3-year grant awarded to PF Middle

Post Falls Middle School has received a grant of approximately $100,000 for comprehensive school reform. Principal Donald Boyk said it took almost six years to get the grant written. Post Falls Middle School is one of only six public schools to receive this type of federal grant.

“We feel really blessed,” Boyk said. “When you apply for this, 80 percent of the time you have to resubmit it. We were accepted on the first try. We submitted a positive grant, and that was obviously evident.”

Dispersed by the state, the three-year federal CSR grant is geared toward teachers’ professional growth and expansion of their instructional expertise. Progress is evaluated annually and the grant will continue if goals are met. Boyk said the middle school grant was based on the benefits of team teaching. With the opening of the new River City Middle School, Boyk said there are approximately 45 teachers at Post Falls Middle School. With different teams representing different disciplines, team leadership skills will be emphasized. Last year Post Falls Middle School ended the school year with 1,187 students. It now has 800 students with the opening of the new middle school.

LC orchestra heading to Boston

The Lake City High School orchestra has been invited by Heritage Festivals as one of only 20 high school orchestras in the nation to participate in Gold Awards Festivals in Boston April 22-26. According to instrumental music instructor Tim Sandford, the orchestra would perform a variety of selections and play with mass honor groups and the Boston Pops. If they win, they would play with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. There’s a catch, however. The cost of $1,300 per student is prohibitive for most of the 31 orchestra members, so approximately $40,000 is needed. If you can help, call Sandford at 769-0769.

The Lake City Orchestra has won five straight superiors at large group festivals, brought home silver awards three years ago at the Seattle Heritage Festival, and earned gold and an adjudicator’s award last spring.

Charter students receive scholarships

Two students from the Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy have received college-sponsored Merit Scholarships.

James Gleixner of Coeur d’Alene plans to pursue a career field in physics at the University of Idaho.

Kristin Parden of Hayden will be attending the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma to study medicine and health services.