LPOSD Families and Community Members,

As we close out November, I just want to express my gratitude for our amazing students and families—you make our district a vibrant community, and serving you is a true privilege. I love both the longstanding history of multiple generations of families who have attended LPOSD schools, as well as the many new faces to our district. Another thing I have loved about November was witnessing the community gatherings at various LPOSD schools for our Veteran's Day programs. It is heartwarming to see our students and Veterans interact in meaningful ways. We love to show our appreciation for north Idaho's Veterans!

You may remember that facilities (improving school safety and addressing deficient building conditions) was identified as the #1 community priority in last year's survey. The Board-approved Long Range Facility Planning Committee had their third meeting earlier this week. The committee discussed funding options for capital projects and facility conditions. So far we've toured Northside and Sandpoint Middle School. This committee is made up of community members from each region of the district, who meet to better understand the current state of our facilities and seek to prioritize solutions to some of the challenges of our aging school infrastructure.

December is nearly here and snow is in the forecast! I hope that we can be mindful of the approaching winter weather. From a leadership point of view, I believe it's crucial to reduce the number of snow days so that learning can go on without interruptions and our school remains a safe and warm place for our most vulnerable students. As we prepare for the unique challenges our climate can present, let's continue to support one another through the winter months. You can find more information about school closures below.

With Much Gratitude, bwm

Dr. Becky Meyer

• Road conditions are the primary factor in deciding school closures during heavy snowfall. Monitoring of local road conditions and weather begins at 4 AM using the National Weather Service (NOAA) and radar imagery.
• We try to make delay and closure decisions by 5:00 AM to allow time for parents and staff to receive communication & plan for the day accordingly.
• A delayed start may be utilized if road conditions are expected to improve mid-morning. School will start 2 hours later than the normal start time at each school, and the school day will end at the usual time. Bus routes and morning pickup times follow the 2-hour morning delay schedule.

Text "Y" to 67587 today!

1. Dress for the Weather: Be prepared for delays by wearing appropriate winter clothing. Our buses always try to stay on schedule, however delays can happen due to weather, trains, traffic, etc. Dress warmly and consider extra layers, a hat, gloves, and scarves to be prepared in case there's a need to wait longer than anticipated or exit the bus.
2. Be Visible in the Dark: Wear reflective clothing or use flashlights during early morning bus waits to enhance visibility for both bus drivers and other traffic.
3. Choose Safe Waiting Spots: Wait in safe and visible areas at bus stops, avoiding spots behind vegetation or structures for better visibility.
4. Arrive Early: Arrive at your bus stop at least 5 minutes early!
5. Use Bus Handrails: When entering or exiting the bus in snowy or icy conditions, use handrails to prevent slipping on steps.

Interested families can register on this site.

There is also an opportunity to donate to this longstanding local program by writing a check to Sandpoint Lions Club and indicating that it is a Toys for Tots donation. Donations can be brought to the Daily Bee office or Ponderay Starbucks. Sandpoint High School also collects donations to present to the Lions Club.

Click the photo to access the District's Academic Calendar.