Twin Falls School District

A round of applause for Karen Mormon! December Classified Employee of the Month. Karen is a Behavior Paraeducator at O’Leary Middle School. Karen is from Fresno, California, and chose her career because she wanted to work with kids. She is described as caring and finds inspiration from other people’s stories. Her favorite hobby is gardening and keeping her house in order. Some day she would like to create a recipe book for her kids. She does not care for flies, and one thing most people do not know about her is her dream job would be to be a professional singer, even though she can’t sing. She wants to be remembered as helpful to her students. Her best day on the job was when a 6th grader told her she had “quite the unfortunate name!” It made her laugh and she told the student she agreed. Principal Note: Karen is an extremely giving person. She is always willing to help. I have never seen her turn anyone down and she accepts it all with a smile on her face. We started the year with Karen as our only Para in the building. She was busy running from class to class helping everyone she could even though she is our Behavior Para, she did what she could to help each student and teacher with any needs, academic or behavioral. We so appreciate all the hard work she puts into helping everyone have a chance at success.

Canyon Ridge FFA members showcased their talents and skills at Twin Falls High School in several exciting competitions! 🌾🎓 They participated in the FFA Opening Ceremonies, Job Interview, Greenhand Knowledge, and FFA Creed events 💼📜. Kudos to all the students who represented Canyon Ridge so well! 🙌👏 #CanyonRidgeFFA #FutureFarmers #Leadership #FFA #CommunityPride #TFSD #AgricultureEducation

Extracurricular activities help students feel connected to their schools and friends—but for students experiencing homelessness, participating in sports or music programs can be difficult without proper gear. Your donation of $75 to the Avenues for Hope campaign could help provide a student with athletic shoes or the supplies they need to join in. Let’s work together to give every student a fair chance to thrive! Donate here: https://www.avenuesforhope.org/organizations/twin-falls-school-district #EveryDollarCounts #TFSDGivesBack

Cast your votes! The Bickel Bobcats recently participated in their very own Big Election! 🗳️✨ Mrs. Brewer asked the students to vote on what color she should get for her cast, and the results are in! 👏 She revealed the winning choice by showing up to school in her brand-new Bickel Blue cast! 💙 What a fun way to engage in the election process and show school spirit! #BickelBobcats #BigElection #BickelBlue #SchoolSpirit #CommunityFun #TFSD

Some amazing TFHS students, advised by Marisela Flora Lua, joined the Special Olympics team, the Twin Falls Lightning ⚡🏅! On November 9th, these talented athletes competed against the Burley and Magic Valley Gems teams 🏃‍♂️. They performed exceptionally well, bringing home medals and ribbons 🥇🎉. Congratulations to all the athletes for their hard work and dedication! 👏💙 #TFHS #SpecialOlympics #TwinFallsLightning #StudentAthletes #ProudMoment #CommunitySpirit #TFSD #GoTeam

TFHS Speech and Debate had a fantastic showing at the Canyon County Classic in Caldwell 🏆🎤! Congratulations to all the talented students who earned awards for their hard work and dedication 👏👏. #TFHS #SpeechAndDebate #CanyonCountyClassic #StudentSuccess #ProudMoment #TFSD

Kudos to Jennifer Fish for being December’s Classified Employee of the Month! Jennifer is the Library Tech at Morningside Elementary. Jennifer is originally from Paul Idaho, where she grew up on a very big chicken farm called Merrill’s Hatcher. She chose this career because she can read all the picture books she wants! She draws inspiration from anyone who will read to her (Mrs. Friendly). She would like to be remembered as someone kind who cares. The best word to describe her is playful. She does not like shoveling snow but enjoys decorating stuff. Someday she would like to go parasailing. Her best day on the job was after reading the book WHOOSH! They got to go outside and shoot off mini rockets. Principal Note: Mrs. Fish is truly a remarkable member of the Morningside community. Her dedication to fostering a love for reading and her genuine care for students’ well-being makes her an invaluable asset. Her infectious energy brings the library to life, sparking students’ enthusiasm for books with spot-on recommendations that cater to each individual’s interest.

A huge thank you to everyone who has donated to the Avenues for Hope campaign! Because of your generosity, we’re able to provide students facing homelessness with essential resources like food, hygiene supplies, and extracurricular gear. Every donation brings us closer to giving these students the stability they need to focus on their education and build a brighter future. Together, we’re making a real difference in their lives. 💙 Thank you to Trevor and LeeAnn Tarter, The Ashenbrener Family, Bobby Clark, Tim and Janice Elam, Mandy B., and many anonymous donors! If you haven’t donated yet, there’s still time! Visit https://www.avenuesforhope.org/organizations/twin-falls-school-district to support. #ThankYou #AvenuesForHope #TFSDCommunity #SupportTFSDStudents

🎉 Yesterday, TFSD proudly hosted our annual Legislative Tour, welcoming elected officials and community leaders to experience the incredible work happening in our schools every day. 🙌 A special thank-you goes to Representatives Miller and Clow for being the only state-level officials able to join us this year — we truly appreciate your time and support! We’re also grateful to our local partners, including the City of Twin Falls, Twin Falls County, the CSI Board of Trustees, the Boys and Girls Club, and the TFSD School Board, for sending representatives to make this event so impactful. 💡📚 And, kudos to Pillar Falls Elementary School, Twin Falls High School, and Magic Valley High School that all hosted portions of this event. Attendees visited classes focused on literacy, welding, EMT, agriculture, construction, and personal development. Collaboration like this helps us keep education at the heart of our community. 💙 #TFSDProud #EducationMatters

CRHS students from The Nest had a great time at the Harvest Festival 🎃🍂! They practiced their sales skills by selling festive holiday jars 🏷️✨, learning valuable lessons in entrepreneurship and teamwork. 🛍️👏 #TheNest #HarvestFestival #StudentEntrepreneurs #HolidayJars #SalesSkills #CRHS #CommunitySpirit #TFSD

Throwback Thursday! ✨🎉 Remember when, Mr. Gilbert at CRHS truly shined when he let Ms. Linn bedazzle his head during lunch!? 💎🎊 Ms. Linn won this fun opportunity in a raffle hosted by HOSA, who are gearing up to compete at Nationals in Nashville, TN. She may have ended up with super glue on her hands, but the sparkle on Mr. Gilbert's head was totally worth it! 😄 Great look, Mr. Gilbert! #CRHSCommunity #HOSAFundraiser #SparkleOn

Felicitations Andrea Zamora for being December’s Certified Employee of the Month! Andrea is a Special Education teacher at Morningside Elementary. Originally from Aberdeen Idaho, Andrea decided to become a teacher because children are her favorite people and she loves to teach and talk to them. The work that best describes her is optimistic and she draws her inspiration from her children. She would like to be remembered as a good person and would like to snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef someday. She enjoys paddle boarding but dislikes being late. Her favorite day is every day because there is always a positive in each day making them all the best. Principal Note: Mrs. Zamora has truly risen to the challenge as the FAST behavior teacher this year, demonstrating remarkable resilience, patience, and dedication. The start of the year brought unique difficulties, with shifting philosophies and staffing challenges, yet Mrs. Zamora’s commitment never wavered. She faced these early obstacles head-on, working tirelessly to create a structured, supportive, and successful program. Through her consistency, clear expectations, and firm boundaries, Mrs. Zamora has earned the respect of her students and colleagues alike. Her dedication to fostering positive behavior and growth in her students has led to real, visible improvements. Mrs. Zamora may not always see the immediate impact, but her hard work is paying off in a profound way. Students are thriving, showing measurable progress in their behavior and interactions, all thanks to her steadfast efforts. Her role is essential to the success of this program, and her influence is invaluable. Morningside is incredibly fortunate to have such a devoted, compassionate educator making a difference in the lives of these students every day. Thank you, Mrs. Zamora, for all that you do!

A glimpse of the numerous ways the TFSD community came together to honor and celebrate Veterans Day last month 💙. At TFHS, students decorated the walkway with vibrant, patriotic displays, setting a festive tone for the occasion 🎨✨. Bickel Elementary's 1st, 3rd, and 5th graders, sang in tribute to our veterans 🎶👩‍🏫. The Honor Choir also joined in, filling the air with moving melodies 🎤🎵. Under the direction of Mrs. Tureman, the students delivered a truly memorable performance 👏❤️. At Lincoln Elementary, students had the privilege of hearing a special Veterans Day speaker who shared inspiring stories and words of appreciation 🎖️🙌. As part of the observance, 5th graders took a field trip to Heritage Assisted Living, 🎖️🎉. It was a week filled with gratitude, patriotism, and community spirit across the district, reminding us all of the sacrifices made by our veterans 🙏 #VeteransDay #TFSD #Gratitude #CommunitySpirit

Congratulations Katie Schwabedissen, Certified Employee of the Month for December. Katie teaches language arts and Social Studies at O’Leary Middle School Katie is a Twin Falls native who enjoys gardening and reading when she is not at work. Someday she would like to learn to speak Spanish fluently. She has always wanted to be a teacher. She loves working with kids and seeing them grow and change throughout the year. Her inspiration is when she sees her children being successful. Her best day on the job is when students from older grades (particularly graduating seniors) return to visit. She would like to be remembered as helpful to her students. A word that best describes her is caring. Principal Note: Ms. Schwabedissen is the manifestation of a master teacher. She cares deeply for her students and her curriculum. The last two years she has asked to have her 3 sections of Language Arts filled with the students that are struggling the most. She makes sure that there are accommodations that are appropriate for them but is still holding them to the same standards as the other teachers at the school. Her students showed great growth last year and I expect that this year’s students will be just as successful.

🐦📖A huge thank you to Bickel's PTO for inviting local author Valerie Olson to visit and share her delightful book, "Gregory the Pigeon/Chicken" with Bickel students! Valerie, who lives right here in Idaho, told the heartwarming story of a real pigeon named Gregory who still lives on her family’s farm. 🐦❤️ As a generous gesture, Valerie also donated several copies of her book to Bickel, so our students can continue enjoying Gregory's adventures! Thank you, Valerie, for inspiring our young readers! 📖✨ #BickelsPTO #LocalAuthor #GregoryThePigeonChicken #BookDonations #BobcatPride #ReadingAdventures #StorytimeMagic #SupportingYoungReaders

Looking for a fun holiday activity that the whole family can enjoy? Do you love Studio C and or Whose Line is it Anyway? Then TFHS Theater has the activity for you! Come see our Holiday Comedy Show on December 13 and 14 at 7 PM. We will be featuring holiday themed original comedy sketches written by the students and faculty of the theater department at TFHS, as well as performances from our in-house improvisation troupe, The Whoopsie Daisy Show! Admission is just $2 per person! Also, Santa will be in the house ready to visit with the kids after the show! Come let us have you "laughing all the way" to winter break and help support the theater arts program at TFHS while you're at it!

Imagine trying to finish your homework in a car or a crowded space with no privacy. That’s the reality for some of our students experiencing homelessness. TFSD is committed to ensuring all students have the resources they need to succeed in school, and we need your help. Every donation to the Avenues for Hope campaign will help provide essentials like food, hygiene supplies, and more. Let’s give these students a fighting chance! Donate here: https://www.avenuesforhope.org/organizations/twin-falls-school-district #AvenuesForHope #SupportTFSD

🎨Our talented TFHS Pottery students have been hard at work, and their beautiful slab cups were placed on display in Bruin Central for all to admire! 🖌️✨ These unique pieces showcase the creativity and skill of our students—and we couldn’t be more impressed with their work! A special shoutout to Mr. Jackson in his first year of teaching 🌟 #TFHSArt #PotteryCreativity #BruinPride #StudentArt #MrJacksonsClass #ArtInAction #BruinCentral

🎉 Huge Congratulations to the Speech and Debate Team at Twin Falls High School! 🎉 We are incredibly proud of our talented Speech and Debate students for their outstanding performances! Join us in celebrating these amazing achievements: Speech: 🏆 Katelyn Miller – 1st in Sales 🏆 Emily Wright – 2nd in Impromptu, 2nd in Extemp 🏆 Eunsue Sheen – 1st in CA 🏆 Nayh Zavala & Ricky Roper – 1st in Duo 🏆 Maddux McClymonds – 3rd in HI 🏆 Sage Larson – 6th in ADS 🏆 Micala Wood – 3rd in ADS Debate: 🏅 Micala Wood – Quarter-Finalist in LD 🏅 Caleb Willmore & Katelyn Miller – Semi-Finalists in PF, tied for 2nd Top Speakers 🏅 Team achieved 4th Place in Overall Sweepstakes! #TwinFallsHigh #SpeechAndDebate #TFHS #ProudMoment #FutureLeaders #Teamwork #DebateChampions

🎉 Congratulations to the CRHS Student Council! 🎉 We are incredibly proud to announce that the CRHS Student Council has been recognized as one of the “Outstanding Student Council” award winners at this year’s Idaho Student Council State Conference! 🌟 This honor reflects the dedication and hard work of our student leaders, who have worked to improve school culture, give back to our community, and lead with passion and integrity. To the Student Council members—your efforts have made a lasting impact, and this recognition is a testament to your dedication and growth as leaders. Keep shining, CRHS! ✨ #CRHS #StudentLeadership #CommunityImpact #OutstandingStudentCouncil #IdahoStudentCouncil #ProudSchool