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Students showcase marimba and classroom workshops; superintendent highlights safety drills, ISAT gains and CTE recognitions
Summary
Students performed marimba music and Washington Elementary students described workshops from a district community event; Superintendent Dr. Becky Meyer reported on evacuation and reunification drills, ISAT score gains, CTE accomplishments and upcoming groundbreaking.
Students from Kootenay and Washington Elementary appeared before the Lake Pend Oreille School District board to show curricular and extracurricular work, and Superintendent Dr. Becky Meyer used her report to update trustees on safety drills, test-score gains and career-technical education recognition.
At the start of the meeting, students from the district marimba group performed a piece prepared in an after-school program. The music teacher, Pam Neehan, told the board the district’s marimba group meets weekly and that about 25 students participate; a smaller subset performed for trustees and the group is scheduled to perform at the public library at noon on Saturday in an interactive lesson. Sixth-grader Robert said, “I really like marimba group because it's just a good place to learn a new instrument and make friends.”
Washington Elementary Principal Tasha Hamer described Cougar Community Connection, a March 21 event she said was funded by a grant and drew more than 90 community members to run hands-on workshops for students. Hamer said the event aligns with the district strategic plan’s emphasis on community connection; students described workshops including music, art, baking, weaving, outdoor survival skills and sports drills. Fifth grader Margaret Mitchell described a band workshop and trying new instruments; other students demonstrated bookmarks made from smashed flowers and a bow-drill fire-making demonstration.
Superintendent Meyer reported the district’s safety team is conducting evacuation and reunification drills; Washington was the first school to run a reunification drill to an offsite location and the district plans to complete reunification drills at all schools over a three-year schedule. Meyer said staff are working with community partners and have memoranda of understanding with several reunification sites.
Meyer also highlighted academic and extracurricular results: she reported the district exceeded its ELA ISAT goal and that about 82% of students scored proficient in ELA on the most recent assessment cycle; she said math and science also exceeded growth goals and that science grew by 15 percent. Meyer noted two Lake Pend Oreille teams advanced to the national rocketry competition and will travel to Virginia; she also announced a groundbreaking ceremony for a CTE facility project and encouragement for trustees to attend.
The board heard brief administrative highlights including staff recognitions: a district employee in child nutrition was named Idaho Child Nutrition Program Director of the Year for 2025 and a CTE teacher received recognition from the University of Idaho for strong preparation of students entering industry.
No formal board action was taken on the student presentations; they were presented as informational and community engagement items.
