• Category 1

    Selected in 2019

  • Grades: pre k - 12
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 500
    Student Enrollment: 140
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0%
    White/Caucasian: 93.5%
    Hispanic: 1.5%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 3.5%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:10
    % Reduced Lunch: 42%
    % ELL Learners: 0%
    Founded: 1900
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Jacklyn Mosman
  • CONTACT:
    614 2nd Avenue
    Nezperce, ID 83543
    208-937-2551
    stiegs@nezpercesd.us
Nezperce Elementary School
Nezperce, ID
Learning Today for Tomorrow’s Challenges!
Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.
The Nezperce School sponsors several family engagement nights throughout the year. These focus on a wide variety of topics including STEM activities, parenting resources, math and literacy. The District pays for computer software that can be used at home to promote and improve literacy and math skills. In addition, the staff work hard to encourage and promote reading with students and parents at home and throughout our curriculum in grades PreK through 12. These activities are partially funded through our active and engaged Parent-Teacher-Student Association that was founded a few years ago.
Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.
The Nezperce School District and surrounding community are committed to High-Quality. Early Childhood education. Through local dollars and federal funding, we are able to offer opportunities for all children and families. As a small rural district, we are focused on having all of our kids “Learn Today for Tomorrow’s Challenges.”
The Nezperce School District is committed to strengthening the connections to our community. Through social media, the school has made a concerted effort to connect with parents, grandparents, and constituents. This effort has developed a positive digital space for others to learn, share and participate.
In addition to these efforts, the school hosts an annual back to school BBQ with nearly 100% family attendance. Volunteers from a local service organization in the community cook burgers and families have the opportunity to meet their new teachers. The school buys all of the school supplies to start the year so that students can simply show up ready to learn.
Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.
Our district mission is “Learning Today for Tomorrow’s Challenges.” We believe that in order to be successful, we must be committed to consistent and constant growth and change. Using established best practices as a foundation to experiment and push the borders of success is the best way to achieve great things!
What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?
Continued growth and improvement - 100% of students reading at or above grade level.

Growth of “Maker” and “Creator” programs at all grade levels through our newly initiated District Maker-space and Fab-Lab.
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
High-quality early childhood learning opportunities and strong community and parent support. The district provides and funds district-wide, free preschool for all children living within the school district boundaries. This program is well connected with our traditional K-12 program providing a seamless entry into the school system. This helps provide every child with the foundation they need to be successful in school and in life!
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.
For the last several years, the district has sponsored a Jump Start program in summer. This 3-week program is play-based for students needing extra literacy support. During the program, students engage in outdoor and indoor reading activities and games. They often times don’t even realize that they are learning! Our data shows that these high-impact weeks have a long-term effect on student learning and success. Students are identified for the program and are invited to participate.
Explain how ESEA federal funds are used to support your improvement efforts.
As a school, we feel that the most valuable resource we have is the human resource, our certificated staff, and paraprofessional personnel. The school utilizes ESEA federal funds to put high-quality teachers and support staff in front of students. The focus of this work is on students in grades Kindergarten through third grade. This proactive approach ensures that all students have the tools to be successful in later years. These staff members plan and deliver individualized, age-appropriate literacy interventions for those students who enter school lacking necessary skills.
Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.
The Nezperce School District supports all staff in their pursuit of becoming master teachers and experts in their fields. With district and building level support we have built and maintained a staff that consists of a healthy mix of experienced and new teachers. As a school, we incentivize National Board Certification, Masters degree attainment, and certification as Idaho Master Teacher Educators. The District encourages credits and training in areas where growth is needed and in areas that will benefit students in our schools. The in-house professional development includes cross-grade professional learning communities that focus on literacy and early childhood education. Together our teachers work together to plan and align curriculum and develop instruction that meets the needs of their students.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
As a small school, we can really focus on the needs of every student. Weekly and monthly data reviews drive RTI instruction which is completed in small groups and on an individual basis. Throughout the year, administrators review and utilize data to inform decisions regarding the use of school district resources. These decisions help to provide additional instructional materials and human resources, paraprofessional and certificated staff, to the students that need it the most. The school focuses on improving learning for each and every child. Our goal is for every child to “Learn Today for Tomorrow’s Challenges."
Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
The Nezperce School District is a small, responsive school that focuses our culture on ensuring that every child is provided with the resources they require to be successful. Regardless of ability level, family education level, or family income, we work with every student as an individual. We have adopted a model of continuous growth and improvement. While we have had consistently high test scores and performance for several years, we are always focused on what we can do better. A recent example of this is the recent removal of “school supply lists” to begin the year for all students in the elementary. This practice has been a clear demonstration that the school is committed to providing every child with the tools and support that they require.
Stats
  • Category 1

    Selected in 2019

  • Grades: pre k - 12
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 500
    Student Enrollment: 140
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0%
    White/Caucasian: 93.5%
    Hispanic: 1.5%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 3.5%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:10
    % Reduced Lunch: 42%
    % ELL Learners: 0%
    Founded: 1900
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Jacklyn Mosman
  • CONTACT:
    614 2nd Avenue
    Nezperce, ID 83543
    208-937-2551
    stiegs@nezpercesd.us