Genesee Schools Chosen for 1:1 Intiative for Laptop Devices

SIX NORTHCENTRAL IDAHO SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO

PARTICIPATE IN FIRST DEPLOYMENT OF LAPTOP DEVICES

BOISE – Thirty school districts and two charter schools across Idaho will be the first to achieve 1:1 ratios of laptop devices to students and teachers in the next two years, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna announced today.

The 1:1 initiative is a part of the bold Students Come First laws, which are comprehensively changing Idaho’s education system to ensure every student graduates from high school prepared to go on to postsecondary education or the workforce without the need for remediation.

Five of the school districts and one charter school selected to deploy 1:1 devices for high school students in the first round, beginning in Fall 2013, are in north central Idaho. Cottonwood School District, Culdesac School District, Genesee School District, Highland School District, Idaho Distance Education Academy, and Lewiston School District have all been selected.

“This is an exciting day for schools all across Idaho,” Supt.Luna said. “Reaching a one-to-one ratio of students and teachers to laptop devices in every public high school is just one part of the Students Come First laws. Idaho schools now join thousands of schools across the United States in creating 21st century classrooms where learning opportunities are limitless and will provide equal access to the best educational opportunities for every student – no matter where they live.”

Students Come First puts the programs and policies in place necessary to create the 21st century classroom in every Idaho classroom, to provide equal access to the best opportunities for every Idaho student no matter where they live, and to recruit and retain highly effective teachers in the profession.

Some of these programs include achieving a 1:1 ratio of students and teachers to laptop devices in every high school, improving teacher pay with $40 million in new funding for pay-for-performance, supporting classroom teachers with $4 million a year in ongoing funding for professional development, and paying for high school students to take up to 36 dual credits before graduation.

Idaho will begin phasing in the 1:1 initiative for public high schools in Fall 2012 by deploying devices to high school teachers and principals first. They will receive devices along with a year of intensive professional development. The devices will then be deployed to students over the following three years. In Fall 2013, the state will deploy devices to the first round of high schools representing one-third of high school students. The state will continue to deploy devices to high schools over the next two years until a 1:1 ratio is reached in all grades 9-12. All high schools will eventually reach a 1:1 ratio.

“A year ago, Highland School District was a small, rural school with basic technology tools. Within one year, through Students Come First and the different technology grants, we have been able to bring Highland into the 21st century and provide our students the tools they need to meet their educational goals.  Being chosen to be one of the schools in the first third of the 1:1 deployment continues that effort to provide our students similar opportunities provided in larger school districts,” said Cindy Orr, Superintendent and Elementary Principal of the Highland Joint School District.

Because more than 170 high schools representing 84 percent of Idaho’s high school students wanted to participate in the first round of deployment, the state developed a competitive application process to determine the schools and districts that were most ready to benefit. A committee made up of educators in Idaho and staff at the State Department of Education conducted a “blind” review of the applications throughout May where the reviewers did not know which schools or districts they were rating. The selections were determined by point rankings on the application by region to ensure school districts in every region of the state would participate in the first deployment.

“The Genesee School District is excited to be one of the first districts to receive the 1:1 laptop devices. We believe this initiative will help bring greater educational opportunities for our students and help raise academic achievement. We are very grateful for this opportunity to invest in our future....our students,” said Wendy Moore, Superintendent of the Genesee School District.

THANK YOU for your support!

On behalf of the students, staff, Administration and Board of Education I would like to send a sincere "Thank You" to all of you who supported our 2012 Supplemental Levy.

We completely understand that the levy was a significant increase for our tax payers and I can assure you that we as Administration, Staff and Board of Education will work diligently to ensure that these funds are used to support and maintain the highest level of quality educational services that our community has come to expect.

Thank you again for supporting the students of Genesee School District.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Wendy Moore
Superintendent

Supplemental Levy Meeting - Thursday, March 8th at 6:00 p.m.

On Thursday, March 8th the Genesee District will host a public community meeting to inform patrons regarding the Supplemental levy election that will be held on March 13, 2012.

The proposed one year levy of $935,000 will help the Genesee School District maintain quality educational programs and opportunities for our students. Taking into account the property tax reduction provided by the agricultural equipment replacement exemption, which is approximately $57,693, the estimated cost of this levy will be closer to $877,307.

The cost of this levy is estimated at $5.87 per one thousand dollars of assessed valuation based on the projected property market value of $141,098,149. This levy is an increase of $1.21 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation.

The determination of the levy amount was based on the discrepancy between the state and federal revenue available to the district and the educational needs of our students as determined by the Board of Trustees.

If you are unable to attend the meeting and would like additional information, please contact Mrs. Wendy Moore at 208-285-1161.

SUPPLEMENTAL MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION LEVY ELECTION

SUPPLEMENTAL MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION LEVY ELECTION

March 13, 2012

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE LEVY?

The proposed one-year levy of $935,000 will help the District maintain educational programs at the same time the State of Idaho is reducing funding. Current Idaho legislation decreases staff funding for public schools by 4.05% for the 2012/13 school year.

The determination of the levy amount was based on the difference between the anticipated revenues to the Genesee School district and the educational needs of our students. The cost of this levy is estimated at $6.61 per one thousand dollars of assessed valuation based on a projected market value of $141,098,149. The proposed levy amount is an increase of 1.85% from the 2011.

The proposed levy provides the necessary funds to continue to offer our students at Genesee Joint Schools a quality education. These funds will ensure that our students continue to receive the highest quality education that has been a tradition for the Genesee School system over the last 100 years.

PUBLIC MEETING

On Thursday, March 8th, the district will host a community meeting to inform patrons what generally comprises the $935,,000 supplemental levy. The meeting will be held at 6:00 P.M. in the Multi-Purpose Room at the school. If you cannot attend or would like additional information, please contact the school district office at 208-285-1161.

WHERE TO VOTE

For Electors in Latah Co:

Genesee Senior Center , 240 E. Walnut, Genesee, ID 83832

In person voting: Latah Co. Courthouse, 240 E. Walnut, Room 101, 522 South Adams, Moscow, ID 83843

For Electors in Nez Perce Co.

Ballots will be mailed to all registered voters.

In person voting: Nez Perce Co. Courthouse, Room 100, 1230 Main Street, Lewiston, ID 83501.


“We have never needed great schools more than we do today, and our schools have never had a greater need for public support”. – Jamie Vollmer – Author of Schools Cannot Do It Alone.

Book Club: "Schools Cannot Do It Alone"

The Genesee Joint School District Board of Education and Administration has begun reading “Schools Cannot Do IT Alone”, by author Jamie Vollmer. The story is one of a businessman’s journeys working with the public education system and his transformation from harsh critic to advocate of America’s public schools.

Mr. Vollmers experiences in public education over the last twenty years have led him to two important discoveries. First, public education has a system problem not a people problem. That in order to obtain the graduates we need, we must be willing to change the system of how we deliver instruction. Secondly, we cannot change the system without touching the culture of the community; everything that goes on inside a school is tied to local attitudes, values, traditions and beliefs of the community in which it resides.

In "Schools Cannot Do It Alone", Mr. Vollmer presents a practical plan to increase student success. Vollmer’s community-based program, called “The Great Conversation” provides instructions and suggestions to tackle the major obstacles to school improvement. "Schools Cannot Do It Alone" also includes an expanded version of the famous “Blueberry Story,” and the latest update of “Vollmer’s List.” This exhaustive review of the responsibilities heaped upon the nation’s public schools over the last hundred years proves that our schools are no longer being told to” just teach” America’s children.

If you would be interested in reading a copy of the book or joining us in a discussion about the book, please contact Mrs. Moore, Superintendent at 208-285-1161.

Book Information:

Vollmer, Jamie (2010). Schools Cannot Do It Alone. Enlightenment Press.

Website Information:

www.jamievollmer.com

Genesee Joint Schools implements School Wide Positive Behavior Intervention Support Program

Genesee Joint School District is implementing the School Wide Positive Behavior Intervention Support (SWPBIS) program during the 2011/12 school year.

Genesee Joint School District SWPBIS Team will be meeting on a monthly basis during the current school year to explore ways in which the staff can be proactive in meeting students’ individualized academic, behavioral and socio-emotional needs. The members of the team are as follows: Mrs. Wommack, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Bardwell, Mrs. Sperber, Mrs. Tilleman, Mr. Scripter, Mr. Morrow, Mrs. Scharnhorst, Mr. Bartosz, Mr. Caldwell and Mrs. Moore.

What is School-Wide PBIS?

SWPBIS is a process for creating safer and more effective schools. It is a systems approach to enhancing the capacity of schools to educate all children by developing research-based, school-wide, and classroom behavior support systems. SWPBIS is not a program or a curriculum, but a process that focuses on improving a school’s ability to teach and support positive behavior for all students.

What Does School-Wide PBIS Emphasize?

In general, SWPBIS emphasizes four integrated elements: (a) data for decision making, (b) measurable outcomes supported and evaluated by data, (c) practices with evidence that these outcomes are achievable, and (d) systems that efficiently and effective support implementation of these practices.

What Outcomes are Associated with Implementation of PBIS?

Schools that establish systems with the capacity to implement SWPBS with integrity and durability have teaching and learning environments that are
• Less reactive, aversive, dangerous, and exclusionary, and more engaging, responsive, preventive, and productive.

• Address classroom management and disciplinary issues.

• Improve supports for students whose behaviors require more specialized assistance (e.g., emotional and behavioral disorders, mental health), and most importantly, maximize academic engagement and achievement for all students which leads to increased instructional time.

• SWPBIS includes school-wide procedures and processes intended for all students and all staff in all settings.

• Team based process for systemic problem solving, planning and evaluation.It is an approach to create a safe and productive learning environment where teachers can teach and all students can learn.

Additional information about this program is available at: http://www.pbis.org/

Genesee Joint School District makes AYP for 2010/2011

Genesee Joint School District makes AYP for 2010/2011.

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) is required by No Child Left Behind(NCLB) as a measure of all schools, school districts, and the state in meeting federal benchmarks. Idaho uses the results from the Idaho Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) to calculate AYP. Each year, districts are required to reach state-approved goals in the areas of reading, math and a third indicator (graduation rate). They must also meet goals for the number of students participating on the ISAT. Results of assessments are used to determine whether a school is making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).

The goal of NCLB/AYP is to ensure that all students in all schools are academically proficient in math, reading and language arts by 2014. Genesee School District met and exceeded the State goals for 2010/2011.

2010/ 2011 Adequate Yearly Progress Report
Genesee Joint School District #282
Was AYP Met?		School Improvement Status	Reading Goal		Math Goal	Graduation Rate
Yes		Met AYP	Met AYP		Met AYP	Met AYP
Grades Tested 3-10	ISAT Reading		ISAT Math			Graduation Rate
	% Tested	% Proficient	% Tested	% Proficient
State Benchmark	Goal 95%	Goal 85.6%	Goal 95%	Goal 83.0%		Goal 90%
All Students	100%	97.8%	100%	97.8%		100%
African American	*	*	*	*		*
Asian	*	*	*	*		*
American Indian	*	*	*	*		*
Hispanic	*	*	*	*		*
Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander	*	*	*	*		*
White	100%	97.6%	100%	98.3%		*
Limited English Proficient	*	*	*	*		*
Economically Disadvantaged	100%	96.1%	100%	94.7%		*
Students with Disabilities	100%	*	100%	*		*

*For reporting purposes (participation), Idaho does not report student data for less than 10 students. For accountability purposes (proficiency), Idaho does not report student data for less than 34 students.

Congratulations to all of the students who participated in the testing and to the entire Genesee Staff for building a strong educational foundation for our students.