ELEVATING EDUCATION AT BLAINE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT | |
WELCOME TO BLAINE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT | |
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Welcome to The Summit, the Blaine County School District newsletter that’s designed to keep you informed of the latest happenings in our schools.
The Board of Trustees wants to hear from you! Please submit your public comments here.
Para ver este boletín en español, pulse aquí.
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SCHOOL BOARD NEWS - Focusing on Student Achievement | |
Photo courtesy of Kiley Hoefer | |
Welcome Back to School!
The Blaine County School District Board of Trustees would like to welcome back all of our students, staff, and families. We are very excited for the beginning of another school year.
BCSD staff started the school year with additional professional development training in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). PBIS skills support positive student mental health and behaviors, while PLCs provide a disciplined, collaborative structure for educators to have the greatest impact on student achievement. PBIS and PLCs are critical ingredients in the district's "recipe" for student success.
The Board of Trustees is committed to the district's 5-Year Strategic Plan. Board decisions are made with student achievement top of mind, while striving to keep a balanced budget.
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Board of Trustees (clockwise): Vice Chair Dan Turner, Chair Lara Stone, Blanca Romero and Amber Perkes. | |
Time is running out - Applications are due by tonight at 5:00pm
Join us in shaping the future by applying to be on the school board! As a board member, you'll have the opportunity to participate in key decisions that impact our students, teachers, and schools. Your voice and vision can help create a positive learning environment to help all students in Blaine County public schools succeed at the highest level.
Submit your Application and resume/personal statement by Wednesday, September 4 at 5pm to clerk@blaineschools.org. Applicants must be 18 or older and eligible to vote. Applicants must live in Zone 3 of Blaine County.
A new trustee will be selected at the September 10 regular board meeting. Learn more...
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STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT - Attendance Matters | |
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“School attendance is really important. It makes a difference for all students and contributes to academic achievement.”
Adam Johnson, BCSD Asst. Superintendent
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Attendance is Key to Student Success
Did you know that student absenteeism has increased 43% since the pandemic? In Blaine County School District, 24% of students are missing more than 10% days each school year, which is considered chronically absent.
This is a big deal – at every grade level...By 6th grade, chronic absence is a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school. However, on the bright side, when students improve attendance, they do better academically and are more likely to graduate.
Most would be surprised to learn that Blaine County absenteeism rates (24%) are higher than statewide absenteeism of 17%...Absences for any reason, including sick time, vacation days, and doctor appointments, add up and can easily turn into a month of school lost. Read more...
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COMMUNITY PARTNERS - ARCH Community Housing Trust | |
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“It’s so great that the school district and ARCH are developing affordable housing for employees - it’s keeping us here.”
-Will Wulf, BCSD Administrative Assistant in Finance
Photo courtesy of Kiley Hoefer
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New Homes for the New School Year
Interested in a positive story about housing in the Wood River Valley? Here it is: in early August, Blaine County School District employees moved into their new affordable homes.
“It’s been life changing. It also makes us feel really valued as employees of the school district,” said Will Wulf, Administrative Assistant in Finance for Blaine County School District. He moved into one of the houses with Cam Patrick, a paraprofessional at Alturas Elementary. The duo moved to the area from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where they also experienced high housing costs, which was one reason for moving.
Read more...
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Hear Superintendent Foudy's recent quote in a report for NPR's All Things Considered: As more schools ban cell phones, this is how it’s working at one Colorado school.
Image generated by ChatGPT
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BCSD Cell Phone Ban Goes Viral
Blaine County School District was one of the first districts in the state to consistently implement a district-wide cell phone ban in schools to increase student engagement and reduce mental health issues. Thanks to our incredible staff, the implementation went exceedingly well!
Boise State's Morning Edition on NPR picked up the story in August 2023 and ran an interview twice before school started last year. This caught the attention of other school districts. Today, the largest districts in Idaho, Boise School District, West Ada and Twin Falls are all implementing policies similar to ours.
Superintendent Foudy proudly presented to the Idaho Association of School Administrators this summer, and now another ten school districts are planning to adopt a similar policy. Last spring, he was interviewed by Emily Cherkin, the author of Screentime Solution. She is interested in the Seattle Public School District following suit.
Our educators' diligence and attention to this issue may now be impacting over 100,000 students and their families.
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"Our mission is to support Blaine County’s youth and families by fostering safe digital habits and promoting mental wellness."
Nina Tooley, 5B Digital Wellness Network volunteer
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Join 5B Digital Wellness Network
The 5B Digital Wellness Network (5BDWN) is a grassroots organization based in the Wood River Valley, made up of teachers, parents, school board members, health professionals, non-profit leaders, and other community members and partners.
5BDWN is working to support Blaine County’s youth and families by promoting safe digital habits and mental wellness. The goal is to empower our community with the tools to thrive offline and online, prioritizing healthy connection and balanced tech use.
5BDWN welcomes anyone who shares a commitment to building a healthier digital culture in Blaine County to join the effort. Sign up here to learn more.
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Photo courtesy of Kiley Hoefer | |
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Share Your Photos
We are excited to announce a new initiative to celebrate and document the vibrant life of our school community. We invite you to share any photos you have of our school, students, classroom activities, school events, or the local area. Your snapshots will help us capture and showcase the unique spirit and memorable moments that make our public schools in Blaine County special.
Please submit your photos to our dedicated Google Drive link, or email photos to the school board clerk at clerk@blaineschools.org.
Your contributions may be featured in our school websites, publications, and social media, helping to create a rich visual history for everyone to enjoy.
Thank you for your participation and support!
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Student Engagement
BCSD Employee Housing
Other
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To subscribe to The Summit newsletter, email the school board clerk at clerk@blaineschools.org.
Do you have a story about our Blaine County public schools that you'd like to see in The Summit newsletter? Please submit your story here.
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