Sept 4 attachment

Tuesday, September 04, 2007



From the Coeur d’Alene Press

 No education stories posted online today.

From the Idaho Spokesman-Review

 Patrols target school zones

 An alternate path to college

 Our view: Book learning (Editorial)

From the Moscow Daily News (password required)

 No education stories posted online today.

From the Lewiston Tribune (password required)

 Some UI funding may be in jeopardy

From the Idaho-Press Tribune, Nampa

 U.S. schools increasingly teach students in 2 or more languages

 BSU celebrates 75 years Junior college transforms into metropolitan university

 Campus life evolves over time Member of BSU‘s first class in 1932 and current

students discuss school‘s past, future

 BSU growth guided by strong leadership

 ‗Soul of Boise State‘

 Junior college to university

 Growth fuels conflict

 Expansion continues

 Boise State strengthens community relationships

 Roles and missions

 Lawmakers eye budget

 Schools change calendars to help children remember lessons

 Caldwell High celebrates 10 years in building

From the Idaho Statesman, Boise

 Meridian middle schoolers may face tougher standards

 Wanted: teachers for Meridian schools

 Garden City charter school thrives after hard year

 BSU extends dates for firefighters

 Albertson College of Idaho trustees to be given honorary degrees

From the Twin Falls Times-News

 Anti-drug group plans incentive campaign for students

 Outside schools, dyslexia resources available but limited in the Magic Valley

From the Idaho State Journal

 Orientation gives Bear Lake freshmen a leg up

 Can Idaho afford a medical school? (Commentary)

 Bear Lake youths take leadership course

 School area secured due to graffiti bomb threat

From the Idaho Falls Post Register (password required)

 403(b) annuities can help school employees save for retirement

 It's the Law

FROM THE COEUR D‘ALENE PRESS



No education stories posted online today.







FROM THE IDAHO SPOKESMAN-REVIEW



Patrols target school zones



Efforts, new signs mark start of year

Jody Lawrence-turner

Staff writer

September 4, 2007



Drivers have had the summer off from 20 mph school zones; starting today police

throughout the Inland Northwest are making it their mission to remind motorists the rules

are too costly to ignore.



As students return to school after the Labor Day weekend, law enforcement in Coeur

d'Alene, Spokane, and Kootenai and Spokane counties will be planted near schools

looking for speeders, those who fail to stop for pedestrians or drivers who disobey other

traffic laws.



Day shift Kootenai County sheriff's deputies will be starting an hour earlier for the first

two weeks of school, Kootenai County Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Stuart Miller said.

"It's an emphasis that starts from the top level. Even the captain (Ben Wolfinger) says

he'll be out," Miller said.



Coeur d'Alene police officers will also be watching for violations near the high schools as

well as on Kathleen Avenue, said Sgt. Christie Wood.



In addition to speeders, officers will be paying particular attention to drivers who don't

stop for pedestrians. In Coeur d'Alene, the fine is $35.



The Spokane Police Department plans to have its 12 motorcycle officers posted at school

zones for the first week of classes, said Officer Glenn Bartlett. They will start in the

morning at high schools, then bounce around to the elementary and middle schools all

day.



A new feature for school zones in Spokane will be flashing lights and new signs near the

crossing areas.



"The signs will say '20 mph when lights are flashing,' "instead of "when children are

present," Bartlett said. "Then drivers won't be able to say, 'We didn't see the children.' "

One sign and light has been installed near Lidgerwood Elementary School. Drivers will

see them show up throughout the school year; 70 are planned for installation. The signs

and lights were bought through a grant from the Washington State Traffic Safety

Commission.



"It's better for everyone involved," Bartlett said. "Nobody wants to hit a kid."



Spokane County sheriff's deputies also will monitor school zones this week, including

whether motorists are stopping for the loading and unloading of school buses.



"Remember that kids are excited about being back in school and seeing their buddies

again," said Spokane County Sheriff's Office Cpl. Ken Salas. "They may not be paying as

much attention to traffic as they should, and drivers have to be particularly cautious this

first week of school."





An alternate path to college



More high school students enrolling in higher-ed classes



Meghann M. Cuniff

Staff writer

September 4, 2007



School starts today for North Idaho's K-12 students, but Coeur d'Alene High senior

Brandon Dooley is already a week into his studies.



The 17-year-old is part of a growing segment of the nation's high school students who

take college classes before earning their diplomas. He's got a full load of courses – none

of which is at the high school. College classes help him stay focused and challenge him

more than regular high school classes would, he said.



"It's not so confined over here," he said. "I love college life. I just love it."



North Idaho College calls it dual enrollment. High school students take courses at NIC,

and the credits count toward an associate's degree and a high school diploma.



Participation in the program soared from 182 students in fall 2002 to 415 this fall. And

the college wants to see it grow even more.



"I just really want to tap into these graduates who don't go on – we're missing the boat,"

said Steve Casey, NIC's dual enrollment coordinator. A longtime principal at Coeur

d'Alene High School, Casey wants to expand the program to outlying counties through

satellite campuses and the Internet.

The push mirrors a nationwide trend: More high school students are earning their

diplomas and associate's degrees simultaneously. Dual-enrollment programs are gaining

in popularity as more students recognize the importance of a post-high school education

even as rising tuition costs threaten to keep many away from beginning – or finishing –

college.



Dooley will graduate from Coeur d'Alene High in June just a few classes shy of an

associate's degree, and he plans to transfer to the University of Idaho to major in

engineering. He's glad for the money he's saved through dual enrollment. High school

students pay $60 a credit instead of $160 like traditional students.



Idaho has long had one of the lowest high school-to-college rates in the nation. In 2000,

44.8 percent of Idaho's high school graduates continued their education, according to the

National Center for Education Statistics.



Success in college



Critics question how ready high school students are for college-level courses. But others

say that, with the right oversight and structure, dual enrollment programs can help

increase the number of students who go on to college. And, proponents say, the programs

help keep them there.



"Their GPAs are higher, they're more likely to stay in college semester after semester,

and they are accumulating more credits," said Kathy Hughes, of the Community College

Research Center at the Columbia University Teachers College



The center is set to release a two-year study in the next few weeks that shows students in

dual-enrollment programs thrive once they reach the full-time college setting, Hughes

said.



"People are desperate to find any means to help students be more successful in college,"

she said. "They are about to embark on this huge transition. Why not let them go and get

a little firsthand experience early on?"



Programs vary



All states offer some form of dual enrollment. Washington's Running Start program

allows high school juniors and seniors with grade-point averages of at least 3.0 to take

courses at state universities and community colleges, and the state foots the bill. In Idaho,

colleges and universities govern their own programs and charge students for the credits.



The 2007 Legislature rejected a proposal from state Superintendent of Public Instruction

Tom Luna to create a statewide system for dual enrollment.

Under his proposal, the state would pay for high school seniors and juniors to take six

college credits each year if they passed the Idaho Standards Achievement Test as

sophomores.



He plans to present a similar proposal next legislative session. Many other states are

ahead of Idaho in dual-enrollment programs. That – and Idaho's low high school-to-

college rate – needs to change, Luna said.



"They get bored in high school because we just don't have any more to offer them," Luna

said. "We actually try to slow kids down. I don't think we ought to do that."



High school students need recommendations from teachers or counselors to enroll at

NIC.



And they're placed according to their score on the college's entry test. A 3.0 GPA is

recommended but not required. Hughes and Casey said stringent GPA requirements

shouldn't be part of dual-enrollment policy; it can leave out too many potentially good

students who struggled in high school.



"If you challenge them and put them in a different environment they might do very well,"

Hughes said. "The safeguard is for someone to monitor the program and see how that

student is doing in the course."



NIC spokesman Kent Propst said the college has high expectations for its program.



"There are plenty of opportunities for students who physically live near campus, but that

doesn't help the people living in Mullan or Bonners Ferry," Propst said. "That's where we

think we can make inroads on this high school-to-college transition."



Casey hopes to equip rural schools with the technology needed to connect to classes at

NIC via teleconferencing. NIC outreach centers in Ponderay, Bonners Ferry and Kellogg

could offer classes sooner.



Experts believe off-campus dual enrollment lessens the value of the program because it

takes away the campus experience, Hughes said.



But in a state as rural as Idaho, Casey said, college classes via the Internet or

teleconferencing beat none at all. "We gotta focus on keeping them in college and

moving them forward," he said.





Our view: Book learning (Editorial)



Our View: Professors help students by knowing cost of texts

September 4, 2007

Experienced college professors frequently hear tales of their cash-strapped students

staying up late at night tending bar or delivering pizzas when they might have been

studying.



But they don't always learn of one significant detail that could actually make a difference

in their students' checkbook balances: Textbook publishers haven't always informed them

of the retail prices of the books they select.



According to a recent congressional report, American students at four-year public

colleges paid an average of $898 for textbooks in 2003-2004, sometimes more than their

parents paid for an entire year's tuition. From 1986 to 2004, textbook prices jumped 186

percent, more than twice the rate of inflation.



Yet professors often selected books without learning their sticker prices.



This year a new law goes into effect in Washington state, one of seven states in the

country to enact similar legislation. It requires publishers to notify professors of the

prices bookstores will be charging students. They'll also have to inform professors of the

history of recent revisions to the text.



Often an earlier edition differs little from a newer one and costs considerably less.



This Washington law follows 2006 legislation that required college bookstores to sell

books separately from expensive add-ons such as CDs and study guides, disclose

information, and actively promote textbook buy-back programs.



These new laws were designed to reduce some of the financial pressure on college

students and their families. As demand for college education has increased in this

country, so have the costs. And while bookstore sticker prices may cause even affluent

parents to fret, they hit low- and moderate-income families harder. They can be the extra

expense that drives a student to drop out of school.



Around the country, other solutions are emerging – from devising new textbook rental

programs to placing pressure on publishers to stop charging more for texts marketed in

the U.S. than abroad. Other ideas include stronger book buy-backs and more online texts.



In the meantime, college professors must keep their eyes and ears open.



They often hear of students sharing books, switching from one class to another just

because the textbooks are cheaper, or skipping the textbook altogether.



In Washington this fall they should discover the figures that have the power to make a

difference.

FROM THE MOSCOW DAILY NEWS (PASSWORD REQUIRED)



No education stories posted online today.







FROM THE LEWISTON TRIBUNE (PASSWORD REQUIRED)



Some UI funding may be in jeopardy



By Joel Mills



Tuesday, September 4, 2007



MOSCOW - It's often derided as "pork," and it's under attack in the U.S. Congress. But

University of Idaho officials say at least some federal earmarks benefit a broad range of

taxpayers, not just those in Idaho.



In the kindest terms, they're called "pet projects" or "bringing home the bacon." But in the

past year, Congress - at least in word - has turned against one of its favorite ways of

spending taxpayer money. And that trend has some in higher education wringing their

hands.



"Not only is it critically important for us to run a balanced budget, it's actually important

for us to do the things we do as the research institution for the state of Idaho," UI

financial Vice President Lloyd Mues said of the earmarking process.



Officials at UI and other schools, however, seem somewhat resigned to a future of

dwindling earmarks. And Sen. Larry Craig's resignation this week over a sex scandal has

put millions of dollars of such spending in further jeopardy.



At a recent meeting, UI President Tim White cautioned his faculty about a future without

earmarks, and urged them to start considering different ways of finding money for their

work.



One such researcher is Greg Gollberg, a UI forestry professor and project director for the

Fire Research and Management Exchange System, or FRAMES. The computerized

system - which helps put wildland fire research in the field and enables better

communication among agencies - has received more than half of its funding due to

Craig's once-powerful influence.



"I don't know of another vehicle that is suited to fund what we're doing better than an

earmark," Gollberg said.



Washington State University also relies on earmarks to fund certain programs, but

officials there were not immediately available to detail types and levels of funding.

Other examples of earmark-funded research at the UI include several agricultural areas

like crop breeding, aquaculture and forestry, and several Department of Defense projects.



Another, more common way of funding university research is the competitive contract or

grant from a federal agency. Those awards are drawn from an agency's set budget.

Earmarks are for projects that don't make it into the president's budget, but are seen as

practically or politically important in a senator or representative's home district.



But projects like Alaska's infamous $223 million "bridge to nowhere" have given

earmarks a bad name. Democratic leaders in the House sided with President Bush this

year when they called for halving almost $19 billion in earmarks, and new House ethics

rules require members to identify themselves as sponsors.



John Tracy, the interim vice president for research at the UI, said Idaho's congressional

delegation is already known for its transparency in earmarking funds. "Our senators and

congressmen very proudly state what they have supported," Tracy said. "There seems to

be a difference between how the Idaho delegation would go about earmarking, versus

some of the others. There would be projects showing up, and no one would take credit for

them."



Wildland fire researcher Gollberg said since FRAMES was started in 2002, it has

received more than $2 million in funding. More than half came from Craig's earmark.

Gollberg said in his case, earmarking was the best way to fund startup costs for the

program, like staffing and infrastructure. A grant from the National Science Foundation

would have been difficult to acquire in the program's early days, he explained, because of

the broad reach of FRAMES.



"If you look at money that comes into wildland fire endeavors, there are a lot of different

funding sources for different niches," he said. "We're trying to cut across a lot of these

individual efforts and put together a collective system."



But now that the program is up and running out of Denver, Gollberg said he will try to

get more stable funding for FRAMES into the president's budget. "What we've been

trying to do all along is get out of the earmark funding business when we feel like it's

appropriate," he said. "Since we've been involved with (earmarks), they've been

contentious."



For the time being, though, Gollberg said earmarks are a way for the program to

continue. "But they're not going to last forever, and they shouldn't last forever."



Tracy said UI is prepared if and when earmarks do dry up. Instead of looking to Congress

first, he said UI now asks faculty members for their best ideas. Then his office takes those

ideas and figures out which funding avenue fits best. It may be the earmark process, a

grant or contract from a federal agency, internal UI money or a private donation, he said.

But the overriding idea is to create "research initiatives" that the administration or other

entities can get behind with stable, recurring annual funding.

"We may be better off going back (to Washington, D.C.) and working with agencies to

advocate for larger federal expenditures," Tracy said. "And our faculty are going to be

better off, rather than specifically asking for what would be a smaller earmark. Our

faculty are very competitive in writing research grants."



Tracy said earmark funding makes up less than 10 percent of UI's nearly $100 million

research enterprise.



But there may be hope - or despair, depending on one's viewpoint - for the federal

earmark. According to a recent Associated Press report, House spending bills this year

already have more than 10,000 earmarks worth more than $10 billion, and many more

will come when a $459 billion Pentagon spending bill soon hits the Senate floor.



For his part, the UI's top financial man, Mues, said he and the university need to be

prepared, whichever way the political winds blow. "I honestly believe that we will

continue to be very successful in acquiring support for research from the federal side,

regardless of what they call it," he said. "But I also have to pay close attention to the tea

leaves, and if it looks like that percent (of earmarks) is going to go down, then we've got

to figure out the relative importance of it and figure out if we've got to shift some money

from other areas to be able to cover it."

---

Mills may be contacted at jmills@lmtribune.com or (208) 883-0564.







FROM THE IDAHO-PRESS TRIBUNE, NAMPA



U.S. schools increasingly teach students in 2 or more languages



By Verena Dobnik

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Days before the start of the school year, Fabrice Jaumont walked out

of the French Embassy‘s mansion on Fifth Avenue, his arms filled with boxes containing

books, DVDs and CDs in his native tongue.

He loaded them into the trunk of a car. Destination: the Bronx.

The 35-year-old diplomat was headed to the public Jordan L. Mott middle school in one

of the nation‘s poorest districts, where on Tuesday, some students will arrive for science

and other classes — taught in French.

Four new dual-language programs are starting in the city this fall. Three are in French,

for the first time, including one at a school in Manhattan‘s Harlem area, and the fourth is

in Chinese.

―It‘s about time,‖ says Jaumont, the education attache at the French Embassy in

Manhattan, the cultural branch of the main embassy in Washington.

―This is a competitive country, and if Americans want to compete globally, they won‘t

be first anymore if their language skills are not good,‖ says the energetic young diplomat,

whose English is peppered with American jargon.

The new programs are part of a national trend to teach American children subjects such

as math, social studies and science in a foreign language. This fall, several hundred

thousand youngsters across America are headed to taxpayer-funded classes taught in

Spanish, Hebrew, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian and other languages.

On Manhattan‘s Lower East Side, children at the public Shuang Wen Academy spend

much of their school day in classes taught in Mandarin Chinese. The school is so popular

among parents of non-ethnic Chinese children eager to prepare their offspring for a

changing world that there‘s a waiting list for admission.

In each class, about half the students are fluent in Chinese, the other half in English;

some are immigrants, others American-born. That fifty-fifty approach is applied to more

than 10,000 other New York City children who voluntarily signed up for the city

Department of Education‘s 67 dual-language programs (compared to 51 in 2004). Each

child also starts with separate lessons in the language.

The students end up helping one another with a second language, while learning a

subject together. ―It‘s very organic,‖ says Shimon Waronker, principal at the Mott school.

The thought of taking a social science class in French excited 11-year-old Pamela Cruz,

who is already fluent in English and Spanish.

―I didn‘t like school that much. Now I really want to go,‖ says the sixth-grader, who

also signed up for guitar classes in French, a language she says ―sounds kind of funny,

but beautiful.‖

Her father, Enio Cruz, a Guatemalan immigrant who works as a housekeeper, is

thrilled. ―It‘s good for her future,‖ he says. ―She‘ll be able to meet more people and have

more chances to work better.‖

In a global economy where about 1 billion people speak Chinese, and almost 400

million Spanish, the two languages are at the top of the list of classes taught in a foreign

language at more than 300 public schools nationwide.

More than two-thirds are in Spanish, according to the Center for Applied Linguistics in

Washington, D.C., a nonprofit organization that researches issues related to language in a

society. About 14,000 children are taking classes in French — in cities like Chicago,

Miami, Boston and Washington, says Jaumont.

Not to be confused with controversial bilingual education designed to mainstream non-

English-speaking children, subjects taught in a foreign language are designed to make a

child fluent in speaking and writing two languages. Most of the children start such classes

in elementary school, or even in kindergarten.

There are more than twice as many American public school students getting a

multilingual education now as there were a decade ago, according to the Center for

Applied Linguistics.

U.S. government funding of such education is fueling a heated question: Does it make

sense for American public school children to learn in foreign languages at taxpayers‘

expense?

―Absolutely,‖ says Waronker, 38, whose Bronx school population is 80 percent

Hispanic and 20 percent black. Mott was once among New York‘s so-called ―Dirty

Dozen‖ schools, where drugs-and-violence driven gangs ruled until Waronker arrived

three years ago.

Of a total 700 students, 120 in the fifth and sixth grades have signed up for science and

social studies classes taught in a foreign language — 60 in Spanish and 60 in French. The

school has a few dozen students who come from French-speaking Africa.

―What we‘ve seen here is that students who take languages do better in other subjects,

and they score better on standardized tests,‖ says Waronker, a Chilean-born Orthodox

Jew who was once a U.S. Army intelligence officer.

That‘s his answer to critics who argue the new approach comes at the expense of

traditional teaching that prepares a student for mainstream American life.

At his school, the principal has added a little bonus: Physical education taught in

German by an Austrian coach.

Maria Santos, who heads the Department of Education‘s office of English language

learners, said research supports the conclusion that ―the brain benefits from learning two

languages. It gains much more flexibility, in any subject.‖

French is spoken by about 250 million people in more than 50 countries but is no

longer the most commonly used international language of diplomacy — English is.

Asked whether French remains a good choice despite the rise of other languages, the

polyglot Bronx principal smiles.

―When kids learn other languages, they start seeing connections and the mind develops

faster — it doesn‘t matter what language it is,‖ says Waronker, who speaks English,

Spanish and Hebrew. ―The goal of such an education is to build confidence in a child, to

make a better American citizen who can fit in anywhere.‖





BSU celebrates 75 years Junior college transforms into metropolitan university



This week, Boise State University celebrates its 75th anniversary. In those decades its

leadership and students have fought skeptics and opponents to grow from a tiny junior

college into the largest institution of higher learning in Idaho.

Boise State‘s emergence into the national scene both through athletics and academic

successes has come through determination, persistence and grit. Today, read the stories of

some of the people behind the university‘s advancement, find out how student life has

evolved and chart the changes on campus over time.





Campus life evolves over time Member of BSU’s first class in 1932 and current

students discuss school’s past, future



1932 to 1965 — Boise Junior College 1965 to 1969 — Boise College 1969 to 1974 —

Boise State College 1974 to present — Boise State University



By Andrew Van Dam

avandam@idahopress.com

The profile of a Boise State University student is changing. Today, there are more of

them than ever, and they boast recordbreaking test scores and unparalleled educational

opportunities. They‘re more likely to live, work, play and sip coffee on campus than their

predecessors.

But some things never change. BSU students have always frequented downtown

establishments, always welcomed new faces and always had a passion for that most

sacred of institutions: Bronco football.

Until the last five years, said Larry Burke, director of university relations from 1974 to

2001, there was only room for about 700 students on campus. Now an eruption of on-

campus housing is changing where and how students live.

―Now we have two new halls and many apartments ... It‘s more of a residential campus

now than it was then,‖ said the 60-year-old Burke.

―There is definitely more of a campus life now than there was back in the seventies,‖

Burke said. ―During the weekend everybody would go home or go back to their job — it

was a very slow place on weekends. It‘s evolved a lot.‖

In a series of interviews, current students have proven Burke right. All of them — from

the student body president to the incoming freshman — spend the majority of their time

on university property, an anomaly in BSU‘s former life as a ―commuter campus.‖

life members of the (Bronco Athletic Association) and have a scholarship in our name.‖

―It‘s a long way from a 1932 beginning student enrollment of 72 students to today‘s

enrollment of over 19,000,‖ Cruzen added.

At the end of her statement about her time at BJC, Cruzen had just one thing to add:

―Go Broncos!‖

ing capes, he said. ―They did a lot of things like that,‖ he added

Burke said football has always been ―very big‖ at BSU, ―no question about it. ...

Football‘s always been a major part of Boise State, I remember the first game on the blue

field in 1986.‖

He added that besides the growing football team, the addition of the Pavilion (now

Taco Bell Arena) in 1982 and the Morrison Center for the Performing Arts in 1984 gave

major national acts place to perform and made huge improvements in the cultural life on

campus and in Boise as a whole.

―It‘s something that really makes me happy, that I really get a lot out of,‖ she said. ―I‘d

rather bet at school than be downtown at a bar.‖





BSU growth guided by strong leadership



By Bryan Dooley

bdooley@idahopress.com

From its inception in 1932 as the tiny Boise Junior College to its present status of the

largest university in the state of Idaho 75 years later, Boise State University has

overcome obstacles and experienced monumental growth.

This is in large part due to the work and determination of strong and dedicated leaders,

university archivist Alan Virta said.

Virta said people had been complaining for years about the lack of a college in the

Boise area before Episcopal Bishop Middleton Barnwell made it happen in 1932. ―He

was kid of a ‗take charge‘ kind of guy,‖ Virta said.

Boise Junior College opened Sept. 6 of that year, on the corner of Idaho Street and 1st

Avenue. The college — with 72 registered students and a full-time faculty of eight —

occupied St. Margaret‘s Hall, recently vacated by an allgirl school.

Barnwell served as president until 1934, when he turned the school‘s operation over to

a private board of directors, ending the school‘s affiliation with the Episcopal Church.

The school also held its first commencement ceremony that year, presenting 27 students

with two-year degrees.



‘Soul of Boise State’



In 1936 Eugene Chaffee took up the BSU presidency, which he held until 1967.

―If anyone was the soul of Boise State University it was Eugene Chaffee,‖ Virta said.

―It became his life.‖

Over the course of his 31-year presidency, Chaffee guided the school‘s transformation

from a tiny junior college to a four-year institution with an enrollment of more than 5,000

students.

The school went public in 1939, when Boise voters approved the creation of the Boise

Junior College District. Virta said the process was similar to the one recently carried out

for the establishment of the College of Western Idaho.

A year later the school moved from St. Margaret‘s Hall to the site of the present

campus, formerly home to the Boise Airport. The school continued to grow and expand,

adding new buildings in 1941 and 1942.

World War II took a toll on the young college‘s enrollment, at one point it dropped as

low as 152 as many would-be students were sent overseas to fight, Virta said. ―But then

... when the veterans came back and the GI bill kicked in things really picked up,‖ he

added, with 855 students enrolled in 1946.

In 1948 Boise Junior College and eight other schools in Idaho and Utah formed the

Intermountain Collegiate Athletic Conference.

Coach Lyle Smith lead the team to victory at the National Junior College Athletic

Association championship after an undefeated season in 1958. Virta said Smith, who

coached for 20 years at the school, was a central figure in the development and

establishment of Boise Junior College as an athletic contender.



Junior college to university



The school‘s library was built in 1963, and in April of 1965 the school implemented

baccalaureate degrees, becoming the four-year Boise College.

Virta said the move faced opposition from the state‘s established four-year institutions,

which were reluctant to welcome a new competitor. The expansion was a huge step in the

school‘s development, he said.

In 1967 John Barnes replaced Chaffee as president and the college‘s first four-year

degrees were awarded. That year also marked the formation of Boise State Alumni

Association. The school‘s enrollment exceeded 5,000 students for the first time.

The school competed in athletics at the four-year level for the first time in 1968. The

next year the school became Boise State College, having entered the state higher

education system.

In 1970 the college joined the Big Sky Conference, and Bronco Stadium opened. The

stadium‘s turf was green until 1986, and has been blue ever since.

The school awarded its first master‘s degrees in 1972, and in 1974 became Boise State

University. Enrollment increased to more than 10,000 students the following year.



Growth fuels conflict



John Keiser took the presidency in 1978 and held it until 1991 when he was dismissed by

the State Board of Education.

Virta explained that the dismissal stemmed from conflicts over the school‘s athletic

conference and the desire to establish a college of engineering. The board‘s move led to

widespread protests, including a demonstration in which hundreds of people marched

from the university‘s campus to the Statehouse, circling the governor‘s office.

In 1980 the Broncos won the I-AA National Championship, and in 1982 12-year-old

Jay Luo graduated with a degree in mathematics, becoming the youngest college graduate

in the nation. What is now the Taco Bell Arena opened, and the school marked its 50th

anniversary.

The Morrison Center for Performing Arts opened in 1984, and in 1986 the university

launched its Canyon County Center, which Virta said filled a long-felt need for

vocational and educational opportunities closer to Canyon County.



Expansion continues



In 1989 enrollment reached 12,568, making BSU the largest university in the state.

After Keiser‘s dismissal in 1991, Larry Selland took over as interim president and

served until 1993, when he was replaced by Charles Ruch. In 1996 the long-foughtfor

college of engineering enrolled its first students.

The university awarded its first doctorate degree in 1997. In 1998 it held the first Gene

Harris Jazz Festival.

BSU joined the Western Athletic Conference in 2001. In 2006 the Broncos topped off

an undefeated season with a win at the Fiesta Bowl.

Bob Kustra became BSU‘s sixth president in 2003, and the university continues to

grow with a 2007 enrollment of 18,876 students.





Boise State strengthens community relationships



By Christin Runkle crunkle@idahopress.com

BOISE — As Boise State University attempts to become a ―metropolitan research

university of distinction,‖ it enjoys close relationships with the State Board of Education

that must approve new programs and the Idaho Legislature, which provides the school

with funding.

But that hasn‘t always been the case.

In the 1960s, when Boise College had just transitioned from a two-year junior college

to a fouryear college and had entered the state system, members of the State Board of

Education and the Legislature were used to dealing with only two four-year schools —

Idaho State University and the University of Idaho. As a result, they were wary of

helping BSU.

Roles and missions



State Board of Education spokesman Mark Browning said each Idaho university has a

specific mission: ISU‘s is to provide programs in the health science professions, UI‘s is

to provide engineering, agriculture and law programs, and BSU‘s specialty is social

sciences, public affairs, business and economics and the physical and biological sciences.

―(Engineering) wasn‘t part of (BSU‘s) mission,‖ Browning said.

Early administrators remember feeling slighted by legislators and Education Board

members from other parts of the state.

In a 1994 interview with graduate student Thomas Ansbach, the late Richard E.

Bullington, BSU vice president for academic affairs in the late 1960s and the 1970s,

recalled in his first year in Idaho being sent all over the state to encourage legislators to

fund the college. And he said he found out exactly what northern, eastern and southern

Idaho thought about Boise and Boise College.

―Now, I think that the regionalism has not changed,‖ Bullington said, ―and I think that

the other institutions don‘t like us any more than they did when we first entered the state

system.‖

John Barnes, president of Boise College, Boise State College and Boise State

University from 1967 to 1977, said that during his tenure at the school, the Education

Board was ―concerned Boise State would dominate things‖ because of its enrollment

growth, location and programs. Those were valid concerns, he added.

―That‘s just the way things are in a population that‘s growing,‖ he said.

―We really had to scrap and fight in those years to become an accepted member,‖ Boise

State archivist Alan Virta said.

Virta said that because resources are limited for higher education, the board had to

consider whether it was ―good budget-wise for another school to offer the same

(programs).‖

For that reason, Boise State didn‘t get its own engineering program, for example, until

the 1990s.



Lawmakers eye budget



Getting the Legislature‘s attention was also difficult.

―It was hard to get income from the Legislature because they had other marbles to

watch over, and they wanted to look after them all,‖ Barnes said, adding: ―It‘s hard to cut

up a pie into three pieces when the two-piece pie wasn‘t really very fat.‖

But Barnes never felt there was ill-will between him and the presidents of ISU and UI.

Instead, he understood that those schools had the same goal that Boise State had — to

convince the Legislature they needed funding.

―Those were tense times,‖ he said, ―but there was not real animosity. ... (We were)

trying to get funding for institutions that needed it.‖

Since then, tensions have eased, and Boise State has forged more positive relationships

with both the State Board and the Idaho Legislature.

Current BSU President Bob Kustra credited Idaho‘s governors with appointing State

Board of Education trustees who hold Boise State in high regard.

―I can say nothing but very positive things about (the Board),‖ Kustra said.

Boise State‘s relationship with the Legislature is similarly friendly, though Kustra

noted that any difficulties the university has in obtaining funds are caused by state budget

constraints.

―Legislatures across the country are experiencing significant competing priorities,‖ like

prisons and Medicaid, he said.





Schools change calendars to help children remember lessons



EDUCATION: Alternative schedules across the nation shorten or eliminate summer

breaks; add time off during the rest of the year



By Nancy Zuckerbrod

The Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — While it‘s the start of the school year for most U.S.

students, children at Barcroft Elementary have been at their desks for nearly a month —

and they‘re fine with that.

The suburban Washington, D.C., school is among 3,000 across the nation that have

tossed aside the traditional calendar for one with a shorter summer break and more time

off during the rest of the year. The goal: preventing kids from forgetting what they have

learned.

Barcroft‘s principal, Miriam Hughey-Guy, pushed for the new calendar in hopes of

boosting student achievement. She had read studies showing the toll a long summer break

takes on what students remember, and she figured that shorter breaks also would help the

school‘s many immigrants keep up their English skills.

Tests given to kids in the spring and fall show children generally slide in math and

reading during the traditional summer break lasting 10 to 12 weeks, says Harris Cooper,

director of the education program at Duke University. Both poor students and their

wealthier counterparts lose math skills, and kids from low-income families also decline in

reading. More than half of Barcroft‘s students are poor.

There hasn‘t been rigorous research into whether students at schools where summer

breaks are short do better than kids attending other schools. But existing comparisons

suggest the modified calendars have a small positive effect on student achievement. The

impact appears to be somewhat bigger for low-income children.

Ron Fairchild, executive director of the Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins

University, says reconfiguring the school calendar simply makes sense.

―You would expect an athlete or a musician‘s performance to suffer if they didn‘t

practice,‖ said Fairchild, whose organization advocates for educational summertime

opportunities for kids.

There are about 3,000 U.S. schools using alternate calendars like the one at Barcroft,

where July is the only full month off, according to the National Association For Year-

Round Education.

The number of schools on modified calendars with shorter summer breaks more than

doubled in the last 15 years. Today, 46 states have schools operating on these calendars

— up from 23 states in 1992. The entire Hawaiian school system recently moved to a

nontraditional calendar with a seven-week summer break.

A goal of the federal No Child Left Behind law is to get all students reading and doing

math at their grade level by 2014. That has placed enormous pressure on schools to try

new things, including reconfiguring calendars and schedules.

Teachers typically spend time at the beginning of each year reviewing the previous

year‘s lessons. Schools that have fewer weeks off in the summer may need to do less of

that.

It‘s mostly elementary schools using the modified calendars; For older students, that

could make it hard to get summer jobs or participate in competitive sports programs.

In Auburn, Ala., a push to move to a year-round calendar created an outcry and

ultimately failed, partly because of highschool athletics.

―It would have put a vacation in the middle of the football season,‖ said Chris Newland,

a father of two who fought the change and a psychology professor at Auburn University.

―You don‘t touch football here.‖

Newland said parents didn‘t like the idea of putting the younger kids on a modified

schedule and leaving the older ones on the traditional calendar. That would make it hard

to take family vacations and would be especially problematic in a university town, where

families often spend entire summers off together, he said.

Schools that have a calendar like Barcroft‘s typically offer educational programs during

the fall, winter and spring breaks. At Barcroft, about 80 percent of the kids participate.

The courses offered are often aimed at giving remedial help to those who need it, a

common purpose of traditional summer school.

Many teachers at year-round schools believe providing remedial help after nine weeks

of coursework is an improvement over the traditional model in which kids wait until

summer school to get extensive help, says Duke University‘s Cooper.

In addition to helping struggling kids, the breaks at Barcroft include fun electives that

aren‘t typically offered during regular school periods.

One recent program was devoted to wetlands, which second-grader Anthony Merica

described with glee. ―We made clay things,‖ he said breathlessly. ―We made clay turtles

and lily pads for frogs. It was fun!‖

Not all schools go to a yearround schedule to boost student achievement. Some do it

because they have more kids than they can accommodate in a building. By extending the

school year, they can rotate more kids through a building by giving them different

schedules.

The traditional school calendar dates to a period when children were more likely to be

needed on family farms in the summer, and before air conditioning made school

buildings hospitable during hot months.

It took Hughey-Guy two years to implement the change at Barcroft. She said parents

were skeptical at first, but most backed the change after they learned more about it.

All of Barcroft‘s teachers decided to stay, and in some cases the calendar has even been

a recruiting tool.

―I was definitely excited about the calendar. I didn‘t want two-and-a-half months off

with nothing to do,‖ said new firstgrade teacher Caitlin Miller. She says the longer breaks

during the year have improved her teaching, ―They are a chance to reevaluate how the

year is going — to stop, collect my thoughts and plan.‖

Caldwell High celebrates 10 years in building



EDUCATION: School moved into its new location on Indiana Avenue in 1997



By Christin Runkle

crunkle@idahopress.com

CALDWELL — Ten years ago this month, about 900 Caldwell High School students

entered a new high school for the first time.

Until the building on Indiana Avenue opened, students had been crammed into what is

now Syringa Middle School.

The new Caldwell High School was the product of an $18.9 million bond passed in

1995. The building cost $17.8 million to build, design and furnish, while the rest of the

bond money was used to remodel the old high school and make other district

improvements.

―It was a visible, tangible way the Caldwell community showed students that they

really do care about the education of kids,‖ said Julie Yamamoto, who was principal of

Caldwell High School in 1997.

A decade ago, CHS was a three-year high school. In 2004, CHS brought in freshmen.

Now, the school has a student population of 1,800.

Bill Cooper, who is now dean of students at Caldwell High School but who was a

teacher and coach when the new school opened, said construction wasn‘t completed until

August 1997, and teachers didn‘t begin moving in until July.

―We filled the gym at the old high school with ... desks and chairs ... stacked 10 feet

high,‖ he recalled.

The new school included many amenities the old one did not: air conditioning,

computer labs, a spacious gymnasium, a wrestling room, security cameras and an

auditorium.

The new school could be closed off into three distinct parts — fine arts, classrooms,

and gymnasium and cafeteria — so that students in one section wouldn‘t distract those in

another.

―I don‘t think we left any stone unturned, so to speak. My memory of building that

school is that it‘s pretty well done,‖ said Darrel Deide, the former Caldwell School

District superintendent who acted as a consultant for the district during construction.

Deide said the only flaw is that the school was designed for three grades, rather than

four.

Even now, Cooper is still grateful for the new school.

―I (enjoy it) every day,‖ he said.







FROM THE IDAHO STATESMAN, BOISE



Meridian middle schoolers may face tougher standards



School Board trustees meet today to discuss ways to improve student accountability

Middle school talk

Meridian School District Board of Trustees will discuss middle school reform during a

work session at 8 a.m. today at the district office, 1303 E. Central Drive, Meridian. By

Bill Roberts - broberts@idahostatesman.com

Edition Date: 09/04/07





Meridian middle school students could face mandatory summer school or be required to

earn credits before moving on to high school.

Those are a couple of ideas under discussion as the district looks for ways to increase

rigor and student accountability among its 7,000 middle school students to help them

succeed in high school and beyond.



School administrators will meet with Meridian School Board trustees this morning in a

work session to go over some of their ideas. No action is expected, and district officials

will likely expand a committee that is looking at middle schools to include parents and

community representatives, before pushing ahead.



Meridian School District sees some of the same problems that middle schools face

nationally: Kids who don't come to school regularly and many who don't put out their

best effort because they don't believe it is necessary to get into high school.



An Idaho task force chaired by state schools chief Tom Luna is examining the issues and

could have recommendations by year's end.



The task force may take its ideas around the state for parents and others to discuss.



Meridian district officials are concentrating on two areas:



• Middle school attendance.



• Student accountability for completing schoolwork.



Meridian's middle school attendance is "absolutely abysmal," district Superintendent

Linda Clark said.



On an average day, 7 percent of the district's 7,000 middle school students are absent,

compared to 5 percent in high school.



Part of the difference, school officials say, is that high school students can lose credit and

endanger their graduation if they miss too many classes.



Middle school students face few consequences for missing school, as long as parents

provide an excuse. But even more important, students can't learn if they aren't in school,

Sawtooth Middle School Principal David Moser said.

Moser said he needs more information on a credit system or minimum attendance policy

for middle schools. But he believes habitual absentees should be identified and every

effort made to get them to school.



His school uses a number of strategies, including sending the school resource officer out

to talk to the parents of chronically absent students.



"We need to get kids here," Moser said.



Sawtooth eighth-grader Savannah Vang, 13, sees little problem with a system that would

require students to amass a set number of credits before going on to high school.



"I think they should do good in any grade," she said. "It will help you get into college."



But a credit system carries a backlash for students that some educators worry is too harsh:

holding back kids who don't meet the goals.



"We are reluctant to hold kids back," said Joe Yochum, a Meridian School District

supervisor and former middle school principal who serves on the middle school

committee. Retaining students can increase dropout rates or sometimes cause kids to shut

down academically, he said.



"Research tells us that is not in their best interest," Yochum said.



Instead of a credit system, Yochum's committee has considered a mandatory summer

middle school for kids whose absences are so serious they affect a child's ability to learn.



But a mandatory summer school could be costly — the committee hasn't put a number on

it. Moreover, Yochum worries that trying to push a whole year's learning into a summer

school program could mean instruction that doesn't come with as much depth as regular

school.



Besides attendance, school officials worry about kids who don't turn in their schoolwork.



"One significant concern on the part of teachers and administrators is no accountability in

the area of academics," Clark said, "If kids choose not to turn in their homework, if kids

choose to get D's and F's, so what?"



Meridian's alternative schools put in place a no D's or F's policy over the past couple of

years. Clark said the district shouldn't accept below-passing work from students, but that

plan requires teachers to spend more time helping students who don't make the grade.



Meridian middle school students earn plenty of low grades.



In spring, 2005, the district's 7,000 middle school students brought home 6,200 D's and

F's.

"I think that is a very high number, and we are absolutely committed to having a more

rigorous system," Clark said at the time.



Middle school leaders agree there must be improvement. But reaching for a single,

district-wide system may not be the way, some say.



When Yochum was principal at Lowell Scott Middle School, he started a program called

ZAP — Zeros Aren't Permitted — in which students who did not turn in homework were

required to use their lunch hours or other time outside of regular class time to make it up.



As long as the grading system includes A,B,C,D and F, "we are always going to have D's

and F's," Moser said.



His school works with students who don't complete their assignments.



Kevin Leishman, a Sawtooth seventh-grade science teacher, asks students who get below

a B to redo assignments.



"I am going to have kids retaught in my class," he said.



Requiring kids to finish their assignments or not settle for a D or F makes sense to

Andrew Spedden, 13, an eighth-grader at Sawtooth. It "makes the kids try harder," he

said.



Bill Roberts: 377-6408





Wanted: teachers for Meridian schools



An unexpected influx of elementary students is prompting a request for 6 more teachers.

By Bill Roberts - broberts@idahostatesman.com

Edition Date: 08/30/07





Meridian School District is looking for more teachers to ease bulging class sizes in the

state's largest district.

Linda Clark, district superintendent, will ask the School Board Tuesday for nearly

$300,000 to hire six more teachers to ease crowding in elementaries where some class

sizes have hit 40 students in the opening days of school.



District officials are still working on staffing numbers for middle and elementary schools.



Meridian district opened with 33,122 kids on Monday— up 5 percent from last year —

and about 1,745 teachers to educate them.

But those numbers aren't spread evenly across the district, so administrators must look for

ways to meet staffing needs by moving teachers or hiring new ones.



While some schools opened with fewer students, such as Hunter Elementary, they also

opened with large class sizes.



Nearly 10 percent of the district's 651 elementary classrooms exceed district goals for

class sizes. About half of those classes will be reduced by adding or moving instructors.

The remainder will likely get help from aides.



Chris Gredler, whose daughter is in a fifth-grade class of 40 students at Hunter, said the

staffing problems should be addressed before school opens to eliminate disruptions.



"I think it's terrible," he said. "For them to wait until they see the whites of (students')

eyes is a bad way to handle things."



School officials say they often don't know who is coming to school until they show up on

opening day.



District officials say they didn't see the growth in class sizes coming at Hunter, which lost

250 kids to nearby Paramount when it opened for the first time Monday.



"If we had projected the number, we would have staffed for it," Clark said.



At Paramount, the district projected 575 students but opened with nearly 700.



Crowded classes often put a strain on resources and mean teachers don't get to spend as

much time with each student.



Meridian district is already looking for a teacher to ease the fifth-grade overcrowding at

Hunter and also will ask the board for permission to hire a teacher to reduce Hunter's

third-grade classes, which are in the mid-30s range.



But bringing in new teachers after school begins means Gredler's daughter will watch a

large portion of her class leave to be with another teacher, or she could be moved to

another classroom herself.



"Do you feel wanted?" he asked. "Do you feel you get shoved around?"



Shifting teachers is often a touchy issue for parents after school begins.



District officials upset parents at Linder Elementary School when it announced

Wednesday morning it would move a kindergarten teacher part time to Peregrine

Elementary to ease overcrowding. Parents immediately started a petition asking the

School Board to keep the teacher at Linder because class sizes would grow from about 18

students to 24.

The school is struggling with reading and didn't meet statewide academic goals under No

Child Left Behind legislation.



"If we have an overcrowded school, our students are not going to be ready," said

Amberly Beck, who taught kindergarten at Linder last year.



District officials reversed their decision when they learned Wednesday afternoon that

another 10 students had shown up for kindergarten class that the district didn't know were

coming.



Besides Hunter, district officials have identified several hot spots where they hope to hire

additional staff or reallocate existing staff from schools with smaller class sizes:



• Lake Hazel kindergarten, average class size: 33



• Desert Sage kindergarten, average class size: 28.5; second grade: 30.3



• Eagle Elementary second grade, average class size: 30.5



• Ustick kindergarten, average class size: 26.7



• Ponderosa Elementary, second grade, average class size: 29



• Star kindergarten, average class size: 28.3



• Peregrine kindergarten, average class size: 28.3.



Bill Roberts: 377-6408





Garden City charter school thrives after hard year



Sharp drop in enrollment was a threat last year, but this year, 144 kids attend.



After a hard first year that included two moves and a sharp dip in enrollment, Garden

City Community School is thriving, with 144 students starting classes there Monday.

The school's board of trustees met Wednesday to talk about how to manage the sudden

growth, said Director Cindy Hoovel, who was hired in June.



The trustees discussed re-arranging classes and hiring a new teacher.



They also discussed whether they need to institute an admissions lottery next year.



"It's an awesome challenge having this many students," Hoovel said.

The charter school struggled to stay afloat last year, its first.



It moved twice before ending up in the storefront where it is now located on Chinden

Boulevard in Garden City.



Enrollment dropped to 80 students at one point, imperiling the school's future.



Its state funding is based on how many students attend.



In June, Idaho Public Charter School Commissioners accepted a plan from GCCC to get

rid of $55,000 of debt by April.



The panel had warned that the school could be closed if it didn't straighten out its

financial problems.



But over the summer, Hoovel worked to repair the school's image, offering tours and

open houses.



Enrollment came through word of mouth, said parent Gail Sibley, who has a son in third

grade at GCCC.



"We didn't have the financial means to do a big advertisement campaign, so we had an

open house every week," said Sibley, who added she has friends who decided over the

summer to send their children to the school. "It was word of mouth completely."



GCCC serves kindergarten through eighth grade, but there are plans to expand to high

school one day, Hoovel said.



The school has eight teachers. Sibley took her child out of Hidden Springs Charter

School to enroll him at GCCC because, she said, the school helps her son enjoy learning.



"He loves it," she said.



Anne Wallace Allen: 377-6433





BSU extends dates for firefighters



- Idaho Statesman

Edition Date: 09/04/07



Boise State University will offer extended academic deadlines for admission, registration,

housing check-in and fee payment for firefighters battling wildfires.

The deadline for students who can present proof that they have been employed as

firefighters will be extended through Friday, Sept. 14.

Firefighters or family members acting on their behalf, should call 426-2384.





Albertson College of Idaho trustees to be given honorary degrees



Statesman staff - Idaho Statesman

Edition Date: 08/31/07



Two trustees for Albertson College of Idaho will be given honorary degrees Sunday at

the school's annual convocation.

ACI president Bob Hoover said the school wants to recognize the contributions of board

chairman Gerald M. Baur and trustee Jack K. Lemley for their longtime contributions to

the school.



Bauer, who graduated from the Caldwell college in 1966, is a retired vascular surgeon.

He is in his second term on the ACI board of trustees.



He moved to Boise in 1984 to join Cardiovascular and Chest Surgical Associates, where

he practiced vascular surgery until retirement in 2005.



For the past 18 months, he has been medical director of Surgical Services at St.

Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise.



Lemley is director and president of Lemley International, an infrastructure engineering

and construction company.



During his 45-year career, which includes being the chief executive officer of the

company that built the English Channel Tunnel (Chunnel), Lemley has traveled and

supervised work in 65 countries and all 50 states.



Convocation, which is ACI‘s traditional way of welcoming new students and their

parents, is at 7 p.m. in Jewett Auditorium.







FROM THE TWIN FALLS TIMES-NEWS



Anti-drug group plans incentive campaign for students



By Nate Poppino

Times-News writer

TWIN FALLS - Pledges and media campaigns haven't always worked.



But Pattie Hansen is hoping the power of capitalism will be enough to keep southern

Idaho students off of methamphetamine.

Hansen, the executive director of United Way South Central Idaho, is wearing two hats

these days. As the chair of the youth committee for Southern Idaho Partners Against

Drugs, she's helping construct an ambitious incentive program meant to keep students of

all ages off of methamphetamine.



The goal, organizers say, is to reward students who stay off drugs, not punish those who

try them.



"We don't think punitive works very well with kids," said John Hathaway, the Region 5

director for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and an adviser for SIPAD.



Under the plan, students - high-school students at first, expanding to middle-school and

elementary schools in subsequent years - would voluntarily sign a pledge at the beginning

of the school year to not use drugs. Those students would be randomly tested throughout

the year in a program similar to what some districts have in place for testing athletes and

others who participate in extracurricular events.



Students who test clean will have their names added to a list for random drawings, and

could win everything from iPods to a brand-new car. Those who test positive for drugs

will be referred for counseling, and their parents and school will be informed.



Students already randomly tested could still participate in the drawings, Hansen said, and

SIPAD is hanging all its hopes for the program on the lure of the prizes. The ultimate

focus, should the program work, will be on students in grades four through six - a time

when habits that lead to drug use are formed, Hansen said.



"If they can just say no for that long, then it's so much easier for them," Hansen said.



Organizers hope to launch the program in October and time it with a visit from Dr. Mary

F. Holley, the founder of Mothers Against Meth-Amphetamine. But first, they have to

figure out how to fund it - especially the drug tests, the prices of which Hathaway said

vary widely. He said the group plans to approach Kiwanis and Rotary clubs in the region

and local businesses for help.



College of Southern Idaho spokesman Doug Maughan said Wednesday the college would

likely support the program in some way, and the Minidoka County School District has

donated a former driver's education car for use as a prize.



Friday, state Rep. Sharon Block, R-Twin Falls, said she thinks the project will benefit

more than just school districts. Drugs were a factor in the convictions of as many as 85

percent of people in Idaho prisons, she said, and 70 to 80 percent of children in foster

care are there because their parents were drug users.



"It's a huge burden on our state," Block said of the prison population.

SIPAD doesn't know how well the program will work, Hathaway said. But a study is

already planned for after the first year of operation, and organizers are optimistic - after

all, he said, everyone who has a job relies on some sort of incentive. Success could just

mean the program avoids the fate of previous anti-drug efforts, he said: "A lot of hoopla,

a lot of rah-rah and then nothing."



Nate Poppino can be reached at 735-3237 or npoppino@magicvalley.com.





Outside schools, dyslexia resources available but limited in the Magic Valley



By Blair Koch

Times-News correspondent

TWIN FALLS - Once a child has been assessed and identified with special needs, the

public school system is required, by law, to provide them.



"Based on student need, the school receives federal funding to provide that extra help,"

said Filer Special Programs Director Pamela Houston-Powell. "All students deserve good

instruction."



Sometimes a dyslexic student may need more instruction than can be provided during

regular school hours. Most often, parents are referred to the Southern Idaho Learning

Center in Twin Falls.



"We have a good working relationship with (SILC) and have had a number of students

that have really been helped with their services," Houston-Powell said.



Over the past summer, SILC served 105 students. Some came from as far as Oakley,

Shoshone and Rupert. The number of specifically dyslexic students was not readily

available, as each student's instruction recommendation varies, but Center Director

Melody Lenkner said that they help many dyslexics.



"It's not always reading that a student comes in for help with. Some get interventions for

math, listening or handwriting," Lenkner said. "We probably provide 40 to 50

assessments each year and do personal work-ups on 15 to 20 percent of those."



Besides SILC's services and those provided within the school system, help is often hard

to find.



"There are academic therapists that move in and out of the area. Right now we have

contact information for two other academic therapists," Lenkner said. "The schools are

doing the best that they can given their confines. They are obligated by the federal

government to provide services for every student but then only get 20 percent of the

funding to do it. Understandably, some students fall through the cracks but that's why

we're here, as a safety net."

Blair Koch can be reached at blairkoch@gmail.com or 316-2607.







FROM THE IDAHO STATE JOURNAL



Orientation gives Bear Lake freshmen a leg up



New program helps incoming students to succeed

BY TAMMY STEPHENS For the Journal



MONTPELIER — The students and staff at Bear Lake High School have had a great

start to the school year. It began with a two-hour freshman orientation on Aug. 27 with

the upper classmen coming in at 10 a.m. last Tuesday began with an assembly and a guest

speaker.

And the rest of the week was spent in class.

―I went to a principal‘s conference in Texas this summer,‖ said principal Alan Schwab,

―and I was the only one whose school did not offer some kind of orientation for the

incoming freshmen. I asked questions of those who have done this before, listened, and

came back determined to help our freshmen get off to a good start so they have a better

chance of succeeding.‖

The orientation began with the freshmen in the gym listening to Schwab discuss several

policies they need to follow at the high school. They were then divided into five groups

and the student council officers took them on a tour of the school. Each group then went

into a classroom with their student council leaders.

In the classroom, the students received their student handbooks, a schedule and their

student ID cards. The teacher discussed the handbook and explained how it could be used

to help them remember their homework.

―The freshman orientation was amazing,‖ said senior student council officer Hillary

Merritt. ―It was a great opportunity to get to know the younger students. We were able to

answer any of their questions

and to help them feel better about their first day of high school. I wish we would have

had this when I was a freshman.‖

After this, the students were taken upstairs where they were shown how to proceed

through the nutrition break line. They went into the cafeteria and enjoyed their snack.

―The best part was the bag game,‖ said freshman Erica Hayes. ―You didn‘t know what

was in the bag. I think it would be better to have more people so everyone gets in the

spirit of being in high school.‖

After the upper classmen came, classes began for the day. By the end of the day the

freshmen seemed very comfortable with their new school.

―I didn‘t have the large numbers of freshmen at the office window saying their lockers

wouldn‘t work or they were lost,‖ said secretary Joleen Alexandar. ―I think the

orientation was a huge success.‖

Tuesday began with a quick assembly to welcome everyone back to school. The

Lakettes and cheerleaders each performed and Schwab had a short talk with the students

about cell phones and other electronic devices, which are not allowed on school grounds

from 8 to 4:05 p.m., and about the dress code. He also introduced the new

teachers and advisers.

The student council discussed homecoming. This year‘s theme is ―Friday Night

Lights,‖ and student body president Julie Johnson explained the goal is to show that at

Bear Lake High School, every day is as exciting as Friday night because of all the

activities for students to do.

The homecoming activities this year include painting downtown windows, decorating

halls in the high school, a boys‘ volleyball tournament during lunch, powder puff football

on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 13, voting for royalty from each class, dress-up spirit days,

Miss Teton to raise money for Thanksgiving dinners, the parade at noon on September

14, a car bash at the football game on Friday night to raise money for the Make a Wish

Foundation, a tailgate party before the game, and the homecoming dance Saturday night.

The guest speaker was Henry Evans, from ISU. Evans was born in Pocatello and is the

youngest of 7 children. He attended school in Pocatello, including ISU. He graduated

from Idaho State University in 1989 with a degree in journalism and minors in political

science and French.

In 1990 he attended graduate school at Arizona State University and studied international

relations. He is currently finishing his doctorate in political science at Idaho State

University.

Currently, he works for Trio Student Support Services at ISU as a recruiter/adviser for

the Upward Bound Program. Previously he worked for four years for Partners for

Prosperity (a poverty reduction organization) as a researcher.

Evans‘ research interests focus on equality, poverty and social justice and

empowerment. As an instructor at ISU, he has taught classes on the topics of American

government, international relations, American culture and minority politics and has

delivered several talks and presentations to university, high school and middle school

students on these topics.

In his talk, Evans discussed the idea that each person is valuable and deserves respect.

―You are the culmination of everything and everyone that has come before you,‖ he

explained. ―And as such you deserve respect. That means the person sitting next to you

deserves respect as well.‖

The rest of his talk centered around students getting the most out of their education, the

idea that what a person does affects others, and everyone belongs to a community and

needs to work together to make life the best it can be.

―The speaker had a really good message,‖ said junior Tess Rasmussen. ―He taught us

that when you don‘t respect one person, it leads to somebody else disrespecting another

person. It also works the same way when doing something nice. He made it even more

interesting by doing a visual demonstration of this reaction.‖

Students are now well into their classes, with many having already taken a test or two.

The freshman orientation and the motivational speaker both seemed to help students as

well as teachers to begin the school year on a more positive note.





Can Idaho afford a medical school? (Commentary)



(An editorial reprinted from The Lewiston Tribune)

Idaho Gov. Butch his Otter invitation couldn‘t have had it easier when he told people

attending his invitation-only health care summit he wanted them to come up with ideas

for a medical school in Idaho. Right after the governor spoke, the doors to the summit

were closed, and those inside were asked not to let loose lips reveal what went on.

Now comes the hard part as people around the state start asking ―What on earth is Otter

talking about?‖

... A stranger might think Idaho had a well-funded and thorough system of higher

education, so well-funded and thorough that it was time to spend some of its riches on

one of the most expensive professional schools.

Idahoans know better. Whether they support putting more tax dollars into college and

university campuses or not, they know their state isn‘t about to be recognized as higher

education heaven. Administrators have been forced to conclude that what were once

called state institutions are becoming ―state-supported‖ schools that must rely on ever-

higher private donations and student tuition to stay in business.

And governors and legislators responsible for meager appropriations have encouraged

them to do it.

One of those administrators, Boise State University President Bob Kustra, announced a

campaign to raise an additional $175 million in private money the second day of Otter‘s

health care summit. The contrast between the announcement and what was happening

elsewhere on his campus did not escape him.

―It is ironic we are down here talking about the need to raise private moneys because

we don‘t have the state funding,‖ Kustra told Idaho Statesman columnist Don Popkey

―and they‘re down the hall talking about a very expensive long-term investment.‖

The sounds coming from campus that day would not have been so discordant if

Idahoans had no access to medical schools.

But they do. Not only may they compete with others for schools across the nation, but

their state government pays to reserve med school places for them at both the University

of Washington and the University of Utah.

Are there enough places? Of course not. State government has been as cheap in

financing medical education as it has been in financing other higher education programs.

It could send 22 more students to med school, in addition to the 28 it already does, for

about $1 million a year. And the University of Washington can make space for that many

on its own.

Needless to say, a new medical school in Idaho can‘t be had for many multiples of that

figure.

Yet legislators put up $300,000 this year for Idaho State University to study the

feasibility of one, and now Otter has endorsed the idea.

It‘s time he threw open the doors and told his fellow Idahoans what he‘s up to.





Bear Lake youths take leadership course



Student Council members learn teamwork

BY TAMMY STEPHENS For the Journal

MONTPELIER — Eighteen Bear Lake High School student council officers and their

advisor traveled to Pocatello recently for a day-long Leadership Challenge Course

conducted by Jim Fullerton, ISU director of student leadership. For many of the high

school officers, this was their third time meeting over the summer to plan for the

upcoming school year.

The ISU Leadership Challenge Course is three years old, and last spring Fullerton and

several of his student leaders decided to open it up for training for different organizations.

The day began for the high school students with a discussion of characteristics of

leadership as well as both world and personal leaders. After agreeing on a list of both

positive and negative leadership characteristics, the students were guided through several

different activities in which they could learn teamwork, communication, and critical

thinking skills as well as challenge themselves to do more than they thought they could

do.

―Today was a great day for me,‖ said junior Beverly Wertz, student body secretary. ―It

brought out a side of me that I‘ve been scared to show, my fear of heights. It was great

how everyone helped and encouraged each other. Now, I‘m not as afraid to do things as I

was before, and I feel a lot more comfortable around everyone because we all opened up

to each other like never before.‖

The morning activities included ball tosses, rope games, and a game called

―spiderweb.‖ The group was divided into two teams. Each team had 15 minutes to design

a spiderweb. Then the other team had to help its members through nine different holes

without touching the web. Each team had to try twice before successfully completing the

course.

―The spiderweb was the hardest for me,‖ said junior vice-president Jessi Timothy. ―I

had to learn to trust the other members of my team that I wouldn‘t fall on the ground, but

then I did fall, so I had to build up that trust again. It was a great learning experience.‖

After lunch, the student leaders had the opportunity to climb the 50 foot Alpine

Challenge Tower. The wooden tower with ropes, netting and objects hanging from it

presents some of the same challenges as rock climbing and high ropes course elements.

The students were instructed that everything was ―challenge by choice‖ and that the

entire group had permission to encourage one another. However, ISU challenge course

staff member Charlotte Dadabay explained that they should all try to challenge

themselves to do a little more than they thought they could do.

The first challenge was for groups of five to climb the tower, passing around a cup full

of water. When they all reached the very top, they rappelled down so the next group of

five could go up. Several of the students had to overcome their fear of heights, which

ranged from moderate to severe, but all of them challenged themselves and made it either

to the top or three-fourths of the way to the top.

Next, each student leader had the opportunity to ride the giant swing. Some who had no

trouble with the tower had to talk themselves into the swing, but again, by the end, all

took the challenge.

―This was a good experience and it really brought us together as a team,‖ said student

body president Julie Johnson. ―I really liked how we encouraged one another, and for

those who don‘t usually open up, this was a great opportunity to do so. I think we really

learned a lot about ourselves, about teamwork, and about how to work together to achieve

our goals. This was great.‖

Those who attended this training session included Johnson, Wertz, Timothy, Kendra

Dixon, Erika James, Tana Boehme, Shayna Rigby, Hillary Merritt, Treygen Nelson, Tess

Rasmussen, Natalie Tippets, Tyrel Skinner, TJ Thomas, Daniel Wallentine, Amelia

Crane, Erica Hayes, Tanner Jensen and Trichell Schwab as well as advisor Tammy

Stephens.





School area secured due to graffiti bomb threat



But nothing dangerous found at Pocatello High



BY JOURNAL STAFF

POCATELLO — Police secured the area around Pocatello High School‘s wrestling

facility after a resource officer found a suspicious canister and a bomb threat written in

graffiti Friday morning.

Police removed the canister from the site, located at Hayes Avenue and Lander Street,

after bomb dogs failed to respond to it. School District 25 officials said the spray-painted

threat, which was not directed at the school or students, was also removed.

Because the canister was found about a block from the high school‘s main campus,

administrators determined that students were not in danger so the area was not evacuated

or locked down.







FROM THE IDAHO FALLS POST REGISTER (PASSWORD REQUIRED)



403(b) annuities can help school employees save for retirement

It's the Law



John Simmons



QUESTION: I teach for a school district. In the new school year packet from the district

office, there's a sheet that talks about 403(b) annuities and a "90-24 transfer" deadline of

Sept. 24 mentioned. What's that about?



ANSWER: 403(b) annuities are a tax-advantaged way employees of public schools and

nonprofit corporations may save for retirement. This is in addition to your retirement

benefits at PERSI and benefits you may have in PERSI's Choice Plan 401(k) account.



As an employee, your employer has apparently given you the option to choose to have

part of your pay used to buy into a 403(b) annuity from an insurance or investment

brokerage company. Your employer likely has "approved" the 403(b) annuities from one

or more of these companies.

If you learn of another company that offers 403(b) annuities and charges less, or gives

you more investment options, you might want to switch your 403(b) annuity to that other

company. In 1990, the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 90-24, explaining how to transfer your

403(b) annuity to a different financial institution without causing your retirement savings

to be taxed at the time of transfer.



The IRS issued new regulations in July that require employers to get more active in

managing their 403(b) arrangements. Most of the new rules go into effect on January 1,

2009. However, one significant change takes effect on Sept. 25, 2007. Beginning



Sept. 25, you can only transfer (without triggering income tax) your 403(b) annuity to a

financial institution with which your employer has a current, written agreement to share

information for reporting and compliance purposes. New money from your paychecks

that goes into a 403(b) annuity after Sept. 24 may only be placed with such a company.



But for money you already have invested in a 403(b) annuity you have until Sept. 24 to

move it to any insurance or investment brokerage company of your choosing. If you

follow the procedure set forth in Revenue Ruling 1990-24, there won't be any tax by

reason of the transfer.



Investment charges and commissions vary widely among insurance or investment

brokerage companies.



In fact, in recent years, it has been discovered that several association-endorsed 403(b)

programs charge the most, and some even have kicked back part of those fees to the

association that endorsed them.



If you get your 403(b)



annuity transferred no later than Sept. 24, to a lower-fee one or one that gives you

broader investment choices, you might have considerably more benefits in retirement

from the moneys you have invested to date. Revenue Ruling 90-24 sets out the

procedures that must be followed to make such a transfer without causing those

investments to be taxed now.



John Simmons is an attorney practicing in Idaho Falls. This column is provided by the

7th District Bar Association as a public service. Submit questions to "It's the Law," P.O.

Box 50130, Idaho Falls, ID 83405, or by e-mail to rfarnam @holdenlegal.com. This

column is for general information. Readers with specific legal questions should consult

an attorney. A lawyer referral service is provided by calling the Idaho State Bar

Association in Boise at (208) 334-4500.