D91 Update Jan 24, 2025

Behind the Scenes on School Closure Days

This week, I ran into a friend during a quick trip to the grocery store, and they commented on how “easy” snow days must be for the district. From the outside, I can see how it might look that way, but the truth is that snow days are anything but quiet—they’re busy, fast-paced, and full of decisions!

Extreme weather days start as early as 4:30 a.m., when our lead drivers begin traversing roads across the district to assess conditions. Meanwhile, district personnel, including myself, are monitoring the weather closely through the National Weather Service. By a little after 5:00 a.m., our incredible transportation director, Ralph Frost, calls me to review weather and road conditions, sharing whether buses are able to operate safely.

At the same time, area superintendents are in communication, sharing updates about road and bus conditions in their respective districts and coordinating decisions.

Once the decision to close schools is made, a flurry of communication begins. Our Communications Coordinator notifies the media, the Technology Department sends text messages to parents, principals are updated via text, and employees receive email notifications. On a day like Monday, when the closure impacted teachers and staff only, additional messaging was sent to ensure everyone working directly with teachers was informed.

It truly takes a team to handle every aspect of school closures, and I want to give a heartfelt shoutout to our incredible D91 staff. While most of us are still tucked warmly in bed, they’re out working tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of our students, teachers, and staff.

I am deeply grateful for the dedication, teamwork, and courage of everyone in D91. You make a difference every single day, and your efforts do not go unnoticed. Thank you for all that you do to support our schools, no matter the weather!

Superintendent Karla LaOrange

Between 2010 and 2015, the social lives of American teens shifted dramatically with the widespread adoption of smartphones, granting continuous access to social media, online games, and other internet-based activities. This profound change has been referred to as the "great rewriting of childhood."

The first generation of teens who experienced puberty with smartphones and the internet in their hands—now known as Gen Z—faced significant challenges to their mental health.

Rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide increased at alarming levels. Unlike the millennial generation, who largely completed puberty before this shift, Gen Z grew up navigating a phone-based childhood that fundamentally reshaped their development.

This tidal wave of mental health concerns has disproportionately affected preteen and teenage girls, with sharp increases in anxiety, depression, and self-harm. Boys have also been affected, though their rates of mental health struggles, while rising, have not been as pronounced as those of girls. Boys’ technology use and related challenges often differ from those of girls, but the impact is nonetheless significant.

Suicide rates in the United States began rising in 2008 for both boys and girls, with a notable acceleration in 2010. While many factors contribute to mental health issues, the unprecedented rise between 2010 and 2015 cannot be fully explained by economic conditions or other global events.

How exactly does a phone-based childhood interfere with child development and exacerbate mental health challenges? This is a critical question we’ll explore in future editions of the newsletter, as we share research and insights into the relationship between smartphones and student well-being.

Together, as a community, we can work to better understand and support our students.

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are the central organizing principle of our schools. Why this focus? Because PLCs are a powerful tool to support teachers and elevate student achievement.

Educational researcher Dr. Douglas Reeves examined 196 schools and over a quarter million students, finding that schools implementing PLCs with depth and persistence experience significant gains in reading, mathematics, and science. What’s more, the longer PLCs are implemented, the greater the results.

This research highlights a critical distinction: schools that commit to a long-term, laser-focused implementation of PLCs see transformational outcomes for students. These schools resist the allure of fleeting educational trends, instead embracing the collaborative processes that truly drive achievement.

At D91, we are committed to this kind of dogged persistence. Each year, we deepen our practice and strengthen our commitment to PLCs. With every step forward, we see the

impact grow—not just in test scores, but in the shared culture of collaboration and excellence among our educators.

Our commitment to PLCs extends to everyone in District 91: teachers, paraprofessionals, office personnel, custodians, child nutrition workers, technology specialists, maintenance staff, principals, family liaisons, coaches, and all who are part of our team. By collaborating across roles to identify the outcomes that help students reach their full potential—and working together to bring those outcomes to life—we collectively contribute to the success of our students. Year after year, that success grows, and as a united team, we stay focused on what matters most: supporting our students and their futures.

Together, as we continue to focus on what matters most, we are ensuring that every student in District 91 benefits from this intentional, research-based approach to learning. Thank you for your dedication to this work that transforms classrooms, supports your peers, and prepares our students for success.

The Idaho Humanities Council is asking us to help celebrate outstanding teachers by submitting nominees for the IHC Outstanding Humanities Educator Award. The IHC recognizes their outstanding work with an annual award for three teachers: one in grades K-5th, 6-8th, and in 9-12th grades. Administrators, colleagues, parents, and former students are all invited to nominate an outstanding teacher. The deadline to nominate is February 28th.

Award Criteria:

• Educator must be teaching full time in a classroom in the current school year in Idaho.
• Educator must be licensed to teach in the state of Idaho.
• Educator must be teaching a humanities discipline.
• Educator must exemplify the guiding principles of the Idaho Humanities Council.
• Educators cannot have won this award in the past.

What are the humanities?

The Idaho Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities define “the humanities” to include history, literature, philosophy, jurisprudence, cultural anthropology, comparative religion, art history and criticism, music history and other interpretive disciplines that through study yield wisdom.

To learn more about the award or to nominate a teacher, click here.

We’re excited to announce the launch of our new District 91 website! The updated site is designed to provide improved digital accessibility for all users. Key features include enhanced keyboard navigation, descriptive alternative text for images and transcripts, and closed captioning for videos. These updates reflect our commitment to ensuring that all functionality and content on our website is accessible to everyone.

We’re still refining content and developing new pages to better serve our D91 community. Keep an eye out for fresh updates, pictures, and videos. We’re thrilled to provide a platform that offers easier access, smoother navigation, and the information you need—all at your fingertips!

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!

The deadline for Mayor's Scholarship Fund and the Adams Foundation Scholarship is fast approaching. Applications are due by the end of school: Wednesday, February 5th. Current 8th-12th grade students who live OR attend school within the physical boundaries of Idaho Falls School District 91 are eligible to apply.

Promise Award: 8th-11th grade $250

This award may be received multiple times during those years. Students may use this award while still in high school for approved college preparatory or dual enrollment expenses or retain it for post-secondary expenses.

Senior Award: 12th grade $1500

This award is for current seniors and may be used at any accredited post-secondary educational institution, training program, including military training, college or university.

Senior Legacy Award: 12th grade $2500

The application and scoring process for this award is the same as the MSF Senior Application. Awardees who were past Promise Award recipients will be given the Legacy Award.

Adams Foundation Award 12th grade $1500/year/4 years

Applicants must qualify under at least ONE of the following: Score 24 on ACT; score 1110 on SAT or have a cumulative unweighted gpa of 3.5 or higher. This scholarship may not be deferred after high school and must be claimed by fall of 2025 and used at an accredited Idaho college or university. The Adams Award is renewable for up to four years.

Applications are available for download at mayorsscholarshipfund.org

• Jan 28: D91 College and Career Fair at Mountain America Center
• Feb 13: Parent Teacher Conferences for Secondary Schools, Early release for Middle Schools
• Feb 14: On-line Learning day for Secondary Schools/Teacher Comp Day
• Feb 17: Presidents Day, No School
• Mar 7: End of 2nd Trimester

The D91 Esports program is hosting a tournament Saturday, January 25 at Compass Academy. Games played will be Valorant, Rocket League, and Super Smash Bros. This is an up-and-coming program in the District. They're doing some incredible things. It is free admission. Come check out what it's all about. Games start at 9:15 am.

District 91 is excited to host its College & Career Fair on January 28, 2025, at the Mountain America Center. This event is a valuable opportunity for sophomores, juniors, and seniors to explore educational and career pathways.

The fair will be broken up into two sessions. The first will go from 10:15 - 11:15 am and will be for students at Idaho Falls High School and Compass Academy. The second session will be for Skyline High School and Emerson Alternative High School students and will run from 12:45 - 1:45 pm.

Attendees will have the chance to:

• Connect with representatives from over 50 local businesses to discuss employment opportunities.

• Meet with college and military representatives to learn about educational programs and careers.

• Explore available programs, scholarships, and resources for post-secondary success.

Students are encouraged to wear appropriate business attire. Business casual is recommended. They should also bring multiple copies of their resume.

Congratulations to all the D91 wrestlers who competed at the Tiger-Grizz Wrestling Invitational over the weekend. Saxton Scott (pictured) was the top Tiger on the varsity side finishing in 2nd place. Both DJ Neider and Mya Bollander took 6th despite each of them having to medically forfeit. Skyline's Molly Olague lead the Grizz with a 2nd place finish. Ayden Tokita grabbed 5th and Xoey Zollinger and Autumn Olague each took 6th place. Congratulations to all the wrestlers and thank you to everyone who helped make the tournament run.

Idaho Falls High School was one of five schools to be part of the Gem State Honor Choir at BYU-Idaho in Rexburg over the weekend. The IFHS Chamber Choir got to work with conductor Dr. Randall Kempton on some new pieces and learned some new skills. We are proud of our students who work so hard to expand and share their talents. Thank you to our talented teachers and staff who help our students discover their potential.

The Skyline High School Debate team has been in a roll in the last couple of weeks. On January 10-11, the Grizz competed at Blacksnake Debate Tournament at Idaho State University in Pocatello where the team placed 5th out of 22 teams from 4 different states. Last weekend the team placed 3rd out of 17 teams at the Thunderville Joust at Thunder Ridge High School. Keep up the great work.

A.H. Bush Elementary: Music Paraprofessional-Part-time

A.H. Bush Elementary: Title I Tutor- Part-time

Sunnyside Elementary: Resource Room Aide-Limited Part-time

Elementary Teachers K-6 (2025-2026 School Year)

Middle School Teachers 7-8 (2025-2026 School Year)

High School Teachers 2025-2026 9-12 (2025-2026 School Year)

Special Education Teacher 2025-2026 All grades (2025-2026 School Year)

See all current openings here.