Caldwell School District Update

en español

Dear Caldwell Families,

We are pleased to announce that starting next school year, our elementary school students from Farmway Village will be attending a new school. For many years elementary students have attended either Lewis & Clark or Wilson Elementary Schools. Next year, elementary students living at Farmway Village will attend Sacajawea Elementary School. In addition, the middle school students from Farmway Village will attend Syringa Middle School. We are grateful for our Farmway Village families for providing valuable feedback.

In making this decision, we reflected on two of our values:

• Making student centered decisions
• Building family and community partnerships

We believe this decision supports our commitment to ensure students are at the center of every decision we make and to working in partnership with children and their families.

Students at Syringa Middle School participate in PAWS (Panthers Achieving With Support) where each student participates in tutoring, enrichment, or life skills activities.

"This is time for students to complete school work, learn new concepts and hobbies, and develop and strengthen existing skills," said Heather Ehlschide, Principal at Syringa Middle School. "This takes a lot of support from staff, but it has been very beneficial for our students."

Board Strategic Pillar: Making student-centered decisions. We ensure students are at the center of every decision we make as evidenced by allowing students to share in decisions, believing in their capacity to lead, and remembering how it feels to learn.

Caldwell High School has also been focusing on student enrichment opportunities, specifically in mathematics. Ensuring the development of math competence during high school is essential to later learning success. Staff at Caldwell High School have been focused on identifying specific student needs using progress-monitoring measures and using evidence-based interventions to support their learning.

"Students are getting well rounded math concepts, because they are getting exposure to multiple teachers and getting use to going into other classrooms to use different sources of information," said Chantel Kelly, Vice Principal at CHS.

Implementing this type of system is especially challenging for high schools, so Caldwell High School is unique is this way. They have worked as a staff to be creative and flexible in order to make this work in their system.

Board Strategic Pillar: Making student-centered decisions. We ensure students are at the center of every decision we make as evidenced by allowing students to share in decisions, believing in their capacity to lead, and remembering how it feels to learn.

Earlier this month, the Jefferson Middle School Academic Bowl Team was named the 2023-2024 District Champions. This is their second championship in the past three years. Students and advisors were elated when they were announced District Champions.

"This group of students really came together and cared about the team, which was a big part of our success this season," said Michael Saunders, JMS Academic Bowl Advisor.

We would also like to recognize Syringa Middle School's Academic Bowl Team who placed second during the final competition and 4th overall this season.

"The amount of effort each student put in on their own time was amazing," said Dr. Melyssa Ferro, SMS Academic Bowl Advisor. "The sheer volume of incredible scholars we have here at Syringa to prepare for these competitions was inspiring to watch."

Congratulations to our Academic Bowl Teams on their record breaking season. Go Cougars!

Board Strategic Pillar: Inspiring Student Growth & Achievement

Earlier this year, Wilson Elementary School revamped their playground expectations to improve recess time for all children.

Adding structure and organization while keeping interactive play and joyful learning at the forefront, the PAWstive Playground was created. The playground is now divided into different sections to include soccer games, jump rope and hula hoop, free zone, and tetherball. After providing clear and consistent expectations on the playground, student interactions have improved and students are learning to solve problems when they arise.

"Students now enter the building after recess ready to learn," said Tabby Bruegeman, Principal at Wilson Elementary School. "It helps make a mental shift for students as they come in from recess ready to continue learning."

Board Strategic Pillar: Creating a caring, supportive learning environment where all students can grow academically, emotionally, and socially. We strive to meet the individual needs of every student and provide a positive learning environment which nurtures each student's desire to be successful physically, intellectually, and socially.

If and when you can, use handrails or guardrails, whenever you are walking up or down stairs. It is important to keep your hands free just in case you happen to slip or fall to help better brace yourself and to prevent serious injuries. Make sure to always pay attention and be aware of your surroundings and what you are walking on or near.

Slips, trips, and falls are the top three causes for work related injuries and the top for at home injuries.

Board Strategic Pillar: Safe & Supportive Schools

Idaho students in elementary school through college now have free 24/7 access to LearningExpress' robust set of tools and resources through the lili.org platform, provided by the Idaho Commission for Libraries. LearningExpress provides a variety of practices, videos and microlessons with categories in multiple modules to help students practice and refine skills.

All materials are aligned with Common Core State Standards. Older students will find skills for improvement in mathematics, English language arts and more, as well as resources for preparation for college placement, graduate school admission exams and more. Follow the link at the button below to explore what's available on the lili.org platform:

Following a two year testing pilot, College Board has announced that the Standardized Achievement Test (SAT) will be offered 100 percent online for all test-takers going forward.

Though Idaho has made the SAT exam optional, students who do plan to use the SAT exam for college admissions will now encounter this new format. Students must register to take the exam and will need to sign up 30 days in advance if they need to borrow a device from the College Board. Parents and students can learn more about borrowing devices for the digital exam here. Learn more about the change to full digital administration at the button below:

The Youth Resource & Opportunity Collaborative, or YouthROC, helps when youth need it most. YouthROC is your single point of contact for teens and preteens struggling at home, school, or in the community. Whether it’s basic needs such as food scarcity or other serious life issues such as a mental health crisis, physical safety, or trauma, simply apply now to connect with the resources you need to get back on track.

According to Southwest District Health, the number of people reported with pertussis in southwest Idaho during the first two months of this year has recently spiked. Cases include a newborn hospitalized for the infection, as well as cases from spread in a school, several households, and community settings.

Public health officials are urging pregnant women and those who come in contact with young children, including their families, to get vaccinated against pertussis (also known as whooping cough).

Pertussis can cause serious illness in people of all ages but is most dangerous for babies. About one in eight infants with pertussis get pneumonia. About one in 100 infected infants will have convulsions. In rare cases, pertussis can be deadly, especially in infants less than 1 year of age. Many infants are infected by older siblings, parents, or other caregivers who might not know they have pertussis because early symptoms are similar to a cold and some symptoms are like allergic bronchitis.

The McKinney-Vento program aims to provide support and assistance to families experiencing housing instability, ensuring that your child has access to a quality education and necessary resources despite challenging circumstances.

Your participation in this survey is vital in helping us identify families who may qualify for assistance under the McKinney-Vento program. The information gathered will remain confidential and will only be used for the purpose of determining eligibility for this program.

If your living situation has changed since you initially enrolled your child this school year, we kindly request you complete the Families in Transition survey at your earliest convenience to determine eligibility.

If you have any questions or need assistance in completing the survey, please contact Rosa Olvera at (208) 455-3300 or email raolvera@caldwellschools.org.

Below are a few dates for upcoming community events happening in the Caldwell School District.

Caldwell School District cares about the health and safety of students and families in our communities. Each school has a full-time nurse or health aide and counselor on staff. We also offer a wide variety of health screenings and services throughout each school year. Click the link below to view the list of services.

Destination Education is a weekly video series highlighting students and staff from around the District. Each week this segment will bring you fun and exciting news stories. You will not only hear from administrators and educators during this weekly series, but from students as well. The videos will be posted to the Caldwell School District Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube pages every Sunday during the school year.

The Caldwell School District strategic planning framework is comprised of six areas of focus: Safe & Supportive Schools, Community Engagement, Inspiring Student Growth & Achievement, Stewarding Valued Resources, Empowering College & Career Readiness, and Ensuring Quality Instruction.

Vision:

Destination Education

Mission Statement:

Nurturing growth, eliminating obstacles, strengthening the community.

Committed to Caldwell School District's mission, vision, and values to ensure equity and access for all students.

Email: nfrench@caldwellschools.org
Website: www.caldwellschools.org
Location: 1502 Fillmore Street, Caldwell, ID, USA
Phone: (208) 455-3300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caldwellschools.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caldwellschooldistrict/
Twitter: @CSD132Sup