First-grader Bobby Best worked independently in the rural North Idaho classroom, diligently making her way through an activity book. A short distance away, teacher Sara Butler instructed a reading group in Priest Lake Elementary’s K-2 class. Other students sat at their desks and read to each other or went across the hall to help kindergartners with spelling. Priest Lake Elementary is the only school in the West Bonner School District with combined grade-level classrooms. In addition to K-2, grades 3-4 and 5-6 are combined classes. Mixing primary grades is unusual in Inland Northwest school districts – Coeur d’Alene School District doesn’t have any such classes, and Spokane Public Schools has 35 mixed classes in its 34 elementary schools/Jody Lawrence-Turner, SR. More here. (SR photo/Kathy Plonka: Priest Lake Elementary teacher Sara Butler smiles during class Tuesday. She teaches kindergarten through second grade at the school.)

Question: I began first grade in a two-room rural school house in which 4 grades were in each room. How about you? Did you ever go to school where more than one grade was taught in a classroom?