Welcome to the 2024-2025 School Year!

“Always believe that something wonderful is about to happen.”

― Dr. Sukhraj Dhillon

The Power of Showing Up: Why Attendance Matters

From Truancy Officer & Attendance Guru, Kelly Moreland...

Regular attendance in school sets the stage for success—whether it’s making new friends, building confidence, or mastering those ABCs!

To make showing up even more rewarding, we’ve planned fun attendance incentives for the elementary students.

100% Classroom Attendance

Each day that all students are in attendance in their classroom, the teacher will
add a sticker to their classroom poster and hang it on the bulletin board for
everyone to see.
At the end of the semester, the class with the most stars (most days with 100%
attendance) will get a popcorn party.

Grade Level Best Weekly Attendance

Each week, grade-level ADA will be posted on a bulletin board. The class with
the most students in attendance will be in red.
The grade level with the most weeks with the best attendance at the end of the
semester, will get a pizza party.

95% Club

At the end of each month, a list of students who attended school 95% of the time
will have their names printed and hung on the bulletin board and will be
recognized at the assembly.
To make it into the 95% Club, students can only miss one day of school each
month.

Monthly Attendance Calendars

Each month, students can pick up an attendance calendar from my office.
Students take the calendar home and add a smiley face to every day they
attend school that month.
At the end of the month, they can bring it back to me and receive a Wilder
Wildcat Paw to put in the basket for a drawing to win a prize.

Update From Our Counselors

Kindergarten through fifth-grade students have been working on character development this month. Our lessons have been focused on cultivating kindness, empathy, and compassion and how these values can positively impact our relationships within our homes, classrooms, and community. Through thoughtful discussions and activities, students have explored the importance of treating others with kindness and respect and how their actions can affect those around them. In exploring our actions, we noticed the ripple effect on those around us, reminding us that we are all connected and that kindness is essential for building a harmonious and supportive community. Students have learned about the importance of self-care and its direct correlation to their ability to support others. They have also identified sources of support and reflected on the positive experiences of receiving kindness. These essential values will continue to be reinforced throughout the year, and I am grateful for your partnership in fostering a culture of kindness and compassion.

-Counselor Rosalie Sanders

Huge SHOUT OUT to Scandinavian Designs in Boise for this AMAZING donation to our middle/high counseling room! This sofa will be well-loved for many years at Wilder. We have been working hard to make this a warm and inviting space for our students.

Thank you for investing in our community, Scandinavian Designs!

-Counselor Maria Loera

Wilder Mid/High School

As we kick off another school year, I want to recognize the efforts of our school community. We are on a journey filled with new opportunities, and this will be a year of growth, learning, and success for everyone. Our commitment is to create a student-centered learning environment, which has led our district to shift the high school to a block schedule and more blended learning.

For example, each block will be 85 minutes long, and students must attend each class according to schedule. The teacher will provide a brief structured lecture that connects to the online platform Edmentum. The shift will give many positive outcomes, such as allowing students to engage in academic conversations and enhance and deepen their mastery of course content. After the lecture, students will have dedicated time for their personalized learning journey.

The staff's dedication to putting our students' needs first is evident and deeply appreciated. Thank you, parents, for entrusting your children to us! Here's to a wonderful school year!

-Principal Lindsey

Homecoming Week Activities

Powder Puff Game - September 25th, 6:00 PM
Bonfire - September 25th, 9:00 PM
Float Parade - September 27th, 1:00 PM
Football Game - September 27th, 7:00 PM
Dance - September 28th, 7:00 PM

Wilder Elementary School

We are so excited for another awesome school year! This year, we are going to really expand our family engagement opportunities. We plan to continue our Holiday Dinner Family Night while also adding STEM Night, Math Night, and Literacy Night. Plus, we have our Fun Run on our calendar for this coming spring! More info will come as these events get closer.

Most importantly, we are committed to creating the best learning environment for our Wildcats here at Wilder Elementary. Help us by reading with your students, checking any work they may take home, and communicating regularly with their teacher to ensure we are maximizing their academic growth.

As always, if you have any questions or comments for me, please reach out!

-Dr. Zamora

Wilder Academy of Virtual Education

We were thrilled to meet so many of you at our August Open House, and we’re excited to partner with you as we embark on a fresh, new school year at WAVE (formerly IFRA). Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen great energy, and this year promises to bring even more opportunities for student engagement and connection.

We’re proud to introduce a variety of initiatives that aim to bring our students together innovatively, including WAVE clubs (offered in hybrid, online, and in-person formats), a student council, digital assemblies, engaging field trips, and other student-led activities. Stay tuned for more details as we roll out these opportunities!

WAVE Community: Stay Connected

We’re happy to announce that WAVE is now using ParentSquare and StudentSquare. These platforms offer a fantastic way for students, parents, and teachers to engage with one another. If you haven’t already signed up, click on the attached flyers and scan the QR code to download the app and get started.

Nampa Campus: Drop-In Hours

For those who need a dedicated study space or extra help, our Nampa Campus is open to students from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. No appointments are necessary—drop by whenever it’s convenient!

Microsoft Office Specialist Certification

We are excited to offer Microsoft Office Specialist certification classes as part of our course offerings this year! If your student is interested in earning certification in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Outlook, please have them contact their advisor to get started on the certification path.

Mark Your Calendars

We have several exciting events coming up:

September 17, 2024: In celebration of Constitution Day, the Idaho Law Foundation and Attorneys for Civic Education are sponsoring a discussion led by Stephen Vladeck on the U.S. Constitution and executive power. Join us virtually or in person. Details and registration can be found on the Idaho State Bar website—scan the QR code in the linked flyer.

September 27, 2024: Student Collaboration & Pizza Day at the Nampa Campus! This is a fun opportunity for students to connect and collaborate on social engagement ideas for the year.

October 9, 2024: WAVE Picture Day! From 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, all students are invited to get their photos taken. This will be useful for student IDs and potential yearbook photos. Seniors, don’t miss out on taking your graduation photo!

October 25, 2024: Lowe Family Farmstead Field Trip! Join us for a fun-filled day with a hayride and activities at the farm.

As you can see, we have an exciting year ahead, and I’m genuinely looking forward to sharing these experiences with you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need any assistance—I’m here to help!

-Principal Jones

WHS Football

On Friday night, September 6th, Wilder's varsity football team had their first home game of 2024 against the Cascade High School Ramblers. Despite an early kickoff return for a touchdown and some first-game jitters, the Wildcats managed solid offensive drives. Julian Neri rushed for 139 yards on 20 carries, while G Martinez had 173 yards on 17 carries with two rushing touchdowns and two passing touchdowns. Brandon Perez caught two touchdown passes, one for 20 yards and one for 30 yards. Alonzo Zamora and Jonas Puga added some rushing yards as well.

Defensively, the Wildcats struggled but showed resilience. Brandon Perez led with five tackles, followed by Conner and Jakota with four each, Alonzo with 3, and Pablo and Lance with one each. Despite a 56-28 loss, the game was closer than the score suggests, with two kickoff returns for touchdowns and a few big plays affecting the outcome. The Wildcats displayed heart and perseverance, and with continued support from fans, they aim to build on their progress this season.

-Coach Josh Duty

WMS Football

First, a big thank you!

New season, new players, new coaches. Welcome back, Wildcat fans. We finished the last season with a rough ending, but we are looking hungry and ready to compete this year. Bringing along the new year, we have some new faces and some not-new faces. Coach Ramirez is new to the wilder program and brings excellent wisdom off and on the field. And new to the head coach but not new to the wilder program is Coach Barbosa. Words from our Quarterback Estevan Martinez, 7th grade: “We are ready more than ever. We just have to keep working,” Mark Tatum, 6th grader, “Let’s eat.”

-Coach Xavier Barbosa

WHS Volleyball

Volleyball is off to a great start despite our low numbers. Varsity is 2-0, defeating Greenleaf (3-0) and North Star (3-0). They set the tone this summer by attending the NNU Team Camp and winning every set they played. They finished as tournament champions, and Nancy Ramirez was selected as the best setter in the camp. The Junior Varsity team is 1-0, coming from behind in the first set against North Star and easily winning the second set. Both teams look to continue their win streaks this week against Glenn's Ferry and Compass Charter. On Saturday, September 7th, the high school volleyball program ran the annual middle school volleyball tournament as a fundraiser. We were able to cheer on the middle school team to the bronze bracket champions in a field of 15 teams.

-Coach Glenn Smith

WMS Volleyball

Middle school volleyball has 22 players this year! Their first game was in Idaho City, and they won all their matches. They played in the annual Middle School tournament on Saturday the 7th, hosted by the Wilder High School volleyball team. They were able to play many games that day. They will be hosting Horseshoe Bend and Adrian this week. Come out and support our girls!

-Coach Lynn Rivera

FFA

We are excited to announce the ribbon cutting ceremony for our new Agricultural Education Building! Please see the attached flyer for information. We want to give a sincere thank you to those donors and community members who made this dream a reality. This new building will give the students of Wilder new opportunities and learning

The 2024-2025 Wilder FFA T-shirt and Hoodies are available for order. Please click on this link or scan the QR code to order and send payment to Mrs. Hernandez. Orders close on September 20th, and production will begin on that date, so get your orders in now.

What's For Lunch?

We are grateful for our fantastic cafeteria crew. They are making yummy and nutritious meals for our students. Keep up to date on what's for breakfast and lunch on our website dining page.

We are off to an excellent start, and I’d like to share a couple of exciting updates as we begin the new year.

September 17th at 1 PM, we will be hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony for our newest facility, the Agricultural/FFA Building. Our agriculture program has been growing rapidly, but until now, we didn’t have a facility that fully supported our students’ learning. Thanks to a combination of state grant funding and district savings, we’ve successfully achieved our goal of building a dedicated Ag facility.

Secondly, we are continually focused on student safety. Previously, the mid/high school office was located in the middle of the building, which made it difficult to maintain a secure environment while still allowing parents and guests access to the facility. However, with a grant from the state of Idaho, we’ve remodeled a conference room near the main entrance to serve as the new office. This change allows us to keep all doors secured at all times while providing appropriate access for guests when necessary.

From Our Superintendent:

In 2024, a significant challenge in education is how educators can transition to a model that better supports the needs of today’s learners. To effectively educate students, we must understand their learning frameworks and what they need to accomplish by the time they leave high school—whether they pursue college, an industry certification pathway, or essential life skills.

The challenge is that most educators and parents are familiar with how we learned and how teachers taught in the past. However, research shows that the traditional model no longer aligns with the current needs of students. Generation Alpha, today’s K-8 students, will face a vastly different workplace than we know. Data trends from Statista Research Department and Forbes show that remote work is rising in the U.S. In 2023, 20% of Americans worked from home; by 2025, this figure is expected to increase to 22%.

Not only will more of our students work from home after high school or college, but the nature of job opportunities will also change significantly. Jobs involving repetitive tasks are likely to be automated, and the workforce will prioritize technology-driven roles, emphasizing collaboration and critical thinking skills.

What can the Wilder School District do to better prepare this next generation for their future, rather than focusing on the past?

Generation Alpha, comprised of students born between 2010 and 2024, is the most technologically savvy generation to date. They are expected to live longer, stay in education longer, and live at home longer than previous generations. Unlike many of us, these students were born into a world of technology and adapted quickly to its nuances.

In the coming months, I will share research on the most effective ways for Generation Alpha to learn, explore how we can partner with the community and parents to support these changes and discuss what lies ahead for Generation Beta (2025-2039).

-Dr. Dillon

Wilder School District Newsletter