For the first time ever, students in D93 will not attend classes on Election Day (November 5th). We made this decision in response to concerns from our families about the increased risk to students' safety with so many of our schools being used as polling places.

Instead, we will use this time to bring our teachers from all across the district to engage in collaborative learning. Teacher teams will continue the work they started last April.

During this time, teachers from every school will be working together to identify what every student needs to learn in every class, regardless of which school that student attends. They will help to ensure that all students learn at high levels, regardless of which teacher they have or what school they go to. We not believe that a student's success should depend on what school they are zoned to attend.

Thank you for your support of this important work in our District. We truly believe that the culture of collaboration sets District 93 apart.

Congratulations to the Thunder Ridge Marching Band. They competed in ISU's Mountain West Marching Band Invitational and swept the categories of Best Music, Best Percussion, Best Visual and Best Auxiliary. What a great representation of D93!

The High Desert Marching Band (Hillcrest and Bonneville combined band) also had a tremendous day at the ISU Mountain West Marching Band Invitational. They earned Best Music, Best Percussion, and 1st Place in the 4A division and the Gem State Award for the highest score in the competition. Way to go to the High Desert Marching Band...CONGRATULATIONS!

In addition to the Presidential Election, on November 5th our residents will also be asked whether to approve our $5.8 million annual supplemental levy for the next two years*.

As you can see in the image below, this funding supplements pay for almost every D93 employee. It also helps to pay the contract for our School Resource Officers and provides instructional resources for our classrooms. Finally, the cost of our extracurricular activities including coaching stipends and transportation come from the supplemental levy.

By state law, to keep this funding, the levy must be approved by our voters at least every two years.

Please help to share the word about the importance of voting on this ballot question.

*Mandatory Disclosure Language

The estimated average annual cost to the taxpayer on the proposed levy is a tax of $77.13 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value, per year, based on current conditions. The proposed levy replaces an existing levy that expires on June 30, 2025 and that currently costs $77.13 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value. If the proposed levy is approved, the tax per $100,000 of taxable assessed value is not expected to change.

Join us in celebrating this week's D93 Extra Mile Award winners, presented by Rusty Taco! We're thrilled to recognize outstanding staff members from Ucon Elementary, Cloverdale Elementary, and Black Canyon Middle School. A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate those who go above and beyond in our community. We look forward to shining a spotlight on even more exceptional people soon! #WeAreD93

https://youtu.be/tcVm0HjxL4Y

This week on the We Are D93 podcast, Lori sits down with Jalen Fuhriman, a 2013 graduate of Bonneville High School and co-owner of Spitfire Pickleball. Jalen shares how Spitfire Pickleball is giving people the opportunity to enjoy the sport year-round. Tune in to hear about his journey from D93 to entrepreneur and his passion for the growing pickleball community!

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/d93news/episodes/Jalen-Fuhriman-e2pnl8o

Thank you to everyone who participated in this month's D93 Live! We appreciate your engagement and support as we work to keep our community informed. If you missed it, don't worry—you can always go back and watch the recording on the D93 Facebook page. As a reminder, D93 Live typically takes place on the first Monday after the Board Meeting each month. Be sure to mark your calendars for our special edition in November, which will air on Monday, November 4th, just ahead of Election Day. We look forward to seeing you there!

The D93 Extra Mile Award celebrates those whose hard work and positive attitudes make a significant impact on our students, staff, and community. Thanks to our amazing friends at Rusty Taco, we’ll be recognizing those who go above and beyond with this special award! 🌮🙌

In next week's newsletter, we will catch up with a number of our outstanding employees who have been recognized for going the extra mile.

For Veteran's Day, celebrate a veteran who is now working in education. If you know a veteran who is an educator or if you are interested in being highlighted by the Idaho Department of Education pleae click on this link for more information.

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