D91 Update Dec 13, 2024

As we embark on a new trimester, it's the perfect time to reflect on all that we’ve accomplished together so far this year. One of the most exciting changes we’ve made is the introduction of our Friday intervention program, designed to ensure every student receives the support or enrichment they need. This initiative required us to adjust our resources, create a new schedule, and foster even deeper collaboration among our teachers. By using data to closely monitor student progress and applying new teaching strategies, we’ve made significant strides. And while that’s a lot of change, we are thrilled with the results!

Thanks to the tireless efforts of our teachers, we’re already seeing great progress. More students at the middle and high school levels are passing their classes, and the percentage of high school students earning As, Bs, or Cs has increased. At the same time, the percentage of middle school students failing courses has been cut in half—a truly remarkable achievement.

In our elementary schools, we’re seeing strong performance in reading, with kindergarten and first grade showing the greatest improvement. Across kindergarten through third grade, more students are reading at grade level, and we are excited to share fourth through sixth grade data as soon as it’s available.

None of this progress would be possible without the dedication and hard work of our incredibly talented teachers and staff. Their commitment to refining our intervention model and continuing to support our students is at the heart of these successes.

As we enter this holiday season, let’s take a moment to celebrate the tremendous efforts of our teachers, staff, and students. The positive changes happening in our district are nothing short of inspiring, and we are so excited to continue this journey together.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we work to help every child succeed!

Superintendent Karla LaOrange

Haley Baker of Taylorview Middle School shares what she likes about the Intervention Model.

Question: Can PLC please either be in the morning on Friday or on a different day if it must be on Friday?

Thank you for reaching out with your question and for sharing your perspective. I truly value the dedication and insight of our teachers, and I appreciate your honesty.

I’ve heard from several teachers about this topic and have had the opportunity to meet with all but one of them to better understand their concerns. These conversations have been incredibly helpful and have given me a clearer understanding of the challenges teachers are facing.

Next month, the district will send a survey to teachers that includes questions about PLC and our intervention model, specifically addressing Fridays. We’ll also be seeking feedback from parents regarding Fridays and the intervention model.

The survey results will be shared with the school board and will play a key role in shaping refinements to our PLC and intervention work. Your feedback is essential in this process, and I want to assure you that your voice is central to the decisions we make.

Please feel free to submit any inquiries through the following link: Ask the Superintendent

The district has identified a need to adjust the class schedules at Idaho Falls High School, Skyline High School, and Compass Academy to ensure compliance with state instructional time requirements. Starting January 7th, 2025, the follow changes will take effect at Skyline High Schol and Idaho Falls High School:

• Passing Times: Passing times between classes will be reduced to four minutes.
• Lunch Periods: Lunch periods will be adjusted to 35 minutes, with an additional four minutes allocated for passing time.
• Senior Attendance: All seniors will be required to attend school on May 27th, 2025.

These changes are necessary to meet state standards and ensure all students fulfill the required instructional hours. We are committed to supporting our students and families through this transition.

An updated schedule will be sent to parents prior to the holiday break. If you have any questions or concerns about these changes, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly at laorkarl@sd91.org.

You can also find answers to many of your questions on our High School Schedule Frequently Asked Questions sheet. You can access the FAQ using the following link:

High School Schedule FAQ

Thank you for your understanding and partnership as we work together to ensure a successful academic year for all students.

• Dec 23-Jan 6: Christmas Break, No School
• Jan 7: School Resumes
• Jan 20: MLK Day, No School
• Jan 28: D91 College and Career Fair at Mountain America Center
• Feb 13: Parent Teacher Conferences for Secondary Schools, Early release for Middle Schools
• Feb 14: On-line Learning day for Secondary Schools/Teacher Comp Day
• Feb 17: Presidents Day, No School

The IFHS Choir will be presenting Christmas at the Colonial Wednesday, Dec 18 at 7pm at the Colonial Theater. Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the door. The Idaho Falls High School Chamber Choir recently performed at the Grand Teton Mall. Check out the video below.

When kids are used to being busy, the winter break can be a challenge. This might help. The Idaho Falls Zoo’s Winter Break Day Camp offers a fun way for kids to learn while school is out.

• Ages 8-10: Monday, December 30 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

• Ages 11-13: Tuesday, December 31 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

• Ages 5-7: Friday, January 3rd from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM

You can find more details here.

Congratulations to our D91 students who competed at State Drama in Twin Falls this past weekend.

For Idaho Falls High School:

Eliza Ritchie, Kate Norton, Lizzie Bird, Madisyn Page and Abby Job got 3rd place with their "Hello Girls" musical theatre Ensemble. Kyleigh Barnes was a finalist in technical makeup. Lauren Beesley was a semifinalist in original serious. Eliza Ritchie was a semifinalist in solo musical theater.

For Skyline High School:

Eliza Erickson took 3rd in Original Serious and Bella Carnrike and Eva Guerra, were finalists in Make-up Design. Thank you for representing D91!

Some big announcements from the IFHS Band. In November, Kayla Black, Lilly Brown, Hailey Jones, Josue Perez, and Cole Petersen were selected to perform at halftime with the Boise State Honor's Marching Band. Jonas Webb on Tenor Saxophone was selected for the ALL-STATE honor band this year. only 120 band students from across the entire state are selected, and the audition material is at a collegiate level. This month, 15 students were selected for Regional Honor Band at Madison High School in Rexburg. Check out the D91 Proud Facebook Page for a full list. Great work from a great program.

Eagle Rock Middle School Counselor Adrianne Priest saw a need and went into action. She has taken the thoughtful step to support our students and families by starting a food pantry right on campus. It has been running for about a month, but it is something that Adrianne has wanted to do for years. It finally came to reality thanks to the generous assistance from the Bishop's Storehouse of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you'd like to contribute, reach out to Eagle Rock Middle School.

Cybersecurity teams from CTEC took part in the state round of the CyberPatriot Competition this week at the College of Eastern Idaho. Out of the 18 teams competing in Idaho, CTEC has six of them!! Qualifying teams will then compete in the national semifinals Jan 23-25. National finalist teams will go to the National Championship March 14-18 in Bethesda, Maryland. Good luck to all our D91 students and teams!

Skyline star senior and future Columbia Lion Shay Shippen scored her 2,000th career point Wednesday night as the Lady Grizz beat Bonneville 66-32. Congratulations on the milestone and good luck the rest of this season and beyond.

Kenyon Sadiq put on a show with two highlight worthy touchdowns Saturday as the Ducks beat Penn State for the Big Ten Title. Oregon enters the College Football Playoff as the top seed. Next up for the Ducks is the Rose Bowl on New Years Day. They will face either Tennessee or Ohio State in the quarterfinals. Good Luck, Kenyon!!

Meetings for high school math curriculum review will no longer be held as the committee has completed its work. The two other current curriculum committee meetings will continue as scheduled.

• High School World History, Economics, and Government: Tuesdays at 4:30 pm
• K-6 Music Curriculum Committee: Thursdays at 4 pm

All meetings are held at the District Office and are open to the public. Agendas will be posted on ifschools.org 48 hours prior to the next meeting.

Child Nutrition: Satellite Server Part-time at Edgemont Elementary

Technology Department: IT Support and Repairs Technician

Westside Elementary: Special Education Support 1:1 Limited Full-time Para

See all current openings here.