Weekly Newsletter

Thursday August 10, 2023

FOR ADMINISTRATORS | FOR TEACHERS | FOR PARENTS
IMPORTANT DATES

FOR ADMINISTRATORS

School Bus Safety Resources Available for Download

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, children face more dangers loading and unloading school buses than they do being a passenger on the bus. To ensure everyone's safety, the SDE's Student Transportation Department has created two downloadable resources for communities getting back into the swing of things as buses hit the roads this school year. The materials include reminders for drivers and parents as well as a graphic on the danger zones around school buses and how best to navigate them safely. Schools are encouraged to make these resources available to students, parents and communities.

Download the School Bus Danger Zone Document

Download the School Bus Safety Tips Document

Register Now for the September DTC In-Person Fall Training in Nampa and Coeur d'Alene

The SDE will provide comprehensive training to district testing coordinators on September 14 and 15 at the Nampa Civic Center, and on September 25 and 26 at the Best Western Plus Coeur d'Alene Inn. Please note that these dates have changed since their original publication.

Register for the District Testing Coordinator Training

Updated Data Acquisition Calendar Available on the Public School Finance Webpage

Administrators interested in a complete view of data reports required throughout the school year and encouraged to visit the 2023-2024 Data Acquisition Calendar, available on the Public School Finance webpage. The report covers data due dates, details and contact information to request assistance.

Visit the Data Acquisition Calendar

FOR TEACHERS

Essay Contest for Canyon County Students - 1st Annual Karly Cantrell Furball Gala

The Furball Gala, benefitting the West Valley Humane Society (WVHS) would like to welcome students in Canyon County to submit their essays for the 1st Annual Karly Cantrell Furball Gala Essay Contest. The contest is a celebration of compassion and responsible pet ownership in our community and is open to students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The inaugural theme of the contest is "responsible pet ownership and the joys of giving an animal a loving forever home." Submissions are due by September 22, and winners will be recognized at a gala event on October 19 at the Nampa Civic Center. For those interested in attending the Furball Gala or participating in the essay competition, further details and registration information will be made available on the West Valley Humane Society website (www.westvalleyhumanesociety.org).

Download Contest Details

Download Contest Flyer

Registration Now Open for the 2023 Waypoint Conference

Waypoint strives to be Idaho's comprehensive professional development opportunity for educators who work in the college and career readiness sphere. This year's event will be held on October 1 - 3 and takes the place of the Idaho College and Career Readiness Conference and the Next Steps Roadshow. Waypoint is designed to provide a one-stop-shop destination for updates and information on college and career-related programming in Idaho. The conference will draw participants from across the state and neighboring communities, including middle and secondary school counselors, college and career advisors, career instructors, teachers, administrators and more. Topics covered include:

College preparation strategies
Community engagement
Workforce opportunity awareness
College and career competencies
Program development
Parent engagement
Best practices

FOR PARENTS

Applications Now Open for the United States Youth Senate Program Scholarship

Students in Idaho have the chance to empower their futures with the United States Youth Senate Program Scholarship. This opportunity is open to junior and senior high school students. Two student leaders will be selected from each state to receive a $10,000 scholarship for higher education and will join the program cohort in Washington D.C. to gain firsthand insight into government operations and policy shaping. Applications are due by October 22.

Learn More and Apply

Parents Can Now Visit the Special Education Department's Parent Resource Tab

The SDE's Special Education Department has added a tab to its webpage created with parents in mind. The tab offers parents and guardians information on various special education topics and organizations in Idaho focused on providing tools and support to help families navigate the world of Special Education. Parents can access information on:

Visit the Special Education Parent Resource Tab

STUDENT HIGHLIGHT

Boise High School Student Taelyn Baiza's Artwork Makes an Impression

Boise High School student Taelyn Baiza's artwork is earning a lot of attention this summer. Taelyn's work was selected in City of Boise's most recent call for traffic box art. Her work, a detailed Idaho landscape painstakingly rendered in vibrant colored pencil, now adorns the traffic box at the intersection of State Street and Marketplace Lane in Boise. Taelyn is also one of the top five award winners of "Art x Climate," a national call for visual art from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Taelyn's artwork was selected for recognition from more than 800 submissions from artists nationwide. Check out some of Taelyn's remarkable work here.

IMPORTANT DATES

2023 Annual Mandatory NSLP Training - MERIDIAN
August 15

Virtual: Classroom Management Workshop
August 18

EL Identification Course, Session 1
August 22

Welcome Back: 2023-2024 ELPA Test Cycle Overview & Updates
August 24

Navigating the ELPA-Verse-ELMS/WIDA AMS/WIDA Secure Portal: Session 1
August 29

Rural Healthcare Access Incentive Program Applications Due
August 30

Driver Education Instructor Certification Course
August 30 - December 30

Administering WIDA Screener and WIDA Screener For Kindergarten
August 31

Webinar Opportunity: "The Future: STEM AC and the Idaho EcosySTEM"
September 14

DTC In-Person Fall Training - Nampa
September 14 - 15

Karly Cantrell Furball Gala Essays Due
September 22

DTC In-Person Fall Training - Coeur d'Alene
September 25 - 26

Idaho Parents Unlimited, Inc.'s 2023 Parent Voice Pre-Summit
September 29

Idaho Parents Unlimited, Inc.'s 2023 Parent Voice Summit
September 30

Waypoint Conference
October 1 - 3

United States Youth Senate Program Scholarship Applications Due
October 22

View Complete SDE Calendar

Would you like to receive the Idaho State Department of Education's weekly newsletter? Click here to add your name to the list for regular updates from the SDE and Idaho's educational communities.

Copyright © 2023 Idaho State Department of Education, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
650 W. State Street
Boise, Idaho 83720-0027

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.