Registration Now Open for the Idaho School Public Relations Association's (ISPRA) Annual Conference
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Registration is now open for the Idaho School Public Relations Association's (ISPRA) Annual Conference! This year's conference, "Building Bridges: PR Pros as Strategic Architects of Community Unity," will take May 16 and 17 in Twin Falls. Topics include using AI for school PR, cell phone photography Tips and tricks, lessons learned from Idaho bond and levy campaigns, legislative roundup and so much more! Registration is $225 and attendees can also renew their IDSPRA membership ($75) at the same time. The conference includes lunch on both days and a social hour event on Thursday evening, compliments of Apptegy.
There is a hotel block at the Fairfield and Townplace Suites by Marriott; attendees can make their reservations by using this link and should bring their tax-exempt paperwork if their district is paying for the cost of attendance. The last day to book a room under this hotel block is April 15. Register now at the link below: |
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Sources of Strength Suicide Prevention Program Grant Applications Due March 18
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Administrators and instructors interested in applying for the Idaho Youth Suicide Prevention Program (IYSPP) secondary school grant and the Sources of Strength program for middle, junior and senior high schools should have their application materials submitted by March 18. This is IYSPP's 14th school cohort since the program's inception in 2013, and IYSPP is excited again to offer this opportunity to bring training for suicide prevention and ongoing wellness to Idaho's schools.
Each year, IYSSP provides 10 middle, junior and senior high schools the opportunity to implement Sources of Strength through an annual grant program. Selected schools will receive three free trainings in Year 1 of implementation and one free training in Year 2 of implementation, as well as all program materials. In Year 1, financial assistance to purchase food during training days and to fund program implementation is available. Ongoing support and training are available after Year 2, although schools must take on the financial responsibility of supporting the program.
Please refer to the Application Guidance Document for more comprehensive information about the grant and and award process. Click here to download the program flyer or register for the grant program at the button below:
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School-Based Medicaid Advisory Meetings
The Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) and the Idaho Department of Education have collaborated to support the Medicaid Advisory Committee (MAC). The purpose of the MAC is to facilitate collaboration among local educational agencies, the Idaho Department of Education, and the DHW related to Medicaid School-Based Services (SBS) and providers. The MAC's role is to serve as a consulting body for matters of Medicaid SBS policy and practice and to recommend changes to Medicaid SBS policy, within the scope of applicable state and federal rules. MAC meetings are open to the public for in-person attendance at the Idaho Department of Education, 650 W State Street in Boise and via Zoom (preregistration required).
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USDA Celebrates National School Breakfast Week
In recognition of National School Breakfast Week, the USDA has compiled a variety of school breakfast resources that can be put to immediate use by local education agencies. Schools across the nation serve breakfasts to nearly 15 million children every day, and schools operating the program in Idaho are encouraged to recognize the benefits that come with starting students off on the right foot in the morning with a healthy meal.
Schools can access a variety of content for both education and program promotion, including social media content, guides to school breakfast, videos, infographics and more. School nutrition professionals can also find resources for internal use, like best practices for reducing added sugars in school breakfast, offering meats and meat alternatives, creating breakfast smoothies and more.
Access the full set of resources at the link below:
Visit the National School Breakfast Week Toolkit
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Put Your School Colors on Display: Send Your Shirts to the Idaho Department of Education
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Put your school spirit on display at the Idaho Department of Education. Superintendent Debbie Critchfield regularly visits K-12 schools around the state, and often, she'll pick up a t-shirt during the trip. If you'd like to see the Superintendent in your school's colors, we would also like to invite you to send send us your school regalia directly! Shirts can be mailed to the Idaho Department of Education office where Superintendent Critchfield will make every effort to ensure that your school's shirt is worn for a day of work at the department and documented in the department's social media channels.
Please mail your school shirts to:
Idaho Department of Education
c/o Maggie Reynolds
650 W. State Street
Boise, Idaho 83720
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Call for Proposals: "What Makes a Nation?": A Conference for Idaho Social Studies Teachers
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Educators whose teaching or scholarship addresses an aspect of nationhood, nation-making or other ways of understanding “what makes a nation?” are encouraged to submit a proposal to present at the second annual Conference for Idaho Social Studies Teachers. The conference aims to build networks among educators and to rekindle academic connections across Idaho. By providing their expertise, educators will support their peers’ professional development and advance the learning of their students.
Each session is 50 minutes, with at least 10-15 minutes reserved for reflection and discussion. Sessions may be content driven or may be focused on pedagogical practices; they may take the form of a lecture, or be centered on directed activities. Regardless of your approach, your proposal should address some aspect of the conference theme. Submit a proposal at the button below no later than April 15.
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Four-Year Professional Development Project, "Cultivating Readers," Application Now Open
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Are you ready to elevate your literacy instruction? The Idaho Department of Education is Introducing "Cultivating Readers," a four-year professional development project aimed at revolutionizing literacy across K-3 education. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education's State Personnel Development Grant, the project's mission is to boost literacy proficiency throughout Idaho.
Through expert coaching, in-district visits and data-driven decision-making, Cultivating Readers provides comprehensive support to fill resource gaps, enhance instructional capacity and foster collaborative alignment across all tiers of personnel, including parents. For more information on the Cultivating Readers project, please contact Shannon Dunston at sdunstan@sde.idaho.gov or Lexie Pease at apease@sde.idaho.gov. Click here to download the program flyer or apply for the project at the button below:
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2024 Idaho Math Transitions Webinar Series
This webinar series will focus on solutions to problems of practice high schools may experience as they implement the Idaho Math Transitions framework. Webinars will be held the second Monday of each month through the month of May:
Monday, March 11 | 4:30 – 5:30 MST
If Not Algebra 2 – Then What?
Monday, April 8 | 4:30 – 5:30 MST
What is math badging and how are Idaho high schools using it to integrate mathematics into CTE courses?
Monday, May 13 | 4:30 – 6:00 MST
How has the need for calculus changed in STEM education?
Click here to register or download the program flyer here.
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Building a Thinking State Math Meet-Ups Spring 2024
The Idaho Department of Education and the Idaho Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM) invite teachers who have been working with the Building Thinking Classrooms strategies to join us for a Regional Math Meet-Up.
These meet-ups will provide teachers an opportunity to participate in a demonstration lesson from a member of Peter Liljadahl’s team and discuss successes and challenges with their Building Thinking Classrooms implementation (sign up for the ICTM Building a Thinking State Webinars here).
Learn more about the program and register for one of the regional meetups at the link below:
Learn More & Apply
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Empower Students to Invest in Their Communities with the Tree-Plenish Tree Planting Project
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Educators interested in facilitating student leadership while bringing STEM and ecology to their classrooms are encouraged to explore planning a tree-planting event with Tree-Plenish. Tree-Plenish events are planned by student leaders and bring together students, their school and their wider community to focus on tree planting. Students work together to determine their community's need for saplings before planning and advertising a day of volunteer planting. Residents can also request a tree to be planted in their yard. Instructors are encouraged to share several upcoming interest meetings with high school students.
This program gives students a view of complete project planning, marketing, event execution and volunteerism. Planning will start soon and all tree-planting events will take place in the spring. Click here to download the program flyer or visit the Tree-Plenish website at the button below: |
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Idaho Students Now Have Free Access to LearningExpress
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Idaho students in elementary school through college now have free 24/7 access to LearningExpress' robust set of tools and resources through the lili.org platform, provided by the Idaho Commission for Libraries. LearningExpress provides a variety of practices, videos and microlessons with categories in multiple modules to help students practice and refine skills.
All materials are aligned with Common Core State Standards. Older students will find skills for improvement in mathematics, English language arts and more, as well as resources for preparation for college placement, graduate school admission exams and more. Follow the link at the button below to explore what's available on the lili.org platform:
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Reminder for Parents and Students: the SAT College Admissions Exam is Now Entirely Online
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Following a two year testing pilot, College Board has announced that the Standardized Achievement Test (SAT) will be offered 100 percent online for all test-takers going forward. Students testing outside of the U.S. officially started taking the digital SAT in the spring of 2023, and the PSAT, a shorter exam taken by younger students to qualify for scholarships or as practice for the SAT, was made fully digital last fall.
Though Idaho has made the SAT exam optional, students who do plan to use the SAT exam for college admissions will now encounter this new format. Students must register to take the exam and will need to sign up 30 days in advance if they need to borrow a device from the College Board. Parents and students can learn more about borrowing devices for the digital exam here. Learn more about the change to full digital administration at the button below: |
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Want to read more? Visit the Idaho Department of Education's News page today!
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Subscribe for Regular Updates from the Idaho Department of Education
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Would you like to receive the Idaho Department of Education's weekly newsletter? Click here to add your name to the list for regular updates from the Idaho Department of Education and Idaho's educational communities.
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