Enrollment, enthusiasm up after first week of school

Though summer sunshine hasn’t left the sky, local students are off the bus and back at their desks. According to Lake Pend Oreille School District Superintendent Dr. Becky Meyer, they’re happier than ever to be there. 

“Students are smiling,” Meyer said Wednesday. “So far, the level of enthusiasm has been off the charts.” 

“I don't know if it's the nice weather or if students are just excited about the school year, but I think it's going to be a really fantastic year,” Meyer added.

Returning students at Bonner County’s public schools came back to class Tuesday, Sept. 3, to kick off the 2024-25 academic year. On Thursday, LPOSD’s kindergarteners slung on their backpacks for the first time to take the inaugural steps of their educational journeys. 

“It has been wonderful,” Meyer said. “The level of enthusiasm this year is the highest I've seen it since I've been back.” 

This week, Meyer enters her third school year as LPOSD’s superintendent. Meyer previously held several positions in the district including Sandpoint High School principal and assistant superintendent at the LPOSD office in Ponderay. 

Meyer departed in 2016 to serve as the superintendent of Lakeland School District in Rathdrum before returning to take the top job in Ponderay in 2022. 

With her return, Meyer brought a mantra to LPOSD: “Every student, every day.” 

With that idea in mind, the district has placed an emphasis on improving literacy and graduation rates across LPOSD and ensuring no students’ needs slip between the cracks. 

On Wednesday, Meyer said she planned to visit each classroom in the district’s 11 schools by the end of the week, “just to wave at the teachers and welcome students back.” 

According to Meyer, enrollment in the district is up this year. LPOSD staff members met Wednesday to tally the official count and make enrollment-related decisions; detailed information will be presented at the district’s Sept. 10 board of trustees meeting. 

Regardless of enrollment, Meyer said LPOSD has no intention of running an emergency levy — a tax tool available to districts to raise funds for additional staff or other resources in the case of an influx of students. 

“I will not be bringing that to the school board, regardless of our enrollment,” Meyer said Wednesday of an emergency levy. “If we need staffing, then we will assign that from our contingency fund.” 

In the wake of LPOSD’s Aug. 13 announcement of receiving a $3.5 million state grant to build a facility to help prepare students for the workforce, Meyer said the district is beginning to dive into specific aspects of the project. 

“We’ll be going out to the community soon for input,” said Meyer. 

According to Meyer, a personal focus for the next nine months is improving connections with parents and stakeholders. 

“I want to make sure to be able to show movement not only to the board, but to our constituents,” said Meyer. “The parents, our students — those are our customers.” 

This, Meyer said, will help stakeholders understand LPOSD’s initiatives and the results that come from them. 

That way, “they can feel proud of the school district and know that their money is going to good use.”