Wilder School District News

🩷 February is Black History Month

🧡 February 7 - FAFSA Night @ Wilder High School

💛 February 8 - FAFSA Night @ IFRA Campus

💚 February 14th - Valentine's Day

🩵 February 19 - No School President's Day

🏀 See the athletics schedule at wilderschools.org

Ms. Moreland was born and raised on the sunny beaches of Southern California. She moved to Idaho, where she has developed and launched truancy programs for four Idaho school districts. Kelly is currently working as a Truancy Officer/Advisor for the Wilder Wildcats. In her "off" time, she enjoys hanging out with her grandson and doing just about anything that involves being outside in the sunshine.

💪🏽 A Message From Ms. Moreland 💪🏽

For many years, I have been deeply passionate about attendance data and fostering a positive attitude toward daily school attendance, particularly in assisting families and students facing challenges in this area. My strong desire is to compassionately support those struggling to attend school regularly. I firmly believe, supported by data, that consistent school attendance significantly influences student achievement, increasing the likelihood of earning a high school diploma and potentially pursuing a college degree. Moreover, regular attendance helps students develop crucial social skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. I am eager to connect with the families in the Wilder community, aiming to make a positive impact on our students' daily attendance habits.

Exciting news, everyone! We've got some fantastic updates to share about our menu and the wonderful team at the cafeteria. Join us in welcoming back a familiar face, the incredible Samantha Unger Brennan, who previously served as Wilder's Food Service Director. She's returned to help us navigate some exciting changes in our food service department.

For all our on-campus parents and students, we want to remind you that a delicious breakfast is now being served before school in the Mercer cafeteria. Mid/High parents, drop your kids off there so they can start their day with a hearty meal before heading to class. We can't wait to savor that crumb cake next Wednesday! 🌟🍽️

Please see wilderschools.org/dining for up-to-date menu information.

Amidst the winter storms this year, our on-campus teachers and students transitioned to virtual learning days. It was an educational experience for all of us! The middle school team, in particular, demonstrated exceptional efforts in connecting with their students. Mrs. Carrier utilized Google Classroom and Google Meets for her advisory, fostering both academic and social connections. Mrs. Felder introduced an element of play, assigning students to construct snowmen resembling historical figures. Over in the elementary school, Mrs. Warren reached out to families through ParentSquare, sharing instructional videos translated into Spanish. We extend our gratitude to the teachers, students, and families for their flexibility and resilience during this period. Your dedication to adjusting to virtual learning has not only made a positive impact but, more importantly, we are grateful that it allowed us to prioritize the safety of our staff and students.

If you haven't already, check out this great resource IFRA Counselor, Mrs. Loera, created.

Counselor Corner Newsletter.

High School Seniors, are you interested in going to college? Do you need financial aid? Join us next week to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). There will be bilingual support. Contact your advisor to learn what documents you need to bring.

February 7th at Wilder High School Media Center or for our virtual students, join us on February 8th at the IFRA Nampa Campus.

As the Middle School Boy's Basketball season kicks off, the team started with a strong and determined spirit to achieve their collective goals. With a total of 27 players this season, an additional third team has been introduced. The players are exhibiting great passion for the sport, actively supporting and motivating each other during both practices and games. Despite the unexpected outcomes in the two games against Glenn's Ferry and Liberty, the team demonstrated resilience and finished the matches on a high note. As the season progresses, the focus is on nurturing the players' skills, paving the way for improvement in upcoming games.

~ Coach Flo

The year has not gone as expected, but our team has demonstrated a noticeable improvement overall. Despite the boys being quite young, we have been competing against more seasoned opponents. We have lost a few tough close games, but we've also managed some victories. The team is learning how to compete together and they consistently put in commendable effort. We have a few games left in the season. Make sure to come out and support our basketball team.

Looking ahead, the district tournament starts in mid-February.

~ Coach Lopez

Both the girl's JV and varsity teams finished regular season play this past Saturday against the Idaho City Wildcats. The JV team struggled with a young crew and was only able to secure two wins this season. However, as coaches, we witnessed significant improvement in all of our players, with some contributing valuable minutes to the varsity team. Next season looks very promising.

The varsity team experienced its share of difficulties with players being absent at different times throughout the season. Despite this, they finished strong with a victory in the last game of the regular season, securing 4th place in the conference. In that game, the varsity team was down by 10 points with about six minutes to go, but they fought hard, and with the great crowd cheering us on, we were able to secure the win.

The district tournament is in progress now. Come out and support our girls.

~ Coach Johnny

Get in touch with Coach Vanessa Hernandez to order a Valentine's Gram. The cheer team will deliver to the Wilder School District and COSSA campuses only. vhernandez@wilderschools.org

It has been a while since our last newsletter, and since then, we had a great Winter Break, some virtual days, and we are now well into the second half of the school year. As we continue our dedicated focus on your student's academic success, I want to emphasize the importance of consistent school attendance. We know students get sick, so it is important to save absences for those hopefully rare days.

Lastly, when we closed out our school spirit sale, we had some extra items available for sale. See the attached picture for available items and price. Supplies are limited. If you'd like to purchase an item, please see Ms. Golden at the front desk.

As always, if you have any questions or comments for me, please don't hesitate to call or email me.

~ Dr. Zamora

Wilder Middle School has recently undergone an important transformation by adapting its personalized educational model to a hybrid approach. This shift not only aligns with the district's strategic plan but also ensures continuity between elementary and middle school education. The middle school's commitment to personalized instruction remains intact, now complemented by targeted teaching during rotations. Students must meet personalized levels before progressing to the next stage, fostering a thorough understanding of each subject.

A key feature of the hybrid model is more frequent and targeted collaboration between teachers and mentors, aiming to build stronger student self-efficacy. This approach empowers students to take more risks and actively participate as co-authors of their learning journey. Some students have already expressed appreciation for the flexibility, with one noting, "I like that I can get into all the classes I need to so I can keep up my pace."

In addition to academic advancements, Wilder Middle/High School has been actively engaged in various events. The Winter Dance, hosted by the sophomore class on January 26th, brought students together for an enjoyable evening. Looking ahead, the school is gearing up for FAFSA Night on February 7th, offering translation services and pizza for all attendees.

Excitingly, the school has received a $6,400 Ag Cattle Grant, enabling the purchase of a cow and pig ear simulator. This equipment will allow students to practice essential skills such as tagging and notching ears, artificial insemination, and pregnancy checking in cattle. These practical experiences align with real-world demands in the cattle industry, providing students with a competitive edge in future employment.

As National FFA week approaches from February 19th to the 23rd, Wilder Middle/High School continues to foster a rich and diverse educational experience for its students. Stay tuned for more updates and news from our dedicated team at Wilder Middle/High School.

~Principal Lindsey

I hope you are having a great start of the second semester! One recent and awesome update to our school is the addition of Mrs. Lily Jones as our IFRA Student Engagement Specialist. Ms. Moreland, our past specialist, is still with Wilder Schools, but in a new role. Mrs. Jones comes to us with some great experiences and amazing energy! When you call the school, you'll likely be talking to her, and you will see emails from her as she plans our school events.

One other exciting IFRA update is our mascot. As you know from past emails, our school mascot is now the Coyote. To help celebrate and show off our school spirit, we are working with a graphic designer to create an awesome logo that we'll be able to use to create our own school spirit gear. We hope that in the next couple of months we'll be unveiling our Coyote to you!

If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

~ Dr. Zamora

Dear Wilder School District community,

I would like to take this opportunity to share some important information regarding our decisions concerning "snow days" and "virtual learning" days.

Historically, when weather conditions become unsafe for school bus transportation, districts often announce "no school" days. It's worth noting that even on these days, districts are obligated to compensate staff for fulfilling their contractual duties, even when not on campus. In the case of the Wilder School District, a "no school" snow day would incur a payroll cost for all staff of $16,073.

Looking ahead to 2024, we have made significant strides in building a robust technology infrastructure and expanding technology access for both our staff and students over the past decade. One of the key principles of the Wilder School District is to provide students with access to learning 24/7, 365 days a year. This does not mean that students are required to attend school year-round, but it does mean that they have the right and opportunity to learn year-round.

In the Wilder School District, we are committed to offering a rigorous learning experience. Students are expected to demonstrate their understanding of the content daily before moving on to the next assignment. This approach means that if a student misses a day of school, their assignments will be waiting for them when they return.

Furthermore, with our ability to work virtually, both students and staff have the means to continue learning and teaching, even when we cannot be on campus. By doing so, we are not only preventing students from falling behind but also ensuring that our dedicated staff can fulfill their responsibilities on the days when physical presence on campus may not be possible.

We appreciate your understanding and support as we adapt to these changing educational dynamics. Together, we can continue to provide a high-quality education for our students, regardless of the challenges that weather may pose.

Thank you for your commitment to the Wilder School District.

~ Dr. Jeff Dillon