As weather turns colder and the days get shorter, minding our mindsets becomes critical. In the video below, Lauren Johnson shares a pretty darn cool story about how our beliefs can change our reality.

Her encouragement to “See the opportunity, not the obstacle” exemplifies what we mean by our cornerstone of positivity.

Every day, we are probably going to face some kind of challenge. It may be our work; it may be our family; it may be our health. How we see those challenges not only influences our personal happiness, it also has a significant effect on how well we respond to them. In D93, we truly believe that fostering a positive mindset to our challenges is the key to learning and growing from them.

Today, Governor Little issued Executive Order 2024-11, which encourages school district and charter school boards to adopt policies on cell phone usage in schools. We want to get your feedback on student cellphone use at school.

We would love to hear your thoughts on what changes, if any, that we should make to our current cell phone policy. Will you please take a moment to respond to a few questions about this policy?

Please go to d93.org/cellphonesurvey or use the QR code to share your thoughts with us.

For the first time ever, students in D93 will not attend classes on Election Day (November 5th). We made this decision in response to concerns from our families about the increased risk to students' safety with so many of our schools being used as polling places.

Instead, we will use this time to bring our teachers from all across the district to engage in collaborative learning. Teacher teams will continue the work they started last April.

Be sure to tune into our special edition of D93 Live, at 8:00 p.m. which will air on Monday, November 4th, just ahead of Election Day. We look forward to seeing you there!

In addition to the Presidential Election, on November 5th our residents will also be asked whether to approve our $5.8 million annual supplemental levy for the next two years*.

As you can see in the image below, this funding supplements pay for almost every D93 employee. It also helps to pay the contract for our School Resource Officers and provides instructional resources for our classrooms. Finally, the cost of our extracurricular activities including coaching stipends and transportation come from the supplemental levy.

By state law, to keep this funding, the levy must be approved by our voters at least every two years.

Please help to share the word about the importance of voting on this ballot question.

*Mandatory Disclosure Language

The estimated average annual cost to the taxpayer on the proposed levy is a tax of $77.13 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value, per year, based on current conditions. The proposed levy replaces an existing levy that expires on June 30, 2025 and that currently costs $77.13 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value. If the proposed levy is approved, the tax per $100,000 of taxable assessed value is not expected to change.

Looking for great deals? Bonneville Child Nutrition is hosting a surplus sale tomorrow, November 1st, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at their building located at 2461 E 24 N, Idaho Falls. This is a great opportunity to pick up items at a bargain price while supporting our district’s nutrition services. Don’t miss out!

This week, we’re proud to honor two exceptional educators who truly embody the spirit of going above and beyond! From Tiebreaker Elementary, a remarkable teacher brings creativity and organization to every lesson, ensuring her students have the best possible learning experience. At Fairview Elementary, a compassionate Special Education Teacher works tirelessly to create a welcoming, inclusive environment where every student feels valued and connected. Thank you to Rusty Taco for helping us recognize these outstanding educators who make D93 a better place every day! #WeAreD93 #ExtraMileAward

https://youtu.be/q4OAtOk7i1E

The D93 Extra Mile Award celebrates those whose hard work and positive attitudes make a significant impact on our students, staff, and community. Thanks to our amazing friends at Rusty Taco, we’ll be recognizing those who go above and beyond with this special award! 🌮🙌

In next week's newsletter, we will catch up with a number of our outstanding employees who have been recognized for going the extra mile.

Welcome to D93 News! Tonight, we're at the Mountain America Center for the 5A State Volleyball Tournament, where Bonneville plays at 7:00 pm in this first-ever large venue event. Hillcrest and Bonneville football teams kick off their state championship bids tomorrow, with D93 News covering Bonneville's game at Vallivue as part of the Rusty Taco Roadtrip. We also feature science experiments at Rocky Mountain and survival training at Tiebreaker. Plus, Halloween safety tips from EIRMC’s Health Minute.

For Veteran's Day, celebrate a veteran who is now working in education. If you know a veteran who is an educator or if you are interested in being highlighted by the Idaho Department of Education pleae click on this link for more information.

BCLD Learn With Me! is a kindergarten readiness program for 4-year-olds that focuses on skills needed to help children succeed in school. Learn With Me! is not preschool but instead a 45-minute parent/child program that focuses on kindergarten readiness skills. This special library program is targeting children who do not qualify for head start and who are not currently attending private preschool. The program will begin in January 7th and will be on Wednesday mornings at 9:30, every week at the Iona Branch and Tuesday mornings at 9:30 at the Westside Branch.

Registration begins November 1st 2024.

CLICK HERE to register or follow the QR with your hand held device. Answering ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to any of the registration questions does not automatically guarantee or disqualify you or your child from having a spot in the program. However, space in BCLD Learn With Me! is limited.

You will be notified by December 1st, 2024, if you and your child will or will not be enrolled in the program. If you have not received a response by December 5th, please contact Rasheil at bcldteam.rasheil@gmail.com.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our program please attend one the meetings listed. Our Child Development Specialist, Rylea Farrens will be there to explain the program in detail. (Any questions before these dates can be sent to bcldteam.rasheil@gmail.com.)

Thank you to our community partners at EIRMC for supporting our D93 News Family Update.