Utilization Options

A top priority for the Board continues to be identifying a long-term solution for the Career Technical Education Center (CTEC). The Board is committed to sustaining the program at CTEC. The CTEC building has been leased using COVID funds for the past five years. That lease expires in December 2026. Beginning in January 2027, the district will assume the cost of monthly rent payments. The Board has also asked the district to examine areas of underutilization, buildings that are below or significantly below maximum capacity, and explore ways to better balance building capacity across the district where possible.

In February, the district presented five different utilization options for the Board’s review. These options ranged from boundary changes, to repurposing schools, to maintaining boundaries as they are currently structured. After thoughtful discussion, the Board asked the district to explore possible ways to better balance enrollment across our elementary schools.

The Board also asked the district to further research the possibility of both CTEC and Compass utilizing the Compass building. Under this potential option, both schools would continue to operate as two separate schools, with CTEC and Compass programs housed within the same building.

The district will begin evaluating the costs and logistics of converting a portion of the Compass building to accommodate CTEC programs. I will be working closely with Deanna Harger, Director of Maintenance and Operations, to gather the information requested by the Board. This includes renovation costs, infrastructure needs, and ensuring that learning environments continue to support strong learning experiences.

I want to be clear: final decisions have not been made. We are in a research and information-gathering phase. This information will be shared with the Board in April. I will share their discussion with you in a future newsletter.

Spanish Dual Language Survey for Parents

The district has also launched a survey to explore the possibility of offering Spanish dual language kindergarten and 1st grade classes next year. If there is enough interest, the program would expand each year through at least 6th grade.

You can access the survey at the link below until it closes this Friday, March 13, at 11:59 pm:

Behind every school day—lights on, classrooms supplied, buses running, and technology working—are the district’s discretionary funds. These funds support many of the essential services that keep our schools operating smoothly.

Discretionary funds are not tied to a specific grant or restricted program. Instead, they help cover many of the everyday costs of running our schools. These include some special education expenses; school office staff; a portion of employee benefits; extra and co-curricular opportunities like athletics, band, and debate; instructional supplies; utilities such as heat, lights, and water; custodial services and maintenance; technology systems; and a portion of transportation costs.

They also support important behind-the-scenes work that helps schools function effectively, including building operations, safety needs, technology infrastructure, and other operational costs that support teaching and learning.

While discretionary funds may not always be visible, they play an important role in keeping schools safe, supported, and ready for students each day. Managing these funds responsibly allows the district to maintain well-run schools while continuing to invest in the learning opportunities our students deserve.

At Compass Academy, the Project-Based Learning model puts students in the driver's seat of their education, encouraging critical thinking, creativity, and hands-on learning. Increased rigor, independence, and course integrations prepare students at Compass for the transition to college education.

Want to know how Compass could help your student succeed? Watch a spotlight tour of Compass here, or call 208-525-7720 to talk to the front office!

Temple View Elementary, a state-recognized STEM school, weaves science, technology, engineering, and mathematics throughout the entire school day. Students engage in hands-on learning experiences such as coding, 3-D printing, design engineering, and interactive opportunities with engineers and scientists from INL.

Meet some teachers from Temple View here, or call 208-525-7660 to schedule a tour!

Students do not need to reside within Compass Academy or Temple View attendance boundaries to apply. Interested families simply need to complete an open enrollment form for each student to indicate interest in one of D91’s magnet schools.

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of these dynamic and innovative learning communities! Registration for next school year is open now!

March 20: SAT for 11th grade students

On Friday, March 20th, 11th graders will take the SAT at their high school first thing in the morning. The SAT is a standardized test that many colleges use as one factor in admissions to help assess a student’s readiness for college-level work. It measures skills in reading, writing, and math that are important for success after high school.

The test will last a little over two hours, after which your student will follow their individual intervention day schedule.

The SAT is a digital test and students will take it on their Chromebook. Please make sure your 11th grader has a fully charged Chromebook for this day.

Students should arrive at school 15 minutes before their scheduled test time to allow time to locate their testing room.

Idaho Falls High School and Skyline will start testing at 8:30 am sharp.
Compass and Emerson will start testing at 9 am sharp.

Click here to access practice test resources from College Board. If you have questions about the SAT, please check with your College and Career Advisor at your child's school!

Macklin, a student in Shawn Zoeller’s 2nd grade class at Edgemont, was recently announced as the January winner of the Spirit of ‘US’ classroom competition, sponsored by the ISU Albion Center and the Idaho State Department of Education.

January’s theme was equality, and Macklin wrote: "Equality means treat others the way you want to be treated. Equality means treat people the same. Be kind to people."

Shawna said her class spent the month of January discussing Civil Rights and equality. “One lesson was spent reading the story ‘Delivering Justice’ by Jim Haskins and discussing how much our world has changed from then to now. For another lesson, I showed pictures from the Selma, Alabama march,” she wrote. “We talked a little bit about protesting and what black people during the Civil Rights movement were setting out to accomplish, and we finished with writing ‘What Equality Means to Me.’”

Each member of the class decorated a petal to contribute to a Unity Flower, which is now displayed outside their classroom. Shawna says the flower reminds her students that “even though we all might look different, together we are a beautiful community.”

Idaho Falls School District 91 is pleased to announce Dallan Parker as the principal of Idaho Falls High School!

Parker served as IFHS Interim Principal this year, providing steady leadership and a clear vision for excellence. Under his direction, IFHS successfully completed the accreditation process and was recognized for an exemplary accreditation review.

Through strong partnerships with parents, staff, and students, Parker helped lead IFHS towards its recognition as the number one high school in the area, an accomplishment that reflects the strength of the entire Tiger community.

“Dallan’s passion for student success, belief in high expectations, and commitment to partnership make him an outstanding choice to lead Idaho Falls High School,” said Superintendent Karla LaOrange. “I am excited for the future of IFHS and confident that great things will continue under his leadership.”

Parker brings experience and a deep personal connection to IFHS. After earning his bachelor’s degree in English Education, Parker began his career at IFHS teaching English and coaching basketball and football. His school pride and commitment to students have been evident from the very beginning.

Beyond his professional leadership, Parker is deeply rooted in the Idaho Falls community. His wife, Corin, works at INL, and together they are raising three children: a daughter in 7th grade and two sons in 3rd and 1st grade. In his free time, he enjoys golfing and four-wheeling with his family.

A huge shout‑out to IFHS and Skyline for helping bring the 2026 Souper Bowl to an amazing finish! This year, our community brought in 159,463 cans and over $20,000 in monetary donations — wow! Congratulations to Idaho Falls High School on their win (with 136,000 cans!)

D91 is filled with motivated, compassionate, generous people, and we couldn't be prouder to represent our community in this way. We are stronger together.

To every single student, staff member, and community supporter, Tiger or Grizz, who showed up, donated, and made this happen: THANK YOU!🐯🦁

Jesse-James Bailey, a student at D91’s Career & Technical Education Center, won 1st place in Criminal Justice at Skills USA Idaho! This award comes with a $2,000 scholarship to College of Western Idaho, and an invitation to compete at the national competition in Atlanta in June.

CTEC sent 21 students representing law enforcement, firefighting, automotive, construction, welding, and industrial mechanics to the statewide competition. We are so proud of them!

Top 10 Finishers

🦁 Compass

Amelia Bays: 9th in Device Configuration & Troubleshooting
Braden Moats: 9th in Advanced Office Systems & Procedures
Oliver Schultz: 8th in Computer Networking Technology and 8th in Linux Operating System Fundamentals
Roland Treadway: is 10th in Computer Networking Technology

Elyse Wilkson: 8th in Banking & Finance

🐻 Skyline

Dannika Baird: 7th in Fundamental Desktop Publishing
Lina Budge: 3rd in Advanced Desktop Publishing
Seth Budge: 3rd in Fundamentals of Web Design
Cassidy Elgin: 1st in Administrative Support Concepts
BreeAnna Elton: 6th in Advanced Interview Skills
Grace Gannon: 6th in Ethics & Professionalism
Nicole Hill: 10th in Integrated Office Applications
Thomas Morzenti: 3rd in Extemporaneous Speech
Eni Ninahuanca: 4th in Intermediate Word Processing and 7th in Advanced Desktop Publishing
Devon Rowbury: 7th in Integrated Office Applications
Isabel Sorenson: 4th in Ethics & Professionalism

Other Celebrations

Anilyn Croft (IFHS), Elena Ninahuanca (Compass), Anton Schwen (Compass), and Brooklyn Turner (Compass) were awarded Statesman Torch Awards. This is presented to all BPA members who submit a thorough resume of their leadership and service activities and accomplishments they have completed. Anilyn is working on submitting to the National Leadership to be awarded the Ambassador Torch Award.

Chris Bright (IFHS) has completed his second term as an Idaho BPA State Officer. He currently serves as the Executive Vice President. This past year, he also has been serving as the Idaho Joint Leadership President for all the Idaho Career and Technical Student Organizations.

Congratulations to Amara Hall (Compass) and Bianca Fausto (Skyline) for running for a state officer position. Both represented Compass Academy, Skyline, and District #91 very well!

We’ve been clapping all week long for Mya Bolander, whose showing at the state wrestling tournament made her the first girl in IFHS wrestling history to win an individual state championship. Her win caps off an impressive season (44-2) at 110, and we’re looking forward to seeing her continue to grow. We’re also celebrating Lily Bottcher, who placed 5th at 170. Go Tigers!

The Grizzlies also took home some hardware, with Molly Olague claiming 2nd in 170 to finish out her incredible season 40-1. And Aiden Tokita claimed the 120 individual title — for the second year in a row! Go Grizz!

📸 by Scott Kirtley (@got_posterized_)

💖 School Spotlight: Fox Hollow

Fox Hollow is an elementary school on the west side of District 91. It serves 444 students K-6, who grow up to attend Eagle Rock and Skyline.

Principal Sarah Cherry grew up in Idaho Falls and has lived here her entire life. She's been a vice principal at Sunnyside, an instructional coach and a teacher for 15 years -- all in D91! Sarah says her favorite part of being a principal is working with her "incredible and dedicated staff" and seeing the impact they have on students every day. In her free time, she likes to read, kayak, and spend time with her friends and family, especially her adult children.

In February, the 6th grade student council at Fox Hollow brightened the hallways with their Wall of Love! Every teacher wrote a valentine to each of their students by name, highlighting a unique skill or trait that makes that student special. And to return the love, students wrote valentines for their amazing teachers.

See the rest of spotlight by checking out the Fox Hollow story highlight on our Instagram profile!

It is with both gratitude and a touch of bittersweet emotion that we share the news of Kelly Coughenour’s retirement from his role as Executive Director of Personnel and Planning.

Kelly began his career in education as a fifth-grade teacher at Bush Elementary after graduating from Montana State University with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. From those early days in the classroom, it was clear that education was not just a profession for Kelly. It was a calling. Over the years, that calling grew into a legacy of leadership and service across our district.

Kelly served D91 as Interim Assistant Principal at Skyline High School, Assistant Principal at Sunnyside Elementary, Principal at Longfellow, Hawthorne and Dora Erickson Elementary Schools, Director of Elementary Education, and most recently, Executive Director of Personnel and Planning. In every role, Kelly led with an unwavering commitment to students, staff, and the D91 community.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Kelly is deeply devoted to his family. He and his wife, Renee, one of our outstanding D91 Consulting Teachers, have built a wonderful family together. They are the proud parents of three daughters and one son. Family has always been at the heart of all Kelly does.

When he’s not supporting schools or mentoring colleagues, you can find Kelly fishing, skiing at Targhee, helping his mother, cheering on the Spud Kings, gardening, or building or repairing just about anything. If it’s broken, Kelly can fix it. And, if the day feels heavy, his contagious grin and great sense of humor are never far behind. His ability to light up a room (sometimes with a well-timed joke) will truly be missed.

Kelly’s impact on D91 spans classrooms, schools, and departments. His leadership has shaped our systems, strengthened our teams, and supported countless educators and students along the way. We are deeply grateful for his years of dedicated service.

We are deeply saddened to share that one of our bus drivers, Sean Gerber, passed away in February. Sean was a bus driver for Route #25 who worked for D91 Transportation since 2024.

Sean was friendly and well-liked, and he will be greatly missed, especially by the transportation team and the students on his route. We are thankful for his dedication to our district.

Please be aware of students and staff who may be grieving in response to this loss. Condolences can be expressed through Wood Funeral Home.

Every day in D91, there are amazing people whose hard work and positive attitude make our schools shine, from the cafeteria to the classroom, the ball fields to breakfast duty!

If you know someone who lifts others up, spreads positivity, or brings their best to every day, take a minute to nominate them for a High Five today! This is your chance to celebrate those everyday heroes who make D91 an incredible place to learn and work. Let’s keep the positivity going and recognize the people who make D91 truly exceptional!