West Ada School District Update
July 13, 2020
Enrollment Fair for New Students is August 3-4
The Enrollment Fair for New Students is back for the third summer. Families with students new to our district, or who were not enrolled with us last year, can finish enrollment for all children in one place.
Start your registration journey by visiting www.westada.org/Registration. Here, you can fill out the new student online enrollment forms in preparation for the Enrollment Fair.
Detailed information about the Enrollment Fair is available here: www.westada.org/EnrollmentFair.
Free Food Boxes, Summer Meal Site Update
USDA Farmers to Families food boxes are available Wednesdays at 4 p.m. at the loading dock on the west side of the District Service Center, near the entrance to Renaissance High School. Boxes are available July 15, 22 and 29.
Free weekday meals are provided at six school sites through the remainder of summer, Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. These changes reflect the meal site offerings of previous summers.
Diesel Engine Program Nominated for National Recognition
The diesel program hosted by instructor Steve Rayburn at Meridian High School’s CTE Center has been recommended by partners at College of Western Idaho (CWI) for recognition with Secondary Associated Equipment Distributors for meeting safety and electronic/electrical systems standards, which translate to course credit at the collegiate level.
“The Meridian High School Diesel Program has a dedicated building with a state-of-the-art classroom and dedicated shop area,” Alex Beal, department chair of diesel, auto and powersports programs at CWI, shared in his nomination letter. “Steve Rayburn worked in the diesel industry for nearly 30 years and has been involved with teaching diesel technology and developing diesel programs, including those associated with CWI, for the last 18 years. Steve encourages his students to attend CWI and fully recognizes the importance for students to achieve a degree in diesel technology.”
Updates to Fall Reopening Plan
The Fall Reopening Plan is a dynamic blueprint for how our schools may operate in the coming year. District staff work on various aspects of the plan daily, to prepare for the best instructional outcomes for our students.
The Idaho Back to School Framework, shared last week by Idaho education authorities, provides school board trustees and district administrators assistance in planning for the health and safety of our school communities. West Ada School District is reviewing the Idaho Back to School Framework and considering adjustments to our Fall Reopening Plan. We want our schools to be the safest places for staff and students beyond their own homes.
https://sde.idaho.gov/re-opening/index.html
Supplemental Levy on August 25th Ballot
Voters living in the boundaries of West Ada School District will see on their August 25th ballot a request from the District for a continuation of a supplemental levy first approved in 2012. As in 2012, and every two years since then, West Ada School District asks voters for $14 million. The $14 million accounts for about 5 percent of general funding for the budget. This funding is used for supporting current programs, school days, and teacher to student ratios.
West Ada School District’s overall levy rate continues decreasing due to the early repayment of and refinancing of school bonds, increasing property values due to new construction and county appraisals, and predictions an emergency levy is not needed in the coming year. If the supplemental levy is approved by voters, the levied amount is still lower than that of last year.
Requests for absentee ballots can now be completed online at the following link: https://idahovotes.gov/. For this election, absentee ballots need to be requested by August 14. The ballots are due back to Ada County Elections by August 25.
www.westada.org/SupplementalLevy2020
Boundaries are vast in West Ada School District, encompassing homes in Boise, Eagle, Garden City, Kuna, Meridian, Nampa and Star. In explanation of how a homeowner’s county-appraised home value and taxes levied by West Ada School District have changed recently, please review the following example.
Request for Clear Face Masks
Many students need to see their teacher or therapist's mouth in order to learn. For example, a student learning how to say their sounds correctly needs to see a speech-language pathologist's mouth, and a student who is deaf or hard of hearing needs to be able to lip read. To best serve these students, the special services team is looking for community members with sewing expertise able to make and donate face masks with a clear portion for mouth-watching purposes.
This webpage contains links to several how-to videos for making clear face masks: https://www.ndcs.org.uk/blog/diy-face-masks-with-clear-panels/.
Please contact the special services team at dscsped@westada.org or 208-350-5034 as needed. Donations may be dropped off at the District Service Center.