Lesli Bjerke News Today

It's been at least a dozen years since the Coeur d'Alene School District increased its driver's education fee. That cost will go from $190 to $265 per student for classes that start after July 1, following Monday's unanimous approving vote by school board trustees at the recommendation of Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education Trent Derrick. “Of the three larger districts in the county, we’re the only one that still maintains a school-based driver’s ed program,...

Trustees were in alignment Monday evening, unanimously approving several policies and a land acquisition resolution during a regular meeting of the Coeur d’Alene school board. It was the third reading for the Student Dress Policy, on which the board focused during its Dec. 4 workshop following several months of input from teachers and students and special efforts by members of the district’s Student Advisory Group.

Enforcement can be challenging when it comes to dress codes in schools. When is a skirt too short? Are booty shorts OK? At what point do undergarments become a distraction? How much midriff, if any, is acceptable? And what matters more, disciplining students for what they’re wearing or the fact that they came to school at all? Trustees of the Coeur d’Alene School Board hashed out some of these details Monday evening during a workshop at Midtown Meeting Center.

A proposed updated draft of the Coeur d'Alene School District's student dress code policy will continue to be worked on by school board members.

During a meeting when public comment policy was on the agenda Monday evening, not one community member signed up to speak.

A financial emergency was formally declared by the Coeur d’Alene School District. Trustees voted 3-2 during a special meeting Friday to move ahead with the declaration. Chair Rebecca Smith, who attended via phone, Vice Chair Casey Morrisroe and Trustee Heather Tenbrink voted in favor. Trustee Allie Anderton, who also attended by phone, and Trustee Lesli Bjerke voted against the motion.

Some board members were concerned about notifying educators about possible job cuts before the levy results are known.

A financial emergency was formally declared by the Coeur d’Alene School District. Trustees voted 3-2 during a special meeting Friday to move ahead with the declaration. Chair Rebecca Smith, who attended via phone, Vice Chair Casey Morrisroe and Trustee Heather Tenbrink voted in favor. Trustee Allie Anderton, who also attended by phone, and Trustee Lesli Bjerke voted against the motion.

"Our levy, it authorizes us to take $25 million, it doesn’t require us to take $25 million," Morrisroe said.

Coeur d'Alene Schools are looking to approving levies for funding.