THE SUMMIT

ELEVATING EDUCATION AT BLAINE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

BCSD Trustees (clockwise): Amber Perkes, Blanca Romero, Chair Lara Stone, Vice Chair Dan Turner, and Leah Scarnegi

Public School Budgeting

As we head into the spring budgeting season, public schools are facing many challenges. Some impacts are nationwide: declining birth rates translate to lower enrollment and reduced funding. The recent upheaval at the US Department of Education is also adding to fiscal uncertainty.

Other challenges are specific to Idaho: Idaho ranks 51st nationally in per-student funding (including Washington, D.C.), ahead of only Puerto Rico and American Samoa. In Blaine County, the high cost of living makes it difficult for staff to find affordable housing.

The school board and administration have been focusing for the last several years on addressing the impacts of budgeting challenges like these. To learn more, view a PDF of the slide deck for an overview or watch the latest board work session for an in-depth discussion.

“We want to help kids open as many doors as possible and pique an interest that they have. That’s our goal.” 

Principal Kayla Burton, Carey School

College Visits and Fun with Friends

If you are senior at Carey School, it’s most likely you’ve visited a range of Idaho colleges to get a sense of what they offer and whether it might be a good fit for life after high school.

Teachers take each secondary class to local college campuses throughout their career at Carey: freshmen to the College of Southern Idaho (CSI), sophomores to Idaho State University (ISU), juniors to Boise State University (BSU), and seniors visit CSI one last time. 

“We want to give students an opportunity to be on campuses that they are close to so that they can compare and contrast experiences,” said Kayla Burton, Carey School principal. Read more...

"I feel so blessed to be in this community...I received so much support from staff and peers. This encouragement led me to take on community leadership opportunities.”

Amy Aranda, Wood River High School Alumna, Class of 2020

Photo courtesy of The Space

Education is the Way Forward

When Amy Aranda was growing up, her father would tell her that “education was the way forward”. The 2020 Wood River High School graduate took that advice to heart and added to it by taking on leadership opportunities in the community, through volunteering at The Hunger Coalition, The Flourish Foundation and The Advocates.

Her hard work not only paved the way for a full scholarship at Union College, it also opened the door to travel abroad for school and volunteer work. These past few months, she’s been back as a college graduate, working at The Space in Hailey as the Bilingual Program Coordinator.

Amy comes from a family that has contributed to the community for decades. Her Peruvian grandparents found Idaho in the 1970s through sheepherding, and her father has been working in construction for the past two decades. Her older siblings were born in Peru and she and her sister were born in Hailey.

She excelled at school and served as president of the student council. Amy gave a memorable speech at graduation - in both English and Spanish. She “wanted to take advantage of the platform to voice her story of being a daughter of immigrants and share the complexity of being Latino but having the privilege of citizenship. Read more...

From left: Tindsley Glenne, Tobin Van Hook, Stella Smith, and Fritz Apt.

Photo courtesy of Gabby Rafford

Inventive Students STEAM Ahead to State Competition

By Jessie Sperrazza, Idaho Mountain Express

Four Ernest Hemingway STEAM School fourth-grade students celebrate securing a trip to the Invent Idaho State Finals at the University of Idaho in April.

The students are Tindsley Glenne, creator of the “Hook-N-Grab,” an easier way to put ski boots on; Tobin Van Hook, creator of “Soapy,” a method of encouraging people to wash their hands as they leave the bathroom; Stella Smith, creator of “Wear and Track,” a clothing line for kids that has GPS “woven into the fabric;” and Fritz Apt, creator of “The Quick Dip,” a fast and portable method of washing dishes. Read more...

Alejandra Campoverdi sharing a laugh with students at Wood River High School.

Photo courtesy of Gretchen Gorham

Author Alejandra Campoverdi Inspires Students at BCSD Schools

On April 22-23, author Alejandra Campoverdi visited students at several Blaine County schools, talking about her experience as a first-generation Latina navigating the American Dream. Campoverdi is the author of the national bestseller, First Gen: A Memoir, a story of "generational inheritance, aspiration, and the true meaning of belonging—a gripping journey to 'reclaim the parts of ourselves we sacrificed in order to survive'."

As part of its School Speaker Series, the Sun Valley Writers' Conference has been bringing authors like Pablo Cartaya and Javier Zamora directly into Wood River Valley classrooms to spark a love of learning and literature in our community. 

Campoverdi is the founder of the First Gen Fund—a 501(c)(3) organization that provides hardship grants directly to first-generation students. She holds a master’s degree from Harvard University and served as the White House Deputy Director of Hispanic Media during the Obama administration.

Read more...

Participants can enter to win a $20 gift card. Winners will be notified by early June.