Panhandle Alliance for Education

Community Education and Awareness. The Panhandle Alliance for Education created this program to help inform our local residents about important information regarding education in our community. The program includes both subscription services to a quarterly newsletter, social media postings and a website blog. In addition, PAFE communications are directed to the business community who have a vested interest in knowledge about the Lake Pend Oreille School District, the opportunities that are made available to graduating seniors, and an understanding of the districts performace compared to state and national statistics. The program includes informing the public about school funding and the use of PAFEs fundraising assets to support effective teaching, learning, and school management. Panhandle Alliance for Education also provided funding in the amount of $225,000 for endowments held by the Idaho Community Foundation and the Innovia Foundation for perpetual funding of the operating grants for the Lake Pend Oreille School District.

Panhandle Alliance for Education (PAFE) awards Teacher Grants annually to educators who compete for available funding based on criteria such as innovation, collaboration, educational impact, and a cost-benefit analysis. Funded projects include classroom technology, lab and safety equipment, musical instruments, robotics, and math and book clubs. In this fiscal year, 37 teacher grants were awarded, totaling $84,614.

District-wide Strategic Programs are collaborative efforts between the Lake Pend Oreille School District (LPOSD) and Panhandle Alliance for Education (PAFE) to address specific district needs. Program requests are submitted by the LPOSD Superintendent and Curriculum Director and reviewed by the PAFE Executive Committee. To qualify as a strategic program, initiatives must align with the districts strategic plan and PAFEs mission, include measurable performance goals, and have clear methods for evaluating progress. Preference is given to programs that are innovative, research-based, and have a long-term, positive impact on students, teachers, and administrators. Additionally, these programs should improve student outcomes, foster partnerships between LPOSD and PAFE, and not duplicate existing taxpayer-supported services. PAFE funded a total of $136,600 toward district-wide strategic initiatives and Residential Carpentry for 2023-2024. Strategic Initiatives ($90,000) included: Community Relations Liaison for LPOSD (part-time)for year 2, Math Hands-on Learning Kits for grades K-5, and an After-school Program Partnership. Residential Carpentry & Pre-apprenticeship Program ($46,600 for year 2 of 3). In celebration of PAFEs 20th anniversary back in 2022, the organization pledged $300,000 over a three-year period to enhance Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs at Sandpoint High School. This year PAFEs contribution supported the instructors salary for the Residential Carpentry program, with Lake Pend Oreille School District contributing $20,000.

PAFEs Early Childhood Literacy Program includes three key initiatives: Born to Read, READY! for Kindergarten, and Ready to Read. Born to Read includes kit distribution containing reading resources and information on local opportunities, distributed to newborns visiting pediatricians at Kaniksu Health Community Services and/or Family Health Center. This fiscal year, approximately 340 kits were distributed.READY! for Kindegarten workshops provide parents of children aged from birth to five with tools and knowledge to prepare their children for school. Since its inception in 2008, 90% of program graduates have tested at or above Kindergarten readiness levels. The workshops serve over 150 families annually. Ready to Read launched as a PAFE program in September 2022, provides every 1st grader in the Lake Pend Oreille School district with a stuffed puppy reading buddy to motivate year-round reading. LPOSD schools consistently outperform state averages in reading, with students showing at least a 30% improvement in reading levels from fall to spring. Approximately 330 puppies + prizes were distributed for the 23-24 school year.