Superintendent e-Newsletter

The students and staff have been hard at work all through the first four months of school. There have been new math books for the teachers to navigate with number bonds and more number bonds to re-group for the students. Teachers have also been busy carefully teaching reading skills, and the students are actively learning their letters, sounds, and words.

Support staff work industriously to keep students staff, to guide in good decision-making, and to assist in understanding their school work.

The Boosters Club, led by Donnie Masters, work intensely with the maintenance department to complete the new athletic complex so the high school baseball and softball players have a field to call home this spring.

The elementary PTO groups and other local organizations work fervently to raise funds and see new playground structures installed at both Heyburn Elementary and UpRiver School.

Then there is the food service department and transportation. Drivers work cautiously and warily to ensure that students are picked up and dropped off safely to and from school each day. Food service work attentively to feed students so they are energized to learn at their fullest capacity.

The Board of Trustees have been hard at work these past four months, wisely governing the school district, ensuring students are safe and receiving a quality education

As a result, the superintendent feels blessed to be apart of the St. Maries Joint School District, the best school district ever! Happy holidays.

The Christmas Concert Schedule

• December 16. The Heyburn Winter Concert
• December 17. The UpRiver Winter Concert at 6:00 pm in UpRiver; the SMMS 7 SMHS Winter Concert at 6:30 in Presbyterian Church.

Look at each school's website/Facebook page for school site specific winter activities.

SD 41 is committed to quality education and collaboration by teaching skills, developing knowledge, and fostering both responsibility and confidence so that all students become productive and successful citizens.

Goal 1. Academic Achievement for all students (measured by the ISAT in Math, ELA, and Science) (Social Studies is measured by end-of-year exams)

• Implement an instructional model with five key strategies for K -12
• Use of Professional Learning Communities
• Other school specific action steps

Goal 2. College and Career Readiness. Measured by the state's CCR rate and graduation rate

• see above

Goal 3. Setting a safe and welcoming school setting. Measured by the student climate survey, and discipline data.

• Have a standardized K -12 Behavior matrix
• Systemically recognize "the Lumberjack behaviors and be consistent/firm in consequences
• Grow the building safety measures
• Develop a multi-step crisis prevention plan

Goal 4. Improve Communication between SD 41 and the families/community.

• Communicate frequently and in a variety of venues

• Winter Sports. Look at the Calendar or the Athletic Department on the District website for the winter sports schedule.
• December 2. A Special Board Meeting on policy review
• December 9. A Regular Board Meeting.
• December 16. The Heyburn Winter Concert.
• December 17. The UpRiver Winter Concert. The SMMS and the SMHS Winter Concert.
• December 21. The start of the Winter holiday break
• January 6. The return to school

The Regular School Board Meetings are now being broadcasted through this link: https://www.youtube.com/@SD41YouTube/streams

The following School Board Meeting is Monday, December 9, 2024.

WHEREAS, it is our duty as parents, educators, and elected leaders to create the best school environment possible where our children can thrive and learn; and

WHEREAS, in our day and age, technology and technological devices are integrated into .how we learn, teach, and operate day to day; and

WHEREAS, we are seeing the dangers of social media and personal technological devices in our classrooms when kids are more concerned about what is happening on their cell phones than what they are learning in class; and

WHEREAS, I join many leaders, including the Superintendent of Public Instruction and my legislative partners in recognizing cell phone use is happening in schools and that cell phones and social media present negative effects on student mental health, development, and learning; and

WHEREAS, I look forward to working with my fellow legislators in the 2025 legislative session to bring forward a codified policy on cell phones in schools; and

WHEREAS, it is not just our job but our moral obligation to safeguard our children's future and ensure that every student in Idaho's public school system has a chance to achieve the American Dream.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Brad Little, Governor of the State of Idaho, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Idaho, do hereby order the following:

Encouragement of all schools to have a comprehensive, district wide policy in place on cell phone restriction in schools by the end of the 2024-2025 school year. These policies should follow the policy guidance as issued by the State Department of Education.

With the adoption of a policy on cell phone use in schools, I am authorizing the State Board of Education to award $5,000 one-time funds to any district that adopts a district wide policy on cell phone use that follows the State Department of Education's policy guidance. The money will be distributed by the State Department of Education and must be used in priority order, as established by the State Department of Education.

You can read more about the new steps to limit cell phone use in schools at https://gov.idaho.gov/pressrelease/little-critchfield-unveil-new-steps-to-restrict-cell-phone-use-in-schools/

Three points:

1. The negative impact screen time has on children and young people is significant.

2. Instructional time is limited and needs to be protected. Students only spend 11-13% of a calendar year in school for class time. Every minute counts.

3. The use of cell phones can have serious consequences. It can disrupt sleep, lead to increased depression, and impair critical-thinking skills.

Understand that each building currently restricts where and when to use a cell phone during the day. For PK–8, the phones are not to be used in the school building. For high school students, phones should not be used in the classroom. Refer the school's student handbook to read more detail.

To be clear, students use district-issued devices (i.e., Chromebooks) during the school day.

In case of an emergency, parents/guardians can always reach the school's main office. SD 41 knows that there will be times or situations when a student needs to utilize the school phone or cell phone during the day.

Stay tuned for more messaging and information sessions between now and January.

Whether our students attend a private school, a public school, an online school, or a home school, I think it is safe to say we want to a provide quality education and teach the necessary skills and knowledge so our children can be productive and successful citizens. Let’s continue to work together to make decisions that benefit every child. Sincerely, the superintendent of St. Maries Joint School District.