Lakeland Highlights

Dear Students, Parents, and Community,

I want to take a moment to welcome you all back to the 2025–2026 school year. It has been a wonderful start, and I am truly honored to be a part of it.

As many of you may know, I am only in my third month with the Lakeland Joint School District, having recently moved here from Arizona. The transition has been a whirlwind, but I can honestly say I have greatly enjoyed my short time here as your new Superintendent. Everyone has been so welcoming, kind, and supportive.

One thing I would like you to know about me is that I genuinely enjoy attending extracurricular activities. If you haven’t seen me yet, you will soon. When you do, please don’t hesitate to come up and introduce yourself—I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can.

Finally, I want to share with you our new TRUST Statement, which defines how we expect to treat one another in the Lakeland District. TRUST is an acronym that stands for:

Trust Each Other – Build relationships grounded in honesty and reliability.
Respect Each Other – Every person has value and deserves to be heard.
Unity – Stand together to understand one another and work toward common goals.
Support Each Other – Help one another grow, especially during challenges.
Transparency – Be open and honest, while using good judgment in how we communicate.

I encourage all of us to embrace these principles and help make Lakeland an even better place. If we all commit to following TRUST, this will be a great year for our students, our staff, and our entire community.

Thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to an outstanding school year together.

Rusty Taylor

Great News, Lakeland Jt. School District!

ISAT results have been released and we are proud to share that our ISAT score averages have increased across all three subjects again. A true testament to the hard work of our students, teachers, staff, and families!

This achievement reflects our continued commitment to academic excellence and growth. Thank you to everyone who plays a part in supporting our schools.

Let’s keep the momentum going!

Twin Lakes Elementary 5th grade teacher, Lisa Mashburn, participated in NCCE (Northwest Council for Computer Education) externship this summer.

Mashburn holds a master's degree in e-learning and explores new digital platforms to create more engaging learning opportunities for her students.

Of the experience, Lisa said,

“I will value this experience for years to come. Technology is a powerful bridge that connects us to the world, but it's teachers who guide students across the vast expanse."

We are proud of the work Lisa did this summer!

That means Garwood Elementary is providing the food and shelter monarch butterflies need on their migration journey. It’s a hands-on way for students to learn about science, conservation, and the importance of protecting pollinators while making our campus a little more beautiful too!

A huge thank you to Mrs. Jensen, Mr. DeMoss, and Garwood's ALP students and families for bringing this project to life!

Photo: Garwood ALP Teacher Mrs. Jensen.

The old fence was installed back in 1965! The replacement was paid for by the 2023 Plant Facilities Levy dollars.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Order of the Eastern Star, Clover #33, for their generous donation of school supplies to the Lakeland Joint School District.

Representatives from the chapter visited the District Office today to deliver the supplies, which will make a meaningful difference for many of our students.

They also shared that the local Rathdrum Masonic Lodge #41 has free backpacks available for anyone in need. Please contact the Masons directly to arrange a pickup.

Pictured left to right: Superintendent Rusty Taylor, Valerie Curtis, Sandy Cartwright, Patricia Curtis (Worthy Matron), and Assistant Superintendent Jake Massey.

#communitysupport