D91 Employee News:

This week has been a tremendous reminder of our community’s deep commitment to education. With a 64.61% approval of the levy, community support for our teachers and students shines through, and we are incredibly grateful.

Idaho Falls School District is dedicated to being responsible stewards of our families’ investment in our children. We will continue to expand educational opportunities, ensuring that every child has the resources and support needed to reach their full potential. Together, we are building a district that serves as a beacon of opportunity for all our students.

We’re on an inspiring path forward, and with the support of our community, we are paving the way for lasting success and achievement for our students. Thank you, Idaho Falls, for standing with us!

Superintendent Karla LaOrange

Bridger Taylor of Eagle Rock Middle School shares what he likes about the Intervention Model.

Thank you for your questions! This week we are digging into the calendar and school suspensions. Please watch next week’s edition of the newsletter for more questions and answers!

Is it true that students cannot get suspended without presenting to the school board?

Thank you for your question! To clarify, the school board does not participate in nor approve individual student suspensions. School principals have the authority to suspend students without needing board approval.

However, a new law passed by the Idaho legislature now requires districts to provide the school board with a report summarizing both in-school and out-of-school suspensions. Our district is currently developing this report which will give the board a general overview of suspension numbers across the district.

The Intervention Day changed this year’s district calendar in June. When will the 2025-2026 calendar be approved?

The District Calendar Committee has been hard at work developing the school calendar for the next three years. This dedicated group, made up of teachers, parents, administrators, and classified staff, meets regularly to create calendar options that meet both state requirements and the needs of our D91 community. As required by board policy, the committee will submit three calendar options for the 2025-2026 school year.

While creating a calendar may seem straightforward, it requires a careful balance of many factors. For example, the committee must ensure that we meet the state-required instructional hours, as not meeting this requirement can impact district funding. Even the scheduling of early release days requires close attention to keep instructional hours on track. Additionally, the day of the week on which Christmas falls greatly influences the timing of the winter break, while other holidays help shape the start and end dates for the school year.

These are just a few of the many considerations that come into play, making the development of a balanced and effective school calendar a significant task. We appreciate the committee's thoughtful work and dedication to creating a calendar that supports both student learning and the needs of our community.

Look for updates on calendar proposals in future newsletters!

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

The Idaho Falls School District Board of Trustees place the highest priority on the safety of students and staff. To enhance security, the Board is working to equip all D91 schools with dual-entry systems.

Dual entry involves two sets of locked doors at each school. Visitors must first buzz the office, identify themselves, and state the purpose of their visit. School staff can see the visitor via security cameras before unlocking the initial door. The second door, which leads to the office, must also be unlocked by school staff. Once inside the office, visitors are required to check in, sign a visitor log that records their name, date, time, and purpose of their visit. After completing these steps, an office staff member unlocks the door to the main hallway.

In addition to dual entry, the Board is implementing a new visitor screening system in each school. This system will scan a visitor's driver’s license to check background information for those accessing areas beyond the office. The system also logs the visitor's details and prints a badge featuring a photo, enabling all school staff to verify that the visitor has completed the screening process.

We are grateful to the Idaho Falls School Board for their dedication to creating a safe environment for everyone in our schools. Please watch for future updates about the screening system and dual entry projects in upcoming newsletters. Your safety is our priority!

Jake Humphries grew up in Allen, Texas, just outside of Dallas. After graduating from Allen High School, he came west to Brigham Young University-Idaho. In Rexburg, he earned his Social Studies Education Composite Bachelor's degree. Jake then went on and got a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Western Governors University.

For six years, Jake has taught 8th grade US history at Taylorview Middle School. He has also coached football at Idaho Falls High School for four years.

Jake describes himself as a “very competitive person”. He loves to play sports, specifically football. He also has a love for spikeball and is ready to play anytime the weather permits. He also enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Jake and his wife Morgan have been married for nine years and a beautiful daughter named Baylor. She will be turning 3 in October.

There’s definitely a chill in the air, and we've already seen a few flakes fluttering around this past week! With colder weather and potential storms just around the corner, now is the perfect time to review our expectations and procedures for weather-related school closures.

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our snow day protocols so we can ensure a smooth response if winter weather impacts our schedules.

• Administrators and non-teaching exempt personnel are expected to report to school, together with the head custodian and at least one secretary insofar as is safely possible. The administrator should assess the building, ensure any students who mistakenly report to school get safely home, and respond to telephone questions. Once these issues have been addressed, personnel who reported to work may choose to return home. If the employees do not work a normal day, they should adjust their work year in a memorandum to the superintendent for the hours or days not worked for the school closure.
• 10, 11, and 12-month Classified employees may report for duty or not report for duty as directed by their immediate supervisor or the superintendent. If employees do not report for duty, they should request the day as personal leave, vacation, or leave without pay.
• Transportation staff, food service staff, paraprofessional aides and librarians and other 9-month classified staff should not report for duty unless otherwise directed by their immediate supervisor or the superintendent. Typically, these groups of employees only work when students are in school. They should request the day as personal leave, vacation or leave without pay.
• Teachers, including certified librarians, psychologists, and counselors, are not expected to report for duty unless directed otherwise, such as a remote learning day. Teachers do not need to submit a leave request.

When winter weather hits, I carefully consider current and forecasted weather conditions, road safety, weather advisories, and more before deciding to close schools. These choices are never easy, as they impact our students, families, teachers, and staff. As always, my primary goal in making these decisions is to prioritize the safety and best interests of everyone in our school community.

If you have any questions about our snow day policy, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can also review the procedures outlined in Board Policy 2210P1. Thank you for all you do to keep our schools running smoothly and safely, no matter the weather!

• Nov 11: Veterans Day
• Nov 22: End of 1st Trimester
• Nov 25-29: Thanksgiving Break, No School
• Dec 4-5: Parent Teacher Conference- Elementary Schools
• Dec 23-Jan 6: Christmas Break, No School

To give our community the information they need to try and make a difference in this fight, the City of Idaho Falls is planning a special community Town Hall on Fentanyl from 6:30 pm to 8 pm on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at Taylorview Middle School.

Discussion will include:

• Learn how the community can make a difference in battling the nationwide fentanyl epidemic.
• Hear from the U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, local law enforcement officials, and local healthcare and recovery experts.
• Find out what is happening with fentanyl on the national, state, and local level.
• Connect with community partners sharing resources on how to keep families safe or how to respond in a crisis.

Come learn how you can do to make a difference.

Dora Erickson Elementary: Crossing Guard-Part-time

Temple View Elementary: Special Program Aide-Limited Full-time

CTEC: Health Occupations C.N.A Clinical Supervisor

Eagle Rock Middle School: Kitchen Worker-Limited Full-time

Eagle Rock Middle School: Title I Tutor Limited Full-time

Eagle Rock Middle School: Night Custodian-Full-time

See all current openings here.

Sometimes it’s hard to know if you’ve received the correct diagnosis or if you are on the right treatment plan. With 2nd.MD, you can connect with board-certified doctors for a second opinion via video or phone.

Access to 2nd.MD is included with your benefits from Regence and is covered at no cost to you. To activate your 2nd.MD account and request a consult, call 1-866-841-2575 or visit www.2nd.MD.

If you need to the send an email to the HR department, please direct those to humanresources@sd91.org.

During sleep complex electrical activity occurs, supporting learning, ability to memorise, make logical decisions and choices. We need sleep to process thoughts and memories, support healthy brain tissue, keep our vital organs healthy and replenish our energy.

Many people claim they only need 5-6 hours of sleep each night to be productive. But science proves this is a myth. Ninety nine per cent of people do physically require the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep. So what can you do?

3 more tips for a good night’s sleep

• Disconnect: Beware of constant connectivity. Avoid blue light from screens before bedtime.
• Create Rituals: Find the bedtime rituals that help you wind down and relax. A bath, candles, yoga, reading etc. .
• Lower the Lights: If you can’t block light in your bedroom, consider wearing a sleep mask.