Help wanted!

At least six Idaho school districts are on the hunt for a new superintendent. The St. Maries School District is still on the hunt after nearly a year of searching.

Openings

• Orofino School District 
• Whitepine School District
• Twin Falls School District
• Payette School District 
• St. Maries School District
• Kamiah School District

Blaine County students to compete in state Lego league championships

Two teams of young engineers from the Blaine County School District will advance to the state FIRST Lego League Robotics championships in Twin Falls on Jan. 28 following their performance at the regional tournament. The teams made up of 15 students from Bellevue and Hailey elementary schools took first and second place at regionals, first place in robotic design, first in high score, and a Grand Champion trophy for Core Values, Project and Robotics.

Did your school receive a STEM grant?

The Idaho STEM Action Center awarded more than $253,000 in PK12 grants to education professionals and organizations throughout the state. The grants provide recipients – such as kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers, libraries, and out-of-school organizations – with up to $2,500 each to fund innovative science, technology, engineering, mathematics and computer-science projects.

“The hands-on, project-based activities the STEM Action Center’s grants enable will engage and inspire the scientists, engineers and technicians of tomorrow,” Gov. Otter said. “Experiential learning efforts like these are critical to building Idaho’s future workforce.”

Approved projects range from electronics and robotics, drones and solar cars, and anatomy and physiology equipment like microscopes and plastic models to water-quality testing kits for analyzing fish habitats, camera trap systems for studying birds and mammals, and augmented reality systems to explore earth sciences concepts.

“The experiential learning that occurs in these types of STEM activities promotes creative thinking, problem solving, and collaboration — skills even students who don’t pursue STEM careers will find valuable,” said Angela Hemingway, the executive director of the Idaho STEM Action Center.

The PK12 grant recipients are:

Aberdeen Middle School, Aberdeen

Ada Community Library – Hidden Springs Branch, Boise

Albertsons Library at Boise State University, Boise

Another Choice Virtual Charter School, Nampa

Athol Elementary School, Athol

Boise Urban Garden School, Boise

Borah High School, Boise

Burley High School, Burley

Caldwell High School, Caldwell

Canfield Middle School, Coeur d’Alene (x2)

Cascade School District #422, Cascade (x2)

Castleford School District #417, Castleford (x2)

Centennial Elementary School, Nampa (x2)

Compass Academy, Idaho Falls

Council High School, Council

Dietrich School District #314, Dietrich

East Bonner County Library District, Sandpoint

Emmett Middle School, Emmett

Falcon Ridge Charter School, Kuna

Fernan STEM Academy, Coeur d’Alene

Fremont County School Joint District #215, St. Anthony

Galileo STEM Academy, Eagle (x4)

Genesee Joint School District #282, Genesee

Glenns Ferry Public Library, Glenns Ferry

Grangeville Elementary/Middle School, Grangeville

Grangeville Elementary/Middle School PTA, Grangeville

Greensferry Elementary School, Post Falls

Hagerman Public Library, Hagerman

Hailey Public Library, Hailey

Heritage Middle School, Meridian

Idaho Arts Charter School, Nampa

Idaho Falls Public Library, Idaho Falls

Idaho Public Television, Boise

Idaho Youth ChalleNGe Academy, Pierce

Intermountain Bird Observatory at Boise State University, Boise

Jefferson Joint School District #251, Rigby (x3)

Kendrick Joint School District #283, Kendrick

Kendrick Jr./Sr. High School, Kendrick

Kershaw Intermediate School, Sugar City

Kimberly High School, Kimberly

Kimberly Middle School, Kimberly

Kuna Library District, Kuna

Lake Pend Oreille School District #84, Ponderay

Lake Ridge Elementary, Nampa

Lakeland Joint School District #272, Rathdrum

Lakes Magnet Middle School, Coeur d’Alene

Leadore School, Leadore

Lincoln High School, Idaho Falls

Madison Junior High School, Rexburg

Madison Library District, Rexburg

Marsh Valley High School, Arimo

McSorley Elementary School, Lewiston

Middleton High School, Middleton

Middleton School District #134, Middleton (x2)

Mill Creek Elementary School, Middleton

Monroe Elementary School, Boise

Moscow School District #281, Moscow (x3)

Moscow School District Adventure Club, Moscow

Mountain View Alternative High School, Rathdrum

Murtaugh Joint School District #418, Murtaugh

New Plymouth School District #372, New Plymouth

Newcomer Center & Dworshak Elementary School, Burley

Nezperce Elementary School, Nezperce

Nezperce School District #302, Nezperce

North Bingham County District Library, Shelley

North Gem School District #149, Bancroft

North Idaho STEM Charter Academy, Rathdrum

Notus Elementary School, Notus

Notus Public Library, Notus

Orofino High School, Orofino

Palouse Prairie Educational Organization, Moscow

Payette Lakes Community Association, McCall

Pepper Ridge Elementary School, Boise

Potlatch Elementary School, Potlatch

Purple Sage Elementary School, Caldwell

Ridgevue High School, Nampa

Rolling Hills Public Charter School, Garden City

Salmon School District #291, Salmon

Sandpoint Middle School, Sandpoint (x2)

Shoshone Public Library, Shoshone

Syringa Middle School, Caldwell

Temple View Elementary School, Idaho Falls

Tigert Middle School, Soda Springs

Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center, Boise

Twin Falls School District #411, Twin Falls (x2)

University of Idaho Extension, Moscow

Vallivue Middle School, Caldwell

Vallivue School District #139, Caldwell (x2)

West Ada School District #2, Meridian

West Park Elementary School, Moscow

Westside Elementary School, Payette

Wilson Elementary School, Caldwell

Woodland Hills Elementary School, Idaho Falls

Woodland Middle School, Coeur d’Alene