D93 Weekly Family Update

Thank you for responding to our nominations for Teamwork recognition. Check out the presentation of these recognitions!

In addition to the election for state and local offices, the November 8th election will include two questions for D93 residents.

Q: Why are voters being asked whether to approve renewing a supplemental levy?

• By state law, school districts must seek voter approval of supplemental levies at least every two years to continue receiving these funds. Voters in Bonneville School District have approved a supplemental levy since 2008.

Q: How does the District spend the dollars from the supplemental levy?

• Funding specific positions, including our elementary P.E. and music paraprofessionals, co-curricular activity advisors, extracurricular coaches, and substitute teachers,
• Increasing wages for support staff, including custodians and maintenance workers, our classroom paraprofessionals and supervision aides, and our technology and clerical staff,
• Enhancing salaries for certified employees, including teachers, school counselors, principals, and other administrative staff,
• Paying for School Resource Officers, and
• Providing curricular resources and supplies for our classrooms.

Q: How has the District spent the money we received from COVID relief (ESSER) funds?

• Responding to the pandemic. The District first used COVID relief funds to address immediate needs created by the pandemic including purchasing medical and cleaning supplies, providing every student with a Chromebook for remote learning, and paying employees for COVID leave and for performing additional responsibilities in response to the pandemic.
• Replacing lost funding. After addressing these needs, we have used COVID relief funds to replace revenue lost from not approving emergency levies ($2 million per year, $5.5 million total) as well as from state budget cuts in classroom technology, transportation and other important areas.
• Addressing learning loss and student well-being. The District is also using COVID relief funds reserved for learning loss and supporting students social and emotional well-being to meet those needs.

D93 residents will also be asked whether to approve $1.5 million in savings from the construction of Black Canyon Middle School for other capital improvements in the District.

Q: Why are voters being asked to approve these funds?

The construction of Black Canyon Middle School was completed under budget; however, the District cannot use funds from bonds for any purpose that voters have not approved. We are asking voters to authorize the use of these savings to help fund other critical needs in the District.

Q: What projects will be funded if this is approved?

Last fall, working with a citizens advisory committee, we identified several projects that have become critical needs. These projects include replacing the cafeteria at Ammon Elementary, repairing the roofs at Bonneville High School and Ammon Elementary, and replacing the bus garage. One or more of these projects would be partially funded from these dollars, as well as from proceeds from recent property sales by the District. Some projects will likely also need additional funding from a future bond.

Q: What happens to this money if 2/3 of voters do not vote in favor of this?

These funds can only be used for purposes that were originally identified on the ballot which included building Black Canyon Middle School, replacing the roof at Iona, and constructing a parent drop-off loop at Falls Valley. These projects have all been completed within their estimated budgets. The only other approved use of these dollars is purchasing property for additional school sites. We currently have property for four additional elementary schools as well as a high school and middle school.

VOTER INFORMATION

voteidaho.gov provides information about polling places and voter registration. Online voter registration is now closed, so if you need to register, please visit the Bonneville County Elections Office at 497 N. Capital Ave, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to register or to participate in early in-person voting.

Here is the summary report of the school calendar survey results that we shared with the School Board yesterday . We will use recommendations in this report to develop proposed school calendars for the next three years. We will share those proposed calendars in next week's Family Update.

This week's episode of D93 News spotlights the enrichment activities that are held each week at Bonneville Online Elementary.

4th-6th grade student in Idaho, your child is invited to join the Elementary Orff Ensemble at the Idaho Music Educators Conference held at Idaho State University in Pocatello on February 2-4th, 2023. Click here for more information.

K-6th grade students may submit original art for the Idaho Department of Education holiday cards.

A winning entry from each grade level will be selected for publication on the State Department of

Education website. From these entries, one overall winner will be selected for use on the department’s

official holiday card. The winning artist will also receive cards for their own personal use. Artwork must be submitted or postmarked by Friday, November 11. Digital submissions are permitted, but the original artwork must be hand drawn. The form for digital submissions can be found here. Mail entries should be sent to: Idaho State Department of Education, Holiday Card Contest, attn. Taylor Baggerly, P.O. Box 83720, Boise 83720-0027.

Schoolhouse online tutoring is expanding their SAT prep offerings and are preparing to host four SAT Bootcamps, each a week long. The November SAT bootcamp is currently underway, but registration is still open for the November 5 – December 2 SAT bootcamp. Click here to find out more about the sessions and to sign up. Deadline to register is November 3.

High school juniors may apply for the Idaho science and aerospace scholars STEM program. Applications must be submitted by Tuesday, November 1st.

Student drivers are invited to apply for the “What Drives You?” Jiffy Lube Teen Driver Scholarship Program online with a 500 word personal essay on the topics of ambition and “what drives you?” There are no other academic requirements. Applications for all regions are due on March 10. Find out more about your regional program and apply online using this link.

Students, parents, and employees can reach out for help with bullying, harassment, suicidal tendencies, self-harm, threats, or to report weapons at school by going to d93.org/gethelp or sending the text @gethelp to 855-528-0074.

Thank you to our community partners at EIRMC for supporting our D93 Family Update.