Idaho Falls Board Approves Magnet School, Big Changes

On Tuesday afternoon, the District 91 board unanimously voted to create the magnet high school, which means some big changes for all students.

Parents had mixed reactions in the pickup line of Clair E. Gale Junior High. Some liked it, some didn't and others asked, "What changes?"

District administrators called the decision a catalyst that will ultimately benefit all students whether or not they attend the magnet.

"Why fix it when it's not broken?" asked parent Rebecca Ponce.

"The vote on those changes was unanimous," said district superintendent George Boland.

Those changes include: Replacing Clair E. Gale with a New-Tech Network high school, and re-aligning boundaries so that Taylorview Junior High feeds into Idaho Falls and Eagle Rock to Skyline.

The plan will also send all ninth graders to high school, which pleased many parents.

"There's a long long list of things for us to be working on," said Boland.

It all starts with finding a director for the new school by January.

High school registration kicks off about the same time. That's when students can apply for a spot at the magnet school.

"It's a different way of teaching, a different way of learning, where it's an integrated project-based curriculum," said Boland.