Stories from Community Schools in Idaho
Choose a tile and step into the shoes of Idaho families. These stories represent just a few of the ways community schools in Idaho are partnering with families, educators, local leaders, and the wider community to solve unique challenges in their town.
Clear Vision, Bright Future
One school in northern Idaho implementing the Community School Strategy has set up a transformational collaboration with CHAS Health, the Little Peeps Foundation, and Alpine Vision.
After their students had not received vision screenings for several years, the school’s team reached out to CHAS Health, who completed 74 free vision screenings, of which 13 students failed. The Little Peeps Foundation then provided each of these students with a voucher for a free eye exam and a pair of glasses through Alpine Vision. This positively impacted the students by ensuring they received the necessary vision care, which improved their ability to see clearly and enhanced their learning experience. It also took the financial burden off families.
Dancing with Tradition
One elementary in the Treasure Valley hosts an annual Dia de los Muertos event that cultivates cultural awareness and family engagement. This event is the highest attended event throughout their school year! This school year, the elementary was able to partner with the 4-H UI Extension to develop an after-school club that focused on teaching students traditional Mexican Ballet Folklorico dance. A group of 15 students worked tremendously hard for 6 weeks to learn the traditional dance and perform in front of family and friends during the event. The families that participated in the 4-H dance club also helped with planning the popular school event from food, activities, to decoration. Staff said that they could have not done it without parent support!
Reading Takes Root
Through the ICFL (Idaho Commission for Libraries) one community school was able to obtain a grant to run a weekly after school program for “Book Buddies”.
This group consisted of 55 children that were identified by their teachers in grades 1-5 that could use help in reading. To run this program, they secured the services of a well known “retired” librarian in the community, along with a school librarian, and five para-professionals. The kids were divided up into groups according to their grade level and then participated in craft activities that went along with the books that they were reading as a group. This program also included the opportunity for the kids to take books home and keep them.
The Book Buddies after school program was a great success resulting in higher reading scores and a general love for books among the participants.
Small Town, Big Dreams
The transformative power of this work is evident in a rural town in western Idaho, with a population of about 600. The go-on rate — students pursuing education or training beyond high school — has risen dramatically from 26% in 2022 to 50% in 2024.
This achievement reflects the elimination of barriers to learning and the creation of new opportunities for students to dream bigger and aim higher.
“The Community School Strategy allowing us to eliminate barriers has been a game changer,” says the Principal & Federal Programs Director.
These students take annual trips to universities in Idaho, Washington, and California, and have been able to participate in industry visits to the Adobe Headquarters in San Francisco, and to the Idaho National Laboratory. These trips allow students to see new industries and plan for their futures!
Opening Doors for Families
For the first time in over a decade, families in a rural Idaho town of about 400 have access to reliable childcare.
Without options for care, many parents—including school staff and community members—were forced to make difficult choices, either leaving their jobs or bringing their children to work. Recognizing the need, the Community School Coordinator helped lead the effort to open a nonprofit daycare last year.
Though its growth has been steady, the daycare is already making an impact, providing much-needed support for working families and enrichment for the town’s littlest learners.
Counselors as Connectors
At one community school in western Idaho, counselors are making a difference—one student and family at a time.
By providing coping strategies, building resilience, and helping students navigate personal challenges, they ensure that obstacles do not hinder academic success. Their impact extends beyond the classroom.
Through Parent University Nights, counselors facilitate connections between families and educators, strengthening the home-school relationship. These workshops equip parents and caregivers with practical tools to support their children’s learning. Staff noted that this strategy is providing parents with skills THEY want, to support their kids’ success.
The results are evident—improved attendance, stronger family engagement, and a school community working together to support students.
Powering Up Attendance
One of the most pressing challenges schools nationwide are tackling post-pandemic is chronic absenteeism, defined as missing at least 10% of school days in a year. One school in the Treasure Valley is taking a proactive approach using the Community School strategy—analyzing data, identifying root causes, setting goals, and implementing targeted solutions.
The Community School Coordinator introduced the Yoshi Attendance Dash and Attendance Advocates initiative. How is the popular video game character improving attendance?
🔹 Weekly Tracking: Each class monitors its attendance percentage, moving their class “Super Smash Bros” character closer to the goal in a friendly competition that motivates students and encourages accountability.
🔹 Monthly Rewards: The class with the highest attendance earns the Yoshi Flag, celebrating their efforts as a team.
🔹 Attendance Advocates Program: Staff identify students with high absenteeism to serve as Attendance Advocates, empowering them to develop routines, address attendance challenges, and build self-advocacy skills.
The classroom that struggled with the most absences earlier this year recently earned the coveted Yoshi Flag, a testament to their progress. Individual students are also seeing significant improvements:
✅ A first grader increased their attendance from 47% to 72%
✅ A fourth grader improved from 55% to 76%
✅ An Attendance Advocate student, who previously averaged 5–7 absences per month, now misses no more than two days a month.
Fired Up Fridays
At one elementary in eastern Idaho, Fridays are for expanded and enriched learning.
The Fired Up Friday program, led by a Fired Up Director and Community School Coordinator, provides out-of-school time support for math and reading in a district that operates on a four-day school week.
The program is the result of deep community collaboration. Teachers analyze fall assessment data to identify students needing extra support. The Coordinator makes personal invitations, visiting with families to strengthen ties between home and school. “It’s a lot easier to build trust with parents when you’re sitting in their living room, showing you care,” he noted.
Paraeducators collaborate with teachers to align intervention activities with what students are learning in class. “We re-teach, reinforcing what they learned from their school week, and we pre-teach what’s coming to help them get a leg up. We make it fun.”
The school is seeing results. “On the recent assessment, every student in Friday Intervention showed growth.”
One success story stands out: “A fifth grader came to me and said, ‘I’m going to meet my AR (Accelerated Reader) goal. I’ve never done that before.’ He sees the value in what we’re doing.”
