D91 Employee News 8.17.26

Summer can feel like a gift—long, slow days filled with sunshine, BBQs, family, and maybe a few lazy mornings. But while summer gives us time to recharge, it also gives us time to prepare. Across Idaho Falls School District 91, staff members have been working hard behind the scenes to get ready for another school year filled with new possibilities, exciting opportunities, and big dreams for our students.

And now, we're just one week away from filling our schools with the energy, laughter, and excitement of students! There is a lot to look forward to this year.

This year, staying connected with parents and our community is going to be easier than ever. D91 is launching ParentSquare, our new parent communication system. ParentSquare is easy to use and offers a robust menu of options for communicating with families. It will be a significant step forward in helping us strengthen communication and build even stronger partnerships with parents.

This fall, D91 is expanding opportunities for middle and high school students through online courses. These courses will provide students with greater flexibility and additional options as they pursue their interests, goals, and graduation plans. Students interested in online courses should visit with their school counselor to learn more and register.

We are especially excited to welcome our first Amigos Spanish Dual Language students this fall. Our new kindergarten and first-grade program will immerse students in both English and Spanish, giving them the opportunity to develop academic skills and language proficiency in two languages. We are thrilled to begin this journey with our students and families!

As part of our continued commitment to student safety, D91 is implementing My Ride, a new transportation system that provides families with greater visibility into their student's bus ride. Families will be able to track buses and receive notifications and routing information, providing greater peace of mind as students travel to and from school.

These are just a few of the exciting things happening across D91 this year. And while new programs and technology are important, they are not what make our schools great.

You do.

Every opportunity we create for students is made possible by the tremendous teachers, administrators, counselors, secretaries, custodians, bus drivers, paraprofessionals, child nutrition staff, and support professionals who show up every day with a commitment to our students.

YOU are the reason our students have opportunities to pursue their dreams and discover their passions.

YOU are the person who notices when a student needs a little extra encouragement.

YOU are the person who creates a classroom where a child discovers, “I can do this.”

YOU are the reason students feel that they belong.

As we count down the final week of summer, I hope you take a moment to appreciate the important work you have already done to prepare for this year and to remember the incredible difference you are about to make.Thank you for being the reason.

I can't wait to see our schools come alive again. Welcome back, D91!

Karla LaOrange, Superintendent

• Elementary School — 5-7 p.m.

• Middle School — 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
• High School — 6-8 p.m.

• Tuesday, August 25: First Day for K-6, 7th, 9th, & Emerson
• Wednesday, August 26: First Day for 8th and 10th-12th
• Monday, August 31: First Day of PreK

Don't forget that My Ride is going districtwide this fall! Beginning the first week of school, all D91 students who ride buses will be required to have a bus badge through My Ride. Badges ensure that students are riding the correct routes and allow parents to track the bus in real-time.

Badges will be distributed to students during the first week of school. For more information on the My Ride system, visit the Transportation page.

Free/Reduced Lunch Applications are available now for the 2026-27 school year! Parents can apply online or fill out a paper application in your school's front office.

Read the FAQs (click here for English; click here for Spanish) to check eligibility and learn more about the application process.

Note: Students attending AH Bush Elementary or Dora Erickson Elementary are automatically eligible for free/reduced meals through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Learn more about CEP here.

Online courses through Edgenuity are available now! These courses are an extension of our physical campuses: Eagle Rock (7-8), Taylorview (7-8), Idaho Falls High School (9-12), Skyline High School (9-12), and Compass Academy (9-12). To register, families should contact their middle or high school counselor.

• Available to middle school and high school students
• Taught by D91 teachers
• Access to in-person help from teachers every Friday (Intervention Day)
• Online students can participate in their school's sports, clubs, and activities

The Amigos Dual Language Spanish Program is ready to begin at Westside Elementary and Sunnyside Elementary! In this full-day program, kindergarten and 1st grade students will learn to speak, read, and write in both English and Spanish. Join the community group on ParentSquare for updates. We can't wait to start this new learning adventure!

School was out, but the celebrations of our students never stop! Follow D91 on Facebook and Instagram so you never miss the good news.

Seven D91 high school students represented Idaho Falls at the 2026 Idaho Consumer-Owned Utilities Association (ICUA) Youth Rally in July, where they joined 90 students from Idaho, the Pacific Northwest and Alaska for a week of leadership development, teamwork and personal growth.

Anilyn Croft, Emma Neider, Hiro Quan, Lucy Okeson, and Grace Katseanes represented IFHS, and Bella Jensen and Adan Acosta represented Skyline. We are so proud of these students and their leadership skills!

Each student received a $500 scholarship from Idaho Falls Power, and additional scholarship and awards were won by Anilyn, Emma, Hiro, Lucy, and Bella. Read the full press release here.

Congrats to Compass junior Ginger Wood on her INL SparkLab scholarship! Wood (standing, far right) worked alongside INL scientists for three months and earned $2,000 for her research. Go Lions!

Congratulations to D91 debaters Antoni Gofryk, Isaac Kingma, and Olivia Rydalch, who each competed at Speech & Debate Nationals in June! Antoni (IFHS) placed 23rd in Impromptu Speaking, Isaac (IFHS) placed 15th in Extemporaneous Debate, and Olivia (SHS) placed 16th in Poetry.

The Westside SeaPerch teams had an amazing time in Washington DC at the end of May! Out of 88 international teams, our teams came in 38th and 53rd. Thanks to everyone in the D91 community who helped support these students.

Shoutout to Braden & Levi, our Compass Lions who competed in the national Esports tournament in July! They placed 17th in the Fortnite competition. Congratulations to them and their coaches, Mr. Kohn & Mr. Rasmussen. Go Lions!🏆

Twenty IFHS Tigers performed in the International Choral Festival at ISU this summer with Caryn Marlowe, our IFHS choir teacher. They shared the stage with choirs from Lithuania, Kazakhstan, and more. What an amazing opportunity!

Five students from Skyline (JJ Thompson, Clay Lindula, Logan Mcalevy, DJ Carney, and Colton Johnson) demonstrated incredible bravery earlier this summer when they jumped into a creek to save a mother and her two young children following a car accident. We are so proud of these students and their willingness to jump into action!

In May, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality visited Theresa Bunker to present awards to our students for their participation in the 2026 Earth Day Poster Contest. Bunker earned top honors in every grade category, kindergarten through 5th grade! Congrats to these students (and their art teacher, Nicole Tafoya!)

June was School Board Appreciation Month! The Board of Trustees serves as the governing body for the district, working collaboratively to shape policies, set goals, and oversee the district’s strategic direction. Board trustees are members of the Idaho Falls community who volunteer their time. We are grateful for their dedication to District 91!

This year, we’ll be highlighting a district department in each newsletter. Check this section for seasonal reminders or updates about projects our teams are working on!

ParentSquare is live! Our team worked hard this summer to prepare for the launch, and we are thrilled to see such a smooth rollout. Thank you for your support as we work through this system transition.

Watch for ParentSquare training sessions over the next week at New Teacher Induction and the All Staff Opening Meeting to help you get familiar with the platform. Or, check out the guides in the ParentSquare Help Portal anytime.

If you are experiencing issues with your ParentSquare account, please contact the IT Help Desk at 208-525-7556 or submit a help ticket using the link below. We are here to help!