Headlines & Highlights
Headlines & Highlights
October 27, 2022
Holiday dates
NOV. 21-25 ... No School (Thanksgiving break)
DEC. 26-JAN.6 ... No School (Winter break)
JAN. 16 ... No School (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
FEB. 20 ... No School (Presidents Day)
MARCH 27-31 ... No School (Spring break)
Board to discuss Superintendent's levy recommendations this Friday
The two-year operating levy supporting Coeur d'Alene Public Schools expires at the end of this school year. We are now preparing to place a replacement levy on the ballot next March, as we have done every two years, in order to continue this local funding. The Board of Trustees will meet this Friday to discuss the details and decide what should go before voters in March.
In Idaho, school districts receive most of their funding from the state, but that funding falls short of what we need to fully support district operations. Our levy provides $20 million per year, which funds 23 percent of our annual operating budget.
Superintendent Shon Hocker recently made a recommendation to our Board of Trustees to seek an increase of $5 million per year in our local levy. The purpose of the proposed increase is to address higher costs we have seen with inflation and to improve pay for teachers and classified staff. Recruiting and retaining employees is an ongoing struggle for us due to the appeal of higher-paying jobs in this marketplace. Increasing our local levy to $25 million per year will help us keep employees in our schools and attract job candidates for positions that are difficult to fill.
Dr. Hocker also recommended the Trustees consider asking voters to approve our local levy in perpetuity, rather than keep it on a two-year cycle of renewal. State law permits school districts to ask voters to make their school levy permanent if the levy has been in place at least seven years. Our local levy has been approved by voters 18 consecutive times going back to 1986. If approved in perpetuity in the March election, the levy amount would be fixed. The District would not be able to levy more without going back to voters to increase the cap. Further, the District no longer would need to go to voters every two years to renew an expiring levy.
Dr. Hocker also briefed the Board on the state of our deferred maintenance and school safety needs. The Safety & Maintenance levy that was on the ballot Aug. 30 was not approved, falling short of the 55 percent "yes" votes it needed. That proposal sought $8 million a year for 10 years.
Superintendent Hocker has proposed a more modest Safety & Maintenance levy of $5 million per year for 5 years to address the most critical school maintenance and safety projects across the district. He recommended that the Board place that question on the March ballot as well.
Friday's Board meeting is scheduled for 10-11:30 a.m. at the Midtown Meeting Center, 1505 N. 5th Street, Coeur d'Alene. This is a Board workshop, and public comment will not be taken. The meeting will be streamed on the District's YouTube channel.
BOARD VIDEO: Recommendations for March 2023 election
At this Oct. 17 Board workshop at Woodland Middle School, Superintendent Hocker and District staff present levy recommendations to the Board of Trustees. The discussion begins at 20 minutes, 25 seconds into the meeting.
Police caution families to be aware of brightly colored fentanyl pills and powders
The Coeur d'Alene Police Department, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and other law enforcement agencies are advising families to be on the lookout for “rainbow fentanyl,” a brightly-colored version of the highly toxic synthetic opioid responsible for hundreds of fatal overdoses every day. These drugs are brightly colored like chalk and candy, potentially making them more attractive to children and young people.
Rainbow fentanyl has appeared recently in several forms in cities across the country. A version seized recently in the Pacific Northwest resembles thick pieces of brightly-colored sidewalk chalk. Some versions seized elsewhere in pill or tablet form resemble candy.
“Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat we face today,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Jacob D. Galvan from the Seattle Field Division. “It doesn’t matter what color, shape or form it comes in; just two milligrams of fentanyl – the equivalent of 10 to 15 grains of salt – is enough to kill someone.”
Fentanyl is commonly disguised in fake prescription pills. If you find or come in contact with pills not dispersed by a licensed pharmacist, assume they are fake and potentially lethal. Fake pills are indistinguishable from real pills, according to the DEA. If you or someone you know encounter any version of fentanyl, please refrain from handling it and call 911 immediately.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 3-milligram dose of fentanyl — a few grains of the substance — is enough to kill an average adult male.
If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. You also can text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. daily.
Halloween safety tips from SRO Det. Brad Wolfinger
LCHS Trunk or Treat is today from 4-6 PM
Get a jump on the Halloween fun this afternoon in the senior parking lot at Lake City High School. The LCHS student council is putting on its 2nd annual Trunk or Treat. Candy, games and music; all ages welcome.
Spring ISAT scores show improvement trend
Spring results for the Idaho Standards Achievement Test show student scores in the Coeur d'Alene School District improved from 2021 and continue to be above statewide averages.
MATH: Scores for 46.3% of District students were Advanced or Proficient, compared to a statewide average of 41.9%. (In 2021, 44.3% of our District math scores were Advanced or Proficient.)
ENGLISH: 63.7% of District students were Advanced or Proficient, well above the statewide average of 54.8%. (In 2021, 60.7% of our District's English scores were Advanced or Proficient.)
SCIENCE: 49.9% of District students were Advanced or Proficient, versus the statewide average of 41.2%. (The science ISAT was introduced in 2022, so we do not have previous years for comparison.)
"The state report is good news indicating that statewide our students are rebounding from the challenges of the pandemic," said Trent Derrick, our Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education. "We are seeing similar trends in our district and I believe we will see even greater growth this year and in the coming years."
The ISAT is administered each spring to all public school students in grades 3 through 8 and 10. Scores are sorted into four categories: below basic, basic, proficient and advanced. The onset of COVID-19 in 2020 disrupted the ISATs that spring, and scores in 2021 declined statewide. The spring 2022 scores show student achievement is on the rebound.
This year, for the first time, students in grades 5, 8 and 11 took the newly developed science ISAT. A field test was administered in 2021 to check the test’s functions and help design its final form, but no results were reported.
District and school-level results are available on the Assessment Results web page, along with results for grade levels and demographic groups.
School meal planning faces challenges this fall
The Nutrition Services Department is experiencing some difficulties this year, and you may have noticed some hiccups with our menu plans.
Over the past few years we have been operating under federal waivers of school lunch fees due to the pandemic. There were also waivers on some of the federal nutrition standards. Those waivers expired at the start of this school year.
Nutrition standards are more stringent now than they were before COVID, including the amount of sodium and trans fat allowed in student meals. As a result, we have been making changes to some menu items to ensure all our schools meet the updated federal nutrition standards.
Additionally, we continue to have ordering and supply chain challenges. Often the food we have ordered is incomplete upon delivery, causing us to make last-minute changes in meal plans. In response to this uncertainty, we plan to shorten our menu cycle to a three-week window after Thanksgiving break.
USE THIS LINK to view breakfast and lunch menus.
School Nurse Spotlight: Victoria Kimball
By Leanne Bullamore, Health Services Coordinator
Victoria Kimball is a Registered Nurse with a Bachelor of Science degree and has been a school nurse with Coeur d'Alene Public Schools for 22 years. She graduated from Coeur d'Alene High School and has lived in North Idaho nearly all her life.
Victoria's interest in health care began at the young age of 13 when she volunteered as a Candy Striper/Teen Volunteer at Kootenai Medical Center. That early introduction to community health gave rise to the motto she lives by today: "Provide high-quality holistic care with an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention."
When Victoria first joined our district, there were only two full-time school nurses and two part-time school nurses covering all schools. At one point, she was going to a different school each day of the week! Now the district has 11 full-time school nurses and two part-time school nurses. Victoria splits her time between Hayden Meadows and Dalton elementary schools. She is a strong supporter of our district staff and hopes our district soon will have a school nurse in every school, all day, every day.
Another goal of Victoria's is to develop a wellness program for staff. "Our staff is what holds our District together," she said. "If we don't have healthy teachers, who will teach our children?" That's one of the reasons Victoria has worked so diligently to arrange opportunities for District employees to receive flu shots and COVID-19 boosters in their workplaces.
While promoting health and safety is central to school nursing, Victoria also focuses on caring for the individual health needs of students. In 2012, she received the Numerica School Champion Award for Exceptional Commitment to students after being nominated by then 2nd grade Ramsey student Carson Magee. Carson, a 2021 graduate of CHS, received daily care from his school nurse and is a fine example of how school nurses contribute to the success of students.
As a passionate advocate for her students, Victoria would like to share the following message with parents of students with health conditions:
"I'm a medical educator for your children, and my job is to educate your children about their medical condition and to teach them how to manage it. All children learn reading, writing, math, social studies and science in school. Your child has an extra subject to learn. Just like with other subjects, the learning doesn't stop when your child leaves the school grounds; it continues at home. Together we will teach your child to manage their condition and to live a healthy, normal life."
In her free time, Victoria enjoys spending time on the Oregon coast with her husband, whitewater rafting on Idaho's beautiful wild and scenic rivers, and dining out in some of our amazing local restaurants. To help maintain her own health and wellness, she rows racing shells as a member of the Coeur d 'Alene Rowing Association. When she's not exercising on the water, you can find her running along any number of our community trails. Her accomplishments also include completing five full Ironman Triathlon races and over 100 races of small distances.
Leanne Bullamore is our new Health Services Coordinator. She hopes to raise community awareness about School Nursing, a specialty within the nursing profession. School nurses are essential to sustaining a safe and healthy learning environment as they strive to help students be in an optimal condition to learn.
Bonus pay increased for substitute teachers
Substitute teachers in our District who work 15 or more days in a calendar month are now eligible for a $150 bonus for that month. That's up from the previous bonus of $100.
Subs can earn $110 a day, and the daily rate increases to $120 after working 10 consecutive full days. Learn more about substitute teaching opportunities at cdaschools.org/subs.
Workshop aims to help parents talk with their children about difficult topics
Need some help on how to talk with your children about difficult topics?
Panhandle Health District will host "Families Talking Together," a 90-minute workshop for parents and guardians of youth ages 10-14. The workshop will be Wednesday, Nov. 2, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at PHD, 8500 Atlas Road, Hayden.
This workshop is for adults only and will cover topics such as healthy relationships and "the birds and the bees." It will touch on:
- Communication techniques
- Creating quality relationships
- Monitoring strategies
- Setting boundaries
Register HERE.
Let's keep the focus on attending school every day!
Addressing chronic absence is a key component of improving graduation rates, increasing academic achievement and giving young people the best chance at success in their adult life.
Celebrations
Elementary strings teacher, Sorensen Magnet School receive Governor's Awards in the Arts
Gov. Brad Little and First Lady Teresa Little have selected the recipients of the 2022 Governor’s Awards in the Arts. We are happy to share that one of our teachers and one of our schools each were recognized with a Governor's Award in the Arts.
Kristina Phillips, our 5th grade strings teacher, received the Governor's Support of Arts Education award. Mrs. Phillips is teaching strings to 175 of our 5th graders at 11 elementary schools.
Sorensen Magnet School of the Arts and Humanities received the Governor's Innovation in the Arts award. Sorensen is a school where students learn core knowledge through the fabric of the arts and humanities.
The biennial awards, established in 1970 by the Idaho Commission on the Arts, bring recognition to Idaho’s exceptional artists, arts organizations and arts supporters. Awardees are Idaho residents who have made significant contributions to the cultural life of Idaho and to the arts, through their creative accomplishments or distinguished service.
T-Wolves, Vikings named Academic State Champions
The Idaho High School Activities Association has announced the 2022 fall sports Academic State Champions. This award is presented to the varsity team in each classification that achieves the highest cumulative grade point average.
We are proud to share that the Lake City High School Boys Swim Team and the Coeur d’Alene High School Boys Cross Country Team both won academic state titles in their sports! Congratulations to these student-athletes for their academic achievement and commitment to excellence through activities.
Our Lake City High School Academic State Champs
From left, Donovan Harrington, Quade Castaneda, Benjamin Linford, Steven Griffith, Elijah Brown, Zach Linford, and Mason Bentley.
Our Coeur d'Alene High School Academic State Champs
From left, Mitchell Rietze, Kyle Rohlinger, Zackery Cervi-Skinner, Jacob King, Lachlan May, Brayden Osterdock, Levi Bird, and Max Cervi-Skinner.
Meet our Teachers of the Month
Elementary: Jacquie Mercer, Ramsey Magnet School
The September Elementary Teacher of the Month Award went to Jacquie Mercer, second grade teacher at Ramsey Magnet School of Science. She was recognized for the endless amount of time, effort and love she puts into teaching at Ramsey. Ms. Mercer gets to know her students thoroughly and what motivates each one. She has the biggest heart, and her students know she truly loves them. She promotes growth in herself and her colleagues, and we are fortunate to have her as part of the District 271 family.
Sponsored by Coeur d'Alene Regional Chamber Education Committee and Northwest Specialty Hospital
Middle School: Keri Carter, Canfield Middle School
The September Middle School Teacher of the Month is Keri Carter, health teacher at Canfield Middle School, who has taught Health Education since 1995. In nominating her for this honor, one of her colleagues wrote, "Keri has taken on so much more with the athletic director position in addition to guiding staff development and Sources of Strength. She is always positive and willing to step up and help in any way possible."
Sponsored by Panhandle Kiwanis Club
High school: Zach Russell, Coeur d'Alene High School
The September High School Teacher of the Month is Zach Russell, Engineering Technology and Shop instructor at Coeur d'Alene High School. Mr. Russell revived the dormant shop program at CHS, allowing students to be immersed in all phases of project-based learning, including safety, planning and using an array of traditional and technology-based tools. "A champion of rigor, relevance and relationships, Zach has earned the admiration and respect of the entire Viking community," CHS Principal Mike Randles said.
Sponsored by Panhandle Kiwanis Club
Two teachers honored in Mayor's Awards in the Arts
Congratulations to Coeur d'Alene High School Instrumental Music Director Jim Phillips and Bryan Elementary School art teacher Deborah Loy-Linde for being honored at the 26th Annual Mayor's Awards in the Arts earlier this month. Mr. Phillips received the Excellence in the Arts Award and Ms. Loy-Linde received the Arts in Education Award. In addition, the Support of the Arts Award winner was Trigger Weddle, and the Student Excellence in the Arts Award winner was Abigail Stephens.
Photo courtesty of The Coeur d'Alene Press
'Growing Up Montana' a collaboration between LCHS teacher and her students
Lake City High School reading teacher and instructional coach Shelly Blank wrote a book in collaboration with many of her students, and it has been published! The memoir portrays life growing up in Montana in the 1970s and 80s.
She began writing “Growing Up Montana” after sharing an essay (that became a chapter) with her students. “My original intentions or learning goals were to gain not only student perspective and feedback, but to model productive struggle and create a safer learning community,” the author explained. “I wanted my students to see that I could relate to their learning intentions and the result of honest critique and feedback.”
When the pandemic hit, Ms. Blank continued to write and share chapters, which helped facilitate continued reading and connection with her students. “They also provided meaningful feedback and encouragement. This resulted in a real exchange of thought on the part of students and myself. I believe it was one of the most beneficial learning experiences my students had in our class as their feedback was overwhelmingly positive, not just about the book and the content, but about the level of vulnerability I displayed as a teacher and co-learner.”
The process helped her students feel safe to share their learning struggles, and helped them to see the benefits of perseverance in gaining understanding, she said.
The Well-Read Moose will host an author night for Shelly Blank on Nov. 11 from 6-7 PM.
Coats for Kids collection ends Monday; distribution of winter clothing ends Nov. 11
The annual Coats 4 Kids drive ends Monday, Oct. 31. If you have new or gently used winter coats, hats, gloves, mittens, scarves, snow pants or snow boots (accepting all sizes, infants to adults), here's where to donate:
Coeur d'Alene School District central office, 1400 N. Northwood Center Court, Cd'A
Coeur d'Alene High School, 5530 N. Fourth Street, Cd'A (Sponsored by Sources of Strength)
Tomlinson Sotheby's, 223 E. Sherman Ave., Cd'A
Albertson's-Prairie, 161 W. Prairie Ave., Hayden
Albertson's Ironwood, 220 Ironwood Dr. Cd'A
Safeway-4th, 1001 N. 4th Street, Cd'A
Safeway-Neider, 101 W. Neider Ave., Cd'A
Great Floors, 3800 Government Way, Cd'A
Global Credit Union, 20 E. Neider Ave., Cd'A
Global Credit Union, 3640 E. Seltice Way, Post Falls
DISTRIBUTION OF COATS: Now through November 11
Second Chance Ministries
405 N. 2nd St., Cd'A
Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Christ the King Lutheran Church
1700 E. Pennsylvania, Cd'A
Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
November School Board Meeting
The Board of Trustees will meet Monday, November 7, at 5 PM at the Midtown Meeting Center, 1505 N. 5th Street. This is the Board's regular monthly meeting.
Meeting agendas are available on our District website under the School Board tab. The meetings will be streamed live on the District's YouTube channel.