Welcome To Borah

School Profile
Borah Elementary is a K-5th grade school located in the north central area of Coeur d'Alene. It is located in a well-established residential neighborhood. The Lion and the school motto "Lions Learning for Life" signify the pride that we, students, staff and parents, have in our school. Scroll down to learn more or click on a link.

Principal:

Enrollment:

Grades:

Hours:

Bob Shamberg

460 students

K - 5

8:00 - 4:00

Borah Lions

Lunch and Breakfast Program:
Our school operates both a breakfast and a lunch program for students. Both meals are served daily. Breakfast is served between 8:15 and 8:45 AM. Prices for the current school year are:

Breakfast $1.25                          Lunch Menu
Lunch       $2.00
Reduced Price $.30
Milk         $ .25                            Coeur d'Alene School District Food Services

Parents are welcome to come and have lunch with their child any school day. Price for an adult visitor's lunch is $2.50. We do ask that you contact the school (by phone or a note to the teacher) on the morning you plan to visit so that an adequate number of lunches can be prepared. Eligible students may participate in the free or reduced price meal program (lunch and/or breakfast). Application forms are sent home with all students at the beginning of the school year and available in the school office at any time.

Awards assembly

In keeping with the school's philosophy, the staff, along with parents and many volunteers, have provided an outstanding educational experience for the students at Borah. This commitment has resulted in Borah earning the Excellence in Education Award from the Idaho Teachers Association for the years 1998,1999, 2000, 2001and 2002.

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Mission Statement
Borah Elementary School's Mission Statement is to provide the best possible education for every student to assist them in reaching their maximum potential through many varied instructional teaching techniques and strategies.

School Philosophy
We believe that each child is the center of the educational process. Our goal is to support and guide students as they acquire academic, physical, emotional, social and moral skills enabling them to develop to their full potential through appropriate school climate, instruction, curriculum, facilities and materials.
In order for children to develop a love for learning that extends beyond their school years, we share the education of our students cooperatively with their parents, community, and the students themselves.

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We Believe:

All students can learn when provided with the proper instruction and motivation.
We recognize there are significant differences in the way individuals learn.
Every student has the right to a quality education.
Every student should have a safe, learning environment.
We teach the whole child.
Students are the keys to our future. The world is constantly changing and Life Long Learning is essential.
Education impacts personal and family well - being.
Parents are an integral part of our students' education.

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Values

Each child is important as if he/she were one of our own.
Parents are important.
Students need to be in school every day, on time.
Hungry children don't learn as well.

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History

Construction on Borah Elementary School was started in 1951 and dedicated in a ceremony held at the new school on May 16, 1952. The school was named after Senator William E. Borah. Senator Borah was one of the first senators to anticipate the environmental concerns of the state and fought like a "Lion" to preserve Idaho. The school mascot, a Lion, was chosen in his honor.

The first principal was Glen Satchwell. The original building contained grades one through eight. The school has been added on to twice and at the present time has 19 classrooms to accommodate the 460 students in grades Kindergarten through Fifth grade along with 27 full time certified employees, 8 part time certified employees and 25 non-certified employees.

Through the years Borah has housed some interesting classrooms. In 1971 the first public kindergarten class in the district was held at Borah. The two sections were taught by first year teacher Sally McLaughlin. There was no established curriculum so it was a learning experience for both teacher and students. One year Borah had an entire class of hearing impaired students. At various times all of the Special Education programs from mild to severely handicapped were housed at the school. In 1990 Borah received national recognition for a pilot integration program initiated by Kathy Lenz, a third grade teacher and Cindi Ulen, a special education teacher. The two teachers teamed to provided an educational experience for profoundly handicapped students in a regular classroom. The result was a "Buddy Licensing" program where regular students were given instruction and a license to push wheelchair bound students around the school. The program and classroom provided a unique experience for bringing special needs students and regular education students together.

In 1999 the school received a $25,000 grant to work with a landscape architect to redesign the exterior site of the school. The students, along with the help of art teacher Jane Morgan, PTO, Coeur d'Alene School District and donations from several businesses and individuals, have built a beautiful new playground that is not only entertaining but also provides for many different learning experiences outside of the classrooms. In the spring of 2001, the first grade teachers and students built a butterfly garden with the help of an Excel Grant and donations from several local businesses.

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