Genesee Joint Schools moves to Full Day Kindergarten

Genesee Joint Schools will begin offering full day kindergarten in the fall of 2016.

Although the state of Idaho does not require students to attend kindergarten, we as a district believe that prekindergarten and kindergarten offer students a great opportunity to build a strong foundation for K-12 education. Full day kindergarten will increase the amount of instructional time for students significantly throughout the school year. This additional time will allow students to receive more academic instruction, therefore increasing opportunities for students to build the skills necessary for academic success.

Research from the National Educational Association (NEA) identifies that full day kindergarten not only increases students' academic abilities, but strengthens social and emotional skills as well.  Longitudinal data shows children enrolled in full day kindergarten show greater reading and math ability than those in traditional half day programs. Research also shows full day kindergarten helps narrow achievement gaps, especially for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. By providing additional time, students show greater short and long term academic, social and emotional gains.

While some parents may be concerned that full day kindergarten is too much for kids, research shows that 5 & 6 year olds are ready for longer instructional days and do better when allowed additional time for in depth exploration. Our purpose for implementing full day kindergarten is not only on the potential for increased academic development of our students, but we believe that attending school promotes many social emotional skills that are designed to help children in and out of the school environment.

If you have questions regarding the full day kindergarten program, please contact me at wmoore@sd282.org or 208-285-1161 ext 201.


Source

• NEA . Full day kindergarten helps close achievement gaps. http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/HE/mf_PB12_FullDayK.pdf
• NEA. Full day kindergarten: A missing link in the Pre-Kindergarten though third grade. http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/18781_Full-Day_Kindergarten_Backgrounder-Final.pdf

Supplemental Levy Election: March 8, 2016

SUPPLEMENTAL LEVY ELECTION

March 8, 2016

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE LEVY?

The Genesee Joint School District #282 will ask voters on March 08, 2016 to RENEW the proposed one-year levy of $935,000. This supplemental levy allows the District to  maintain quality educational programs and opportunities for students of the Genesee Joint School District #282.

This levy is a RENEWAL of the 2015/2016 levy. 

The determination of the levy amount is based on the discrepancy between the revenue available to the District from state and federal funding and the educational needs determined by the Board of Trustees. Taking into account the property tax reduction provided by the agricultural equipment replacement exemption, which is approximately $51,726 and the personal business property tax exemption , which is approximately $5,000. The estimated cost of this levy will be  $878,274.

This supplemental levy allows  the District  to support educational and extra-curricular programs for students attending Genesee Schools for the 2016/2017 school year.  The proposed levy provides necessary funds that State and Federal Dollars do not cover. 

If you have any questions regarding the levy please contact Wendy Moore, Superintendent or Lezah Shinkle, Business Manager. 

If you have questions regarding the voting process, we encourage you to contact Latah County Auditors Office, Room 101, 522 South Adams, Moscow, ID.

For Electors in  Latah Co:

Precinct 21:  Genesee Senior Center, 140 E. Walnut, Genesee, ID  

 Precinct 23: Juliaetta City Hall Annex, 203 Main St, Juliaetta, ID

Absentee (In Person) voting will take place at:  Latah County Auditors Office,  Room 101, 522 South Adams, Moscow, ID. 

 Deadline for Absentee (in person) voting is March 4th at 5:00 p.m.

For Electors in Nez Perce Co.

Ballots will be mailed to registered electors beginning Feb. 13, 2016.

Absentee (In-Person) voting will take place at:  Nez Perce Co. Courthouse, Room 100, 1230 Main St, Lewiston, ID  Deadline for Absentee (in person) voting is March 4th at 5:00 p.m.

Safety is our Priority

Dear Parents & Community Members,

In followup to the events of last week where the school district was put into Closed Campus.  I would like to explain the difference between a Closed Campus/ Lock Out and a Lock Down, which may help clarify a few questions and concerns.

Terms:

1.  Closed Campus/ Lock Out:  (This is what happened last Thursday)

District is notified by the Sheriff's Department that there is a concern somewhere in the nearby vicinity of the district, and they are recommending the district "Lock Out" or go into "Closed Campus".  There is no known threat to students or staff during this period of time. The district then secures the building, by locking all exterior doors. Classes operate under normal schedules, with the exception of any outside activities.  All students will remain indoors at all times.  No visitors, guests or parents are allowed into the building during this period of time. The Sheriff's department notifies the district when we can open campus. This is a precautionary measure taken by the District as advised by the Sheriff's Department.

2. Lock Down: 

District has been notified that there is a  possible threat to the safety of the school district. Lock Down's may be initiated  by Administration and/or the Sheriff's Department.  The district will notify all staff that the district is in Lock Down and all exterior doors and classroom doors are locked and secured. Students will not be allowed to leave their classroom and/or building. Procedures are in place to address any classes that may be outside or off campus.  No visitors, guests or parents will be allowed into the building during this period of time.  We will notify parents and/or guardians as soon as we have secured the building and will give updates as they become available.  We will remain in lock down regardless of time of day, until the all clear is given by the Sheriff's Department.

Your child's safety is our first and foremost concern. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at wmoore@sd282.org or 208-285-1161.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Wendy Moore
Superintendent

Board of Education Book Club: "The Smartest Kids in the World" by Amanda Ripley

The Genesee Board of Education just finished reading "The Smartest Kids in the World" by Amanda Ripley.  The book was published in 2013 and follows three American teenagers on their journey as exchange students in Finland, South Korea, and Poland.  The stories told by the exchange students talk about how other countries have revolutionized their classrooms and how they moved their culture to a culture of learning and high expectations. The book led to some good conversation as to how Americans view Education and what schools in America prioritize as important for our students success.

If you are interested in reading this book, we would be happy to loan you a copy. Please contact me at 208-285-1161 or at email wmoore@sd282.org.

Welcome Back

Welcome back to school!  School is gearing up and we have been busy getting ready for another exciting school year.  We will see a lot of new faces this fall here at Genesee.  We would like to extend a warm welcome to our new staff :

• Mrs. Cassie Heath - A.M. Preschool/ Title One teacher
• Mrs. Amy Wareham - 3rd grade teacher
• Mr. Aaron Waits - Secondary English/Spanish
• Mrs. Sherie Wright - Library Paraprofessional
• Mrs. Gia Paul - Secondary Paraprofessional
• Mrs. Sharon Meeks - Cafeteria  
• Mr. Jake Youngblood - 2nd shift custodian
• Mrs. Della DeRoche  - Office Secretary

Along with new faces, we also have some people who will be working in new capacities.  

• Mrs. Courtney Scharnhorst - 2nd grade teacher
• Mrs. Shelly Renton - Elementary Paraprofessional
• Mrs. Missy Capps - Elementary Paraprofessional
• Mrs. Charlotte Craig - Food Services Director
• Ms. Rhonda Smith - Head Custodian

This coming year we will seek continued improvement on professional development for teachers and administrators with an emphasis being placed on integrating technology into the classroom, increasing student engagement and aligning curriculum with Idaho Core standards.

As we all know there are many challenges with each new school year, but I would like to assure you that our mission is to always do our best to meet the needs of each and every student who attend the Genesee School District.

We hope that you will join us in celebration of a new school year and we look forward to working with each of you in the future.  

Wendy Moore
Superintendent

Mission Statement of Genesee Joint School District

The mission of the Genesee Joint School District, in partnership with family and community, is to provide all students with academic and life skills enabling them to become lifelong learners and responsible, productive citizens of our ever-changing community and world.

District receives 2014/2015 ISAT scores

During Spring of 2015, Genesee students in grades 3-10 participated in the State of Idaho Standardized Assessment.  Assessments were administered in the core areas of ELA, Mathematics and Science. Students in grades  3-10 were given the ISAT English/ELA & ISAT Mathematics assessment.  Students in grades 5,7 & 10 were also given the Science ISAT The ISAT assessments provide ongoing monitoring of individual, school, district, and state progress on the Idaho Core Standards.  

ENGLISH/LITERACY

Grade Level	Genesee % Proficient	State of Idaho % Proficient
3rd Grade	60	48
4th Grade	65	46
5th Grade	69	52
6th Grade	67	49
7th Grade	63	51
8th Grade	50	51
9th Grade	67	52
10TH Grade	75	60

MATHEMATICS

	Genesee % Proficient	State of Idaho % Proficient
3rd Grade	50	50
4th Grade	57	43
5th Grade	61	38
6th Grade	52	36
7th Grade	58	38
8th Grade	27	37
9th Grade	44	28
10th Grade	13	30

SCIENCE - Official scores have not been received at this point in time.  Anticipate receiving scores in the fall of 2015.

Parents will be receiving ISAT scores through the mail regarding their individual student performance.  Once the district receives official science scores, those will be distributed to parents/guardians. 

This is the first year Idaho school districts received actual student data from ISAT 2.0 assessments. ISAT scores are another tool that we as educators can use to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses in our district as well as identify subgroups or individual students that may need additional assistance.  Tests such as the ISAT 2.0 provide districts with objective information for EVERY student.   As district superintendent, I realize that the ISAT is literally just one test that is administered over multiple days in the Spring. It does not define who are children are or necessarily even what they are capable of academically.  

I believe that we will continue to see our scores rise across all areas in the future once students become more familiar with the format of  testing.  Although I believe standardized testing has its place in education, I also believe that it is just another tool that we can use to improve our performance as a district. As educators we can use this data to drive our professional development, as well as  student instruction and ultimately provide the best possible education for our children.

Thank you for your support!

On Behalf of the School Board, Administration, Students and Staff of Genesee School District, I would like to thank you for supporting our 2015 Supplemental Levy.

Your support enables the district to continue to provide the quality education that our students will need to be successful. Your "yes" vote continues to show students and others that education is valued among the community. By supporting public education you are enabling us to be able to provide our students with skills and tools to be successful in the future.

As District Superintendent, I appreciate your support and hope to continue to be able to provide our children with the quality education that our children deserve and need. It is a pleasure to be a member of such a strong, supportive community.

Our school district wouldn't be the great institution it is today without such great community support. Thank you for voting YES!

Sincerely,
Wendy Moore
 Superintendent