Paraprofessionals provide support for students and teachers in areas like special education and student services. They can tutor students or assist the teacher with managing the classroom and organizing instructional materials, and provide individual support for students with special needs.

The PSC makes recommendations to the State Board of Education, which governs public educational institutions and school systems. The 18-member PSC voted unanimously Friday to recommend an assessment developed locally by the Boise School District, called the “Idaho Paraprofessional Testing Alternative” (IPTA).

There is “significant need” for an alternative test for rural schools, said Ryan Cantrell, chief deputy superintendent for the Idaho Department of Education and PSC member. Rural schools “can’t get people to the Praxis,” Cantrell said, referring to the Educational Testing Service’s (ETS) ParaPro Assessment, a reading, writing and math certification test for prospective paraprofessionals that is required in Idaho.

Many districts have potential hires drive to distant testing centers, one of four barriers contributing to the statewide shortage of paraprofessionals. Another factor is the $55 testing cost, which has to be paid each time a candidate takes or retakes the test. The other two are outdated equipment and an inordinately high passing score.

“Idaho needs every tool possible to help stem the tide of shortages,” a commission member said Friday morning.

School districts and charter schools have only one choice at the moment. Boise’s IPTA is an alternative method, so districts who prefer the current ETS test can continue using it. The IPTA is designed to meet both state and federal requirements. Idaho Code allows a state-approved assessment for endorsement.

The IPTA has a passing score of 75%. There are two exam options: a no-technology, paper-and-pencil version; and a Google Form version that is automatically graded and scores are saved. Individual school districts and charter schools can choose where to administer the test. The IPTA is free. 

Boise’s methodology utilized five measures: researching state and federal requirements; formatting the test to Idaho’s paraprofessional standards; developing consistency with the ETS test; employing a team of teachers to write content-specific test questions; beta-testing the assessment with teachers and paraprofessionals.

Jason Hutchinson, Boise’s director of human services, and his team presented the IPTA proposal to the PSC’s recommendation’s committee. He noted several issues about ETS’s testing procedures that are complicating the paraprofessional shortage.

One of those is maintaining technology capable of interfacing with ETS’ outdated systems — a major problem for Boise. The district administers the test in-house so it must maintain outdated systems in order to provide the test.

This year Boise administered 19 ETS exams. Two candidates did not pass. Last year, the district provided 56 tests and nine people failed. Those nine did not return to retake the test. At a price of $55, those 56 tests likely cost the district about $3,000.

In other business, the PSC voted unanimously to recommend that the State Board amend the ETS ParaPro Assessment qualifying score from 460 to 457.

The standards commission is an 18-member volunteer board made up of teachers, school administrators and higher education officials, who have the authority to approve, suspend and revoke teaching and administrative licenses in Idaho.

The commission revoked and suspended licenses for a range of violations, from rape to viewing pornography on a school computer.

Below are summaries of the complaints against the educators and the commission’s disciplinary decisions.

Wade Schvaneveldt — Soda Springs School District

Wade Schvaneveldt engaged in a sexual relationship with a teenager and he was sentenced in June to serve a prison term of 8-18 years. He held a career technical education certificate and a teaching certificate with economics and mathematics endorsements. He was convicted of two felonies related to the rape charge.

The PSC permanently revoked his teaching certifications.

Nancy H. Lucio — Heritage Academy

Nancy H. Lucio used her school district computer to forward confidential student and employee information to her personal email address. She held an interim administrative certificate with school principal endorsement and an interim teaching certificate with early childhood education and English as a second language endorsements.

The PSC issued a letter of reprimand for her personnel file and will require an ethics course be completed.

Mark Baer — Plummer-Worley School District

Mark Baer used his school district computer to view pornography. He holds a teaching certificate with English, social studies and history endorsements.

The PSC suspended his teaching certification for two years, with the condition he complete an ethics course and that a licensed counselor issue a letter demonstrating that he is fit to be in the classroom.

Christopher S. Perrigot — Minidoka County School District

Christopher S. Perrigot pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery. He admitted to unlawfully touching the buttocks of a female student in 2021. He holds an alternative authorization content specialist license with all subjects endorsement and held a non-traditional CSI interim teaching certificate with all schools endorsement.

The PSC suspended his teaching certification for five years with possible conditional reinstatement: receiving the benefit of the withheld judgement or dismissal of the underlying conviction; no other criminal convictions; completion of two ethics courses on boundaries and classroom management.

Kelly Moysh — Blackfoot School District

Kelly Moysh provided diuretic Lasix pills to one or more students on the wrestling team. The pills are a banned substance and were obtained in Mexico. He drove a bus transporting the varsity wrestling team to Post Falls but did not have the proper certifications to drive the vehicle. He was both a teacher and wrestling coach. He holds a teaching certificate with visual arts endorsement.

The PSC did not take any action on his license. The PSC’s administrative complaint recommends suspending his teaching certification until he: completes an ethics, drug-free workplace and understanding academic dishonesty courses; and an honoring the game course from Positive Coaching Alliance.

Current administrative complaints

EdNews obtained four additional administrative complaints through a record’s request. The PSC has not made a final decision against the teacher, staff or administrator being investigated for violating Idaho Code. The state provides an opportunity to contest the allegations contained in the complaint during its administrative proceeding, if requested by the person accused of wrongdoing. One or more of the cases could be placed on the PSC’s next scheduled meeting for disciplinary decisions.

Cory Gaylor — Kuna School District

Cory Gaylor pleaded guilty to lewd conduct with a child under the age of 16 and “children-enticing” over the Internet. He was convicted in 2023. He holds a teaching certificate with world language and Spanish endorsements. The PSC recommends permanent revocation of his certifications, according to the administrative complaint.

Eric M. McDermott — Boise School District

Eric M. McDermott was convicted of  sexual battery of a minor child between the ages of 16-17. He was convicted this year. He holds a teaching certificate with English, social studies and history endorsements. He was employed by the Boise school district during the 2022-23 school year. The PSC recommends permanent revocation of his certifications, according to the administrative complaint.

Ronald Stone — Coeur d’Alene School District

Ronald Stone was convicted in 2022 of two counts of lewd conduct with a minor under the age of 16. He is serving life in prison. He held a teaching certificate with all subjects endorsement and a pupil service certificate with a school counselor endorsement. The PSC recommends permanent revocation of his certifications, according to the administrative complaint.

Donald B. Young — COSSA Schools

Donald B. Young made inappropriate comments to colleagues and students, such as a desire to have sex with colleagues and commenting on female students’ bodies. He holds an occupational specialist teaching certificate with auto maintenance and light repair endorsements. He was employed by COSSA Schools — Parma, Notus, Wilder and Marsing schools districts – during the 2022-23 school year. The PSC recommends suspending his certifications until he completes ethics, boundaries and classroom management courses. Evidence of completion must be provided to the commission prior to consideration for reinstatement, according to the administrative complaint.

Executive committee recommendations

The PSC’s executive committee went into a short executive session to review three cases. In open session, they did not use names but case file numbers. They declined a counteroffer in case 22317 (Kelly Moysh), recommended to permanently revoke the teacher’s certificate in case 22327 and revoke the teacher’s certificate in case 22314. EdNews requested more information on cases 22327 and 22314 but was informed that these documents are not currently a public record. These cases could come before the PSC at a future meeting.

The PSC staff reported that two complaints had been reviewed and returned without an administrative complaint issued; there are three new cases for the executive committee to review at its next meeting and eight new cases recently opened that could come before the PSC for review.

That news came as no surprise to Decoding Dyslexia Idaho and education advocate Ashley Brittain, an attorney with The Brittain Group, who filed the federal complaint, after years of repeated attempts to convince the Sherri Ybarra administration that Idaho was out of compliance. Ybarra served eight years as Idaho’s Superintendent of Public Instruction.

“It’s unfortunate that Debbie Critchfield inherited this because we started this fight in 2018 under the previous superintendent,” said Robin Sikmund, founder of Decoding Dyslexia Idaho. 

Idaho’s criteria for providing students with specific learning disability (SLD) services represent “a higher bar” than what is allowed by federal law, according to a letter from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).

“Idaho has been incorrectly identifying” thousands of children under the category of SLD, according to an email from The Brittain Group to state officials.

Sikmund said students with learning disabilities — like dyslexia or dysgraphia – were repeatedly denied services for years. As an advocate for parents, she attended countless Individualized Education Program eligibility meetings across the state in several school districts. IEPs outline special education instruction and services.

If parents and their advocates “pushed back” hard after being denied SLD services, Sikmund said, a district would place the student in the other health impairment (OHI) category, which does not guarantee the same services. Dyslexia falls under the SLD category.

“Even our qualifying category numbers alone should have been a red flag to most. Idaho’s largest qualifying category is OHI.  Whereas in most states, SLD is the most common qualifying category.  This makes sense, considering dyslexia affects one-in-five children,” she said.

The Department of Education will begin work on revising the state’s Special Education Manual following the OSEP’s inquiry, a press release states.

In an Oct. 20 letter, OSEP directed the state to examine portions of the manual that address what is required for students to receive special education services for SLD. 

The OSEP outlined five required steps to be completed in 90 days. Among OSEP’s requirements is “review and revise” eligibility criteria for identifying a child with an SLD under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. A notification of policy revisions must be issued to all public agencies, local education agencies, parent advocacy groups, the state advisory panel and other interested parties advising them of the state’s revised eligibility criteria.

Sikmund said, “It’s a game changer. These kids are going to finally have a chance at getting effective small group instruction that they need. Without them qualifying, those students fall through the cracks, further and further behind.”

When the manual is eventually revised, “massive” training is needed statewide, Sikmund said. “All of the special education supervisors, and therefore their schools, have been trained to follow criteria that is not in compliance with federal law. They have to be re-trained.”

The Department of Education will convene a working group that will meet Dec. 19 at 8 a.m. at the Department of Education’s Barbara Morgan Conference Room. Those interested in providing input for the group can submit comments to SpEdPublicInput@sde.idaho.gov. 

“It’s unfortunate for the thousands of kids that attempted to seek support and services … that were turned away,” Brittain said in the email.

The finalists are Monica Church, Michelle Dunstan and Jacob Smith. The commission would not share their professional backgrounds. 

As the state’s largest charter school authorizer, the charter commission director leads a team monitoring academic and financial outcomes for 66 schools across the state. The director’s position has been unstable since March — two director resignations and a current interim director. 

When the commission declined to release finalists’ names following an executive session, Idaho Education News submitted a public record’s request for their names and professional experience contained in their resumes. 

The commission’s interim director Alex Adams, the state’s budget director, has shared EdNews’ request for their professional experience with the deputy attorney general and will respond Thursday, he told EdNews in an email. Adams believes Idaho Code 74-106(1) protects their resumes from public disclosure.

“As I do not currently have written consent from the applicants, I am unable to fulfill at this time,” Adams told EdNews. 

The director is a state employee compensated with taxpayer dollars. The position pays $108,000 to $118,500 annually, according to the job listing.

The charter commission scheduled a special meeting next Thursday at 1 p.m. to interview the candidates. EdNews was told that those interviews will likely take place in executive session.

The three candidates

EdNews was able to find basic background information using social media posts and agency websites but was unable to verify the information from the commission or the candidates.

Church is the executive director of the Frank Church Institute at Boise State University. She is a strong advocate for “youth voices, democratic values and the environment.” A longtime educator and public servant, she holds degrees in philosophy, history, secondary social studies education, and a master’s in education leadership and administration.

Dunstan is a former education director at Anser Charter School in Boise. She’s also served as a community based curriculum director and elementary teacher. She holds a master’s in education leadership and administration and a bachelor’s in elementary education from Boise State University, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Smith is the charter commission’s finance program manager. Prior to joining the commission staff in 2022, he spent over 13 years as the director of operations for Idaho Digital Learning Alliance. During his tenure as director, he provided support and oversight of the school’s finances, budgets, facilities, policies and human resources. He has degrees in business administration and in accounting from Boise State University.

Monday’s executive session

During a 30-minute, closed-door executive session Monday, the commissioners said they made a decision to narrow their search for a new director to three candidates, from a pool of 16. 

After the board returned to an open session, a motion was made to select “their top three candidates” to interview next week. The motion did not include their names and it passed unanimously. 

Commission chairman Alan Reed told EdNews that deputy attorney general Tim Davis said to “use a number” when referring to the applicants, because that is a “personnel matter.”

When asked for the names after the meeting, Davis told EdNews that their resumes could not be released but their names are public record. 

Those names were not released to EdNews until late Wednesday evening by Adams and he declined to include their professional background history. He said in an email that EdNews would have to take the commission to Ada County District Court to compel the agency to release the information. EdNews asked Adams to reconsider his position and he said he’d take EdNews’ argument back to the attorney general’s office. EdNews will continue to pursue the information because Idaho law indicates that professional background — such as work history, education and place of employment — is public record. 

Idaho Code 74-106 reads in part that all personnel records of a current or former public official are not considered public record, “other than the public official’s public service or employment history, classification, pay grade and step, longevity, gross salary and salary history … status, workplace and employing agency.”

The requested background from their resumes are not part of the exempt portion. The Public Records Law Manual buttresses Idaho Code 74-196 and includes an admission that “the Legislature acknowledges that there is some loss of privacy when one accepts a position supported by public money.” 

Adams stepped in as interim director following the resignation of two directors in the span of five months. Nichole Hall resigned in August after less than two months on the job to accept another position. She had replaced Jenn Thompson, who resigned in March alongside former commissioner Brian Scigliano in protest of board decisions they deemed irresponsible.

EdNews Data Analyst Randy Schrader contributed to this report. 

Petra Kennedy, a Moscow High School senior who’s among Idaho’s semifinalists, said, “My drive for excellence comes from my family. I’m interested in academics because my mom and dad instilled a sense of curiosity and determination in me early on … but past that, I’ve had some very inspirational teachers.”

Her classmate, Max Pieper, 17, is motivated to succeed because he truly enjoys learning about different topics and “making connections between them.” With plans to attend the Naval Academy, Pieper has a keen interest in foreign relations, like the tension between Taiwan and China. 

“I’ve always been interested in … how different factors can influence countries’ actions. Seeing the political maneuvering and how the economics of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry ties into it is really fascinating to me,” Pieper said.

The nationwide pool of semifinalists represents less than one percent of all U.S. high school seniors. The number of semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors. The program selected 100 Idaho students.

Thirty-four percent of the state’s total number of semifinalists are from the Boise School District. “Congratulations to the students who have earned recognition as a national semifinalist and honored for their academic ability,” said Coby Dennis, Boise School District superintendent.

The following six high schools boasted the highest number of semifinalists: Boise High School, 16; Timberline High School, 15; Renaissance High School, 8; Moscow High School, 5; Cole Valley Christian High School, 4; Idaho Falls High School, 4; Bishop Kelly High School, 4.

Seventeen-year-old Kieran Long said, “I don’t really know where my ‘drive for excellence’ comes from. My parents encouraged me to do well in school, but that doesn’t cover everything. I try to do well in school simply because I know I can, and it feels disappointing to not do as well as I know I can.”

The scholarship program is an annual academic competition among high school students for recognition and college scholarships. Millions of students vie for admission to the program and scholarships worth nearly $28 million. As they traverse the program, students are awarded status levels: commended, semifinalist, finalist and finally merit scholars. Scholarship winners are announced in the spring.

To become a finalist, semifinalists must submit a detailed scholarship application that includes an academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. 

Long hasn’t selected a specific academic path because he enjoys every subject. “I want to use college to figure out what I am truly interested in and what I want to do for the rest of my life,” he said.

Mason Bledsoe plans to study aerospace engineering with a focus on propulsion technology. “My drive for excellence mostly comes from my interests. I just happen to be really fascinated by topics that are covered in school.”

2024 Idaho National Merit Scholarship Program Semifinalists 

BOISE HIGH SCHOOL

Taelyn J. Baiza

Sophia Y. Chen

Adriana M. Curtis 

Reece J. Deidrick

Fiona A. Fleisher 

Lauren E. Gee

Noe H. Kemper

Avery Lott

Lauren E. Olsen

Tyson E. Russell

Keyton S. Smith

Nicholas Thomas

Cory Thomas-Liddle

James Welcker 

Megan Wolin

Oliver T. Wroten

CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL

Sophia Bourgeau

Anthony Donegan

Luke O. McKinney

CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL

Christopher Dunkley

HOMESCHOOL

Zelia M. Vidales

Ellyn L. Tran 

BISHOP KELLY HIGH SCHOOL

Wesley B. Barton

Ryan A. Buckner

Isaac V. Pettyjohn

Hoyoon Song

RIVERSTONE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Fiona Van De Graaff

TIMBERLINE HIGH SCHOOL

Ibrahim Ahmad

Garrett T. Eppich

Isaac Estrada

Austin J. Giffen

Jaya Kasthuri

Bhavya Kistupati

Hayoon Lee

Elena Li

Nathan X. Li

Stephanie Liu

Margaret McCormick

Kahlil Monje

Alessandra Truax

Forrest Zeng

Kevin Zhu

COEUR D’ALENE CHARTER ACADEMY

Henry DePew

Abigail Moehring

COEUR D’ALENE HIGH SCHOOL

Jameson J. Dale

Andrew C. Hubbard

Isabella O. Le

EAGLE HIGH SCHOOL

Annalise DeMange

Nikita Didenko

Tristan Walker

WOOD RIVER HIGH SCHOOL

Lucas A. Smith

IDAHO FALLS HIGH SCHOOL

Victor S. Huang 

Alexander B. Kingma

Grace E. Madsen

Katelyn G. Traynor

THUNDER RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

Samuel C. Spencer

KIMBERLY HIGH SCHOOL

Mallory Otto

KUNA HIGH SCHOOL

James M. Leckie 

MCCALL-DONNELLY HIGH SCHOOL

George Speirs

AMBROSE SCHOOL

Krystin A. Collingwood

COLE VALLEY CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL

Micah P. Hatfield

Rinoa J. Oliver

Jacob Parnell

Brandon M. Vander Stelt

MERIDIAN MEDICAL ARTS CHARTER

Bekir Swidan

MERIDIAN TECHNICAL CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL

Joshua Richmond

MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

Gavin S. Keller

OWYHEE HIGH SCHOOL

Micah Palin

RENAISSANCE HIGH SCHOOL

Cameron Z. Beaver

Hannah Beaver

Colman Lee

Brooklyn D. Lewis

Lucy Porter

Logan S. Ray

Hannah Scoville

Johnathan Van Vliet

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL

Rachel Roberts

MOSCOW HIGH SCHOOL

Mason Bledsoe

Petra Kennedy

Kieran Long

Max Pieper

Dylan Taylor

MOUNTAIN HOME HIGH SCHOOL

Gareth P. Brantley

SKYVIEW HIGH SCHOOL

Melissa Eyer

CENTURY HIGH SCHOOL

Josh T. Agres

Evelyn R. Brittin

HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL

Ellie G. Burnside

Elise L. Wood

POCATELLO HIGH SCHOOL

Elijah C. Buchanan

Clare M. Earnest

Caleb A. Jensen

CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

Michael P. Bell

MADISON HIGH SCHOOL

Camilla J. Cullimore

Casey Donahoo

Elena M. Pack

SANDPOINT HIGH SCHOOL

Keane J. Haesle

TWIN FALLS HIGH SCHOOL

Benjamin T. Rands

Zachariah L. Swensen

Mason B. Ward

XAVIER CHARTER SCHOOL

Anna Aiello

Idaho Education News has made a formal request for the candidates’ names and their professional and educational backgrounds. 

Commissioners evaluated 16 candidates during a 30-minute, closed-door executive session on Monday afternoon. After the board reconvened in open session, a motion was made to select “their top three candidates” to interview for the executive director’s position, which has been vacant since August. The motion did not include their names. The motion passed unanimously.  

A hiring decision is expected by the end of December, said Alex Adams, the state’s budget director, who has served as the commission’s interim director since August.

Commissioners previously decided that a closed meeting is necessary to promote frank conversations about the candidates. Idaho law allows public boards to meet privately when discussing hiring. But the law also says that decisions are not to be made in closed meetings.

Because the board chose not to use any candidate names during an open meeting on Monday, EdNews requested the names of every candidate and their resumes. A deputy attorney general in attendance Monday said, “Under the public records act, the applicants’ resumes at this point are exempt. The names of those applicants are considered public record but only the top five.”

A public records request was submitted after the meeting, requesting the names and professional background for their top-three applicants. At the time of publication, Adams had not yet responded.

Adams said the plan is to conduct interviews on Dec. 7 during an executive session; and a decision could come as early as Dec. 7 or at the board’s regular meeting on Dec. 14, which will take place in the Senate Education Committee room in the Capitol building.

Adams stepped in as interim director following the resignation of two directors in the span of five months. Nichole Hall resigned in August after less than two months on the job to accept another position. She had replaced Jenn Thompson, who resigned in March alongside former commissioner Brian Scigliano. The pair accused the board of acting irresponsibly.

The charter commission is Idaho’s largest charter school authorizer. Authorizers evaluate new charter school petitions and oversee the financial, academic and operational effectiveness of schools it approved. They protect the interest of students and taxpayers by holding schools accountable to performance outcomes. The charter commission authorizes 63 out of Idaho’s 77 schools. School districts and universities can also serve as authorizers.

Idaho STEM Action Center honored educators Misti Newby and Chad Maxton with the 2023 Sawtooth STEM Educator Awards for championing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and integrating real-world experiences and hands-on activities into their classrooms.

Idaho STEM Action Center is an education and growth catalyst helping educators, businesses, families, and communities prepare the workforce of tomorrow. You can learn more at stem.idaho.gov.

“These educators represent the dedication and innovation needed to prepare students and our communities for the challenges of the future,” Gov. Brad Little said. “Thank you to these outstanding educators for inspiring them to embrace innovation, collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking.”

Newby, the winner in the K-6 category, teaches science and STEM in grades 1-8 at Grace Joint School District. She also serves as the Eastern Idaho school district’s girls wrestling coach along with her husband, James, who coaches the boys team. This is her sixth year at Black Canyon Elementary School in Grace and her 19th year teaching. As the only female science teacher in the district, Newby serves as an important role model for girls interested in science and STEM, according to her colleagues.

Maxton, the Sawtooth Awards winner in the 7-12 category, is known throughout the Caldwell School District for his tireless efforts to expand STEM opportunities. Maxton teaches math, social studies, and pre-engineering to students in grades 6-8 at Syringa Middle School. He has served as a teacher for 32 years, spending all of them in Caldwell.

Both educators will receive checks for $2,000 and up to $2,000 more to attend any STEM-related national conference, plus their schools will receive $2,000 each to fund STEM initiatives. 

Superintendent hosts new education-focused podcast programs

Parents can learn about important education topics through the Idaho Department of Education’s new podcast called “The Super in 10.” 

Superintendent Debbie Critchfield will explore various topics like community schools, data in education and strategic planning. A two-part episode features a conversation with Idaho State Police Director Col. Kedrick Wills on the danger that fentanyl poses. Other guests include Marsing School District Superintendent Norm Stewart and Ryan Cantrell, chief deputy superintendent at the Idaho Department of Education.

“The podcast is designed for parents, educators, administrators, policymakers and any Idahoan with an interest in education,” Critchfield said. “I hope to engage the state in a discussion about a wide variety of important topics, and do it in a way that’s informative and convenient at the same time.”

The department released the first five episodes this month, each about 10 minutes in length. Episodes are available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify. They are also available to stream on the department’s website as well as its YouTube channel.

14 schools get USDA grant funds for kitchen equipment

The Department of Education has awarded $129,459 in federal grant funding through its Child Nutrition Programs to help 14 schools to purchase new equipment for their breakfast programs.

The department received the funding through the United States Department of Agriculture Equipment Assistance Grant. Individual grant awards will fund new equipment including freezers, ovens, refrigerators, mixers and dishwashers.

Schools receiving 2023 grant awards include:

• Fruitland High School: milk cooler, $2,299.
• Payette Food Service warehouse: refrigeration unit, $9,426.
• Upriver School: electric cook/holding oven, $12,158.
• MacKay School District: reach-in refrigerator, $5,493.
• Lakeside Middle/High school: high temperature dishwasher, $12,733.
• Meadows Valley School: reach-in refrigerator, $3,166.
• Orofino District: counterbalance walkie reach truck, $16,680.
• Elevate Nampa: fridge/freezer combo, $4,628.
• Westside High School: mixer, $11,010.
• Jefferson Middle School: dishwasher , $13,826.
• Carey School: electric convection oven, $12,085.
• Valley School District: heated holding/proofing cabinet, $2,408.
• Northwest Children’s Home: gas oven, $7,218.
• West Ada: outdoor walk-in freezer, $16,325.

MOSCOW — It’s hard to believe a standout Vandal basketball player like the imposing 6-foot-7-inch, 220-pound freshman forward Takai Hardy was ignored at recess by his elementary school classmates.

But he was. And that childhood experience helps him connect with young people going through something similar.

Hardy is one of 17 Vandal players spending time with fifth graders at John Russell Elementary School through a mentoring program created by Alex Pribble, University of Idaho head men’s basketball coach.

“The mentoring program is very valuable to me because it’s an opportunity to help make a child’s day better… It also reminds me of my early childhood. My favorite part of the program is going out to recess and being there for children who don’t have anyone to play with or talk to. These moments are very impactful to me because at one point I was one of those kids,” Hardy reflected, after meeting with students.

Pribble wants all of his student-athletes to be leaders off the court, and that means learning how to make the people around you better. “This mentoring program is a great opportunity,” he said.

Principal Marianne Sletteland took a chance on Pribble’s players, opening her school to his College Headed and Making Progress (CHAMPS) program. Players meet with 15 students twice a month to help build healthy life habits and help get them excited about the prospect of attending college.

“Every time Vandal players come into this building, I am always greeted personally by every single one of them. It shows that positive behavior that all of our kids need to see. They’re quite the gentlemen,” Sletteland said.

These athletes are taking the opportunity to use their platform to impact the local community is transformative for young players.

Players spend about 40 minutes paired up with a fifth grader, talking about their personal lives and family, their favorite subjects in school, holiday traditions, personal heroes, and a pre-selected theme, like friendship: What does it mean to you? Do you think you’re a friendly person? Who is the friendliest person you know?

During their one-on-one interactions, they talk about compliments they’ve received, compliments they’ve given to others and the things people say when they aren’t being a good friend.

Although they are busy with basketball and college classes, they look forward to this time, Pribble said. “Our players love it.”

Miles Klapper, a freshman guard from California, said the “program is an extremely valuable experience because it allows me to be a part of something bigger than myself and make a real and impactful change in the community. I am able to build a relationship with a kid and help influence him in a positive way.”

But this is a group of young athletes and energetic kids, so understandably the playground and basketball court is pretty popular — basketball, football, tetherball, four-square, and even invented games.

“My favorite part about the program is being able to play outside with the kids and see them smiling and having fun. It brings me back to my childhood and inspires me to be the best role model I can be,” Klapper said.

Sletteland worked with her staff to identify students who would benefit from the big brother relationship: students who are usually alone and who may avoid conversations with peers.

“We looked at kids who needed that connection and somebody to look up to,” she said. “They have been engaged every time they’ve been here. It’s just a tremendous, wonderful thing to see that happen — that dedicated attention to each other.”

As a first-year principal, Sletteland made a goal of connecting with community resources, and U of I — especially the athletic department — has always been one for the community. “So I know how important those are to a lot of our local kids. Then coach Pribble brought this opportunity and then we ran with it. They love it.” 

Many of the players are not from Idaho and Sletteland believes they’re gaining “insight” about the struggles some families face.

“My school is unique in that we have a higher free and reduced lunch rate. So we have some families who struggle financially and a good portion of the kids that they’re working with are in those families,” she said. 

Tre Blassingame, a 6-foot-4-inch guard from Washington, said, “I feel CHAMPS is valuable because it gives me an opportunity to have a positive impact in a child’s life and it also helps me be grateful for my own family and my own blessings.”

As the players leave, Sletteland said they usually part with the same farewell message: “They always say, ‘goodbye, big people,’ and then they yell, ‘goodbye, little people.’ It’s just a heartwarming thing to watch.”

Idaho school trustees wrapped up their business in Boise on Friday by approving seven proposed policy positions for lawmakers to consider in the 2024 legislative session. 

Friday morning’s session marked the final day of the Idaho School Boards Association’s (ISBA) annual convention that draws more than 500 statewide school leaders. There were seven resolutions on the docket, all of which carried “do-pass” recommendations from the ISBA’s executive board. Here are the summaries of those resolutions and the margins of victory. 

Aligning Idaho’s school age and public school accountability requirements

The resolution is sponsored by the Caldwell School District. It requests a change to the “required school age” in Idaho code from 16 to 18, unless the student has graduated early or has received a GED. Districts cannot ensure that students who drop out at age 16 meet necessary education requirements. There was no debate.

Yes: 6,045      No: 1,500

K-12 funding formula principles

The resolution is sponsored by the Boise School District. It requests the ISBA to work with the Legislature to adopt a funding formula that considers nine principles. These guiding principles represent a philosophical direction for funding public schools: budget predictability; adequately provide sufficient funding; fiscal transparency; annual budget stability; uniform and thorough support; funds quality staffing; ensure that no district loses funding; maintain enrollment-based funding; accountability that’s tied to each district’s goals. 

Yes: 7,401     No: 171

Open enrollment program and building capacity limits

The resolution is sponsored by the Boise School District. This resolution seeks to manage the open enrollment process enacted this year because it needs more clarity. Idaho students can attend any school in the state, regardless of their address. There was some debate about how this will affect special needs programs. The resolution opposes a capacity exception tied only to grade-level enrollment. It requests modifying code to allow districts to make open enrollment decisions based on current allowed enrollment exceptions, and include both building capacity and special education capacity in those exceptions.

Yes: 6,191      No: 944

Requirements for paraprofessional employment in Idaho

This resolution seeks to reduce barriers for the recruitment of paraprofessionals. The current PRAXIS requirement is one of the main barriers. Local districts are no longer able to administer the test. The resolution asks that districts and charters be allowed to use a Board of Education approved local assessment or use an existing Board of Education approved subject matter competency test. 

Yes: 7,618      No: 0

Career ladder placement for school nurse and speech/language personnel

The intent of the resolution is to develop a system for paying school nurse and speech/language personnel a salary that is commensurate with their professional and/or in-school experiences and to assist school districts in the recruitment and retention of such professional staff. There was no debate.

Yes: 7,479      No: 109

Streamlining consistent ISBA legislative priorities

ISBA members have priorities that may never be fully accomplished and others may take more time to accomplish. Instead of asking each resolution to be renewed, this streamlines the process and provides an avenue for other consistent priorities to be included in one resolution. Those priorities include: school boards retain strong governance and decision-making authority; consider more accurate, adequate, efficient and reliable options for funding school facilities; oppose tax dollars being allocated to private or parochial schools; oppose legislation that creates more undue burden on public schools. There was no debate.

Yes: 6,833      No: 744

Bond and levy election communications

The resolution’s sponsor is Bonneville Joint School District. It directs the ISBA to work with the Legislature to amend existing statute to allow school districts and other taxing districts more flexibility in communicating brief messages and reminders about public elections. The current statute makes it difficult to pass bond levies because a simple text to parents like “remember to vote” could invalidate an entire election. Communication to 20 or more patrons must include the same language contained on the election ballot, which adds anywhere from 50 to 200 words. The resolution seeks to clarify the law so it correctly reflects the intent of the Legislature. There was limited debate and it was all supportive of the measure.

Yes: 7,493      No: 99

The ISBA membership voted to elect two new executive committee members. The new president-elect is Brian Pyper of Madison School District. Pyper is a professor of physics with BYU-Idaho in Rexburg and a father of four. The outgoing president-elect is Starr Olsen. The new vice president is Jason Sevy, a dairy quality specialist, who serves on the Marsing School District board. The outgoing vice president is Brian Pyper.

Trustees from across the state meet each year for training, expert presentations and to vote on a legislative platform driven by proposals from local leaders. 

As the West Bonner school board welcomed new trustees and a new interim superintendent, the atmosphere at Wednesday’s meeting was noticeably genial and relaxed.

“Multiple people that were there said, and I noticed too, that the atmosphere has changed and it really feels like we are starting to rebuild now,” said Kylie Hoepfer, a parent and member of a group that worked together to recall the two trustees who were replaced Wednesday. 

Unlike previous meetings where patrons directed frustration and anger at trustees, those who spoke were positive and appreciative that “the community is feeling heard.” Much of the past discord stemmed from hiring Branden Durst as superintendent in June, a decision that created months of contention between the community and board. The board accepted Durst’s resignation last month.

“It’s time to come together,” said interim superintendent Joe Kren.

For the first time since the August recall, the board had five trustees present. Paul Turco and Ann Yount were sworn in Wednesday to serve out the term of recalled trustees Keith Rutledge and Susan Brown. Current trustees Troy Reinbold and Margaret Hall were reelected Nov. 7, but Carlyn Barton lost her bid to newcomer Kathy Nash.

The board members then got right down to business, addressing a forensic audit, self-curing several open meeting violations, and meeting in executive session about student and employee matters.

The forensic audit

Trustee Margaret Hall said the district’s forensic auditor, Eide Bailly, has all necessary documents for phase one and their results “should be forthcoming.” Trustees hired the firm in July to conduct the audit, which has faced delays because of the district’s inability to acquire bank statements.

Kren said, “They have done everything they need to do at this point. And they have assured us that they’re working hard to get things done. So the fact that they’re on the agenda, but they’re not here tonight, I own that, that’s part of my transition.”

Open meeting violations

The board self-recognized two open meeting law violations and passed motions to self-cure or re-do the action:

• The first violation occurred at the Aug. 22 meeting. Trustee Carlyn Barton said proper 24-hour notice was not given for a meeting that did “not necessitate an emergency.” An emergency meeting was called in response to a letter from the State Board of Education that outlined several compliance violations. The board declared an emergency and directed Durst to apply for an emergency provisional certificate. They unanimously declared their action to be null and void.

• The second violation occurred at the Sept 5 meeting. The board failed to hold a public meeting to approve changes in the amended contract addendum of an employee “that do not comport with prior board decisions.” They unanimously declared their action to be null and void.

Kren noted the district office is without both a clerk and business manager, which complicates their ability to submit state reports in a timely manner. 

“No applicants applied for the open business manager position. A school business official is a rare breed and the only ones you find are either employed or retired,” he said.

Executive session

The board made a motion to recess for executive session. They remained in executive session for more than an hour and half before making a motion to take action. At that time, trustees:

• Unanimously passed a motion to approve early graduation for student A.
• Unanimously passed a motion  to accept the resignation of employee A.
• Unanimously passed a motion to approve district legal counsel to work on an agreement for employee B.
• Unanimously passed a motion to approve a legal agreement concerning former employee A, “as revised as discussed in executive session.”

Applications for the Idaho Career Ready Students (ICRS) grant program opened four months ago and state leaders have awarded a total of approximately $35 million. The grant money targets new or expanding career technical programs focused on in-demand careers.

On Monday, the ICRS council announced its newest round of recipients: 22 plans and programs were awarded $19 million. In total, 108 applications were received in the past four months, with requests surpassing availability by $66 million.

“When we see $111 million in requests from our districts and charters, it definitely underscores the demand for CTE and the difference that this program can make for communities across Idaho. As these programs grow and mature, they will support students’ career prospects while also addressing the state’s workforce needs,” said Superintendent Debbie Critchfield. 

The idea is to allocate a portion of the grant money to build up programs that will train graduates to meet the needs of local industries. In the Panhandle, that means timber products. Approximately $2.4 million of the latest grant money awarded this week is aimed at that target. 

The following grants were awarded to fund new forestry and natural resources programs:

• Orofino Joint School District was awarded up to $528,100 to fund the natural resources and forestry pathway at Orofino Jr./Sr. High School and Timberline Schools.
• West Bonner County School District was awarded up to $725,240 to fund the CTE natural resources pathway at Priest River Lamanna High School.
• St. Marie’s Joint School District was awarded up to $1.2 million to fund a forestry and auto mechanic program at St. Marie’s High School.

Priest River students interested in a forestry career will soon have an opportunity to pursue their career passion. The school’s $725,240 grant includes approximately $208,000 for equipment and $516,000 for a new 4,000 square foot facility.

With the money, Jared Hughes, a Priest River natural resources and forestry teacher, plans to develop a new CTE pathway for grades 7-12: forestry science and management; forest products operations and production; wildlife ecology and management; geographic information system, global positioning system, drones and mapping. 

According to Hughes, the school will also be working with industry partners to:

• Provide learning and internship opportunities not currently available to students.
• Develop skills and certifications in conjunction with the industry partners to speed up the development of work-ready students.
• Increase average daily attendance by providing more hands-on, kinesthetic learning opportunities that appeal to non-traditional students.
• Increase the graduation rate. Having more opportunities in multiple CTE pathways will hopefully motivate more students to stay in school. 

“West Bonner is immensely grateful to the ICRS council for its approval of our proposal,” Hughes said in a press release. 

Approximately $17.4 million was awarded for capital projects in the following districts:

• Blackfoot School District was awarded up to $3,898,071 to fund the Blackfoot Technical Education Center.
• Sugar Salem School District was awarded up to $2,700,000 to support the Sugar-Salem Regional CTE Facility.
• Soda Springs Joint School was awarded up to $370,960 to fund a multi-program CTE facility at Soda Springs High School.
• New Plymouth School District was awarded up to $2,272,799 to fund a new agricultural education building at New Plymouth High School.
• Cascade School District was awarded up to $16,361 to fund HVAC and electrical upgrades to the agricultural welding shop at Cascade High School.
• Firth School District was awarded up to $103,299 to fund agricultural shop upgrades at Firth High School,
• Hansen Middle School District was awarded up to $71,309 to fund an animal science pathway Facility at Hansen Jr./Sr. High School.
• Middleton School District was awarded up to $1,124,800 to fund a construction and auto technician program at Middleton Academy.
• Fremont County Joint School District was awarded up to $253,120 to fund a greenhouse initiative at South Fremont High School.
• Jefferson School District was awarded up to $5,800,000 to fund a CTE expansion at Rigby High School.

The following grants were awarded to support existing programs:

• Canyon Owyhee School Service Agency (COSSA) was awarded up to $56,721 to fund automotive and diesel program equipment upgrades at the COSSA Regional Technology and Education Center.
• Whitepine Joint School District was awarded up to $47,871 to fund multi-program equipment upgrades at Deary School.
• Mullen School District was awarded up to $61,248 to fund welding program upgrades at Mullen High School.
• Oneida Joint School District was awarded up to $28,622 to fund its CNC plasma system at Malad High School.
• Council School District was awarded up to $23,000 to fund a request for agricultural facility equipment upgrades at Council High School.
• Wallace School District was awarded up to $23,440 to fund welding and wood shop equipment upgrades at Wallace Jr./Sr. High School.
• Castleford School District was awarded up to $22,250 to fund welding program upgrades at Castleford Schools.
• Marsh Valley School District was awarded up to $32,617 to fund welding program upgrades at Marsh Valley High School.
• Bear Lake School District was awarded up to $17,195 to fund automotive technology equipment upgrades at Bear Lake High School.

School districts and charters can apply for the funds here. The ICRS program was approved by the Legislature earlier this year and signed into law by Gov. Brad Little on March 31. Questions can be directed to program coordinator Allison Duman at aduman@sde.idaho.gov.

The money can be used to purchase new equipment and programs or hire experts to help strengthen an authorizer’s operations.

A decision about collaborating with Bluum likely won’t happen until a new director is hired, which is expected before the end of the year, based on comments at a meeting this month. Two more special meetings are scheduled, one this month and one in December. The seven-person board also has three new members whose appointments are pending Senate confirmation in the upcoming legislative session.

Since August, Alex Adams, the state’s budget director, has served as commission’s interim director, following the departure of two directors in the span of five months. The commission reported that the search for a new director is narrowing. Ten candidates applied.

Regarding the collaboration, “that would have to be a decision that was made by the commission staff and the board. We’re not going to tell them what to do,” said Terry Ryan, Bluum CEO.

Adams said the commission is excited that Bluum secured the grant funds. “Bluum has been a tremendous resource to me and I have full faith the commission could benefit from the substantial grant fund assistance but the details are best left to the next director.”

Adams said the decision about “how to best leverage those funds” is a decision for the next permanent director.

Bluum, a nonprofit charter support organization, was awarded a new $24.8 million federal grant this year to grow and strengthen Idaho’s charter school network. That grant allows up to 3% of the money — or $750,000 — to help improve quality authorizing.

Charter authorizers evaluate new charter school petitions and oversee the financial, academic and operational effectiveness of schools it approved. Authorizers protect the interest of students and taxpayers by holding schools accountable to performance outcomes. The public charter commission authorizes 63 out of Idaho’s 77 schools. School districts and universities can also be authorizers.

According to recent research titled “The Nation’s Charter Report Card,” students whose charter schools are authorized by a state education agency earn higher scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) than students whose schools were authorized by school districts and comparable local agencies. Overall, the top-performing states are Alaska, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma and New Jersey; Idaho finished near the middle of the pack and is underperforming nationally, according to the report.

The report pointed out that agencies affiliated with state departments of education — like the charter commission — have an advantage, because they are able to utilize efficiencies, decades of experience and institutional knowledge. 

Ryan said Congress authorized and encouraged the use of these grant funds to strengthen authorizers. “We would love to partner with the commission in utilizing the funds to improve their capacities and their efforts. It’s part of the promise we made for this grant,” he said.

That help could come in the form of contracting with experts; purchasing a web-based organization management system like Epicenter; staffing up for an extra year or two to help with backlogs; supporting the staff with resources and training; or updating their data acquisition and reporting processes.

“We wouldn’t do the work. We would bring in the resources. If the commission really wants this help, they’re really good groups across the country that help authorizers,”  Ryan said.  “But this is really a question for them — they know better what they need than I do.”

Based on his research into federal law, Ryan is confident that there is not a conflict of interest, if an organization like Bluum works with an organization like Idaho’s charter commission.

Disclosure: Idaho Education News and Bluum are funded by grants from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation. 

RATHDRUM — Idaho seniors Kameron Martinez and Wally Rohr won’t be attending college after graduation, but they’re not traveling for a gap year or sitting idle at home.

Backed by extensive workforce training during high school, Martinez and Rohr are preparing for a postsecondary journey that most 17-year-olds would never dream of — becoming automotive entrepreneurs. In addition to attending high school, both attend Kootenai Technical Education Center, Martinez in welding and metal fabrication, and Rohr in automotive technology. Martinez attends Kootenai Bridge Academy and Rohr Venture Academy.

According to the State Board of Education, last year about 42% of Idaho’s high school graduates — or about 8,500 students — enrolled in college academic or career-technical programs immediately after graduating from high school. Martinez and Rohr will join the 58% on a different path.

Soon they will be launching Elite Mobile Automotive & Weld of North Idaho. They created an LLC, purchased business insurance, are working on an IRS employer identification number, are setting up a business bank account with $5,000 of their own capital and are pursuing a roadside assistance permit. They have a donated 24 x 8 foot trailer and will seek a loan for a company truck.

 “Our main thing is we don’t want to have to work for someone for the rest of our lives. And if we can start a company younger, it’d be better than starting when we’re in our mid-20s or 30s,” Martinez said.

KTEC is a partnership between business, local manufacturers, and the Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and Lakeland school districts. They provide industry training for juniors and seniors in 13 career disciplines, like plumbing, nursing and construction trades.

Rohr credits KTEC for much of his technical knowledge and automotive interest. He’s disassembled and reassembled an engine, rebuilt transmissions, lifted beds off the back of pickup trucks, installed fuel pumps, overhauled front-ends and fixed axle seals.

“That showed me that it’s not as difficult as I thought,” Rohr said.

On the welding side, Martinez is involved in steel work for trucks or cars, and wire feed, stick and TIG welding, which is all three forms, Martinez said. “There are many different roads that you can go down.”

The college path isn’t for everyone. “I don’t see the opportunity cost to go to college, in my mind, making me successful in 20 years for what I want to do,” Rohr said. “It would make more sense in my eyes to go straight into the work field right out of high school.”

Martinez feels more pressure to attend college but a welding certification is an opportunity that he won’t pass up. “I don’t want student debt for however many years after high school. I’d rather just start my business now while I have my certification,” he said.

Their mobile automotive repair business will target customers who need a mechanic but want to avoid costly towing, like a pickup truck with a broken CV axle in the backcountry. They will provide automotive welding and body repair services.

“They could call us and we would be able to get out to them and fix anything that they need,” Martinez said.

They’ve been working since the age of 14. Rohr started in sandblasting and powder coating car parts, then food service and now he’s an ignition servicer and accessory installer making $19 an hour working 32 hours per week. Martinez started as a marina dock lead fueling and servicing boats and he’s now in the shipping department at Impact Dog Crates making $20 an hour working 30 hours per week.

On his first day as West Bonner’s interim superintendent, Joe Kren placed a crucifix on the wall, took out the trash, sat at his desk and started fixing problems.

And there’s no shortage of problems.

School board trustees hired Spokane-based Eide Bailly in July to conduct a forensic audit that isn’t done yet, which will likely cause the state to withhold an estimated $1.5 million in “school support payments” this month, according to district financial documents. The financial shortfall is temporary but it’s another setback for a district besieged by months of controversy.

Until the matter is resolved, Kren said the district will cover the shortfall with the general fund. The state’s withholding stems from the district’s unfinished financial audit. The accounting firm handling their 2022 audit was unwilling to start working on it until the forensic audit was complete. The withheld payment could be distributed once their financial audit is finished and submitted.

Eide Bailly is scheduled to provide trustees with an update on the forensic audit Wednesday at their board meeting.

Superintendent Debbie Critchfield said in a statement, “Staff at the State Department of Education have been in extensive contact with officials in the West Bonner district for several months. Since his appointment by local trustees, superintendent Kren has reached out to me and requested that the department continue to offer input and guidance to help the district navigate its current challenges. Department staff have been in touch with him and will meet with him next week.”

Kren carries around a yellow notepad with lists of items that need to be addressed — he’s on page seven.

After consulting with his wife, he decided that if the board asks him to step in, “I will commit to it. This place means too much to me. I’ve only been here for a short time. But the people that I have worked with in this district, I will gladly put up against anybody else out there.” 

Kren, who has an Idaho superintendent’s certificate, was hired on a 90-day contract to lead West Bonner. Now, he and trustees are tasked with getting the district back on track in the wake of superintendent Branden Durst’s four-month tenure and the aftermath of two recalled trustees. Kren brings 22 years administrative experience to the job — 13 as superintendent and four as principal.

“I’m hopeful that the hiring of an experienced and legally qualified superintendent will bring the district the stability it needs,” Critchfield said.

Last Tuesday, West Bonner voters retained incumbent trustees Maragret Hall and Troy Reinbold but they did not re-elect Carlyn Barton. When the five-person board convenes in January for the first time, the trustees will be Hall, Reinbold, Kathy Nash, Paul Turco and Ann Yount. Turco and Yount were appointed to serve out the term of the two recalled trustees.

“It’s time to come together,” Kren said, about moving past the dysfunction and division of the past year.

Topping Kren’s priority list are their compliance deficiencies. 

“We are out of compliance on several fronts,” Kren said, describing the problems as fiduciary, statutory and district policies. 

On the fiduciary side, “one of the big things is getting the audit done. We need to take care of the forensic audit, as well as our financial audit, and those are two key issues that need to be taken care of and addressed before a lot of the other fiscal issues can be addressed,” he said.

According to comments made at their previous board meeting, the audit is delayed because the district is unable to obtain financial statements from its bank.

“I welcome it being done so that we can move on,” he said. “I know that our board … has said we welcome the forensic audit. So what that tells me is they welcome whatever the results of the forensic audit are. And if there are findings to be addressed, then we will address them.”

To cover expenses while the audit is being completed, they will use the fund balance, which is about $2.9 million, according to district financial documents. “So the clock is ticking. we have to get this financial audit done, so that those funds can be released,” Kren said.

In Kren’s opinion, the board will have to consider running a supplemental levy. The next election opportunity is in May. He will also recommend that the district extend his contract through the end of the school year. His current contract ends March 20. To see a copy of that contract, use this link.

While there are plenty of administrative challenges ahead for Kren, he attempted to improve morale from day one.

“My amazing bride made a whole bunch of food for folks. It was waiting for them when they got here that morning, because I got here before everybody else. And as luck would have it, the administrators had a pre-scheduled meeting here at the district office. So I was able to meet with my admin and when they came in, the food was waiting for them.

“In order to address morale, I have been in every building and probably 90% of the classrooms. I’ve talked to everybody I can and I’ve told them how much I appreciate their trust in me. And I’m here to champion their cause. And every opportunity I’ve had to do that privately and publicly, I’ve been doing that,” Kren said.

Two incumbents were reelected in West Bonner and one was defeated by a dogged challenger. The results are unofficial until the canvass is done later this month.

Interim board chair Margaret Hall bested challenger Alan Galloway by a 59% to 40% margin in Zone 1.

In Zone 3, incumbent Troy Reinbold will be back on the board after edging out his challenger Elizabeth Glazier 61% to 38%.

Newcomer Kathy Nash reversed an early deficit to incumbent Carlyn Barton and ousted her by a 59% to 40% margin.

Hall and Barton were the board’s backstop during several tumultuous months, marked by uncertainty and division among district patrons about board leadership and direction.

In a steady rain Tuesday morning, West Bonner voters were at the polls in Oldtown, Blanchard, Edgemere and Priest River to decide which candidates will be school trustees serving four-year terms for Zones 1, 3 and 5.

Outside the Rotary Park Visitor Center polling place, candidate supporters passed out donuts and coffee under a blue canopy affixed to the back of a trailer bed. They bent the ear of people stopping by to get out of the rain, warm up and learn about academic performance at the high school or the voting record of an incumbent.

Inside the center, two poll watchers were seated and silent, keeping an eye on the process. They were there only to observe and not talk.

In Zone 1, incumbent Margaret Hall faces challenger Alan Galloway; Zone 3 pits incumbent Troy Reinbold against challenger Elizabeth Glazier; and Zone 5 has incumbent Carlyn Barton taking on challenger Kathy Nash.

In this remote North Idaho school district, Branden Durst, a controversial figure in Idaho politics, is out as superintendent and the two trustees — Susan Brown and Keith Rutledge — who pushed to hire him were recalled in August by a significant margin. Durst’s four-month tenure from June to October was marked by heated opposition and repeated controversy.

School trustees have faced angry, vocal opposition to a series of unpopular decisions. Topics that emerged as lightning rods of controversy include the failure of the supplemental levy and the position some trustees took on that issue; switching to a four-day school week; returning the ELA curriculum which left teachers unprepared at the start of the year; a delayed forensic audit that’s caused the Department of Education to withhold state funds; Durst’s firing of office personnel; a proposal to create a shared junior high and high school campus; and the most polarizing decision was the hiring of Durst in June. 

Ann Yount and Paul Turco were selected Oct. 30 to replace the two recalled trustees. Yount and Turco have deep ties in the community. Their children or grandchildren attend West Bonner schools and both are longtime youth volunteers.

At that same meeting, trustees Hall, Barton and Reinbold — who are all running for reelection — selected Joe Kren to serve as interim superintendent through March 20. Kren is a seasoned administrator and former superintendent who had retired three years ago and lives in Oldtown. As of Tuesday, he’s been on the job for seven days.

Hall, Barton and Reinbold have not yet met as a board with the two newest members. They are scheduled to meet Nov. 15 as a complete, five-person board.

TROY — Ranked highly successful academically, tiny Troy School District in North Idaho sits among the largest and best performing districts in the state.

Troy scored better than 105 districts in English language arts and 101 districts in math, out of 115 school districts. And for the past six years, Troy’s math and English scores rank in or near the top 10. When this year’s Idaho Standards Achievement Test results were released, Troy was listed — again — among the highest performers, 13 spots higher than West Ada in English language arts and six spots higher in math.

But these two highly successful districts exist in different worlds. 

If you didn’t have a reason to stop in Troy, you would drive right through the rural bedroom community, barely noticing. Moscow is 12 miles west. Troy’s enrollment of 320 students is less than 1% of West Ada’s 39,000; there are 2,200 teachers in West Ada and 22 in Troy; and Troy’s budget is $282 million less, at just under $4 million. 

Behind the town’s modest facade is a unique school culture that’s embraced a proven collaborative model and accountability to the community it serves.

“It’s fun and healthy to look at where we are at (academically) versus other districts,” said superintendent Klaire Vogt. “The support we receive from the community tells us the community has high expectations.”

Everyone has multiple roles

Many on staff fill multiple roles. “Nobody does just one thing,” said Vogt, who’s also the special education director, federal programs director and elementary school principal.

The K-12 counselor is the testing coordinator, homeless liaison and the college and career advisor. The high school principal is also the junior high school principal. The elementary school secretary is also a testing coordinator and helps with food service at lunchtime.

Teacher turnover is slim to none, Vogt said. “We live in a happy little bubble and nobody believes me.” 

Eight of the district’s 22 teachers graduated from Troy High School and three school board trustees — Pam Hilliard, Wendy Fredrickson and Kyle Osborne — also attended.

“There’s a strong connection between the school and our community,” Vogt said. “And maybe this is the benefit of having a small school but each of those kiddos count as a face. We know each of them and we don’t want anything less than the best for them. Whatever level they’re at, we want them to grow, and we expect that out of them.”

A culture of success

Vogt and high school principal Aaron Dail say community support, a collaborative culture and Beyond Textbooks underpin their success. Beyond Textbooks aligns their focus so they are working toward common goals and standards — a common approach among multiple disciplines.

“We do not have to reinvent the wheel every school year, or at each meeting because we have target goals that guide our practice and help us to band together when we face adversity. This helps to create a sense of unity among our staff that does not view our students as ‘history students’ or ‘math students’ but rather spurs us to look at new ways to support our students in achieving their mastery and creating successful habits,” Dail said.

The partnership with Beyond Textbooks costs the district around $10,000 annually. Year-one costs can vary depending on the size of your district. It takes Idaho standards and aligns them completely from kindergarten through 12th grade. It’s described as an instructional program of curriculum development, instructional improvement, student assessment and multi-level interventions. 

“The framework tells you what you need to teach (which standards) and when to teach it,” Vogt said. “You’ll hear other districts say things like ‘well, we use this curriculum.’ No, we teach the standard. And I think that’s the difference.”

Using the program establishes district-wide expectations for what teachers should teach and what students should learn, in relation to a specific standard. After a 10-day lesson, for example, a formative assessment informs the next steps: Poor performers automatically join the reteach group and those who mastered the content receive enrichment that is built into the master calendar.

“You’re not going off and doing something else,” Vogt said.

Dail agrees: There’s a “commitment from all staff and faculty to work towards our shared goals, to communicate progress, to continue to reteach when students struggle and push students to enrichment when they have found mastery.” 

The community is committed to excellence. “We have great participation with our parents at conferences, committees and extracurricular activities.  Together this helps our school understand the basic values of the community and helps to encourage our staff and administration to hold students to high standards,” Dail said.

Vogt said the school is the hub of their community and they’ve made a commitment. “We certainly do not do excuses. It’s very personal among all the staff.”

Reaching high standards is not without great effort.  “We have tried to communicate the importance of focusing on the process and not get too stressed out on the outcomes. We have found that when students learn how to embrace challenges, they are more apt to find success towards the end of the school year.  Our community has been supportive in this process,” Dail said.

When a patron enters the school, they read a passage printed on the wall that sums up their approach:  “Let us respect this building, as these walls were a gift from the Patrons of our community who saw each of us as a dream and a vision for the future!  Let the future of these walls develop lives full of integrity and value.”

Listed here are three categories showing Troy’s performance in last year’s ISAT. The district is consistently a top performer on statewide assessments.

EdNews Data Analyst Randy Schrader contributed to this report. 

With the Nov. 7 election day approaching, EdNews reached out to each candidate to ask about their campaign priorities and strategy for serving on an elected board. Here’s what they had to say.

What connection do you have to either education or to the Coeur d’Alene School District?

Jimmy McAndrew, Challenger (Zone 2): In addition to having my two children in the district, I have served as the chair for EXCEL Foundation, which exists to help fund innovative, challenging and creative projects in the classrooms that would otherwise go unfunded. Because of the generosity in our community this program relies on no taxpayer dollars. I also volunteer every semester teaching local senior economics students about credit management, and the pitfalls of becoming over leverage with credit card debt. Lastly, my wife volunteers at Hayden, Meadows, and I have served with D.O.G.S. (Dads Of Great Students) in the past.

Yasmin Harris, Challenger (Zone 2): I have two boys in the Coeur d’Alene School District, and I am also the PTO Treasurer at Hayden Meadows Elementary School.

Mike Stavish, Challenger (Zone 2): I am a father to three children currently in the CDA schools. I also attended these schools myself when I was a child. My wife trained to be a teacher in these schools. I am a fully vested citizen in our schools. I use them, I believe in their benefit for us, and I want to contribute to our greatness in an impactful way.

Heather Tenbrink, Incumbent (Zone 3): My 4 children have attended CDA school district schools for the last 15 years! Two have graduated from Lake City High School. The younger two currently attend and love Lake City High School.

Matt Blatt, Challenger (Zone 3): Since retiring from 28 years of military service, I have chosen to make CDA my home. We moved here to raise our 11-year-old child  close to family and to re-energize those bonds. I have been volunteering with the Parent’s Rights in Education group, PTA, and curriculum review committee. My military experience included responsibility for doctrine and training of entire career fields within the Army.

What is motivating you to be a candidate for the school board?

McAndrew (Zone 2): I have found my purpose in serving others, and have done so in several different leadership capacities in the Coeur d’Alene area over the past 20+ years. Now that my children are in the schools and I have more bandwidth with fewer current service roles, this is an ideal opportunity for me to give back. The trustee position is a great fit for me because it encompasses much of the skill sets that I have in my everyday role. I also feel that I have been able to build a lot of bridges in our local community over the past 20+ years and we are in desperate need of someone with a temperament to do so in this role. Finally, as a taxpayer I have seen how much money has been squandered with the dysfunction at North Idaho college and the Coeur d’Alene school district #271 is in no position to waste that kind of money.

Harris (Zone 2): My interest began when my kids started attending school in the CDA school district. I began attending and watching the school board meetings and staying current with issues being discussed for our schools and our children. Stepping into this role is an opportunity for me to be a voice for the community, and an opportunity to help reflect the community’s expectations and goals. I have a vested interest in considering the needs of the students, our future generation, and translating them into goals and policies that will support: student achievement, budget clarity and anti-bullies, among many more.

Stavish (Zone 2): My daughter entered middle school this year, and realizing that last Christmas made me take a much greater interest in the inner workings of our schools. The issue with getting the Supplemental levy approved by our voters was in full swing, and I was also among the group that was skeptical of the ask. I looked into the issue and was eventually able to vote yes for the May ballot, after they removed the perpetuity clause, which was an ask to be taxed forever in the future without further voter input. The entire issue was mismanaged by the current board and our school admin because of very poor communication and messaging. Some of that messaging was negative, which put off the voters, but it was mostly just ineffectual. The Supplemental Levy is a vital part of our school funding process, and our voters told us something last spring when they voted NO on it twice! They said “Hey, this is expensive. Fresh off COVID, that’s a big ask.” And they also said “We know there is poisonous ideology in other schools, and some accusations are going around about ours. We need trust and transparency.” Through broadly available and quantifiable communication channels, I will bring trust and transparency to our schools. Our voters can vote with confidence next time, knowing that our schools are a gem in our crown, and our board and admin are zealous to serve them. A vote for Mike Stavish is a vote for trust and transparency.

Tenbrink (Zone 3): It has been an honor to serve on the CDA school board for almost two years! As a mother, I understand firsthand the importance of a quality education and the impact it has on our children’s futures as well as our community. I am dedicated to the success of our local kids through access to robust and varied educational resources and opportunities. I want to ensure that our schools have the resources necessary to help our students reach their individual potentials and be well-prepared for whatever they choose in the future. Our children’s futures are too important for us to be distracted by divisive issues advanced by outside influences. Because I believe quality public education is a key part of the American dream, I will continue to work for the stability and long-term success of our district and students.

Blatt (Zone 3): I see the local school board is in disarray. The current leadership has squandered taxpayer money. There is steadily increasing bloat in the administrative function. Simple math makes it obvious – if schools get around $8k per child. There are about 30 pupils per class. That means $240k per class. Teachers here make between $60-90k per year. Where does the rest go? Secondly, the board is ignoring the steady incursion of progressive programs turning our children into community agitators and activists. Worse is the unconstrained adult behavior engaging with our children on topics of sex and religion in opposition with our values.

Please select two school district, school board or school issues that you want to impact in some way or to correct in some way.

McAndrew (Zone 2): 1. Student achievement: the district implemented a new strategic plan this past spring. This is the first time a new plan has been adopted in 10 years and from the surface, I am encouraged by what I see. It’s an old school plan, which focuses entirely on the student achievement. I look forward to monitoring its success, and will be peeled to the results. 2. Building up community trust and growing parental engagement: we know how critical it is for our teachers to have the community’s support and we know how important parental engagement is to raising the ceiling on the child’s academics. These initiatives should go hand in hand and I look forward to working with my fellow trustees to find solutions.

Harris (Zone 2): We need to be more academically focused on the fundamentals of our children’s education, instead of entertaining distractions or ideologies that don’t belong in the academic setting. We have lost focus on what is most important and why children are going to school in the first place, and ultimately, we need to take it back to basics. There is also a lack of trust and clear communication between our district leaders and the community. My goal is to support our students, be a voice for the parents and ensure we have clarity and open dialogue from the district regarding spending, curriculum and parental involvement. This is one of the biggest points of contention surrounding the recent levies: lack of transparency and clear, honest communication. Our parents and our community deserve to know that their voice is heard and valued.

Stavish (Zone 2): I have three budgetary goals for our district: 1) Prioritize teacher salaries to maintain morale, reduce turnover, and meet the competitive market head on. 2) Make incremental small budget decreases (dime-stacking) to create financial stability, smaller Supplemental Levy amounts, and less dependence on federal funds. 3) Make and execute a decisive plan for the deferred maintenance, while investigating community involvement for volunteer efforts. I have three auxiliary goals: 1) Open and utilize multiple communication channels between the board and the people, depending on quantified input from the people, and effective-reach output from the board. 2) Reduce complex language in the budgetary documents, and produce common-tongue summaries and breakdowns of all items. 3) Verify a total lack of radical ideological materials in our curriculum and produce transparent reports of the findings.

Tenbrink (Zone 3): First and foremost, I want to help improve student achievement in core subject areas. We need to help kids at all levels including those who could use some extra academic help to catch up to grade level, those who need advanced opportunities and everyone in between. I am excited to help implement our new strategic plan that is focused on student achievement! Since 25% of our budget is from local levy funds, my goal is to help our district communicate with our community more effectively about finances. I will work with administration on better ways to present our budget and spending so that more people in our community can understand how their tax dollars are spent.

Blatt (Zone 3): I am a fiscal hawk. I am focused on finding more efficient organizational models and management practices to find savings we can shift to directly improve education and academic outcomes. The simple fact is that if charter and private schools can provide a better education than CDA #271 – for less money – we can too. We must make fixing 100% of deferred maintenance the priority before any more expenditures on the administration. We must shift our resources toward improving teacher morale and support. Teachers shouldn’t be forced to work off-the-clock, and certainly not expected to spend their own money on classroom materials. I am attuned to the incursion of programs which inject value systems alien to ours. We have current issues with vendors providing materials most sensible adults would not provide their children. I will ensure the Board conducts due diligence on all programs and materials in our schools to prevent the introduction of topics and materials to which our community objects. The focus must return to academics and away from other programs which detract from our children’s education.

Which specific qualities do you possess that better qualifies you compared to your competitor?

McAndrew (Zone 2): The trustee position consists largely of three buckets of duties/responsibilities: 1) Budget experience: I have developed, monitored, maintained and balanced million dollar + budgets professionally and civically in this community for the past 20+ years. 2) Hiring/firing/accountability of the Superintendent: I have actual experience in these areas. I’ve hired and recruited talent and lead highly effective teams that have consistently met and exceeded their goals. I’ve also had to fire and/or discipline employees on the occasion where results are not satisfactory. 3) Policy development and implementation: I am very goal driven and have ample experience in this area. Outside of work, I cofounded The Coeur Group in 2004 and we identified a need in the district. Our flagship project became The Locker Program and it has been incorporated into nearly every school in Kootenai County. Coeur Group members design “lockers” that are stocked with clothes, toiletries, school supplies, etc. Kids in need can anonymously come and get whatever they need so that they can direct their attention on their academics. The program is 100% self-sufficient and relies on no taxpayer dollars.

Harris (Zone 2): While being an “outsider” to this area can all too often be seen as a negative, I actually see this as one of my greatest strengths and assets coming into this role. As someone not from Coeur d’Alene, I have had the unique opportunity to come to this town with a fresh pair of eyes set on the future, rooted in the foundation of my past. Not only did I move to Coeur d’Alene with the dream of what it would be for my kids and my family, but I moved away from my former state with a complete understanding of what I was leaving behind, and why. I have spent my whole life knowing what it means to have freedoms taken away, and as such, I have the distinct ability to identify patterns in agenda. I come with an open mind and an open heart, and with genuine hope that our town is protected, but I also come with a critical and discerning eye based on worldly life experience. I am willing to fight to preserve the values that North Idaho holds so dear. I am an active and concerned parent, with a stake in the community and the future of my children and their peers. I trust I have both God and my conservative values working on my side to maintain objectivity as I seek truth, transparency, and accountability within the school district. I have a background in finance, bookkeeping and property management for large publicly traded companies as well as small entities and non-profit organizations. I believe this will also be a huge asset in going into this office, for my ability to carefully analyze budgets, spending and organization on a large scale.

Stavish (Zone 2): I am a vigorous investigator and apt communicator, by text and conversationally. I ask the hard questions, and I don’t care if that hurts feelings. I do not get this sense from my opponents. I have met them personally, and they seem like decent people, but that alone did not leave me with any confidence to drop out and leave the duties to them. I believe that my particular brand of thorough analytical thought will be noticed by our voters and our school admin, and that my iron will sharpen their iron. My style of approach is what is needed right now, but I don’t see that in either of my opponents. Beyond this and more politically, I have no establishment attachments, though both of my opponents do. One has collected multiple $1000 donations! For a small local race, that is really quite a feat. Or, if you’re like me it makes you skeptical of their bona fides.

Tenbrink (Zone 3): I have lived in Coeur d’Alene for more than 19 years. My children have attended every level of schooling in the Coeur d’Alene district and I have been an active volunteer. This has given me a long and varied exposure to the people and programs in our district. My service as a trustee for the last two years has provided experience in the duties required and I am excited to continue that service. In addition, my work as an accountant has prepared me to understand the complex budget of the district and help provide accountability for the way our funds are allocated and spent.

Blatt (Zone 3): I was a senior Army officer for 28 years. My career included projects and programs to rebuild failed or failing nation governments. I was an advisor to foreign government officials and ministers. My final years of service were in the Pentagon providing analysis of national strategic problems and advice to senior US military and government officials. Throughout my career I was responsible for working with small teams and large organizations. In all cases I was responsible for coordinating many officials – each who had their own vote or veto – ultimately to build a coalition to accomplish the most difficult of challenges. I hold a variety of higher education credentials to include a Master’s of Science in Management, Command and General Staff College, and other certificate programs at the Naval Postgraduate School, National Defense University, and the Defense Acquisition University.

How do school trustees fit into the web of agencies and individuals that oversee what happens in Idaho classrooms? Check out our graphic to find out.

EdNews sent each candidate a questionnaire but Reinbold and Galloway did not respond. Watchmen Ministry North Idaho of Hayden received responses from both candidates, which are included in this voter guide to help inform voters. The ministry organization is a “source of information for understanding key social, moral, legal and political issues,” according to their website.

Here’s what the candidates wrote about their qualifications and plans for West Bonner.

Why are you running for a spot on the West Bonner County School Board?

Elizabeth Glazier, Challenger (Zone 3): For many reasons but to name a few, I am a mother to two sons who attend Priest River Elementary, and their education is a top priority for me and my husband. I am the President of the American Legion Auxiliary (Post 155, Oldtown, ID) and therefore have experience leading meetings, delegating tasks, and contributing my time and skills to a cause. My background is primarily in inventory management so I’m also extremely comfortable with numbers, budgets, and creating plans while using benchmarks to compare current performance against. I would bring a unique and fresh perspective to the WBCSD Board of Trustees.

Keith Reinbold, Incumbent (Zone 3): There was no response to EdNews’ request for comments. Use this link to read Reinbold’s responses to Watchmen Ministry North Idaho’s questionnaire.

Alan Galloway, Challenger (Zone 1): There was no response to EdNews. However, use this link to read Galloway’s responses to the Watchmen Ministry North Idaho’s questionnaire.

Margaret Hall, Incumbent (Zone 1): I am running because I believe that I will continue to bring to the table a level-headed, thoughtful voice that also strongly advocates for public education on behalf of West Bonner County School District students, parents, staff, taxpayers, and community-at-large. I will work diligently to understand an issue before making a decision and am committed to listening and addressing the different concerns expressed by constituents and individuals throughout the WBCSD. Finally, I bring to the table applicable financial, educational, legal, organizational, and development experience.

Kathy Nash, Challenger (Zone 5): I am the best qualified to hold this seat because of my accounting experience as well as my involvement with the board meetings and research into the policies and finances since 2019.

Carlyn Barton, Incumbent (Zone 5): I have been watching our school system decline for years. My kids both attend schools in the school district. My oldest is graduating this year and my youngest has six more years in the district. I want to see change and am over the top excited about community involvement. The system needs to be rebuilt and the culture changed. I feel I have a unique perspective as a teacher, parent, and as a graduate myself from PRLHS.

Briefly tell us a little about yourself.

Glazier (Zone 3): Originally from Iowa, I moved to Idaho in 2009, after graduating from Iowa State University, to work at Coldwater Creek in Sandpoint. In 2013 I married Shaun Glazier, a local Priest River boy, at our home on the Pend Oreille River. Shaun and I have two sons who attend Priest River Elementary School (6th and 3rd). When I’m not working or attending sporting events, I spend my free time volunteering. I am President of the American Legion Auxiliary (Post 155) and find tremendous joy in giving back to our Veterans and their families. I am starting my fourth year as Secretary of the PRE PTO and enjoy spending time with our little Spartans. Additionally, I am a member of the PR Animal Rescue, the Chamber of Commerce, PRE Site Council, MOPS, and Rotary.

Reinbold (Zone 3): Use this link to read Reinbold’s responses to Watchmen Ministry North Idaho’s questionnaire.

Galloway (Zone 1): Use this link to read Galloway’s responses to the Watchmen Ministry North Idaho’s questionnaire.

Hall (Zone 1): Since 1981, when I bought land and built a small home just outside of Priest River, West Bonner County has been my home base. Over the past 40 years, I have tried to actively contribute to the community. In the 80’s, I organized a set of evening adult education classes at the high school before returning to the University of Idaho to get my undergraduate degree. In the 90’s, during and after my graduate work – which focused on understanding the challenges facing the community and seeking possible solutions, I coordinated the River of Opportunities community and economic development conferences/ forums focused on small business assistance and opportunities, as well as the Rural Cultural Tourism Conference that furthered the Selkirk Loop.  From 2005-2011, I sat on the Bonner County Planning & Zoning Commission, serving as chair for 2 ½ years. Since 2001, I have been a member of our local Search & Rescue team but, unfortunately, less actively since 2020. Finally, since 2015, I have served as a WBCSD trustee. Though I do not have children of my own, I feel strongly that investing in education is critical and we must work together to ensure that we have a strong vibrant community where young people want to stay, return or move to with their families; a place where people want to start and grow their businesses or dreams.

Nash (Zone 5): I’ve lived in Blanchard since 2014. I hold a degree in Accounting. I’ve served on several boards, I’ve been treasurer of several churches, I was treasurer of my HOA back in the 90’s.

Barton (Zone 5): Profession: Certified Teacher. Educational background: I worked in banking while earning my General Business degree. In 2008 I returned to college earning my Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a minor in Reading from Whitworth University. I have two daughters who attend school in WBCSD. I was born in Newport, WA and raised in Oldtown, ID.

If elected, what would you like to accomplish?

Glazier (Zone 3): I’d like to see us come together as a community again. There is an obscene amount of incredibly bright and capable adults in our district – if only we’d spend more time providing opportunities for these students, that would be time better spent. There are many folks with concerns about curriculum and extracurricular activities, I happily encourage their involvement. If you have a specialty (skill or knowledge) that you’re willing to share, please step forward and offer it to the district. We could use more helpers, volunteers, mentors, substitute teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria staff, etc. It takes many hands.

Reinbold (Zone 3): Use this link to read Reinbold’s responses to Watchmen Ministry North Idaho’s questionnaire.

Galloway (Zone 1): Use this link to read Galloway’s responses to the Watchmen Ministry North Idaho’s questionnaire.

Hall (Zone 1): Work to regain trust in the full Board by being transparent and consistent in our actions; Address any findings of the forensic audit in order to regain financial trust of the community; and Work to minimize community polarization; and Support the implementation of the 5-year Strategic Plan in order to improve student performance.

Nash (Zone 5): My goal is to bring fiscal responsibility and transparency back to the district.  As well as to provide better safety and education to the students.  Build trust for the district, back to the parents, taxpayers and community.

Barton (Zone 5): I want fiscal responsibility which will include continuing the audit phases. I want to create a positive building and district culture, this will include visiting the principal administration and working on a whole district plan of action.  I will promote anti-bullying education, my hope is to incorporate this step into the culture shift plan. I want to retain teachers with a whole district culture shift in addition to the 4 day school week. By retaining and completing professional development our teachers will better be able to increase our students’ academic scores. And no matter what else takes place, I will make students the center of my decisions.

EdNews Data Analyst Randy Schrader contributed to this report. 

SANDPOINT — Sixteen-year-old Josh Holub has never read a book but he will as soon as he masters Braille, a written language for the blind.

And thanks to a $2,500 grant from the Panhandle Alliance for Education, there’s now a novel in the Lake Pend Oreille Alternative High School library waiting for that day — although Josh’s book is unlike any other on the shelves.

Gary Paulsen’s adventure novel “Brian’s Winter” is a relatively short, 176-page book. The Braille version is four times its size and 2 inches thicker. It has to be. Each page contains dozens of grid patterns of raised dots, representing letters of the alphabet, numbers and punctuation marks.

Josh will one day read the novel by moving his fingers over those patterns to discern words and sentences. He’s not entirely blind but reading words in novels and textbooks is nearly impossible and the eyestrain could trigger a seizure. He views the world through a small tunnel in the upper right quadrant of his eye.

During elementary school, Holub dutifully checked out books with his classmates on library day but “it was pointless for me because they’re for sighted people,” he said. “I wanted to check out a book that I can actually read.”

His desire to check out and read a book from his high school library inspired the grant request, which was written by librarian Sandy Lange. The grant will pay for a section of audio, Braille and large-print books, and a magnifier for sight-impaired students or those with dyslexia. They’re currently selecting and ordering books.

The new addition will be called the “Josh Section,” and he’s proud that his actions inspired the school to find a solution, because students in the future who need reading resources will have them. 

Lake Pend’s library materials budget is $400 annually; Sandpoint’s is $4,100 and Clark Fork is $560. “It has been the practice at Lake Pend Oreille School District to set the amounts via a formula based on school enrollment. Some districts follow a similar process and others determine allocations other ways,” said Brian Walllace, the district’s CFO.

Josh enjoys listening to mystery novels, history and nonfiction books. And he loves the Kansas City Chiefs and 1980s music. He recently attended an REO Speedwagon concert.

The first sight-impaired student

Josh is Lake Pend high school’s first sight-impaired student. He attends the alternative school because of the 14 to 1, student to teacher ratio. There are about 90 students in the school. He will spend a portion of his high school years learning Braille and developing academic independence.

“He forced us to change and think outside the box, finding a way to adapt and create meaningful, rigorous education for him,” said principal Luke Childers.

Rachael Osborne, a vision specialist paraprofessional, works exclusively with Josh, attending classes and translating assignments into Braille and large print. She’s working to attain a national certification in Braille.

Childers describes his school as a big family. Providing rigorous instruction and ensuring he engaged with the student population and the school culture were concerns, he said.

“If you’re not part of the family, it doesn’t work as well. And I believe that’s worked out very well for him. He’s engaged with other students and staff members to a high level, and we’re meeting him where he’s at and providing rigor for him,” Childers said.

PRIEST RIVER — The West Bonner School District gained positive traction Monday with two milestones: Trustees hired an experienced interim superintendent and filled two board vacancies.

Following the official resignation of Branden Durst last week, the board voted unanimously to hire Joe Kren as interim superintendent under a 90-day contract. In September, Durst made a public announcement of his intention to step down as superintendent but didn’t indicate when that would occur.

The three-person board was unable to address his resignation because a quorum couldn’t be established. Trustee Troy Reinbold’s repeated absences caused the board’s inability to take action. But he attended the last two meetings so board business could be accomplished. Durst was not in Priest River when the board accepted his resignation last week. His four-month tenure from June to October was marked by heated opposition and repeated controversy.

Kren is a former West Bonner principal and former superintendent at Saint Maries Joint School District. A copy of his one-page contract was not made available but interim board chairman Margaret Hall characterized it as “standard.” According to the contract, Kren will stay in the position for 90 working days, which extends his tenure until March 20.

Kren’s appointment was followed by a loud round of applause from the audience.

The board briefly recessed and reconvened to interview five candidates to fill two spots left vacant after the August recall election removed trustees Keith Rutledge and Susan Brown by overwhelming majorities in August. Rutledge and Brown were the driving force behind a number of unpopular decisions.

Zone 4 

Trustees felt both candidates were qualified and would bring value. But because of her involvement with the community and experience with the city council, the board selected Ann Yount to fill the Zone 4 trustee position. Her appointment came on a split 2-1 vote. Reinbold voted against Yount.

“I’d like to thank both of the applicants; you did a great job,” trustee Carlyn Barton said.

Zone 4 candidates were allowed two-minute opening statements, starting with Yount, a well-known school volunteer and longtime Priest River business owner. Wendy Eaton has two children and one-step child in West Bonner schools. She works as a support representative for Classical Conversations, an entity that supports home educators. Both candidates discussed rebuilding unity and improving community involvement.

Trustees Reinbold, Hall and Barton took turns asking a series of eight questions. Among them was “why do you want to serve on the board?”

Yount said, “I love this community. I know so many of the people here and I want to see it succeed.”

Eaton said, “I have a passion for children and to see them succeed. I think that education is very important and it’s getting lost in all the division in the community.” 

Zone 2

In Zone 2, all three candidates brought a lifetime of experience in finance, education, the military, business and coaching. They expressed a desire to establish a board that serves the community, find ways to correct any current financial problems and help students achieve better academic success.

The decision to appoint Paul Turco came down to his passion, deep ties with the community coaching the youth, financial experience and potential to help heal the community’s polarization. Trustees split 2-1 in favor of Turco. Reinbold was the dissenting vote.

Barton said, “It was another pretty close decision.”

“It seemed like everybody who applied tonight is capable of being on the board,” said Reinbold. “Just because of Bradley’s experience, I picked him.”

“Thank you gentlemen for applying and stepping forth,” said Hall.

Donald Paden: “Pride and support brought the community together and it tore it apart.” He noted the need to improve communication with the community, address low ISAT scores, fix distrust the community expresses for the board and improve the district’s financial situation. “We need to come together as a board and regain the trust of the community — that’s vital. I have a personal interest in this with two grandchildren. I am concerned about the track the school is on right now,” he said.

Paul Turco:  “I’m proud of how the community came together. Both sides are showing that they care for the students and that’s a good foundation to build on. The weakness is the misunderstandings.” His top goals include providing explanations for the public about how funding works, focusing on the retention of teachers and helping the community regain its trust in the board. “Simply, I care,” he said.

Brad Cossette: “The five year plan is a well-written document. It’s going to be difficult to make sure someone is there who’s forcing it through to achieve the goals.” He said West Bonner is so much more involved than what’s going on in Spokane schools. “It’s something to be proud of,” he said. “Education has been my life. I want to be able to give back towards it. I’ve seen the great things it’s done for so many kids. I am devoted to helping the kids of this community.”

The trustees appointed Joe Kren to a 90-day contract as superintendent and agreed to hire legal counsel to negotiate the terms of the resignation with the unnamed person.

Kren is a former Priest River Lamanna High School principal and superintendent of the St. Maries School District.

The decision to accept a resignation came after a 15-minute executive session. The resignation dates referenced were Sept. 19 and Sept. 25. Durst, who attended the meeting by video, publicly announced on Sept. 25 on social media he would resign from his role as West Bonner’s leader and seek an “amicable and fair exit.” Durst did not set a departure date when he made the announcement a month ago and said he’d leave that decision to the board.

Wednesday’s developments follow months of tumult in the North Idaho district, including the August recall of two trustees and the state’s decision to block Durst’s path to an emergency certification to be a superintendent.

Following their cryptic resignation announcement and while trustees prepared to go back into executive session to consider hiring an employee, someone from the audience yelled: “Hold on. There’s something missing here. Is there a name that goes along with that?”

Trustees ignored the question, walked out of the room and back into executive session. There was muted applause, because many in the room assumed it was Durst. His apparent resignation is effective immediately.

Trustees came back after a second executive session and agreed to appoint Kren.

A quorum established

The board held its first meeting since the August recall with all three remaining trustees attending in person. 

The five-member board was reduced to three following the August recall of two board members. The board needs three for a quorum to meet. The Bonner County Sheriff’s Office received a criminal complaint against trustee Troy Reinbold for nonfeasance as a public official, because the board has been unable to meet due to his repeated absences. Reinbold was there in person Wednesday. 

The board scheduled a follow-up meeting Monday at 6 p.m. in the high school cafeteria to interview candidates for the two vacant trustee positions. Monday’s agenda indicates that a selection of new trustees could be made.

The State Department of Education could temporarily withhold a portion of funding because last year’s financial audit is not done, business manager Melissa Reilly told the board. The district is not losing any funding, just facing a delay, she said.

The 2022-23 financial audit is not done because their forensic audit is also not finished. The board voted last summer to conduct a forensic audit. But that’s been delayed by their inability to obtain bank statements from their financial institution. The accounting firm handling the 2022-23 audit would not move forward until the forensic audit is done.

In other action Wednesday, Christina Kenny was hired as the special education director; Alyssa Meyn for English language arts at the junior high school; Steven Bowden as a facilities custodian; and Nicole Cupp as the junior high secretary. The board also accepted the resignation of Reilly, the business manager.

Under new business, the board voted on the following items.

• Approved — develop a notice for the request for quotes for general legal services.
• Approved — develop a notice for the request for quotes for an interim district general legal services.
• Approved — develop a notice for the request for quotes for an interim 2022-23 auditor to pick up where the previous auditor stopped. The district wants to have its audit done by January so they don’t miss the next funding cycle for state money.
• Approved — hire two temporary accountants to help pull together documents to complete the 2022-23 audit.
• Approved — the draft of a continuous improvement plan and community engagement process.
• Approved — an amended 2023-2024 classified salary schedule.
• Approved — amended 2023-2024 administrative salary schedule.
• Approved — funding of winter and spring extracurriculars and co-curriculars up to $250,000. Trustees agreed that this discussion warrants further discussion.
• Tabled — a transportation waiver because the district is having trouble finding bus drivers to help transport students to sporting events. This topic will be discussed at the Monday meeting.
• Approved — add a new contracted cleaning service and district custodial positions. The staff is lean. The district is down by five positions. Five buildings should have 13 workers. There are floors, carpets, 100 toilets, plus urinals and more. Bathrooms are not getting cleaned and this is affecting student and teacher morale. They are overworked and understaffed and it’s really starting to show. There’s a mice problem at the elementary school and mice running over children’s feet.
• Approved — IRWA agreement with a rural water system to be a water operator.
• Approved — community use of school facilities policy, with an added work session in November to review the policy.

The board approved meeting minutes for the following dates:

• June 28, Minutes 
• June 28, Budget Hearing
• July 5, Minutes
• Aug. 16, Minutes
• Aug. 25, Minutes
• Sept. 27, Minutes

The class of 2024 is the first cohort to use Launch, which aims to keep students in Idaho selecting in-demand careers that benefit the state. The postsecondary grant provides up to $8,000 of financial aid.  Students can put their money toward four-year college or community college, career-technical education or job training.

The money is awarded to students one time. Students can receive up to one-half of the initial grant award in the first year of a program. However, for programs that are less than 12 months in length, students can use the full awarded amount in one year.

After speaking with six students attending Kootenai Technical Education Campus that serves Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and Lakeland school districts, two issues stood out: the state’s outreach efforts need to include more accurate information, and the $8,000 grant helped some seniors choose an in-demand career. 

“I started my application and we need to do my FAFSA before I can finish it, so it’s taking time to do it,” said Kamryn Wixom, 17, a Coeur d’Alene High School senior. She’s interested in crash and collision auto body work. “I’ve been surrounded by cars my whole life and plan to continue,” she said.

Under the frequently asked questions, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is not a program requirement. But the grant only covers 80% — up to $8,000 — of a program’s tuition and fees. Remaining costs like room and board can be paid by other financial aid and scholarships. Most financial aid and scholarships require FAFSA completion.

Jack Guy, 18, a Lake City High School senior, said, “I’ve looked through the application and applied. My mom was the one that mainly filled it out for me, but she did say it was a little difficult.” Guy plans to obtain a commercial driver’s license and join his family driving semis.

“I’m hoping to use the money towards Sage Truck Driving School. This way I’m being trained by well-trained drivers with years of experience. If it can’t be used toward Sage, I’ll apply for Idaho State University or a trade school at North Idaho College,” Guy said.

Launch’s website “Next Steps Idaho” includes resource links for money and financial aid, education and training, an application portal, in-demand jobs, planning for a career and an information center tab. The frequently asked questions section points users to the Idaho Launch resources page. And for questions not answered by the website, email idaholaunch@wdc.idaho.gov, sherawn.reberry@wdc.idaho.gov or cassandra.mansour@wdc.idaho.gov.

Preslie McLaughlin, 17, a Coeur d’Alene senior, plans to be the second person in her immediate family to attend college and hopes to work in the medical field. She’s counting on her parents to help with the application, because the stress of how to pay for college is “definitely on.”

“I’m interested in healthcare because I love the feeling of being able to take care of people. And being the first nurse in my family is something I really want to do,” McLaughlin said. “If I got the money, I would go do my prerequisites at a community college to cover that cost so I can stay in Idaho for the first two years.”

High school counselors and administrators are trying to spread the word by various means but it’s still early in the process. The state started accepting applications on Oct. 3. Initial applications are due by Nov. 30 and the final deadline is April 15. Award letters are expected at the end of December, March and May.

Students appreciate the help schools and counselors provide. Lake City notified parents through email and there are “application days” planned at most schools where seniors can apply for Launch and other scholarships. At K-Tech, an application day is scheduled in November. Sandpoint High School is partnering with the English department this week to provide seniors with time to apply for Launch and the Opportunity Scholarship.

“At first I never really listened to the Idaho Launch guidance because I never thought about going to college, but I came across an opportunity that it could help with, so I reached out to Ms. (Kristin) Parker and she helped a lot,” said Trevor Rodda, 17, of Coeur d’Alene.

Rodda is planning a career in the construction industry. “I have always had interest in building things, whether it was with Legos or raw materials I would find outside. I plan to spend the money through North Idaho College in their construction management class that they are starting next fall,” Rodda said.

Lake City senior Ben Crespo, 17, plans to ask his parents for help with the application. He’s looking to specialize in automotive engines or manufacturing. “I’ve always been interested in cars and only in the past four to five years have I been interested in how they work. With the grant money, I’d instantly put it toward the college of my choice,” although he’s not sure which automotive technology school he will attend.

Paying for college is a concern for Madalyn Barron, 18. The Lake City senior is in her second year of a certified nursing assistant program at K-Tech. She lives with a single parent and worries about the cost of attending college.

Barron aspires to be a plastic surgeon. “I want to help people feel good about what they see in the mirror and to help burn victims heal.” She plans to use the money at the University of Idaho or Boise State University and try to stay out of debt for as long as she can.

With the help of her counselor, Barron gained confidence in the process of  applying for scholarships. “I needed a little help but overall I could do it myself,” she said, about applying for Launch.

The West Bonner school board has been unable to have a meeting because Reinbold has been absent and therefore, school business has ground to a halt. The five-member board was reduced to three following the August recall of two board members. The board needs three for a quorum to meet.

In the span of 41 days since the recall, Reinbold participated in only one of five scheduled meetings and that was by phone and for only 28 minutes so only a handful duties were performed. At that meeting, he requested certain action items be removed from the agenda before he would attend, according to the other two members of the board. This week, he announced that a family emergency will preclude him from attending further meetings by phone or in person.

This week, the board was unable to interview and select candidates to fill the two open vacancies, as was planned, because of Reinbold’s continued absence.

“We’re definitely looking into it, and does it appear that there’s a crime here,” said Phil Stella, a detective sergeant with the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office. 

Stella said they will investigate the intention of Reinbold’s actions, which could fall under Idaho Code 18-315 — Omission of Public Duty. The code, in part, states “every willful omission to perform any duty enjoined by law upon any public officer, or person holding any public trust or employment, where no special provision shall have been made for the punishment of such delinquency, is punishable as a misdemeanor.”

“Obviously, missing a meeting is not a crime. However, it is possible, purposely missing a meeting(s) with the intent of preventing the entity from holding a meeting because a quorum is necessary could rise to that level,” said Bonner County Prosecutor Louis Marshall. 

Sandy Brower, a former West Bonner trustee who was an organizer of the recall, complained to the prosecutor about Reinbold. 

“I just want Troy to do his job. I want him to uphold his oath and do what is best for our district and kids,” said Brower, who ran unopposed for a city council seat and will start in January.

Brower said she’s tried to contact Reinbold numerous times without success. Idaho Education News has made more than 10 attempts to reach Reinbold by phone and email. There’s been no response. 

Jonathan Welch, who has two children attending West Bonner schools, echoed Brower’s frustration. “I am concerned about Troy not showing up because the board is at a standstill. Everybody is pretty frustrated by it and not sure what to do,” he said.

Stella said while the sheriff’s office is investigating, the prosecutor is looking into case law because the statute is very vague.

“(Brower) hasn’t made a report so I’ve got to start with her. If Mr. Reinbold will talk to me, I would be willing to talk to him,” Stella said.

Brower said: “He knows the district cannot conduct business without him. The students, staff and community deserve accountability. I hope that he makes himself available and things move forward for our district.” 

Requests for help

The frustrated Priest River community pulled together in August and ousted former trustees Keith Rutledge and Susan Brown, who were the driving force behind the controversial hiring of school leader Branden Durst. The community hoped that the successful recall would usher in a new board. But Reinbold’s absences have halted the board’s ability to meet and conduct business without a quorum.

“Can and should one elected official be allowed to hold the district hostage?” Brower asked the prosecutor’s office.

The three-person board’s dysfunction is a new twist on a saga that started in early spring with the failure of supplemental levy proposal and the hiring of Durst. The State Board of Education and State Department of Education fielded repeated messages for assistance throughout the summer, but they are constrained by law.

“The community isn’t sure where to turn because we’re in completely uncharted waters right now,” Welch said.

In a response to one constituent, SDE communications director Scott Graf wrote, “Much of the day-to-day control of a local district resides with the locally-elected board of trustees and their chosen administrators. As such, there are limited circumstances in which the state has the authority to intervene and direct a local district in its day-to-day operations. Specifically, the state is not authorized to force a local district to follow district policy.”

Through a public records request, EdNews obtained correspondence between West Bonner parents and the state. The following paragraphs represent a portion of those outreach messages.

Tracy Naccarato. “As you well know our district is in trouble.  I am emailing to ask for any help at all before we lose our schools. Brandon Durst is NOT qualified and should NOT be doing the things he is doing to our district.  It is very difficult to believe that there is no one to keep a school board in check when they do so many wrong things.  Why is there no one?”

Penny Whitaker. “Hello, my name is Penny Whitaker and I live in the West Bonner County School District. I am writing to ask for your help regarding our troubled school district or that you pass this letter on to someone who can help us.”

Merrilee Brumley. “As I’m sure you have heard, the WBCSD is in havoc mode right now. The majority of the school board has voted Branden Durst in as our superintendent. The majority of the patrons of the district are vehemently against this hiring but do not know where to turn. If you have any advice for us please respond to this email.”

Savanna Jones. “I am truly concerned for our district and my children’s safety if Durst is hired.”

Dan Brown. “I have three grade-school age kids who start next week, so this latest twist is a little concerning … along with no teacher contracts, no budget, no identified bus routes yet and the list goes on.”

Billy Mullaley. “Just so you are aware before the meeting started a man, name unknown, was out front in line with an assault rifle. The city police asked and he said he was going to the meeting. They talked him out of it. Please, if there is anything you can do or direct me to someone that can help. I do not want our town on the 5 o’clock news about a mass shooting.”

Brenna Saccone. “If there is any way you can intervene, I beg you to intervene! Our students, staff and community cannot thrive with Mr. Durst.”

Ernie Schoeffel. “I urge you to look into this. We, the patrons, need your help as the board doesn’t seem to want to take our input into consideration. The students need your help. Their future is at stake. Our whole community needs your help.”

DeeAnn Brennan. “I am asking for you to please decline an emergency certification for Branden Durst. There are too many red flags with his history and lack of experience in a public school education. He is not what this district needs and there is no reason to give him an emergency certification. This is a very serious situation for students, teachers, parents and families, and the community at large.”

Paul Turco. “I am also requesting that you do not consider Brenden Durst for any certifications. I fear he is a failed politician using this district as a stepping stone and is not the right fit for our community and our kids. We are doing everything we can to recall our school board members who have tyrannically been leading this district astray.”

The district’s compliancy

The State Board did step in to notify West Bonner in mid-August to correct a number of state law compliance issues. On Thursday, Graf provided a list of compliance issues the state is monitoring. 

Federal Programs. The SDE staff in the Federal Programs Department is monitoring two compliance issues, including what is necessary for West Bonner to receive its CSI-Up (Comprehensive School Improvement) allocation. The district has yet to submit its School Wide Improvement Plan, which is required for the allocation to be granted. 

Special Education. There are several aspects of the West Bonner Special Ed program that is being monitored, including some that change the way the district can spend special education funding. It should be noted that some previous issues have been resolved, but several are still outstanding, said the SDE.

Student Transportation. One bus is currently being shown as out of compliance for being past due on an inspection. This may be a clerical error on the district’s part and not reflective of whether the inspection has occurred, said the SDE. 

 Child Nutrition. As part of the department’s five-year procurement review, the SDE is waiting on the West Bonner school board to approve local policy 7400P3. The procurement review is considered outstanding until this approval is received. And while the SDE could withhold funding from the district’s school lunch program, it has not done so based on the impact it would have.

Public School Finance. After submitting its annual budget to the SDE with a series of errors, the district was made aware that it would need to submit an amended budget. As of now, that amended budget has not been submitted. Also, the district has not submitted its annual salary schedule. The district has met its required enrollment and attendance deadlines.

The election

Elizabeth Glazier will challenge Reinbold for the Zone 3 seat at the Nov. 7 election. Reinbold has passed out flyers in the community but EdNews has been unable to locate an election page with details about his platform and accomplishments. He reportedly has an event planned for Oct. 22, from 4-6 p.m. at HooDoo Cafe in Priest River. It’s unclear if that’s been canceled. Glazier has an election page with dates for upcoming events and details about how she intends to govern on the school board. Use this link to find out more about Glazier.

A concerned citizen notified the board last Thursday that trustee Allie Anderton no longer resided within Zone 1, and “thus she is not qualified to act as a trustee, and as a result I and thousands of other constituents are not being represented,” according to the complaint obtained from the board’s website. 

The board was asked to confirm Anderton’s residency and eligibility, based on court filings pertaining to her divorce. The concerned citizen claimed that Anderton had moved to Post Falls with her father. In response, board chairman Rebecca Smith tried to contact Anderton but was initially unsuccessful so a special meeting was scheduled on Oct. 18 to discuss the matter in an open meeting.

On Monday, the board had still not received a “written response confirming trustee Anderton’s residency” and Idaho Code requires that a board act to declare a vacancy when a trustee has moved out of their zone, a district spokesperson wrote in a press release.  

Anderton responded Tuesday and the district’s legal counsel confirmed her residency. “According to Idaho code 34-107, my residency remains at 3799 S. Wolf Lodge Creek Rd. The claims being made against me are untrue. Idaho code 34-107 defines residence, and temporary accommodations do not qualify as a new residence. It is my present intention to return to my home when the divorce is final,” Anderton wrote. 

“After careful consideration of trustee Anderton’s response and consultation with the district’s legal counsel, I am comfortable with trustee Anderton’s explanation and statement of intent to return to her residence in Zone 1 …,” Smith said in the release, which also notified the community of Wednesday’s canceled meeting.

“At no time was this situation personal, nor an attack on trustee Anderton. I have no desire to discuss  sensitive and personal matters in a public forum,” said Smith. “I have a great deal of respect for trustee Anderton’s privacy and empathy for her as she manages through a difficult life challenge. That said, as  board chair, I am duty-bound to uphold state law and board policy concerning matters in front of us. In this case, without a clear response from trustee Anderton about her residency, I made the decision to begin the conversation via a special meeting.”

The Coeur d’Alene Police Department, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and the Coeur d’Alene School District were all on scene following notification that an incident had occurred.

In a lockdown, all internal and external doors are secured until such time as law enforcement declares the situation safe and secure, the school district wrote in a press release. They’re initiated for “real or perceived threats to student and staff safety.”

The lockdown started “when a key fob used to activate a lockdown unintentionally passed in front of an access control sensor while trying to open a door,” a spokesperson said. School officials notified parents and staff through a mass communication system.

“While this was a preventable event, we are impressed with the response of our partners in law enforcement. They acted quickly and professionally to ensure our students and staff were safe,” said Mike Nelson, deputy superintendent. “We are a learning organization and will use this experience to be better prepared when a lockdown is necessary.”

When asked how the district plans to avoid this mistake again, the spokesperson said, “After each incident, we conduct an after action to evaluate what happened, the response and identify areas for improvement.”

SANDPOINT — Hundreds of Lake Pend Oreille seniors were greeted with a stark message Friday morning — “welcome to your financial future.”

The annual personal financial fair combines a little tough love with a heavy dose of reality. Sandpoint, Clark Fork and Lake Pend alternative high schools attended.

Here’s the simulation: You’re 28 years old, maybe married, maybe with kids, and you’ve landed a job. You also have goals, obligations and bills. Now you need to budget.

“They need to learn this information, so I think it’s something that our community is very committed to,” said Jeralyn Mire, a post secondary counselor at Sandpoint.  

With the help of local businesses and dozens of volunteers who set up 10 merchant stations, students navigated a handful of spending decisions adults know all too well:  food, housing, children and transportation. Properly managing debt and learning about borrowing were major aspects of the experience.

“You are eating everything that’s organic, you are gluten free, you like those ribeye steaks. It’s amazing right? That’s your high-end food. Then at the bottom is store brand stuff. You’re eating some hamburger, ramen noodles — you’re eating, but it’s just not like that super-awesome really expensive food,” a volunteer at the My Food station explained.

They also considered the number of times they eat out. “Do those jitter girls know your name and your order when you roll up?” she asked, referencing coffee purchases.

In their personal workbook, students selected a grocery and dining-out plan, subtracted that total from their balance and moved on to consider fun activities, like movies, concerts or vacations. As they visited each station, they subtracted spending from their salary. The goal  is to have $100 at the end.

Clark Fork senior Cole Mintkin, 18, was given the persona of a cook. He and his wife had a combined after-tax monthly income of $5,085.

“I’m broke,” Mintkin said, complaining that he received a repair bill for his favorite recliner in the amount of $425. 

Carson Yetter, also a Clark Fork senior, was shocked at childcare costs. As a pilot married to a receptionist, they have an income of $7,400.

“I found out that my childcare is $1,400. I was like, ‘What? I have an eight-month-old. Who’s taking care of that child?’” Yetter said.

Students blurted out a few odd or funny comments:

• One student said her 3-year-old daughter Brianna is “so expensive.”
• Another student said “I’m gonna get a bicycle,” when asked how he planned to get around.
• One teenager was pretty frugal because he selected “the cheapest options everywhere.”
• Someone else said childcare costs a lot more than expected. “Oh yeah, I’m definitely going to wait.”

They could choose to speak with a financial advisor to evaluate spending and determine savings goals. They also participated in a trivia game show about money lessons. And at the end of the day, their workbooks were audited. Those who fully participated were eligible for donated prizes.

“It’s a special day for our seniors. They like it. You can see by the way they’re engaged. They want to learn this knowledge,” Mire said.  

For Sandpoint, the financial day supports the classroom, Mire said. Seniors experience first-hand lessons taught in their economics and personal finance class: student loans, the average cost of a house, down-payments, loans rates, retirement topics and taxes. In Idaho, learning financial literacy is considered a core skill. House Bill 92 passed in the 2023 legislative session requires high school graduates to have one semester of a personal financial literacy course.

“I think it’s just an experience that they remember,” Mire said.

“At this point, we don’t know when that might be,” trustee Margaret Hall, the board’s interim chairman, told Idaho Education News through email.

In a letter to the community posted on the district’s website, Hall wrote, “Regretfully, the special board meetings tonight (17th) and tomorrow (18th) and the regular meeting tomorrow evening (18th) must be canceled. Due to a family emergency, trustee Reinbold will not be able to attend these meetings in-person or by phone. The situation requires trustee Reinbold’s immediate attention and presence and he has expressed a desire for privacy at this time.”

The three-person board — Hall, Reinbold and Carlyn Barton — was poised to choose applicants from a pool of five candidates to fill two trustee spots left vacant by the recall election. Without Reinbold, there is not a quorum.

Once Reinbold’s availability is known, the board will “move forward as quickly as possible” to reschedule a meeting to conduct the interviews and appointments, Hall wrote. “Thank you for your understanding and patience as we navigate this situation together.”

Former board chairman Keith Rutledge and vice chairman Susan Brown were recalled by overwhelming majorities in August. Rutledge and Brown were the driving force behind a number of unpopular decisions, culminating in their removal. Reinbold often voted with Rutledge and Brown. The application deadline for replacement candidates occurred Friday. Five names were posted Monday in preparation for Tuesday’s interviews.

Since the recall canvass on Sept. 7, the board has scheduled two regular meetings and three special meetings in the span of 41 days. Reinbold attended 28 minutes of a truncated meeting to declare the vacancies, but will be absent from two regular meetings and two special meetings.

Next month, Hall, Barton and Reinbold face challengers in their bids to be reelected. The current board is scheduled to meet again on Nov. 15 and Dec. 20. If Reinbold cannot attend those meetings, the appointments could be left to the new board that takes office in January.

Former trustee and recall organizer, Sandra Brower offered condolences and prayers for a good outcome, but like many in Priest River, she’s frustrated by Reinbold’s recent actions.

“I am terribly sorry that Troy and his family are experiencing an emergency. I’m also very disappointed that the business of the district is yet again stalled. Troy willfully did not fulfill his duties as an elected official last month, thus creating a new crisis within our district,” she told EdNews. 

“Our board cannot remove Mr. Durst without Troy. The district continues to pay Durst salary from the general fund without compensation from the state while teachers work without a negotiated contract. Mr. Durst said publicly that he would step down if he did not receive an emergency provisional certification from the State Board of Education, which he did not receive. However, he will not leave.

“Is the plan to hold the district hostage by not attending meetings so a quorum is not met, so Mr Durst can continue to do a job he is not approved for? Why are the parents, students and voters being ignored by trustee Reinbold and Mr. Durst? I am beyond frustrated,” Brower wrote.

The candidates

Five potential candidates submitted an extensive application packet with their petition for candidacy. The current board included seven questions about background, education philosophies, education experience, availability and personal connection to schools.

In Zone  4, the trustee applicants are Wendy Eaton and Ann Yount; in Zone 2, they are Donald Paden, Paul Turco and Brad Cossette. Idaho Education News reviewed each application and selected four topics to provide a brief snapshot of each candidate. A link to their full applications is available at the end of each candidate’s paragraph.

Zone 4

Wendy Eaton. “Public education should serve the children in the district, preparing them for college, life or a trade.” Eaton has two children and one-step child in West Bonner schools. She is currently a support representative for Classical Conversations. She has 10 years of education experience. Eaton’s complete application is available here.

Ann Yount. “Public education should be accessible to all students, regardless of any factors associated with their lives. I strongly believe that each student within our district should have the same right and educational opportunity as any other student in our country. Students should receive core knowledge and skills to help them become successful adults.” Yount has four grandchildren attending West Bonner schools; she is the owner and operator of Yount Daycare. Her volunteer experience is extensive: PTO president, years of coaching various girls’ sports and working for the booster club. Yount’s complete application is available here.

Zone 2

Donald Paden. “I believe that public education is necessary to our local community, as is a police department, a fire department and a hospital. If we as a community are to live next to each other as neighbors, we need to have a fundamental understanding of civic responsibility. Our public schools should be the place where our children learn of that civic responsibility and to accept, respect and value others in our community. Our schools should provide the educational foundation to be self-reliant, so as to not become a burden on the rest of society. We need to encourage and develop honesty and integrity in the children of our community by providing the education, training and desire to accept those responsibilities. I believe that the local community has the best understanding of what the needs are for the students.” Paden has two grandchildren in West Bonner schools; he comes from a family of teachers and he taught computer classes; Paden is retired, having spent 14 years in the military and 23 years with a trucking company. Paden’s complete application is available here.

Paul Turco. “I believe publication education is one of the oldest traditions in our country. I feel it is the best way to support the future of any community. It is a crucial entity that educates the workforce of the future. It also creates jobs and opportunities for the current local community and families. I also respect and cherish the freedom of choice for alternative education models. My wife and I feel the public education setting is what is going to best prepare our children for the future.” Turco has two children attending West Bonner schools; he is self-employed for the last 10 years in the financial and banking industry; he also has volunteer experience with youth sports. Turco’s complete application is available here.

Brad Cossette. “Public education should be the foundation of the community. All aspects of an entire curriculum and co-curriculars should be working towards goals set forth by the state, community and the board of trustees. Every student’s well being and success is the duty of their parent(s) or guardian(s) and all the personnel of the school district. The board’s role is to conduct the business of the district, listen to the community, make decisions which are legal and in the best interest of providing the highest quality education of the students of our district.” Cossette does not have children or grandchildren in West Bonners schools. He is a retired teacher with a bachelor’s in education and a master’s in administration and curriculum development. He spent 39 years with the Spokane public schools system. Cossette’s complete application is available here.

“I’m here this evening on behalf of a parent who felt that her voice was not being heard,” Harris told the school board during last week’s regular meeting.

The program is Sources of Strength at Skyway Elementary School. The parent was unable to pull her son out of the course unless she picked him up each time, which is not an option because she works full-time, Harris explained, on behalf of the parent. Furthermore, SOS includes liberal ideas around family, gender identity and spirituality, Harris told trustees.

Idaho Education News requested an explanation of the program. The district’s community relations director Stefany Bales directed EdNews to the nonprofit’s website. Use this link to find out more about SOS, a program that promotes improved mental health and suicide prevention. It’s supported by the State Department of Education.

“SOS was brought to the Coeur d’Alene School District in 2018 after the district experienced the tragedies of multiple student deaths and an administrator death from suicide. As Kootenai County has a higher-than-average rate of suicidality, the community and the district recognize the need to support our children, many of whom were impacted by these deaths and/or were struggling themselves. SOS became part of the district’s approach to helping students by providing opportunities to build resilience by focusing on their strengths and healthy connections,” Bales wrote in an email response.

About 4,200 elementary, 200 middle and 47 high school students participate in courses, programs or clubs. Trustees adopted it in 2018 for secondary schools and 2022 for elementary schools, after the SDE offered an elementary curriculum.

Prior to adopting it, the district created a committee “to investigate the possibility of adding this curriculum to the district’s elementary schools as part of its health curriculum,” according to district documents. By a 6-2 margin, the committee favored implementation. Four parents and four district staff members served on the committee. Bales provided a document that details their work. Click here to read it.

The school district maintains a website page that provides program specifics. “Parents, and others in the community with an interest, have the right to review the SOS curriculum during the adoption process and/or at the district office,” Bales wrote.  “At any level, parents may choose to opt their children out of lessons with which they are uncomfortable.” 

At the secondary level, SOS is a club format so students opt-in. When students indicate they want to join an SOS club, their parent or guardian is notified by letter for permission. At the elementary level, letters are sent prior to students beginning the curriculum “which clearly articulates the opt-out process,” Bales wrote.

At the meeting, Harris said, “There should be another adult and room available for each half-hour it is taught, for children whose parents want to protect them and teach our own views on this at home where it belongs. The fact that this teacher has brought such opposition to her is extremely frustrating and disheartening. This is another example why opting out is not the right option. It should always be opt in.”

Bales said it is a misunderstanding. “There is no district policy that directs parents to pick up their child if they opt that child out of SOS instruction. After investigating the specific situation at Skyway … it became clear that there was a misunderstanding. Of the five parents opting out, some wanted to pick up their children. Per policy, the practice at all eleven elementary schools is to work with families that opt out by providing their child with an alternative activity in an alternate and supervised location.”

Harris said, “This mom is correct. She should absolutely have every right to pull her child out of this, yet we are finding that the parents’ voice is not being heard or respected.” 

“Parents have the right to know and understand what their children learn and how they learn it. They have the right to ask questions, view curriculum, and understand their child’s educational records,” according to Bales.

The question of investigating SOS “assumes the speaker(s) at Monday’s board meeting offered factual information about the SOS program and its effects. Those who spoke on this topic offered their opinions, which they are welcome to do,” Bales wrote.

“The facts are that SOS is a foundational and widely accepted program used across the country to reduce youth suicide. There are those who argue SOS should not be used but they provide no meaningful alternative to effectively raise suicide awareness, support ALL our students, or reduce the number of young people who take their own lives every year.”

She added, “SOS does not mention or teach equity, race, ethnicity, or privilege. It contains no language about or discussion of gender, gender identity, sexuality, or sexual preference.”

SOS teaches about wellness, well-being and living healthily. It encourages strong family connections and suggests that students draw upon the faith or spirituality of their families to source their strength, according to Bales. 

Harris has a different opinion. “I feel we need to do better, especially when we keep preaching mental health, inclusion and positivity. It seems as though it’s a one-way street. The parents’ voice and choice should matter above all else, no matter what. So why are we making it so hard for them?”

MOSCOW – Parents from Saudi Arabia or Myanmar are often perplexed by the cute cutouts of ghosts and witches adorning the walls in their first graders’ classrooms this month, or the overweight bearded man riding a red sleigh in December.

It’s Maarn Crepeau’s job at West Park Elementary to help international families navigate the norms of American culture and language. West Park is one of four elementary schools in the Moscow School District – but it’s different from the others.

A seasoned ESL instructional assistant, Crepeau is part family advocate, counselor, food inspector, mentor and warmhearted grandmother. She prepares classroom teachers for students who may avoid certain card games because of Haram, things that are forbidden by Islamic law; or the food preferences in some cultures to avoid gelatin, an ingredient of Candy Corn. 

“I do feel very drawn to helping students and I love kids this age. This is my happy place,” she said.

West Park Elementary is unique for several reasons: the small school of 158 sits just about on the University of Idaho campus and boasts a diverse population of international K-2 students, whose families are either connected to the university or refugees. The district has one certified ESL teacher and two part-time instructors.

“We have a family that just left Afghanistan and the children were very traumatized. They had been in Pakistan as refugees from the Taliban and moved here. It’s very difficult. I was showing them around the school … and the mom and dad just started crying. This little girl is .001% of Afghani girls who get to go to school,” Crepeau said.

New language, new school, new culture – that’s a lot to handle at such a young age. Anxiety and nervousness are expected. On the first day of school, one little girl vomited three times, Crepeau recalled.

The U of I connection stems from the professors, graduate students and undergraduate students who send their children to West Park. In a single year, they have children speaking languages from 18 different nations, from Vietnam, Mongolia and Iran, to Nigeria, India and Jordan.

“We have to think past our assumptions,” said principal Brian Smith.

They aren’t familiar with the etiquette of a school concert, class picture day or the purpose of parent-teacher conferences — not to mention American holidays and celebrations. Beyond those, social skills are necessary to navigate making new friends and playing at recess, and the best way to address adults.

“So my job is to make sure these kids feel comfortable. And once they feel like they’re in a safe space, that’s when the learning starts,”  Crepeau said.

On average there are 25 ESL students in the school; Crepeau works with about 10 of those attending an American school for the first time. She pulls those students out of their classrooms for socialization and language development.

On Tuesday, Crepeau and her Chinese and Libyan students learned about the weather and sang songs about the days of the week. But the school’s outreach goes beyond the campus.

“It’s a priority to have the parents as partners,” said superintendent Shawn Tiegs. “There are barriers for parents too.”

Crepeau and the district created an outreach program called ESL parents group, a relaxed event for mothers to drink tea together, learn about community resources, develop a network and share their concerns: Does their child have someone to play with? What foods are the school serving? Do they know enough English to survive in the classroom?

“I’m excited that moms have a voice,” Crepeau said.

Tiegs added, “The value on public education is very clear here.”

The idea behind mothers’ tea is to help families adjust. They provide information about adult ESL classes; how to find after-school activities for their children to attend; how to obtain a library card; where to find donated food or clothing; school leaders and counselors. 

“It has to be this group effort, including the factor of having the moms and the dads involved, which is important,” Smith said.

Crepeau started her ESL career more than 20 years ago in Idaho Falls as an ESL teaching assistant. She started with Moscow in 2018. She can dabble in several languages, like Arabic and German, and is fluent in Spanish.

With exposure to so many disparate languages, which ones would Crepeau want to master and speak fluently?

“All of them,” she said proudly.

Four of the five Coeur d’Alene candidates attended Saturday’s forum, hosted by Kootenai County Republican Women Federated: Zone Two candidates James “Jimmy” McAndrew and Yasmin Harris, Zone Three incumbent Heather Tenbrink and challenger Matt Blatt. It’s unclear if Zone Two candidate Mike Stavish is still running.

Harris is married to a retired Marine and has two boys attending district schools. She says she intends to be a strong voice for parents, students and taxpayers; elevate student achievement, bring budget clarity to the district and fight back against bullies. Parents’ rights in education is a “heavy topic on my heart,” she said. She has a background in business operations. To read more about Harris, use this link.

McAndrews spent all of his life in North Idaho and has two children in the district. He has extensive management experience in real estate and sales with a local bank. He’s active as a leader and community volunteer. Improving student achievement is one of his priorities; another is the issue of affordability and increasing growth. He believes the school district should have a seat at the table so it can be proactive rather than reactive. To learn more about McAndrews, use this link.

Tenbrink moved to the area 19 years ago. All four of her children have attended Coeur d’Alene schools. She has a background in science and accounting. As the only incumbent, she’s proud of the new strategic plan that focuses on academic achievement. “I am excited about this plan. I want to make sure our community understands what they are getting from it and sees results from it,” she said. To learn more about Tenbrink, use this link.

Blatt is retired from a career in the military. He described the district as a “rudderless ship that is drifting around the lake.” He’s opposed to the exploitation of children, and says adults should not have discussions about personal politics, beliefs in how a family should be structured or issues related to sex. “These are not topics adults should have with children. That needs to stop,” he said. “We need to take some responsibility. Take charge of our school system and make sure that our children are given a better education.” To learn more about Blatt’s campaign, use this link.

For this story, Idaho Education News selected two topics discussed during the forum. Here are the candidates’ responses.

Should males participate in girls’ sports, and what are your thoughts on the bathroom issue?

Tenbrink. “Students need to use the bathroom that corresponds to their sex at birth or a single-use facility. Everyone needs to be able to come to school and everyone needs to be able to use the bathroom. We need to make sure that all of our students are comfortable and safe.”

Blatt. “The first part is absolutely not. So children are asexual. There’s a reason why children aren’t allowed to buy alcohol or join the military or buy a gun. There’s a whole host of things that minors are not permitted to do, yet somehow adults think it’s OK to talk to them about things like sex and sexual confusion. And the next part of this is really simply propaganda. So, as you’re trapped in this little buzzword game — trans and pronouns — and all this silliness by engaging in counter propaganda, all we do is continue to perpetrate this same conversation, which detracts from our education system. We shouldn’t be having these conversations with our children. It’s very clear — if you’re a biological boy, you don’t play girls’ sports and you don’t go into their restrooms. If there’s a child who has issues with this … it must be addressed at a church, in a medical community or at home. It is not supposed to be addressed in the school.”

McAndrews. “Boys are boys and girls are girls. They should go to their bathrooms. It’s a distraction that needs to stop. I’ve got a daughter and there’s not gonna be any boys in her restroom. Furthermore, people who violate this policy should be given some severe punishment. Out of the integrity of women , boys play boys’ sports and girls play girls.’”

Harris. “This ideology is from the devil. This is not who God is and how he created us. I think the better question is why are we even entertaining it? It’s beyond me. It is important to keep our children safe. This is one of the most vulnerable places when we use the bathroom. To feel that you don’t have (safety) is absolutely ridiculous. It comes back to us adults, and what we are allowing. We have lost sight of our roles in the school.”

Should the superintendent unilaterally make policy decisions without input from the board?

Harris. “The board is made up of community members who are the voice of the schools and these kids. He works for us. We need to work together to bring forth the best policies.”

McAndrews. “Trustees are elected by their constituents and the superintendent is hired, fired and held accountable by the board. It only makes sense for policies and procedures that the trustees have a seat at that table. And we don’t have a seat at the table in so many ways here in Kootenai County. To have more positive outcomes that reflect the parents’ wishes and the students’ wishes, there’s nothing wrong with five or six people putting their heads together to come up with the best outcome. If I were a superintendent, I can’t imagine thinking any way differently.”

Blatt. “Majority vote makes decisions. Last year, the board ceded its responsibility to the superintendent by passing a policy that allows him to write procedures to any policy that the board writes. And he doesn’t need to go to the board for review. If you ever watch a board meeting, it is quite clear that the superintendent imagines himself to be in charge. He provides the agendas on Thursday nights without any supporting documents and expects the board to answer all the questions for all the decisions they’re supposed to make over the weekend. Frankly, he’s sandbagging them. He needs to be brought to heel and have consequences for his defiance and the board needs to resume its role of being in charge.”

Tenbrink. “So the board as a whole, we hire and can fire a superintendent. Currently, in the Coeur d’Alene School District we have directed our superintendent to make procedures for our policies. He and his administrative staff make the procedures. Those come back to us in our consent agenda and certainly if anyone has a problem with the procedures, I hope they would bring it to the attention of the board. We meet regularly with the superintendent and we know the issues that are being worked on.”

Only two of the six Lakeland trustee candidates attended Saturday’s forum, so EdNews did not include their comments in this article. Check back for more coverage of Lakeland’s election.

PRIEST RIVER — Eight seniors in Jared Hughes’ forestry class measured the diameters of Douglas firs and discussed career options on a beautiful fall morning in the woods behind their school.

“Timber and forestry is relevant to our community and their backgrounds,” Hughes said.

Colton Brooks doesn’t mind being out of the classroom. Fishing, hunting, riding dirt bikes — recreating and working in the area’s forests is simply a way of life here. Brooks attends Priest River Lamanna High School and is enrolled in Hughes’ botany/forestry course that explores ecology and management.

“It’s way better out here,” Brooks said, with a slight grin.

Priest River is one of the rural epicenters of Superintendent Debbie Critchfield’s effort to push millions of dollars into career technical education to build-up programs that will train graduates to meet the needs of local industries.

In the panhandle region, that means timber production. And there’s plenty of opportunity. According to the American Forest and Paper Association, the U.S. forest products industry manufactures almost $300 billion in products a year and employs about 1 million workers. And Idaho is one of the top lumber producing states. 

The state’s $45 million CTE grant program is called Idaho Career Ready Students. Last month, over $16 million was awarded to 11 initial programs. The second round of requests are due Nov. 1. Priest River is asking for $1 million.

“It really excites me that we … are focusing on rural, underserved districts for different career ready pathways,” Hughes said. 

Training students in GIS mapping, ecology conservation and chainsaw operation could impact the town’s economic future. After the 2008 housing crash, the number of mills and the need for labor to produce wood products decreased. Although the demand for lumber slowed, the trees remain and young people continue looking for career opportunities, especially those that keep them in Priest River.

Several of the seniors in Hughes’ class want a job that has an opportunity to stay close to home. Although 17-year-olds Kemper Dabrowski, Kayden Reynolds and Brooks are part of multi-generational logging families, they are thinking about training as an electrical lineman, a diesel mechanic and an electrician.

Hughes has a plan — build a program that trains and inspires seniors to embark on natural resource careers.

On the 20-acre plot of forest behind the high school owned by the school district, Reynolds used an increment borer to drill half way into the Douglas fir. A core sample shows the 100-foot-tall tree is about 76 years old.

“What’s the DBH?” Hughes asked.

“19.8 inches,” Brooks responded. DBH stands for diameter at breast height, a measurement taken at 4.5 feet above the tree’s base.

Discussion turned to tree identification, and Hughes reminded students that hemlocks have a purple inner bark. The focus of Thursday’s class was timber cruising, a way to count volume. Reynolds said the total number of trees can be determined by counting up how many are in 1/10 of the area, and multiplying that by 10.

“That gives you the amount of trees in the whole acre,” he said.

According to Hughes, the goal is to provide industry partners with students who can step in “ready to go.” If the grant is approved, he plans to transform the acreage into a working forest — harvesting, planting and producing wood products.

What Priest River is requesting

Priest River is a rural, outdoor community that likes to hunt, fish and recreate. “Let’s create a workforce that manages our forest,” Hughes said, who has been teaching forestry for 15 years.

The high school has four certified CTE teachers. Hughes, who is certified in natural sciences, plans to obtain CTE certification to lead a new forestry program, which falls under the natural resource and plant soil science pathway. Although he taught forestry, there has never been an official forestry-related CTE pathway.

There was a time when Hughes taught 30 students but today it’s down to an average of 10-15 the last couple of years. 

According to historical data, enrollment peaked around 513 students 20 years ago; today that number is around 316. In that same period, the number of students in the district shrunk by 27%, from 1,580 to 1,149.

The grant would fund four areas:

• Curriculum: forestry science and management; forest products; wildlife ecology and management; GPS/GIS/mapping.
• Equipment: lumber production equipment; equipment for cruise, soil and disease assessments; scaling, tree planting, forest ecology, wildlife science.
• Building: a new building/complex, plus passenger vans.
• Classroom equipment: safety equipment and classroom technology, like printers and plotters to handle large maps, GPS and drones for collecting forest data.

“It’s been a long time coming because Idaho has one of the largest percentages of national forests and endowment grant lands. This is surprising that we haven’t done it before. But the funding hasn’t been there,” Hughes said.

The communities of Orofino, Bonners Ferry, Potlatch, Troy, Deary and St. Maries have similar resources and the same potential as Priest River, he said.

SANDPOINT — Pepper is the most beloved staff member at Farmin Stidwell Elementary School.

Every student who passes her in the hall wants her attention: “Can I say hello to Pepper? Pepper, come here. Oh, you’re so cute, Pepper.”

Pepper’s official staff photograph sits right between principal Betsy Dalessio and associate administrator Ellen Wassif on the wall as you enter the school building.

Pepper is a kind of reading specialist. She’s both a certified therapy dog and a reading education assistant.

Throughout the year, students have opportunities to read aloud to Pepper, who is trained to lay still and look at the pages. This is particularly helpful with students struggling to read or who lack confidence. 

“She encourages reading and gets them excited about it,” said Wassif, who owns Pepper.

Pepper never judges or corrects them. And cuddling is encouraged.

“I love having Pepper in schools reading with our students! Pepper creates a safe reading space for our students, allowing them to read naturally and not worry about mistakes or too many corrections.  Pepper’s comforting presence allows students to become more comfortable reading aloud,” said superintendent Becky Meyer.

Pepper’s non-judgmental presence and undivided attention provide positive reinforcement that some kids need. She also joins regular classrooms, wandering among the students who are listening intently while Wassif reads a novel.

“They beg to read to her,” Wassif said.

Kootenai Elementary is now in the process of creating a similar program and has a puppy in training. No word on a name yet.

PRIEST RIVER – Anxiety about which trustees will control the West Bonner school board continues to swirl through the surrounding towns and backroads of this remote Idaho Panhandle district.

For seven months, division and mistrust on the five-person board and with the community have been commonplace. Parents and patrons vocally disagreed and challenged board decisions throughout the summer. 

And the successful recall of two board leaders in August did little to right the ship.

But overwhelming support in favor of the recall created an expectation that former trustees Susan Brown’s and Keith Rutledge’s departure would usher in new leadership and perhaps renewed focus on education.

The troubles in West Bonner kicked off following the resignation of superintendent Jackie Branum, the supplemental levy failure, the board’s decision to have a four-day school week, the last-minute cancelation of ELA curriculum and the controversial hiring of Branden Durst.

Little has changed. Now those voters who wanted change are pinning their hopes on the upcoming November election and the planned appointment of two new board members, if trustees show up — three are needed for a quorum — at the October, November or December meetings. Candidate applications to replace the recalled trustees are due by Oct. 13. And the board expects to discuss applicants in an open forum on Oct. 18, the last regular board meeting before the election.

Zone five candidates

Just off the main highway down a dirt road, the Blanchard Grange community center held about 30 people Saturday evening attending Carlyn Barton’s candidate forum. Her opponent, Kathy Nash, was unable to attend but Idaho Education News reached her Sunday and Monday for comment.

“I have integrity and I want to unify the district,” Barton told the audience. “We’re forgetting that we’re here for our kids.”

Voters expressed frustration at higher property taxes, the possibility of school curriculum with liberal indoctrination, a divisive superintendent and a dysfunctional school board.

Barton opposes any curriculum or social emotional learning that are gateways to critical race theory and she also opposes transgender affirmation, including biological males using girls’ restrooms. She does support levy proposals because the state created a shortfall in funding and it’s become necessary.

“Local money shouldn’t be funding the schools — the state should,” Barton said. But “shortfalls have to be made up.”

Her key issues are unifying the board, filling vacancies, finalizing contracts for teachers, complying with the State Board of Education and hiring a qualified superintendent who is invested in the community.

“Superintendent Durst was not qualified. That’s why I didn’t vote for him, and he’s still not qualified and it’s costing us money,” she said.

Patrons asked repeated questions about her views on the levy and social justice issues, like CRT and transgender students. One person inquired about her religion.

“I don’t know if this is appropriate, but I don’t care. Do you go to church?” a man asked.

Barton said she does attend church and that she is a Christian, conservative, educator, parent and graduate of West Bonner. You can find out more about Barton at this link.

Saturday’s moderator, Bonner County commissioner Asia Williams, called Nash on the phone after the event but she declined to speak with EdNews. A subsequent email to Nash’s campaign email NashforWBC@proton.me reached her Sunday. She did not respond in time for this publication.

Nash did follow up Monday evening with these responses. The most pressing problems include “excessive bullying, sexual misconduct, low test scores and graduation rates, financial mismanagement, lack of transparency, and lack of following established policy.” 

“The recent board wasn’t the problem. The school district establishment who have been the controlling powers for several decades are the ones who have allowed and contributed to the problems listed above,” Nash wrote.  

Nash is a Christian, conservative and Constitutionalist. “My great grandparents moved to Canyon County before 1910, with family continually living throughout Idaho. We moved to Bonner County in 2014. We have 13 grandkids – eight born in Idaho – and even one great granddaughter who are all being raised in north Idaho,” she said. 

Williams maintains a website that includes election-related events for zone five. According to Idaho True North News, Nash is planning two events this month: Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. at the Stone Ridge Activity Center and Oct. 16-17 at 5 p.m. at Blanchard Community Church.

Candidates in zones one and three

West Bonner voters have four candidates to choose from in zones one and three. In zone three, the choices are Elizabeth Glazier and incumbent Troy Reinbold; in zone one, Alan Galloway and incumbent Margaret Hall.

Reinbold held a meet and greet event on Oct. 1 at Edgemere Grange in Priest River. It was reported that anyone outside of zone three was turned away. Reinbold’s campaign flyer reads “These events are exclusively for residents of Zone 3.” He has another event planned for Oct. 22, from 4-6 p.m. at HooDoo Cafe in Priest River.

Other than Reinbold’s personal Facebook page, which contains no election news, EdNews was not able to find an election website or Facebook page officially representing Reinbold. However, the WBCSD & West Bonner County Politics Facebook page contains two prominent posts targeting Glazier, who provided a response on that page.

Glazier is a financial advisor with two children attending West Bonner schools. She maintains an official election page that includes her platform and background. Click this link to find out more about Glazier.  Her campaign message focuses on supporting teachers and financial transparency.

Glazier’s message reads, “I will work cohesively with teachers, staff, parents and community members to offer the students of WBCSD nothing but the best. It’s time that we showed our 1,000+ students that their community is behind them and their education.”

Zone One: Hall is the interim board chair. Her election website can be found on Facebook at this link or use this link for one not associated with Facebook. Her website provides her background, goals and accomplishments. Galloway is reportedly a cattle rancher. EdNews was unable to locate a campaign site dedicated to his election. He is active at the Facebook page Support WBCSD Schools. EdNews is waiting for responses from both Hall and Galloway. When responses are received, this story will be updated with their information.

“Our seniors, they’re hungry for the knowledge,” said Jeralyn Mire, a post secondary counselor at Sandpoint High School. “They’re nervous. Adulting scares them.”

The finance fair on Oct. 13 brings together local businesses and dozens of volunteers to introduce seniors to budgeting, taxes and retirement topics. 

“This is a community project,” Mire said.

In Idaho, learning financial literacy is considered a core skill. House Bill 92 passed in the 2023 legislative session requires high school graduates to have one semester of a personal financial literacy course.

While next week’s fair is not an official course, it’s an opportunity to provide additional experience and knowledge.

As students enter, they’re assigned a career, income amount, debt amount and other potential costs.  They will go to stations and figure out how to balance paying monthly expenses — a car payment or childcare — with discretionary items like movie tickets or eating out.

The feedback last year was positive.  One student remarked, “I had no idea it was so expensive to raise children. I’m going to thank my parents tonight.”

The second section of the event is a trivia style game show in which students learned about managing credit and saving money.  

Mire expects about 230 seniors from Sandpoint, Clark Fork and Lake Pend Oreille high schools to attend. She estimates that 35 volunteers and 10 educators will host this year’s event. This year marks the tenth year it’s been held.

“This is kind of a rite of passage for our seniors,” Mire said.

About 93% of seniors reported that last year’s finance fair was helpful in understanding how to live within their means and the importance of budgeting, according to a school report.

“We absolutely don’t do furries,” said superintendent Lisa Arnold.

Meetings are scheduled monthly so parents can ask any question and for the district to provide accurate information. Arnold was unequivocal about furries.

“I have talked to our secondary principals and they have no knowledge of, nor have they seen, tails at school. I know that kids are coming home and telling their parents that everybody is wearing them. The board has said that we teach children, not animals, and so nobody gets to identify as a dog or a cat,” she explained.

About 20 parents met at the Lakeland district office Tuesday afternoon. One parent asked about possibly reducing student exposure to technology.

“It’s part of what we do,” Arnold responded. But “our teachers have worked to find the right balance.”

Adopting social studies curriculum

The district is beginning the process of adopting a new social studies curriculum by vetting about seven different fifth-grade textbooks — where most history books first discuss slavery — from multiple publishing companies. The new curriculum will be implemented next fall.

“If we’re going to have an issue, it’s going to show up there. Our goal is to kind of weed out the publishers where there’s a little bit more controversial speech around social justice and social reform ideas,” Arnold said. “We just want a social studies textbook that’s going to teach our history without any biases on either side.”

To avoid political or ideological slants, Arnold suggested Hillsdale College’s curriculum as a solution.

“Hillsdale may be our only option for that,” she said. “We looked at it and it’s really good.”

Students start interacting with the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence beginning in kindergarten and first grade. Hillsdale provides the curriculum free of charge but there is a cost to print and bind textbooks because those are not included, she said.

Any parent who is interested in serving on the curriculum adoption committee can do so. Members will read textbooks from cover to cover, looking for questionable material and academic rigor, said assistant superintendent Lynn Paslay.

Arnold said Gov. Brad Little made it illegal to teach critical race theory in Idaho.

“We’re trying to vet it really early,” Paslay said.

Political conversations should happen at home, Arnold added. “We want to feel good about the material we are putting in the hands of our kids.”

Enrollment data for each school

According to Idaho law, students can transfer to any public school within or outside their school or district boundaries. And at least four times each year, every district and charter should post on their website the space available at each school.

Idaho Education News data analyst Randy Schrader was unable to locate enrollment reports for several districts, including Caldwell, Middleton, West Ada and Boise.

Lakeland is complying. The district’s report for each school is prominent on the website.

Athol and John Brown elementary schools are full; Betty Kiefer has 22 openings and Spirit Lake 16; Garwood eight and Twin Lakes 22; Lakeland Middle School 27 and Timberlake Middle School 99; Lakeland High School 41, Timberlake High School 26 and Mountain View High School is full.

“We want to be transparent,” Arnold said. “Laws matter.”

The district’s two new ASOs are not school resource officers contracted with the local police department; they are state employees hired directly by the district. Both ASOs are trained and certified with firearms and responsible for protecting employees and students from external and internal threats.

“We need to stop bad things from happening, faster and quicker,” said ASO JD McElroy. “And hopefully we never have to get to that end result.”

McElroy believes his positive interaction with students is an important aspect of his daily job. Tactically trained for crisis response and an expert marksman, he finds great satisfaction mentoring young people.

McElroy was preparing to become a police officer when he found the job. Rather than issuing tickets and enforcing the laws of Sandpoint and surrounding communities, he’s helping young people understand the impact of their decisions.

“I worked with convicted felons (as a corrections officer) my entire career, and seeing what happens at the end, my take on this whole thing is just being able to help them out at a younger age and hopefully be that bright light that makes them change,” he said.

Lake Pend superintendent Becky Meyer said her intention is not to replace their successful school resource officer program but to supplement it. With ASOs, their work schedule can coincide with the district’s, so they’re training with firearms, for example, while teachers participate in a professional development day.

“When you have an SRO, their training is based on their calendar, not the school’s,” Meyer said.  “Having more latitude is a better use of taxpayer dollars.”

It’s been quiet around the Sandpoint High School campus: security checks, maintaining a closed campus and looking for vaping violations. “For the most part, it’s been pretty relaxed,” McElroy said.

Nearly all school districts that provide armed security do so by contracting with local enforcement or security companies, meaning they are not employees of the school district.

About six years ago, Meyer started the program at Lakeland school district in Rathdrum, the first to implement the ASO model. 

“If you build relationships with kids and have someone they can talk to, that averts acts of violence,” she said.

A Marine and law enforcement veteran, ASO Keith Delahanty supports the superintendent’s vision. 

“My approach is seeking understanding, finding solutions and creating a safe environment. My purpose is to build positive relationships with staff, families, students, and our community,”  Delahanty said.

Delahanty covers the eastern region, including Hope Elementary and Clark Fork Junior and Senior High School. Next year, Meyer plans to add one more ASO to cover the southern elementary schools, bringing the total to three ASOs and one armed resource officer.  

ASO pay is roughly the same as a beginning law enforcement officer. When requested, they’re responsible for working at extracurricular after-school events. But because of their flexible schedule, there’s no overtime. Much of their salary comes from the permanent levy. The other source is the Safe and Drug Free Schools program.

Bluum was notified Thursday it was awarded a new $24.8 million federal grant that will help grow and strengthen Idaho’s charter school network.

“We are a state that really values parent choice for students. My colleagues in other states are impressed that we can still pass charter school legislation in Idaho that has bipartisan support,” said Bluum CEO Terry Ryan.

The state can expect new schools being built, more teachers and administrators being hired, expanded opportunities for new authorizers and an impact to the broader education system. 

“Those are jobs for lenders, lawyers, architects as well as carpenters, electricians and masons. We hope these schools deliver results academically for students and their families, because the ultimate goal is to use this opportunity to help open and grow schools that are centers of excellence,” Ryan said.

The Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program grant is awarded in a five-year cycle. In 2018, Bluum, a nonprofit charter support organization, used the $22 million grant to kick off a rapid expansion of schools, funding 28 schools over five years. Charter schools now educate almost 10% of the state’s public school students.

Bluum will allocate funds with these objectives in mind:

• 90% — increase the number of seats by 5,900 students and schools by 13, especially for underserved students, by providing planning, program design and implementation assistance.
• 7% — support quality authorizing and the authorizing process, and impact the broader education system by providing it with the lessons and processes from high-quality schools and sharing best practices.
• 3% — cover the cost of administering the grant over the next five years.

“We’ve been successful in the past at creating technical opportunities,” said Ryan, citing the areas of special education, academic and financial management support. 

“What we’d like to see under this grant are professional development and support for schools that cross over sectors … such as support for mental health, effective use of AI in the classroom and training for the effective use of data to improve classroom instruction,” he said.

Ryan noted the support received from the Legislature, Gov. Brad Little, the State Board of Education and State Department of Education. 

“We are lucky to have groups like Building Hope and the Idaho Housing and Finance Association supportive of our collective efforts,” he said. “Most importantly has been the sustained support and encouragement of the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation. They had a vision of ‘20,000 school seats in 10 years’ a decade ago and they did everything they could to support our efforts to deliver on the vision.

“My initial reaction was one of excitement and a feeling of pride. It is great to be part of a big team and to be successful in a shared venture.  My second reaction was one of fear. Can we really deliver on the promises and commitments we have made?”

Disclosure: Idaho Education News and Bluum are funded by grants from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation. 

PRIEST RIVER – Dozens of anxious faces looked relieved when West Bonner trustee Troy Reinbold joined the board meeting by cellphone while parked along the highway.

His voice was audible but punctuated with heavy background noise. “I’m sitting along the highway soaking wet and covered in mud and trying to get home,” Reinbold said to his two fellow trustees, who were seated at the front ready to start their school board meeting.

Trustees Margaret Hall and Carlyn Barton agreed to shorten the agenda at Reinbold’s request. Although they met for just 28 minutes, they managed to declare vacancies for zones two and four. The five-person board is down to three after August’s recall election removed two trustees. The board can now begin the process of appointing new trustees to serve out those terms.

Reinbold’s attendance was in question because West Bonner leader Branden Durst posted on social media earlier Wednesday that Reinbold was unable to attend, again. Despite the warning, about 60 people packed into the high school cafeteria. Reinbold had missed last week’s meeting, and without him, the three-person board could not legally meet without a quorum.

The uncertainty about Reinbold sparked tension and anxiety, because his absence would have rendered the board unable to conduct district business, like hiring new employees, paying contractor invoices or filling the board vacancies.

Trustee Hall, who was elected interim chair, apologized to the audience for rushing through the truncated agenda but apparently there was no choice.

Prior to the start, Hall, Barton and Durst abruptly left the room to call Reinbold. Hall and Barton confirmed after the meeting that Reinbold put a condition on his attendance: the executive session to discuss and possibly rule on Durst’s intention to step down as superintendent had to be removed from the agenda.

Reinbold wanted the board to focus on the consent agenda, and “I’m appreciative” that the board was able to declare those vacancies, Hall said after the meeting. 

Applications for those interested in serving on the board are due by 5 p.m. on Oct. 13. They expect to conduct interviews at the Oct. 19 regular board meeting, and that applicant review process will take place in open meeting.

The social media post

At the conclusion of last week’s canceled meeting, patrons complained to Durst that he withheld the information about Reinbold’s absence and wasted their time. So he committed on Wednesday to sharing information earlier so those who drive in from a distance would be aware, he told EdNews. 

“In respect for everyone’s time I thought it appropriate to communicate this in advance of the meeting,” Durst said before the meeting Wednesday. “As of Monday morning he let me know he would not be able to attend. I have not received any subsequent communication from him that indicates anything different.”

The impact on families

Some parents say the recall election and the drumbeat of school board turmoil is affecting their children and their teachers. 

“It would be naive to say it doesn’t affect them. You can see it on the faces of teachers and parents,” said Paul Turco, who has two kids in West Bonner schools. “You try to shelter and protect them but there’s only so much you can do.

“I feel like the whole summer was stolen.”

Several parents expressed their frustration at the start of a fifth grade football game. 

“It’s very upsetting. I haven’t slept much since it started,” said Gayla Turner, a grandmother of six West Bonner students as she stood under a canopy while rain drenched the field and players. 

Durst is hopeful education is not being disrupted.

“I hope they are working hard to the best of their ability, even with some uncertainty,” he said from his office in downtown Priest River.  “I hope the students are being left out of the adults’ problems.” 

PRIEST RIVER — What did you do last summer? A group of mothers and grandmothers in tiny Priest River proudly responds, “We saved a school district.”

It was a relentless and months-long effort that included hundreds of home visits and thousands of phone calls.

But a core group of 10 — with a hundred more participating — led an implausible community campaign to recall two members of the West Bonner County School District’s board of trustees.

And they did so with resounding voter turnout and lopsided results.

“The group kept growing and became much more eclectic, because those of us who have grown up here are raised with a standard that when you shake a hand, it’s a legal binding document. You look people in the eye when you talk to them and you honor and respect each other,” said Priest River resident Dana Douglas. 

The fallout from the election has left the board in turmoil with two openings, an absent trustee obstructing board business and a quasi-superintendent said he is resigning, though left the “amicable and fair exit” details up to the dysfunctional board.

Last week’s regular meeting was canceled for lack of quorum and this week’s special meeting is at risk because all three remaining trustees must show up.

But the community was heard at the ballot box and created a district shakeup that’s getting statewide attention.

How they got there

West Bonner was at the center of a months-long leadership struggle to control the school board’s direction. In December of last year, a recall group agreed that three trustees were making decisions not in the best interest of their community or students. They settled on recalling the board chair and vice chair.

The recall election fight was just “really ugly,” but successful, said one of the core organizers — Annie McMahon, Candace Turner, Dana Douglas, Marcie Rentfro, Meagan Mize, Kylie Hoepfer, Hailey Scott, Sandy Brower, Brooke Ramsey and Debra Buttrey.

A summer sacrificed

Dozens of volunteers walked countless miles knocking on doors while other mothers babysat newborns and small children. Some even went out late at night — they called it reconnaissance — to place signs so opponents wouldn’t have the chance to remove them before morning drivers headed out to work.

Not just parents, but the whole community participated, from the elderly to children holding up recall signs.

“Education became a villain and teachers were villainized,” Rentfro explained.

Because their small-town values were under attack, the group felt it was fighting for more than an election, they said. Retired teachers, business owners, kids and grandparents alike all pitched in to challenge what the group describes as a spreading “extremist” movement. 

“It was an extremist point of view, organized for the destruction and not the betterment of the community. It was created around self-promotion. It was missing out on what it means to help and support your neighbor,” said Brower.

They saved a school district

But successfully using a recall election is “rare,” according to education leaders and election officials. They embraced the challenge anyway, giving up the summer nights to attend board meetings, staying in communication with one another and developing a tough skin.

“Donkey. Leftist. Woke. Liberals. Marxists. Communists. Mob leaders.” They endured plenty of insulting names, the group said.

In June, they responded in earnest. Recall banners were stretched across fences, supporters started wearing their “WBCSD Strong” t-shirts to school board meetings, and recall signs started popping up in yards and in windows.

Rentfro said they were so busy on the weekends and weekdays, “like ants working on an ant hill.” They knocked on over 300 doors; placed 500 yard signs; set up 20 sandwich board signs; mailed 3,600 flyers, posters and letters; placed 18 banners; and called about 2,000 voters.

“If you mess with our children, our claws come out,” someone in the group chimed in.

They community was inspired by the failure of a supplemental levy, an abrupt return to the language arts curriculum and the hire of Branden Durst as superintendent.

Not fully qualified to serve as superintendent, Durst was hired in June on a 3-2 vote, supported by Keith Rutledge and Susan Brown — the two recalled trustees — and Troy Reinbold. 

What’s next

Last week, Reinbold failed to show up for the board’s first meeting since Rutledge and Brown were officially removed. Without Reinbold, the board does not have a quorum and cannot legally meet. The board is scheduled to meet Wednesday for a special meeting.

“We’ve been dealing with these people for so long and how tremendously organized they are,” one of the recall volunteers said.

If Reinbold attends, the board has a full agenda planned. If he doesn’t show up, the board will not be able to address Durst’s plan to step down as superintendent or make any decisions for the district. There’s also an election in November, where all three trustees are up for re-election.

So when one of three trustees skipped Wednesday’s regular board meeting it was canceled, triggering concern in the community as the Nov. 7 election date nears.

“We’re in unusual circumstances here,” said Quinn Perry, the ISBA’s deputy director. “I have never seen a five-member school board only act with two trustees, and we believe that they need all three to have a quorum.”

The two trustees who attended Wednesday canceled the regular meeting because they lacked a quorum. Margaret Hall and Carlyn Barton attended while Troy Reinbold did not. The five-person board is down to three following last month’s recall election of Keith Rutledge and Susan Brown.

“There is no question whatsoever,” said West Bonner leader Branden Durst, about the need for three trustees.

Idaho Code 33-510 governs quorums and reads “a quorum for the transaction of business of the board of trustees shall consist of a majority of the members of the board.”

Acting board chair Hall said she is planning to schedule a meeting next week. But what if Reinbold does not attend, again?

“I think we need to step back and realize they are volunteer members. These things happen,” Durst said. “I don’t have any reason to believe Reinbold was acting nefariously.”

Idaho Education News has been unable to reach Reinbold. Durst speculated that he may be completing construction projects before winter weather sets in.

“I don’t know what his work schedule looks like but his prior history is attending almost all the meetings, so I assume that will be the case,” Durst said.

Retired teacher and recall organizer Candy Turner of Priest River disagrees. “This is one of his strategies — not to be involved. I think the Idaho Freedom Foundation group we have up here has told him not to do it. Stay away and wait for the re-election.”

Turner, whose five children attended West Bonner schools, is concerned his repeated absences at future meetings will put the district in “a real bind.”

Quinn said the implications of a non-performing board include the inability to hire new employees, pay bills, declare vacancies and deal with other necessary business to maintain operations of a public school. 

But according to Durst, he has the authority to fulfill some of those essential responsibilities.

The board’s inability to hold a regular meeting Wednesday “makes things more complicated for us at the district office,” Durst said. But a board-appointed leader can act on behalf of the board in emergency situations or in some cases if the district will incur a fiscal loss, Durst said. “In the absence of board action, as the superintendent, I  can make decisions.” 

Idaho Code 33-513 says a superintendent “shall be the executive officer of the board of trustees with such powers and duties as the board may prescribe (and) shall also act as the authorized representative of the district whenever such is required.”

“I have authority as chief executive officer bestowed by board policy and the contract I signed,” he said.

His examples include an emergency hire, paying an invoice, entering into a contract or placing an employee on paid administrative leave.

The school board vacancies 

According to Idaho law, the board has to first declare the vacancies during a meeting. Then the trustees have 90 days to appoint someone from the zone where the vacancy occurred. If they fail to find a suitable replacement, they are allowed to appoint someone from anywhere in the district. If they are still unsuccessful after 120 days, the county commission makes the appointment.

Hall, Barton and Reinbold all face re-election on Nov. 7 and each has an opponent. If Reinbold does not return, the board cannot begin the process of appointing Rutledge’s and Brown’s replacements by declaring a vacancy. That decision would be left to the newly elected trustees who take office in January.

If Reinbold remains absent for the remainder of the year, it appears that his seat is not in jeopardy until after the regular board meeting in December. He is allowed to miss three consecutive regular meetings without violating statute. Reinbold could remain absent, be removed from the board in December, and then rejoin the board in January, if re-elected.

Idaho Code 33-504 reads, “A vacancy shall be declared by the board of trustees when any nominee has been elected but has failed to … attend four consecutive regular meetings of the board.”

Special board meetings — like the one West Bonner is planning next week — are not considered the same as the 12 regular board meetings held each month. Missing special meetings is not the same as missing regular meetings. To read more about the code that governs board meetings, see this link.

State Board of Education spokesperson Mike Keckler said he could not comment today without first consulting with legal counsel, who was unavailable today.

One of three remaining board members, trustee Troy Reinbold, did not show up. No one from the district provided a reason for his absence. Trustees Magaret Hall and Carlyn Barton attended.

Reinbold’s continued absences at future meetings could create a period of uncertainty for the board and school district.

There has been concern in the community that Reinbold would boycott Wednesday’s meeting and possibly others in the future after board leaders Keith Rutledge and Susan Brown were recalled by voters last month. Reinbold did not respond to Idaho Education News’ request for comment Wednesday and there is no indication that he will miss additional meetings.

Hall, who is currently serving as acting board chair, did not comment on Reinbold’s absence.

The board apologizes for wasting your time. Tonight’s meeting is postponed and re-scheduled for Sept. 27, Hall told the audience.

Someone asked, “What happens if he never shows up?” Trustees did not answer.

West Bonner’s leader Branden Durst explained to one patron, “The board is still five people. You have to have three people to have a quorum.”

If three are required for the board to meet, Reinbold’s continued absence could derail the appointment of Rutledge’s and Brown’s replacements.

Idaho Code 33-510 governs quorums and says “a quorum for the transaction of business of the board of trustees shall consist of a majority of the members of the board.” 

According to Idaho law, the board has to first declare the vacancies during a meeting. Then the trustees have 90 days to appoint someone from the zone where the vacancy occurred. If they fail to find a suitable replacement, they are allowed to appoint someone from anywhere in the district. If they are still unsuccessful after 120 days, the county commission makes the appointment.

Hall, Barton and Reinbold all face reelection on Nov. 7 — in 48 days — and each has an opponent. The Nov. 7 canvass — the day election results are officially accepted — happens on Nov. 17, which is 58 days from today. If Reinbold does not return during the 58 days, those appointments could be made by the newly-elected board, after the election process.

Wednesday’s scheduled two-hour meeting included action items to pay invoices, hire new employees and discuss the new trustee appointment process. And some in the community were expressing relief and preparing for a return to normalcy. But Wednesday’s event potentially thrusts the district back into a renewed period of chaos. The board has experienced months of tumult — including loud, vocal opposition from parents, disagreements with the State Board of Education, a recall election of two trustees and a restraining order that shut down a meeting before it got underway.

The filing deadline to run for a school board seat was Sept. 8. The withdrawal deadline is Sept. 22. Idaho Education News is collecting the names of candidates for each school board election. The following represents some of what was available today.  

West Bonner

All three West Bonner incumbents face opponents in their bid to retain their seats. In zone one, Alan Galloway of Priest River is running against incumbent Margaret Hall. In zone three, Elizabeth Glazier of Priest River will face incumbent Troy Reinbold. In zone five, Kathy Nash of Blanchard faces incumbent Carlyn Barton.

West Bonner trustees have been in the spotlight recently for the August recall election of two board leaders. In the next four months, Hall, Reinbold and Barton are tasked with appointing two new trustees who will serve out those terms. Trustees will meet as a board Wednesday for the first time since the election. 

The two open seats will not be part of the November election, because they have to be appointed, confirmed Bonner County Clerk Mike Rosedale.

The voting precincts for zone one are Blue Lake, East Priest River, Lamb Creek, Oldtown and Priest Lake; for zone three, they are Clagstone and Edgemere; in zone five, they are Oldtown and Spirit Valley.

In the previous election four years ago, there were 322 votes cast in zone one and 230 votes in zone three. Barton ran unopposed. In those three districts, there are 5,310 registered voters. Go to this link to register.

Coeur d’Alene

Coeur d’Alene’s school board has two seats up for election. In both races, there are multiple candidates scheduled to run. 

In zone two, current trustee Casey Morrisroe is not seeking reelection. Voters will chose from candidates James “Jimmy” McAndrew, Yasmin Harris, Paul Mahlow and Mike Stavish; in zone three, incumbent trustee Heather Tenbrink will face Matt Blatt and Jeremy DeChaine.

Nampa

Zone 1 — Jay Dufffy, Stephanie Bins

Zone 2 — Adam Schasel, David Jennings

Caldwell

Zone 2 — Ray Horrell, Manuel Godina

Zone 3 — Nicole Trakel, Travis Manning

Zone 4 — Niccole Hyland, Andrew Butler

Vallivue

Zone 3 — Toni Brineegar

Zone 4 — Brian Bishop, Paul Tierney

Zone 5 —  Amy Johnson

Kuna

Zone 1 — Joy Thomas, Hillary Lowe

Zone 2 — Kristi Hardy, James Grant

Zone 5 — Russell Johnson, Michael Thornton

Melba

Zone 2 – Ryan Segar

Zone 3 — Jolene Gould

Zone 4 — Travis Christiansen

Marsing

Zone 2 — Chad Showalter

Zone 4 — Sean Rowley

Middleton

Zone 3 — Jakob Dempsey

Zone 5 — Derek Moore

West Ada

Zone 2 — Susan Schuetz, Lucas Baclayon

Zone 4 — David Binetti, Miguel Deluna, Mariel Gates

Zone 5 — Tom Moore, Rene Ozuna, Jeremy Cutler

Lakeland

Zone 1 — Randi Bain, Kyle Olmstead

Zone 2 — Ramona Grissom, Cherish Hansen

Zone 3 — Sheila Holfeltz, Michelle Thompson

Wilder

Zone 3 — Jaime Ponce

Zone 4 — Bree Walker

Plummer-Worley
Zone 2 — Tammy Gauthier, Laura Laumatia

Zone 4 — Nicky James. Jan Mitchell

Zone 5 — Brian Clark, Chris Smith

Zone 6 — Payton Hodgson, Marlow Thompson

Kellogg

Zone 3 — Sam Gibbons, Sarah Frohlich

Zone 4 — Alexa Griffin, David Hernandez

Zone 5 — Felicia Cassidy, Melanie Carter, John Schroeder

Emmett (no designated zones voters pick three)

No Zones — Nita Barnard, Mona Barnes, Adam Buck, Tim Brady, Janet Drake, Mike Garner, Derrick Oxnam, Patty Puschmann, Qandryel Romrell, D’on M Waltermine

Genesee

Zone 1 — Jim Hermann

Zone 3 — Kelley A. Porter

Kendrick

Zone 1 — Rone Ireland, Steven McDowell

Zone 4 — Justin Cowly, Ryan Lawrence

Potlatch

Zone 2 — Jessica Scholfield

Zone 4 — Ryan Becker

Troy

Zone 2 — Kyle Osborn

Zone 4 — Pamela Hilliard

Zone 5 — Wendy Fredrickson

Whitepine

Zone 2 — Mandy Kirk

Zone 3 — Brittany Griffan

Zone 5 — Beverly Clark

Culdesac

Zone 4 — None

Zone 5 — None

Highland

Zone 1 — None

Zone 3 — Michelle Mendenhall

Zone 4 — None

Teton

Zone 1 — Natalie Kashi

Zone 2 — Jennie Beach, Michael Adams

Zone 5 — Jared Killpack, Martin Balben. William McMahon

Twin Falls

Zone 2 — Brad Breland, Heidi Tubbs

Zone 4 — Jonathan Lord

Zone 5 — Heidi Casdorph

American Falls

Zone 1 — Kamren Kompin

Zone 3 — Jessalee Smith

Rockland

Zone 1 — Marshall Ralphs

Zone 2 — Jordan O’Brien

Arbon Valley

Zone 1 — Ashlee Fitch

Zone 3 — Zachary Tarbet

EdNews Data Analyst Randy Schrader contributed to this report. 

The Communities of Excellence Federal Charter Schools Program grant is awarded in a five-year cycle. In 2018, Bluum, a nonprofit charter support organization, used its $22 million grant to kick off a rapid expansion of schools, funding 28 schools over five years. Charter schools now educate almost 10% of the state’s public school students.

If awarded the 2023 grant, Bluum will allocate it with three objectives in mind:

• Increase the number of quality Idaho charter school seats by no less than 5,900 students, especially for educationally disadvantaged and rural students.
• Support quality authorizing while supporting and spreading best authorizer practices statewide.
• Impact the broader education system by providing them with the lessons and processes from high-quality charter schools.

Bluum’s partners  — the state, the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation and current schools — expressed a desire to slow the growth of new charter schools because the market is slowing down and concentrate on schools that meet academic and demographic needs, said Terry Ryan, Bluum’s CEO. 

“It would be great if we have multiple applicants for every grant we issue and real competition for the grants,” Ryan said.

According to the grant application, the money will be used for 13 sub-grant awards; 10 for new startup schools serving more than 300 students in grades K-12 or career technical education schools serving 6-12; three additional schools will be either smaller rural schools or smaller expansions of existing schools that may add additional grades.

Funds will also be used to assist public universities and colleges become charter school authorizers. Despite the ability to do so, higher education institutions have not authorized a school.

“None have taken it up in Idaho, but we’d like to see a university take on this responsibility” Ryan said. “Some of the highest quality charter school authorizers in the nation are universities and these include SUNY in New York and Central Michigan University in Michigan.”

Charter schools are the incubators of innovation in Idaho and having a really innovative university partner could lead to some cool opportunities, Ryan said. 

Additional plans include developing and providing more resources for topics such as charter school facility financing and school governance.

“Both of these have been useful resources in Idaho and across the country,” Ryan said.

The grant request highlights the impact of charters.  “Idaho’s public charter schools have become a critical and integrated component of the state’s overall K-12 public education system. Our state’s overall K-12 enrollment averaged an annual growth rate of 2.05% from 2012-13 to 2021-22. Over the same decade, the overall Idaho charter school enrollment has seen an annual average growth rate of 5.5%. Twenty-five years after the first charter school opened its doors in 1998, there are now more than 70 charter schools serving about 30,000 Idaho students.”

Disclosure: Idaho Education News and Bluum are funded by grants from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation.

PIERCE — Nicholas broke into a building in Priest River and stole expensive equipment; Joseline was skipping class at Jerome High School and running with the wrong crowd; Guillermo wants to overcome generational poverty and substance abuse in Boise.

Today, the trio stands solidly at attention in front of Idaho Youth Challenge Academy, their military green cadet uniforms neatly creased and squared away. Surrounded by acres of timber, the nearest town is Pierce, which has no stop lights, a dusty main street with a restaurant or two, a hardware store and saloons. Town hall closes at one o’clock. There are a couple of ancient gas pumps ready for retirement and plenty of parking anywhere in town.

Weippe and Orofino lie south down sharp mountain roads and past logging trucks laden with tons of wood. North up Highway 11 dead ends at Headquarters, population no one.

To provide an immediate change of environment, the school purposely selected a remote town, surrounded by vastness and free of distractions, away from friends and negative influences. Drugs, alcohol, ditching class and un-productivity are not tolerated. 

“We pretty much did everything we weren’t supposed to be doing,” recalled Nicholas Cramer, 17, about life back home before joining the youth academy.

Rather than celebrating his senior year of high school, Nicholas was busy skipping school and avoiding law enforcement, who knew him by name. Facing larceny charges, he volunteered to attend the academy.

“Some of these kids need something in their life that is meaningful and causes them to be proud of who they are, believe in who they are, and have confidence that they can be successful,” said Greg Billups, the school’s admissions coordinator.

Even for the motivated, it’s not an easy transition. About 15% of cadets walk away. But approximately 250 students — all high school dropouts — finish each year and leave better prepared to finish their education or tackle adulthood.

“It’s always a dark day when we have to send someone home,” Billups said.

The intervention program targets dropouts between the ages of 15-1/2 to 18 from every corner of the state, Ada County providing the most students. The 20-week residential phase relies on structure, utilizing military-like discipline and training. The focus in the classroom is education and life skills, plus a 12-month post-residential phase to help students after they graduate.

“We’re an opportunity and not a punishment,” Billups said.

The youth academy is not a detention center because there is no fence and it’s not a boot camp because they are not interested in breaking anyone down.

But the campus is secure, with 24-hour supervision, no cell phones, television or inappropriate internet.

Two months into the program, Nicholas’ attitude changed: he attends classes eight hours a day, eats healthy and exercises — at least an hour each day, including weekends.

“I’ve learned I am a lot more disciplined, smarter than I thought I was, and now I can see more of my full potential,” he said.

Because of the negative influences guiding her life, Joseline Carbajal, 17, was not going to graduate. But structure and discipline changed her.

“I am a lot more grateful, a lot more disciplined and open-minded about everything,” Joseline  said. “Family day on Saturday made me more motivated because they could see how far I’ve come.”

Also struggling with school, Guillermo upended his life in Boise to find more direction. “I felt like I was wasting my potential, falling into some bad habits, and was lost and unprepared.”

Guillermo is determined to be a good role model for his younger nieces and nephews, and break a cycle of poverty, addiction and legal troubles.

“They’re proud of me,” Guillermo said about his parents’ reaction.

Joseline and Nicholas plan to finish high school. Guillermo plans to finish school, too, but he made a profound choice — to serve his country.

“My parents are surprised by my decision to join the Army and they say ‘keep finding direction,’” Guillermo said.

The military-style youth academy is officially an alternative public high school within the Orofino Joint 171 School District, at no cost to cadets. In nine years, nearly 2,000 Idaho students have graduated. They recovered almost 28,000 credits, issued 248 diplomas and helped 187 earn GEDs.

GETTING STARTED: New cadets are referred by high school counselors, word of mouth, legacy kids (they knew someone who attended), school counselors, principals, resource officers and probation officers.

The next class starts in January but not everyone will get in. There is an application and interview process. Each class is open to 100 males and 45 females. 

Four things disqualify applicants: a felony, too many risk factors (like a GPA of 1.5 or below or high truancy), unmotivated to attend and an IEP disability the school is unable to accommodate.

“If they’re not willing to buy into the system, then they usually fail,” Billups said.

Turning kids away who aren’t qualified is the hardest part. “It’s a dark day for me anytime somebody is looking for some hope and answers, and we can’t provide it because they’re ineligible.”

The campus, opened in 2014, utilizes an unused K-8 school and additional modular buildings for barracks housing. There’s a gym, dining facility, laundry and library — the only entertainment. Weekends involve service to the community, team building exercises, physical training, leadership classes, homework time and personal time.

It costs taxpayers approximately $18,000 to $19,000 to house and educate each cadet. The school operates with 75% federal and 25% state funding. There are 70 staff members who are State of Idaho Military Division employees, except for eight licensed teachers and one principal.

FIVE MONTHS LATER: “I want them to be confident they can be successful in any environment,” Billups said. “We hope they’re proud that they did something unique and they did something difficult and they did it well.”

One of the academy’s core outcomes is academic excellence. Cadets who’ve previously failed a class recover that credit. The program offers 15 credits in 5-1/2 months, which is equivalent to a whole year of school.

Other components include basic banking skills, maintaining good credit, managing a personal budget, identifying emotional coping strategies, volunteering at the Dworshak Fish Hatchery, completing Forest Service trail maintenance and stacking wood for the elderly. They’re encouraged to register to vote and participate in an election process, and have a basic understanding of the Constitution.

What do cadets do after they graduate? The following examples represent the last class to graduate in January.

• 65% returned to high school.
• 17% graduated with a diploma.
• 13% earned their GED.
• 5% entered a branch of the military.

LIFE AFTER THE ACADEMY: “The best days for me are when I hear kids say how proud they are of themselves and what they’ve accomplished,” Billups said.

School administrators remain in contact with a number of previous graduates. These stories briefly discuss the progress of three former cadets who got back on the right track.

Tanner Morales joined the Idaho National Guard and became an aerospace propulsion technician. He entered in June of 2015 and is still serving. He volunteers for the school’s two-week acclimation phase twice a year to assist new cadets. He’s been a mentor for a few specific cadets and he recently worked as a cadre leader at the academy. He is now employed in the Boise area and wants to be part of the new mentoring program.

Mark Turner lives in Coeur d’Alene and works as a body repair technician and a technician trainer at a collision center. He operates an online automotive store and is in talks to open a second business full-time. He is currently mentoring a cadet from the academy, helping him get on his feet. Turner is responsible for the creation of our Cadet Peer Review Board. He had the idea when he was attending the academy. It has helped many cadets continue their journey and reach graduation. 

John Kreycik joined the US Army in 2016 and became a paratrooper. They aren’t sure where he currently lives.

The youth academy is part of the larger “National Guard Youth ChalleNGe.” Since the program’s inception in 1993, it has graduated nearly 200,000 students in 31 states. It’s administered by the Department of Defense and implemented by the National Guard Bureau. If you have a student who is struggling, Billups can be reached at 208-827-6746 or gbillups@idyouthchallenge.com.

The error is being blamed on an algorithm problem.

Teachers typically use IRI results to guide their instructional next steps. Now, teachers are back in the classroom either unaware that spring testing results were inaccurate or questioning whether the new recalculated results are reliable. 

The State Department of Education releases an IRI-based report card in July each year to show reading scores for some 90,000 Idaho students. This year’s public report has been delayed and won’t be released until October.

“Our preliminary analysis indicates that over 90% of Idaho districts and charter schools had one or more students who were affected by (the) corrections,” wrote Ryan Cantrell, chief deputy superintendent, in a letter to administrators last week.

Ensuring that all Idaho students learn to read by third grade is one the state’s top priorities and accurate scores are critical to that $72 million-a-year early literacy effort. The SDE relies on IRI results to measure reading achievement. Imagination Station, the vendor that administers Idaho’s statewide reading assessment, is beginning its sixth year providing a screener, diagnostic, monitoring progress, automatic scoring, and school, district and state reporting.

“We are assessing the impact,” said Scott Graf, the SDE’s communications director.

Despite a nearly four-month delay caused by the mathematical error, Istation won’t be penalized. The Dallas-based company is set to receive $723,570 this year, according to the SDE.

Once the problem was identified, Istation recalculated the data and provided updated results for state validation in late August. That process is currently underway and expected to be completed in the fall. 

The IRI is a norm-referenced assessment that provides educators with a way to measure reading progress. Students test in the fall and again in the spring. Those results indicate how well Idaho students read in relation to students of their age or grade. They also measure growth over the school year. 

“I think the more immediate concern is that if those scores aren’t right for some of those students, you’re not getting an accurate picture of where that student is,” said Greg Wilson, state superintendent Debbie Critchfield’s chief of staff.

IRI reading results are released in proficiency tiers: at grade level, near grade level or below grade level.

The algorithm problem created a situation where the original scores were lower than they actually were, Graf said. The inaccurate 2023 data was never publicly released statewide. 

But before the statewide release, educators have access to the results from the Istation website. That’s when educators started asking questions.

“They said, ‘Hey, this isn’t making sense. I’m looking at Johnny’s scores. Johnny scored proficient in every subcategory. But he’s not proficient overall. Mathematically, that doesn’t add up,” Cantrell recalled. “(Istation) came back to us and said, ‘guys, we found an error in the way we re-normed the data for 2023 and it’s going to require us to recalculate all of Idaho’s 2023 scores for the spring.” 

Both parents and educators are impacted by the delay

As Idaho Education News repeatedly requested the results, the release date of the statewide IRI report card has been set and changed multiple times this summer. The SDE now expects to release the full report in early October, months behind the release in past years.

For now, parents are unable to accurately evaluate their child’s reading progress last school year, nor can they gauge the teacher’s or school’s performance. The level of growth a student achieves in reading between fall and spring is one of several outcomes measured by the test results. For superintendents, there is one less tool to evaluate school and teacher performance. 

The distribution model for half of the state’s early literacy money is contingent on scores. But that distribution doesn’t come until later in the school year, so the error will not have an impact, Wilson said.

“I think we’re in a good place,” Wilson said.

This is an abnormality that’s not acceptable, even for one or two kids, let alone 200 or 300, said Cantrell.

The problem started in the spring of 2023. Every four or five years, norm-referenced data has to be re-normed. During that re-norming process, an algorithm error was introduced.

“So let’s say I take a test and I get an 83. Well, an 83 might put me in the 50th percentile. But what we found is that their algorithm had an error, so my 83 really should have put me in the 52nd percentile or the 53rd percentile, because it’s norm-reference data,” Cantrell explained. 

“We’ve been using Istation now for more than five years. And this is the first issue we’ve run into in five years. And they fixed it. They corrected it on their own. Everybody’s human — mistakes are going to be made. Sometimes the best we can do is fix it, be transparent about it and then move on,” he said.

The board heard from about six parents Monday evening. Trustees did not take action but superintendent Shon Hocker said, “We know about this transportation thing. I really wish we had a lot of applicants to drive the bus. We really are short on drivers.”

On Wednesday, Jeff Voeller, director of operations, said they are down by eight drivers. “It’s been a problem.”

After the parent feedback, however, the district is going to consider additional modifications and possibly reinstate some of those routes, Voeller said. 

Parents said they weren’t told why the decision was made. 

Laura Ward, who has two children attending schools, was told that after over 30 years of bus service to the Rockford Bay Area, that would no longer be happening. Now she drives her children to a pickup location in a nearby community.

Ward calculated that the new route is costing her $12,780 in lost wages and an additional $3,600 in fuel. “Not including additional wear and tear on my vehicle or additional maintenance expenses, to send my two children to a public school,” she said.

Ward provided specific details on how it affects her finances.

• She is driving an additional 220 miles a week.
• She’s losing 8.5 hours of work a week.
• She is putting 7,920 miles on her vehicle.

“The district is doing a disservice to the children who live out here and on the property owners who pay taxes for these children to attend this district. And these routes need to be reinstated. I hope this will change because frankly I can’t afford it,” Ward said.

Voeller said route modifications happen every year as student demographics change.

In Mica Flats, the pickup location was changed, frustrating parents who have to drive farther. That decision was based on poor turnaround spots for the buses, he said.

At Rockford Bay, there are fewer students and state law allows districts to create non-transportation zones for scarcity of students. Not discussed Monday night is a monetary reimbursement for eligible families, he added.

Some parents suggested paying drivers more per hour and they also asked the district to personally visit their community to see the problem. Drivers are paid $20.50 an hour and typically work between six to eight hours per day on a split schedule.

“I love my children and I will not let anybody put them in danger,” said Lindsey Mills, who lives in rural Mica Flats and has two children attending schools.

“We’re still paying the same tax. I don’t understand why this was done and it’s hurtful,” she said.

“Not only are you walking my child in the dark in an unlit area, but you also have to consider that I’ve got bears and cougars. I’ve got wild animals that little kids by themselves are susceptible to,” Mills said. 

Another patron who spoke to the board, Gregory Mills, is concerned about the safety of his grandchildren, who are walking along a road that logging trucks frequent, there is no lighting, no safe walking zone and the area is known for fog.

COEUR D’ALENE — The Coeur d’Alene school district hosted professional training last week for nearly 1,000 educators aimed at improving teaching skills and academic performance.

Coeur d’Alene teachers, counselors, administrators and classified staff made up the largest number of attendees — about 700 — but there were others from across Idaho, eastern Washington, Oregon and as far away as Tennessee. More than 10 scholars, authors and successful school leaders with PLC at Work Institute brought their expertise and knowledge to Lake City High School.

During the three-day event, training focused on developing an effective professional learning community (PLC), a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve classroom skills and academic outcomes.

Coeur d’Alene Superintendent Shon Hocker said, “The time is right for us because every year matters. We don’t want to wait any longer to learn, improve and grow. We are focused on student success and achievement. We have an opportunity in front of us to go from being a good district to a great district.”

Current research shows that teaching in insolation is not as effective as collaborative teaching. 

“The old days of teaching solo are gone,” Hocker said. “Public schools must teach to all kids and help them succeed. Our job is to figure out how to teach as collaborative teams to meet kids where they are, and help ensure all our students reach their future goals.”

The PLC training program cost Coeur d’Alene about $400,000. The district used federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund money to fund the large-scale training, which helps the district maximize another $1 million in levy funds already set aside for professional development.

A PLC serves as infrastructure where teachers can engage in constructive dialogue, reflect on and improve instruction, and share ways to increase effectiveness in the classroom, Hocker said.

The implementation of common formative assessments is the next step for Coeur d’Alene. “Many grade-level teams and content teachers created those ground rules and our first assessments will be provided to students this year. Having relevant and timely data on specific measurable objectives will be an extremely important catalyst for deeper work,” he said.

Hosting the event presented plenty of logistical challenges but “it will be worth the effort and sacrifice,” Hocker said.

“Although our students are performing well compared to state averages, our community expects all students to meet targets and that we focus our resources on meeting that goal across the district.”

SANDPOINT — There wasn’t an audible sigh of relief in the room but those attending Thursday’s canvassing meeting looked pleased that the recall election of two West Bonner school board trustees was officially over.

The remaining board members — Margaret Hall, Carlyn Barton and Troy Reinbold — have 90 days to appoint one trustee from zone two and one from zone four; if unsuccessful, another 30 days to select from anywhere in the school district. After 120 days, the county commission would step in and make the appointments.

Bonner County Commissioners serving as the Board of Canvassers of Election voted unanimously to accept the canvass of county clerk Mike Rosedale.

“Normally, we don’t have anybody come to these so I thank you all for coming — this is unusual,” Rosedale said.

At exactly 10:03 a.m., the four-year terms of school board trustees Keith Rutledge and Susan Brown ended quietly.

Over the last nine days, however, things were anything but quiet in Priest River. After a successful Aug. 29 recall election that drew nearly 61% voter turnout, outgoing chairman Rutledge attempted to convene the board twice — on Friday and Wednesday.

Friday was stopped following a judge’s ruling to grant an emergency temporary restraining order and Wednesday’s was canceled for unknown reasons, just before it was scheduled to begin. The lawsuit sought to restrain Rutledge and Brown from entering the district into future contractual or financial obligations, until after the canvass was done.

Although the board was limited by the injunction, Rutledge was not. He signed an amended contract for superintendent Branden Durst Tuesday, while the judge’s ruling was still in effect, according to Priest River attorney Katie Elsaesser, who filed the civil lawsuit.

Elsaesser was unavailable Thursday to comment about Rutledge’s decision to allegedly defy the court order.

The Aug. 29 voter turnout was nearly that of a presidential election, Rosedale said during the canvassing meeting.

The total number of ballots cast was 2,166 out of 3,556 registered voters, or 60.9%. Brown received 624 for recall and 322 against; Rutledge’s was 762 and 454, according to the county election results. 

“It was very high,” Rosedale said. “We had a very clear outcome. And it was a very clean election.” 

Four people voted “yes” and “no,” so the vote count is four fewer than the actual number of ballots cast, he added.

Recalling two trustees in this county has never happened before, Rosedale said. “It’s a new thing.”

He also mentioned that Friday is the filing deadline for West Bonner’s school board election on Nov. 7. Those remaining three trustees are up for re-election.

So there could be more chaos if Hall, Barton and Reinbold don’t appoint trustees before the election, because they could be defeated. They have 70 days until the canvass for the upcoming November election is officially held on Nov. 16.

PRIEST RIVER — Recently ousted West Bonner trustees Keith Rutledge and Susan Brown planned to enter the district into contractual or financial obligations just hours before their recall takes effect, which could defy a District Court ruling.

Then, 90 minutes before its start, the meeting was cancelled, according to the district website.

Rutledge and Brown were overwhelmingly recalled by voters on Tuesday, Aug. 29, but the outcome is not official until after canvasing on Sept. 7, according to the Bonner County clerk.

But that did not stop board chair Rutledge from scheduling a special meeting for Wednesday night. He attempted to hold a special meeting on Friday night but that was cancelled following a judge’s ruling to grant an emergency temporary restraining order that prevents the board from taking action until the election results are official.

Priest River attorney Katie Elsaesser, who filed the civil lawsuit last week against the board, is “very concerned” about Wednesday’s meeting “because all of the items are improper … for a special meeting.”

Rutledge scheduled the special meeting for Wednesday night to evaluate the superintendent and “reaffirm” voting that occurred in June and August. It is not clear what their action was supposed to accomplish. The community was concerned that clarifying board votes would have benefitted the superintendent’s future. 

“These items (on the agenda) not only are unnecessary but appear to only benefit Mr. Durst and Ms. Paradee, which is a breach of your fiduciary duty as trustees if you proceed with the special meeting and the items on the agenda,” Elsaesser wrote in a letter to trustees.

Idaho Education News obtained a copy of an amended superintendent’s contract signed by Rutledge Tuesday, an action that appears to violate the temporary restraining order that prohibits him from “contractually obligating” the district, according to Elsaesser.

Elsaesser questioned Rutledge’s action, because it appears this amended contract has already been approved by the entire board, and he signed the contract after the restraining order was put in place.

Brown’s and Rutledge’s terms end on Thursday. 

Superintendent Branden Durst said he’s recommended trustees meet virtually for their own safety, and be careful to not violate the restraining order, which was the result of Elsaesser’s 29-page lawsuit. Then they cancelled the meeting. 

The restraining order that stopped the board from meeting last Friday appears to have lasted only five days.

Trustee Margaret Hall said she was going to boycott the meeting.

According to the lawsuit, Rutledge and Brown could have faced monetary fines of up to $2,500 for violations of Idaho code if the took action.

Durst said the board members made their own decisions because “the board has a responsibility to act.”

“Is this unethical? No, they have a job to do,” Durst said of scheduling a board meeting just hours before two trustees would be removed from the board. “To take that away is inappropriate.”

The civil lawsuit asked the court to limit the board’s ability to meet until after the recall election results are certified. That request was granted last Friday, when law enforcement shut down the meeting 30 minutes before it was scheduled to begin.

“Plaintiffs respectfully request the following … The Court issue a temporary restraining order preventing any action by Rutledge, Brown in capacity as trustees of WBCSD Board and the WBCSD Board until the August 29, 2023 election results are certified,” the lawsuit reads.

Undeterred, the district posted an agenda Tuesday just before 5 p.m., meeting the 24-hour posting requirement. 

The agenda listed these items:

• Executive session for the superintendent evaluation.
• Executive session for the board clerk evaluation.
• Reaffirming board actions from June 28, 2023.
• Reaffirming board actions from August 22, 2023.

Elsaesser wrote, the agenda items “reaffirming board actions” relate to a contract, contract addendum and revisions to those contracts and therefore violate the court order.

”You are not only violating a court order but your actions will be null and void as you have been restrained by the court from any action that financially commits the district or contractually obligates the district,” she wrote.

Durst said the board previously approved his request to have a 60-day job evaluation, which is what he wanted done before the recall results are certified and two new trustees are appointed. 

Following the recall certification Thursday, the board can declare a vacancy at a regular or special meeting and has 90 days to appoint someone from the zone where the vacancy occurred. If the board fails to find a suitable replacement, they are allowed to appoint someone from anywhere within the district’s boundaries. If there is no resolution after 120 days, county commissioners can make the appointment.

If the new board chooses to remove Durst as superintendent, he expects to be fully paid under the terms of the two-year contract. Anything less will result in legal action against the district, he said.

“I am fulfilling all of my contract responsibilities,” Durst said.  

North Idaho students returned to school with plenty on their minds: What should I wear? Is my phone charged? How much homework will I have? What’s for lunch? Did I remember to brush my teeth?

They probably weren’t expecting Katie Pemberton’s day-one question — how does your brain work? Pemberton is an eighth grade math teacher at Canfield Middle School in Coeur d’Alene.

About 33,500 students headed back to school on a bright, cloudless Tuesday morning in North Idaho. Twenty-five districts opened their elementary and high school doors, greeting kindergartners beginning their educational journey and seasoned seniors thinking about life after high school.

Over at Priest River Lamanna High School, two seniors returning late to campus after lunch urged the office staff to let them back in class, because — they tried to explain — ordering a hamburger and fries should not take 15 minutes, but that’s what caused them to be late.

At Canfield Middle, Pemberton’s eighth graders were greeted with nurturing words, and then it was time to set the tone: think tank brain work, followed by a puzzle task to build collaboration. Later this year, geometry, linear equations, Pythagorean Theorem and graphing.

“Okay, so now we’re gonna grow some dendrites,” Pemberton said, while interlocking her fingers. Dendrites look like branches and are part of neurons.

“So go ahead and start putting your fingers out like you’re growing dendrites. Now grab another neuron, the other hand. Now as we grow and learn and our brain learns, the dendrites are starting to grow,” she demonstrated. 

Week one for Lake Pend Oreille School District Superintendent Becky Meyer is busy, visiting her schools and classrooms. Her welcome to parents reads, “Our staff has been working hard to ensure a smooth transition and supportive learning environment for every student who walks through our doors on September 5th.”

After 29 years in education, Coeur d’Alene superintendent Shon Hocker still enjoys the first day of school.

“I love the excitement that comes with a new school year, watching students embark on a new year of growth and opportunity. I enjoy watching students participating in their favorite extracurricular activities, such as volleyball and football. There is nothing quite like the fall season.  The air just seems a little crisper,” Hocker said.

Overseeing the state’s eighth largest district, Hocker is also hopeful that there will be limited challenges.

“Our facilities look good and our staff are excited about the new school year. However, inevitably, things come up that create some last minute adjustments or challenges.  For example, the first few days of school are essential to let us know if we have the right number of teachers in the right placement for our students. Last minute hiring of teachers or reassignment of teachers can be a challenge,” Hocker said.

Farther north in West Bonner County School District, discord with the new superintendent and a recall of two school board leaders were the main challenges as they welcomed about 1,000 students across five schools.

Because of last week’s controversial school board meeting, the first day of school for superintendent Branden Durst was not what he anticipated. He planned to meet students and parents at the door but because of “unforeseen circumstances,” that was not possible, he said.

Enrollment is trending about normal, Durst said. And they filled nearly all of their teacher vacancies, including the special education director, who was hired as a contractor from a nearby school district until they find a permanent solution.

“We’re fortunate to get good applicants. I’ve been praying hard to get the right people, so it doesn’t surprise me,” he said, adding that his building administrators deserve much of the credit.

Like the other superintendents, Durst was in the schools Tuesday discussing programs and plans with his administrators. At the high school, they are planning to submit a career technical education grant proposal to the state’s Idaho Career Ready Students Program.

The wood shop instructor was busy planning his school year when Durst stopped in. He said classes are full and there is demand for workers at the mill, so a program expansion would be a good idea.

As day-one wrapped up in Coeur d’Alene, Hocker added, “What gets me excited about education is knowing that we prepare the foundation for every career. Very few things are as rewarding as watching students grow day-by-day, week-by-week, and year-by-year.”