Employee News 8.24.26

Here we go! A brand-new school year is about to begin—and I could not be more excited about what lies ahead.

Welcome back to another year filled with new beginnings, new possibilities, new friendships, new adventures, and incredible accomplishments. There is something energizing about the start of a school year. The buildings come alive, classrooms are prepared, colleagues reconnect, and our students walk through our doors carrying dreams, questions, energy, and so much potential.

And once again, we get to be part of their journey.

This year brings exciting opportunities, important changes, and plenty of reasons to be proud of the work we are doing together.

One of the changes you will see this year comes from a new state law that applies to every school and every grade level in District 91.

During the 2026 legislative session, the Idaho Legislature passed House Bill 623, requiring all K–12 public schools to observe a daily moment of silence of at least 60 seconds at or near the beginning of each school day. The intent of the law is to provide students with a brief opportunity to pause, reflect, and prepare for the day ahead.

Students may use the 60 seconds to sit quietly, reflect, meditate, pray, or engage in another silent, nondisruptive activity of their choosing.

There are important parameters for staff to keep in mind. We supervise the moment of silence, but we do not direct it. Staff may not instruct students about what to think about or how they should use this time. Our role is simply to create the conditions for a quiet, respectful moment.

Students are expected to remain quiet and respect the rights of others. Disruptive behavior will be addressed through regular classroom and school procedures.

We will communicate additional implementation information as needed. Parents received a communication today notifying them of the moment of silence. The notification also encouraged families to talk with their children about how they might choose to use this time. Because educators cannot provide guidance about what students should do during the moment of silence, families can help students consider what would be meaningful to them.

As exciting as these new opportunities are, the most important part of our school year has not changed: our students need great educators who believe in them.

I am incredibly thankful for the teachers, administrators, counselors, secretaries, custodians, bus drivers, food service teams, paraprofessionals, coaches, specialists, and every member of the District 91 team who shows up each day ready to serve our students.

What you do is challenging work. It requires expertise. It requires patience. It requires creativity and resilience. Most of all, it requires heart.

I see that heart throughout District 91. I see it in the teacher who stays after school to help a student understand a difficult concept. I see it in the principal who knows when a student needs encouragement more than correction. I see it in the secretary who makes a nervous parent feel welcome. I see it in the bus driver who knows every student's name. I see it in the paraprofessional who refuses to give up on a child.

I see it in the educator who walks into a classroom every morning believing, “I can make a difference today.”

Those moments matter. You matter. And the work we do together matters.

Let's make our students feel known, valued, challenged, supported, and inspired. Let's continue to build classrooms where students are curious and engaged. Let's create schools where every student knows they belong. Let's challenge ourselves to keep learning and growing as educators.

We are part of something much bigger than any one classroom, school, or department. I am humbled by your commitment to our students and so grateful to be on this journey with you. There is so much promise in the year ahead. Let's get started!

Karla LaOrange, Superintendent
laorkarl@sd91.org

• Elementary School & Emerson Alternative — 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

Please note that the Idaho Falls Police Dept. will have an increased presence on the roads near our schools this week to make sure all drivers and pedestrians travel safely. We are grateful for their partnership as we start another great year!

Friday, Aug. 28 is not a regular Intervention Day for middle and high school, since it is the first Friday of the trimester. All students should attend, and middle school and high school will release 1 hour earlier than their regular Monday-Thursday bell schedule.

As always, all elementary schools release 1 hour early on every Friday, regardless of where we are in the trimester.

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. For more information on the My Ride system, visit the Transportation page.

*Please note: due to a shipping delay, the most recent group of badge requests has not yet been printed. If your school doesn’t receive a delivery of physical badges during the first week of school, that’s ok! All students who have requested badges have been assigned to their routes and stops, which means our drivers can still easily confirm they are riding the correct bus.

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.

Not sure if you qualify? Read the FAQs (click here for English; click here for Spanish) to check your eligibility and learn more about the application process.

Note: If your student attends AH Bush Elementary or Dora Erickson Elementary, they 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

Every purchase, approval, and financial decision in District 91 reflects our responsibility to students, families, employees, and the community we serve. One way we maintain that trust is through an annual independent audit of District financial practices.

Idaho Code requires every school district to complete an annual financial audit. To meet this requirement, the Board of Trustees engages an independent accounting firm to review District financial practices, including purchasing procedures, transactions, approvals, and accounting processes.

Auditors review whether District practices follow required standards and established financial controls. For example, District purchasing card transactions require approval by two individuals, which provides an additional safeguard for the use of public funds.

Last year, the independent audit reported no findings. This means the auditors did not identify financial practices that were out of compliance with applicable requirements.

That result reflects strong internal processes, careful documentation, and the daily work of employees who follow purchasing, approval, budgeting, and recordkeeping procedures. Thank you to everyone who helps District 91 manage public resources carefully, responsibly, and in accordance with established financial controls.

Join us to celebrate at an "alumni anniversary"! This event is for high school sweethearts or alumni who found each other after graduation—if you and your spouse/partner are both Tigers, or both Grizz, we want to celebrate you!

What you can expect: A short celebratory ceremony on the field, a photobooth, matching t-shirts, wedding cake, and an evening of memories while you cheer on your team at a home football game!

• September 18 @ 6:00pm (preceding the IFHS football game)
• Ravsten Stadium
• T-shirts, wedding cake, a photobooth, and more
• $25 | RSVP here

• September 25 @ 6:00 pm (preceding the Skyline homecoming game)
• Ravsten Stadium
• T-shirts, wedding cake, a photobooth, and more
• $25 | RSVP here

A million thanks to our friends at Wackerli Subaru for their continued support of Dora Erickson! They donated $10,000, plus boxes of classroom essentials. What an amazing way to start off the year. Thank you, Wackerli, for supporting our schools!

Did you know that students in the auto tech program will be building an electric vehicle this year? This provides our students with an additional skillset that prepares them for the changing auto landscape and opens more career doors after graduation. Thanks to instructor Daniel Munoz for his work to get this up and running! Read more about the program below.

Along with regular repairs and upkeep throughout the school year, the D91 Maintenance Team also stays busy during the summer with larger projects. From paint and wires to concrete and landscaping, this work helps prepare our schools for another year of learning. Here’s a behind-the-scenes peek at some of the projects we’ve been working on this summer! Check out our Instagram for more pictures.

1. New exterior landscaping @ Compass Academy

2. New playground bark @ Linden Park Elementary

3. Refinished floors and paint @ IFHS Weight Room

4. New carpet & chairs @ Skyline Little Theater

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!