle School: Track Coach
Taylorview Middle School: Assistant Track Coach
Linden Park Elementary School: Title I Tutor-Part-time
See all current openings here.
D91 Shout Out!
Thank you to everyone who submitted a shout out! Your comments were sent to the employee this week. Thank you for bringing some joy to our dedicated D91 teachers and staff! Didn’t get a chance to submit a Shout Out? Keep reading!
You can honor one of our fabulous teachers, administrators, or staff members by submitting D91 “Shout Out”! Your positive comment will be shared with the employee. Want to submit a “Shout Out”? Use the link below or the QR code. Thanks for helping to see and share the good!