Southeastern Idaho Votes

The Pocatello/Chubbuck School District has launched a mass notification system and invites parents, patrons and staff to sign up for mobile phone text alerts, e-mail alerts or both.

The Mobile Alert System sends alerts and notifications, such as school closures, emergencies or drills directly to mobile phones. This service offers parents and staff the option to be alerted, with accurate information, if there is an emergency situation at a school or district-wide. There is no cost for this service, only the text messaging fee charged by the individual’s mobile phone service provider. E-mail alerts are free.

Individuals may subscribe to receive messages from select schools. If a parent has students in elementary, middle and high school, and has subscribed to all three locations, they will only receive one message if the alert is district-wide.

To subscribe to the mass notification system, go to the District’s Website at www.d25.k12.id.us. Select Quick Picks, District Safety Information, Safety Alerts and then “Get Mobile Alerts”.

Pocatello/Chubbuck School District to Request School Emergency Fund Levy

Because of larger than projected student enrollment, the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District # 25 Board of Trustees will consider an emergency fund levy of approximately $300,000. The Board will consider the one-year-only emergency fund levy during a special Board meeting and may take action at that time. The special Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. in the Board room at the Education Center on Pole Line Road.

An emergency fund levy is provided for, by law, when there is an increase in the number of pupils within the district. This year enrollment increased by nearly 200 students. Given this increase, the law allows for an emergency levy of up to $925,000. However, administration will ask the Board to consider an emergency fund levy of $300,000 to restore a loss of anticipated revenue. This year’s revenue budget anticipated recovery of $48,000 in lost taxes from AMIS and experienced a drop of $250,000 in the beginning fund balance. This emergency appropriation would make the 2008-09 budget revenue whole again.

The Board follows its established goal of fiscal accountability to the public by transparency in conducting business. “Our community needs to know we are balancing serving increased numbers of students against a loss of $300,000 in projected revenue. We also hope the community knows we understand the toughness of current economic times as taxpayers and as an institution reliant on the support of taxpayers. We are not asking the Board to consider any other resources to meet the demands of educating increased numbers of student, but only to meet the $300,000 shortfall,” said Superintendent Mary Vagner. The cost for the emergency fund levy would be approximately $10.50 per each $100,000 of taxable value.

For well over a decade the District experienced a significant decline in enrollment. Now, it has experienced two years of increased enrollment. This turnaround is significantly impacting space for children at the elementary level. Many children are being bussed from their neighborhood schools to sister schools where there is limited, available space. Because of this overloading the Board will consider setting a bond election, in 2009, to increase education space for elementary children.

The Pocatello/Chubbuck School District is pleased to annoucne the slection of principals for Tendoy, Tyhee and Wilcox Elementary Schools and various Assistant Principal Positions.

Ms. Dona Applonie was selected as Tendoy School’s new principal. Applonie earned a master’s degree in education administration and a bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education from Idaho State University. Although Mrs. Applonie is new to the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District, she brings 15 years experience at both the elementary and secondary level.

Also new to the district is Tyhee Elementary School Principal Janice Nelson. She earned her master’s degree in education administration from idaho State University. She also has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from ISU and a bachelor’s degree in business management from Brigham Young University. Nelson has 18 years of professional education experience.

Indian Hills Elementary School Principal Mr. Howard Peck has been transferred to the position of principal at Franklin Middle School. Mr. Russ Sion, assistant principal at Indian Hills and Wilcox Elementary Schools, has been promoted to principal at Wilcox.

Filling assistant principal positions are:

• John Crawford, new to the district, New Horizons High School Assistant Principal
• Dian Swanson, a district teacher, Highland High School Assistant Principal
• Rhonda Naftz, a district teacher, assistant principal at Pocatello High School
• Tanya Wilkes, a district teacher, assistant principal at Irving Middle School
• Tina Orme, new to the district, assistant principal at Indian Hills and Wilcox Elementary Schools.

Vacancies in these positions were created by principals and assistant principals retiring, moving out of state or taking advantage of in-district transfer opportunities. The district is excited to be able to recruit and retain talented administrators.

To help facilitate student placement and enhance the learning environment for elementary students in School District 25, the distrct asks that parents follow one of three options to register children for the 2008-2009 school year.

A district mailing will go out to parents who completed the last school year.

Parents should complete the registration form and either take it to the school Aug. 7 between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., or mail it before Aug. 7 to the name of the elementary school, 3115 Pole Line Road, Pocatello, Idaho 83201-6119.

Parents who do not receive the mailing can attend the Aug. 7 registration at their neighborhood school.

Bring a birth certificate, immunization record and proof of address.

Students returning to the same neighborhood school they attended last year can register online by using their student identification number, located on the envelope they will receive.

The online option will be available from Aug. 4 to 8 up to 5.p.m.

Go to www.d25.k12.id.us and click on the elementary student registration on the home page.

Access will be available Aug. 7 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Elementary transfer students will be taken until Aug. 13 and reviewed Aug 14. Requests taken after Aug 13 cannot be considered until after school has started.

For more information,call your neighborhood school or Tara at 235-3206.