Summer Updates!
May 2023
Congratulations To The Class of 2023!
As we wrap up the school year, we want give a #D91PROUD shout-out to all our D91 graduates!
This year, Idaho Falls School District 91 is graduating about 700 students, including 94 with Summa Cum Laude honors, 26 with Magna Cum Laude honors and 60 with Cum Laude honors. In addition, we have a eight seniors who are graduating with an Associate’s Degree from the College of Eastern Idaho, 155 students who will receive an Idaho CTE diploma, as well as their high school diploma, and 22 students who will receive the Idaho Seal of Biliteracy on their high school diplomas.
Students earned thousands of college credits through AP and dual enrollment class, as well as industry certifications through our Career Technical Education program. The Class of 2023 also includes a Presidential Scholar, National Merit Scholarship Finalists, State Champion athletes and musicians and more. And, students earned hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships. We are #D91Proud!
LaOrange Selected As New D91 Superintendent
The Board of Trustees has named Karla LaOrange as the new superintendent for Idaho Falls School District 91.
Karla has most recently served as Program Director and Department Chair of BYU-Idaho’s Elementary Education program. Before joining BYU-Idaho, she was a teacher and administrator in Idaho Falls School District 91 for more than 20 years.
Karla served as D91’s Director of Elementary Education from 2007-2011, as Director of Personnel from 2006-2007, as a principal at Linden Park Elementary School from 1998-2006 and as a head teacher at Osgood Elementary School, an assistant principal at Sunnyside Elementary School, a gifted and talented facilitator and as a teacher at Dora Erickson Elementary School in the years before that.
Karla is a proud graduate of Idaho Falls High School.
“We are excited to welcome Karla LaOrange to D91. Karla has an impressive depth of knowledge and years of experience in education that will serve the district well,” District 91 Board Chair Hillary Radcliffe said. “It is clear that her focus on increasing student achievement for all students will be an asset.”
We wish Jim Shank all the best as he retires from education in Idaho! He plans to move to Washington to be closer to family and will serve as superintendent of the North Beach School District.
Congrats To The Grizz!
Planning For Next Year?
Wondering when school starts this fall or when Thanksgiving Break is? Check out the 2023-24 Calendar!
We are #D91Proud!
D91 Patrons Approve Levy For New School
Thank you to all the D91 parents and patrons who supported the D91 Facilities Election earlier this month. Almost 70 percent of D91’s voters voted in favor of the School Plant Facilities Reserve Fund Levy. The levy will generate $3.3 million a year for 10 years, which will be used to build a new elementary school on Idaho Falls’ south side.
Now that the levy has been approved, the Board of Trustees will get to work on the new school. The board is expected to issue a Request For Qualifications soon to secure an architect and a contractor. The board also must decide where the new school will be built. The district owns two parcels of land on the south side of Idaho Falls, one on the corner of 65th and Holmes, and the other further west on 65th by the old York Grange.
Watch for more updates and information on this project in the coming weeks and months.
Looking For ISAT Scores?
Every spring, students in certain grades across Idaho take the Idaho Standards Achievement Test or ISAT. It is part of the state’s comprehensive assessment system that tracks students’ progress in key subjects like math, English Language Arts and Science.
We’ll be sending ISAT score reports home with elementary students this week. If you have a child in middle school or high school, you will be able to access those scores in PowerSchool by logging into your PowerSchool account and clicking on the Test Results tab on the left-hand side of the page.
If you have questions about your child’s ELA or Math score report, review the Understanding Your Student’s Scores guide, which breaks the report down into easy-to-read sections.
There is also a Science score report.
Important Dates:
- May 26: Last Day of School. All schools will dismiss 90 minutes early
- May 29: Memorial Day
- June 14: Annual D91 Budget Meeting, 5 pm, IFHS Library
- June 14: Board Business Meeting, 5:30 pm, IFHS Library
- June 27: Board Work Session, 4 pm, IFHS Library
- July 4: Independence Day!
- Aug. 28: First Day of School for Grades K-9
- Aug. 29: First Day of School for Grades 10-12
D91 Providing Meals This Summer
Idaho Falls School District 91 will be providing children with free meals all summer in Kate Curley Park. The meals will be served to children under 18 years old from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, June 5-August 11. (Meals will not be served on July 3 & 4.)
D91 is also planning some fun activities in the park on some of the free lunch days. The district’s Biblioburro will be there some days to give away books and encourage children to keep reading over the summer. Students will also take part in a nature walk and do math outdoors, and also learn about cooking and reading recipes during the summer.
In addition to the free meals at Kate Curley Park, breakfast and lunch will be available at Dora Erickson and Ethel Boyes elementary schools from July 24 to Aug. 11. Breakfast will be served from 8 to 8:30 am. Lunch will be served from Noon to 12:30 pm. Any child under the age of 18 can take advantage of these free meals. Enjoy!Board Adopts New ELA, World Language Curricula
The Board of Trustees has adopted a new English Language Arts Curriculum for K-6 and a new World Language Curriculum for Spanish, German and French Courses. The adoptions were finalized at the May business meeting after extensive review and input from parents and staff.
The new English Language Arts curriculum is Amplify CKLA for K-5 and Amplify ELA for grade 6. The new curriculum will be implemented beginning in the Fall of 2023 with extensive professional development for teachers in August. The world language curriculum that has been adopted is called the World Language Curriculum, which also will be implemented beginning in the fall of 2023.
Thank you to all the teachers, administrators and parents who sat on committees, attended Open Houses and provided input and feedback during this adoption process. We appreciate it!
It’s Not Too Late!
Enjoy 4th of July W/D91!
Support The D91 Ed Foundation!
Congratulations to Ed Foundation Scholarship Winners!
Through its partnerships with local organizations, the D91 Education Foundation this year gave away more than $40,000 in scholarships to D91 graduating seniors.
The lucky recipients of this year’s scholarships are:
Heart of D91 Scholarship: funded by the D91 Ed Foundation’s annual Heart of Idaho Century Ride: Sascha Mai and Sydnie Stenquist of Idaho Falls, and Kara Reed of Compass Academy.
Odd Fellows Scholarship: Sasha Mai of Idaho Falls and Gabi Means of Compass Academy
Go Tigers! Scholarship: Alexander Lui
William J and Shirly A Maeck Family Foundation Scholarships: Kaitlin Nielsen, Rylie Marsden, Sascha Mai, Carlie Livingston, Brooklyn Roberts and Christian Plank of Idaho Falls High School; Abrahn Silverio, Emma Grow, Brandt Moon, Rebecca Johnson, Delaney Mecham, Daria Hathaway, Timothy Dekold, Madilyn McCall and Jasmine Palacios of Skyline High School; and Brooklyn Richards, Jaqueline Martinez, Gabi Means, Caroline Davis, Brittni Billman, Kotter Lybbert and Brigs Wray of Compass Academy.
Congratulations to all our scholarship winners! We wish you all the best in whatever you do next. And, if you’d like to support the D91 Ed Foundation or it’s scholarship programs, you can easily donate online.
Mark Your Calendar for Just Ride Idaho on June 17
The D91 Education Foundation is really excited to be involved in this year’s Just Ride Idaho Summer Safety Event on Saturday, June 17, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Melaleuca Field. This great family affair will include a bike rodeo, bike mechanics, a giveaway of 400 bicycle helmets, a hamburger and hotdog cookout and a D91 Ed Foundation Family Ride.
The D91 Ed Foundation Family Ride will be led by local celebrities, and will feature a couple of Chukars ballplayers. The 4-mile ride will run from Melaleuca Field to Freeman Park, and then back to Melaleuca Field. Learn more.
A huge shoutout to Just Ride Idaho's primary sponsors: Teton Toyota, Idaho Mountain Trading, Idaho Falls Community Hospital and United Way. Thanks for your support of the D91 Education Foundation!