D91 Employee News:

Learning and Growing with Teachers at the Core!

Teachers are some of the most caring people I know. Teachers work tirelessly to serve their students, help them learn, and reach their potential. Our teachers help students after school, attend student games, concerts, plays, and art open houses, celebrate student birthdays, buy students school supplies, books, coats, and boots, and serve them in so many other ways. Teaching is a demanding profession!

On Monday, January 20th we are stepping up to support and care for our teachers. On Monday, January 20th we will focus on the wellness and professional growth of our teachers. During the morning Dr. Janet Allen, Dr. Daniel Allen, and Dr. Matt Larsen will help our teachers learn about strategies for navigating difficult emotions, cultivating hope and optimism, managing expectations, and finding joy and fulfillment in teaching. I hope our teachers leave feeling uplifted and cared for.

In the afternoon, our teachers will work together in grade-level or content-area groups to identify the skills and content that are more important for students to learn. This collaboration will help our teachers in their important work of helping students learn. I can’t wait to see our teachers working together and sharing their expertise!

More than anything, I hope our teachers are able to find time to rejuvenate and reconnect with teachers across the district. My heart is filled with gratitude for our educators and all they do for our students. We love our teachers!

Superintendent Karla LaOrange

There will be no school for students on Monday, January 20th. So, what will teachers be up to that day?

Our dedicated educators will be hard at work collaborating and learning together to improve learning outcomes for students. This professional development day is a valuable opportunity for teachers to refine their skills, share best practices, and develop strategies to ensure every student succeeds.

We are so grateful to our teachers for their commitment, effort, and time to make a difference in the lives of our children. Thank you for supporting their work as they continue to go the extra mile for our students!

The forecast for Monday, January 20th is looking cold, but we’ve got you covered! Monday is also our Staff Development Day at Eagle Rock, and we’re taking steps to ensure everyone stays safe and warm.

To help with the transition between parking areas, shuttles will run between Eagle Rock and Skyline. We want to make sure you’re comfortable as you move from your car to Eagle Rock. Additionally, lunch will be provided onsite, so you won’t need to leave the building. We will be sharing spaces as we eat, but you will be warm and safe inside.

A huge shout-out to Dave Picanso and the Grounds Crew for their hard work keeping our parking areas and sidewalks clear and safe. Another big thank you to Ralph Frost and the Transportation Department for organizing shuttle service to make things easier for all of us.

The D91 community is truly about taking care of each other. Thank you for all you do, and we look forward to a productive and warm Staff Development Day!

The D91 School Board is pleased to announce that its members will host listening sessions to hear from individual teachers about their concerns and challenges. These sessions will take place during Teacher Development Day on Saturday, January 20th, at Eagle Rock Middle School from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Details:

• Time slots will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Sign-up sheets will be located near the check-in area by the Eagle Rock office on the day of the event.
• Please note that discussions involving personnel matters are not permitted.

Your voice matters, and the Board looks forward to hearing your insights.

It’s almost here! We are thrilled to announce that the new D91 website will officially launch on Tuesday, January 21st!

Our redesigned website features:

• Improved navigation for a more user-friendly experience.
• Enhanced accessibility to ensure all users can easily access important information.
• A dynamic platform that integrates photos and videos, keeping the site updated, engaging, and visually appealing.

While some school websites may have a more basic design initially, rest assured that all essential school information will still be accessible. We are continuing to refine these layouts and will share updates as they are completed.

We can’t wait for you to explore our new and improved website. Stay tuned for the official unveiling on January 21st!

Thank you for your patience and support as we work to bring you this exciting update.

We are one week closer to the kick-off of One District, One Book! We will come together as a D91 community to read and enjoy the same book.

Guess Our Book

What book will we be reading? A committee of teachers selected the book and it is a great one! Below you will find two clues to the book. Let’s see if you can guess our book!

Clue 1: The book we’ve chosen is a cherished family favorite.

Clue 2: The book teaches lessons about friendship and sacrifice.

Here’s how it works:

• Each family with an elementary-aged student will receive a novel from the district, along with a reading calendar outlining which chapters to read each day.
• Families can enjoy videos and recordings of each chapter being read by local celebrity guest readers. Recordings will be available in both English and Spanish to ensure everyone can join in the fun.
• Additional resources will be shared as we get closer to the program kick-off to make the experience even more enriching for families.

Mark Your Calendars!

The One District, One Book program will kick off on Monday, February 3rd. On that day, the youngest child in each elementary family will bring home the book we’ll read together.

We can’t wait to embark on this literary adventure with you. Stay tuned for more updates, resources, and information about reading together!

Snow is here with the shivers and fun that comes with it! Before we find ourselves digging out of drifts, let’s review the expectations and board policy (Administrative Procedures 2210P1).

• Administrators and non-teaching exempt personnel are expected to report to school, along with the head custodian and at least one secretary, as long as it’s safely.
• 10, 11, and 12-month Classified employees may report or not report for duty, depending on the direction of their immediate supervisor or the superintendent.
• Transportation staff, food service staff, paraprofessional aides, librarians, and other 9-month classified staff should not report unless directed by their immediate supervisor or the superintendent.
• Teachers, including certified librarians, psychologists, and counselors, are not expected to report unless directed otherwise directed, such as during a remote learning day.

When a snowstorm is forecast, I’ll stay on top of weather conditions and work closely with our Transportation Department to determine if D91 will hold school. Here's to a hopefully mild winter!

Be checking your mailbox. Your W-2 forms will be mailed before Jan 31 and be sent to the address in the Tyler system. Please log on and confirm that your address is current. This is how you can do that.

• Idaho Falls School District 91 Website → Single Sign-on → Tyler ERP Pro → click Employee Access → click My Information → click Profile → view Mailing Address to confirm its correct. To change the address → click on the pencil icon → enter the new full address → click Submit

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

• Jan 20: Civil Rights Day, No School/Staff Development Day
• Jan 28: D91 College and Career Fair at Mountain America Center
• Feb 13: Parent Teacher Conference Middle and High Schools (Early Release for MS)
• Feb 14: On-Line Learning Day Middle and High Schools/ Teacher Comp Day
• Feb 17: Presidents Day, No School

Attention all high school students! We encourage you to attend the D91 College and Career Fair January 28 at the Mountain America Center. Find more information below. Take advantage of this opportunity to see what could be out there for you!

We want to thank all the D91 student athletes and their parents who came to Taylorview Middle School and Skyline High School Monday night to learn more about the Especially for Athletes program.

Especially for Athletes (“E4A”) is a movement designed to inspire athletes, and those with whom they associate, to maximize their athletic potential and to use their talents and social influence to assist and lift others.

If you missed Monday's meetings, reach out to your school's athletic director to learn more. You can also learn more at E4A.org.

Congratulations to the Idaho Falls High School Scholastic Varsity Team A for their quarterfinalist finish and to JV Team B for finishing as champion at the International Academic Competitions History Bee and Bowl at Idaho Falls High School on Saturday. The Tigers swept the JV Bee with Hiro Quan as JV Bee Champion, Isaac Kingma 2nd place, and Drew Eddingnsaas in 3rd place. The students are qualified for the IAC 2025 Varsity and JV National Championships scheduled for April 24-27, 2025 at the Crystal City Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia. Congratulations and good luck at nationals.

Dora Erickson Elementary kicked off its upcoming STEAM days with an event Thursday night. Families were able to come and experience activities from the INL, PTO, and Erickson teachers. The STEAM Club is one of Erickson's most popular programs and 2025 is going to be filled with creativity, innovation, and discovery. It is a great way to get the kids excited about science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.

Congratulations to the Skyline High School Cheerleaders taking 1st place in the All Girl Show category at a competition in Jerome on Saturday. They Grizz Cheer Team also took 3rd in Pom and Sideline. Way to go, Grizz!

Special Education Teacher-Elementary 2025-2026

Special Education Teacher-Secondary 2025-2026

Idaho Falls High School: Special Program Aide-DACC-Full-time

Skyline High School: Boys Soccer Program Director

Eagle Rock Middle School: Media Center Aide-Part-time

Idaho Falls High School: Golf Head Coach

See all current openings here.

In 2023 78% of teachers described themselves as stressed. Here is some practical advice to help teachers and education staff handle stress.

• Know your priorities: Be clear about your priorities. Practice holding healthy boundaries that stop you from taking on too much, or committing yourself to work that doesn’t align with your personal priorities. This can make a real difference to your levels of stress and exhaustion. Practice saying no.
• Be aware of what stresses you: Make a list of events that leave you emotionally drained, with one or two ways to reduce the stress for each. When they occur, use them as an opportunity to practice your stress-reduction techniques and note what works.

We'll have more tips for you in upcoming newsletters.