Oregon Trail Elementary School

Week 6 was busy! School pictures, our first assembly, Caught being "Paws"itive Tickets, enjoying the sunshine before the temperature drops, and lesson study with our Region 4 Math Specialist.

1 day ago, Alexis Boyle

3rd Grader ready for picture day with his cowboy hat on

Recess Fun - student and teacher swinging

Barsa couldn't wait to visit her teacher from last year. Ms. Cameron and her students were working hard on finishing up some of their math pages that they have been working on. Some students were working independently at their desks, while some others were able to work in a small group with their teacher. Ms. Cameron was acknowledging all of those students who were doing what was expected by assigning Caught being "Paws"itive's. Thanks for really getting to know your students and always going above and beyond! We are so thankful you are here! Photo Credit: Barsa

3 days ago, Alexis Boyle

🌟 Happy PTA/PTO Appreciation Day! 🌟

Today, the TFSD celebrates and thanks our amazing parents and families for their continued support and partnership. Your time, energy, and commitment make a real difference in our schools. Family engagement is at the heart of public education—it helps students thrive and strengthens our school community. 💙

We are grateful for all you do to support our students and staff every day! 🙌🍎

4 days ago, Andrea Inchausti

Our student photographer had a blast in Mrs. Christensen's classroom yesterday morning. She got to be apart of so many things, such as our kindergarteners tracing their names, leading the pledge, going through the lunch list, talking about the fire drill and what they would be doing that day, and even wishing the absent kids well. Barsa commented that Mrs. Christensen "teaches good, like really good". We love you Mrs. Christensen and we love that you are here at Oregon Trail. Photo Credit: Student Photographer, Barsa

5 days ago, Alexis Boyle

Kindergarten Classroom during morning meeting

🔬✨ Join the Twin Falls Public Library for Open House Family STEM Night! ✨🔬
📍 Twin Falls Public Library
📅 October 9th @ 5:00 PM

Bring the whole family for an evening of fun, learning, and community connection!
#TwinFalls #STEMNight #FamilyFun #CityLeaders #CommunityEvent #LeagueOfIdahoCities

5 days ago, Andrea Inchausti

Flyer for Open House Family STEM night at the Library.

Homecoming Dress Up Days start next Monday! Join us in some fun!

7 days ago, Alexis Boyle

Dear Parents and Families,

We are excited to announce the launch of the Oregon Trail Elementary Chess Club! Starting next Thursday, October 2, 2025, our Chess Club will meet every Thursday from 3:00 PM to 4:15 PM. This fun and educational club is open to all students who are interested in learning how to play chess, regardless of their experience level.

About the Chess Club:
-When: Thursdays, 3:00 PM - 4:15 PM
-Where: Oregon Trail Elementary Cafeteria
-Advisor: Sue Bixler 4th Grade Teacher
-Assistant: Emily Strom (3rd Grade Teacher)

Our Chess Club focuses on developing students' strategic thinking and problem-solving skills through the game of chess. Throughout the club sessions, students will learn the basics of chess piece movement and rules, chess tactics, opening principles, and basic endgame strategies. We'll also introduce the use of chess clocks, game notation, and the rules for tournament play to prepare students for possible future competitions.

Who Can Join? The Chess Club is open to all elementary students at Oregon Trail Elementary. We welcome everyone, from beginners who have never played before to those with some experience. Parents are welcome to attend and participate alongside their children. Students must follow the rules of the chess club.

Pick-Up Information: Parents are required to pick up their participating students at 4:15 PM on the east side of the school in the parent pickup zone. Please ensure you arrive on time to collect your child.

Registration: There is no cost to join the Chess Club. Students are not required to attend every meeting and are welcome to join at any time throughout the year. However, we encourage students to attend early sessions, as these will cover the basics that will help prepare them for success in future sessions.

To register your child and provide contact information, please follow the link forms.gle/ko332amFnyVYrMBj7 to complete the registration form.

We will use https://www.classdojo.com/ for club communications (see the link in the google form above).

We're excited to get started and can't wait to see your child become a part of our Chess Club. If you have any questions or need more information, please feel free to contact Ms. Sue Bixler at bixlersu@tfsd.org.

Thank you for your support in making the Oregon Trail Elementary Chess Club a success!

Best regards,

Sue Bixler

4th Grade teacher
Chess Club Advisor
Oregon Trail Elementary

8 days ago, Alexis Boyle

Our fifth week of school has been so much fun! Our 5th Grade classes visited the kinders to teach them a song that they will be teaching the entire school at our next assembly. We also had students working really hard to get some STEAM time on Monday, a group of girls came up with their own dress up day (wear pink and a braid), some of our students are working really hard to learn a dance that will be performed at our October assembly, we have had lots of fun math activities in small groups, and some of our amazing specialists ended the week with FUNctional Friday (making Elephant toothpaste). We hope that you are getting rest this weekend and we can't wait to see you Monday! Happy Saturday!

9 days ago, Alexis Boyle

Pink Day with a Braid for our 5th Grade Girls

Mrs. Ferrara's fourth graders started the morning with decoding practice. They were writing and sounding out words, as well as counting vowels in the words. After they were finished, they practiced their fluency by reading out loud to their assigned partner around the room. Our student photographer was impressed by "how well behaved they were". Thank you for teaching our students routines, creating structure, and overall making it a safe and comfortable place to learn. We love that you are here! Photo Credit: Student Photographer, Barsa

11 days ago, Alexis Boyle

Ms. McIntosh started out the morning with a lesson from Mrs. Willsey (our school counselor) on going to school. They listened to the book, "The Pigeon has to go to School!" If you have never read this book, it is a great book focused on a pigeon who is working really hard to get out of having to go to school. Going to school can be HARD, but Ms. McIntosh did a great job with follow up questions after their read aloud. They talked about how the first day of school felt with a shoulder partner and then shared stories with their class. We are so lucky to have Ms. McIntosh in our building. Thank you for making your students feel safe and apart of something great! Photo Credit: Barsa (OT's student photographer)

13 days ago, Alexis Boyle

A teacher teaching morning meeting lesson to her students

Every morning, our music teacher, Ms. Phillips leads us in reciting our core values after all of the "Caught Being "Paws"itive" Tickets from the previous day have been announced. These core values guide our schoolwide expectations and help create a "paws"itive culture. Today, a first grader was coming in from the playground and reciting our core values by himself. If your child doesn't have this memorized, we would love your help! "At Oregon Trail, we problem solve, always show respect, work hard, and stay safe (howl)."

14 days ago, Alexis Boyle

Four weeks down and so much achieved! This week was full of smiles, math centers, dancing, singing, and small groups. Yesterday, teachers were able to dive deep into the data that has been taken so far and celebrate what our students do know.

16 days ago, Alexis Boyle

Best Friends smiling together for a picture

Morning Meeting Dancing and Singing in 5th

On Thursday morning, Mrs. Coombs' class learned a new game called, Roll and Read. The kids rolled a dice, moved that many squares and then read the word to their partner. Our student photographer was in awe of how quiet the students were during the introduction of the game. Thanks for making learning fun Mrs. Coombs!

Photo Credit: Student Photographer, Barsa

17 days ago, Alexis Boyle

Don't feel like cooking? Come support our school on Tuesday, October 14th! Anytime from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. you can go to Panda Express and 20% of the proceeds will be donated to us. The funds will be used to improve our school. Don't forget to show the flyer on your phone OR enter 3842865 in the fundraiser code box on the app. Thank you for supporting our school.

18 days ago, Alexis Boyle

Oregon Trail Fundraiser at Panda Express

Dear Families,

We are looking forward to a great year, with students in classes and ready to learn every day.
Research shows that students who miss even a few days of school each month are at a much greater risk of falling behind than students who attend regularly. That is why our school has set a goal for every student to have nine or fewer absences this year. This isn’t a penalty. It is about making sure every child has the best chance to succeed.
Because attendance is so important, please send your child to school every day unless they are truly sick. Keep your child home if they have:

- A fever of 100.4°F or higher
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Flu-like symptoms such as chills, body aches, or unusual fatigue
- Visible signs of live lice (small yellow, tan, or brown nits close to the scalp or on strands of hair)

We have included a fridge magnet with this letter as a tool to help you keep track of absences and celebrate your child’s progress toward strong attendance.

If your child is at risk of missing too much school, please don’t hesitate to contact Mrs. Peacock for support. We monitor attendance throughout the year so that we can partner with families early. Together, we will work to make sure every student is present, learning, and on the path to success.

We also want to share something we have noticed. More students are being checked out a few minutes early from school. While we understand that sometimes there are doctor visits or other appointments, leaving early means students miss important lessons and daily routines. Please try to schedule appointments after school whenever possible.

The car pick-up line usually takes around 10 minutes or less to get through. If families are signing students out early just to avoid the line, please know that this should not be a problem—every extra minute in class matters.
Sincerely,

Tana Schroeder and Janet Peacock

19 days ago, Alexis Boyle

📊 DATA DAY = NO SCHOOL! 🎉

Just a friendly reminder that there will be NO SCHOOL on September 12 for Data Day

#DataDay #NoSchool #TFSD #StudentSuccess #EducationMatters

19 days ago, Andrea Inchausti

This morning in first grade, Mrs. Gosselin and her students were watching a read aloud from our counselor on school anxiety. After the video was over, students participated in a Kagan Structure. During this time, students were able to move around the room with their hand in the air in order to find a partner to talk to. Mrs. Gosselin would ask a question about the lesson learned and they would be able to share their ideas with a partner. What a great way to start the morning! Photo Credit: OT's School Photographer, Barsa

20 days ago, Alexis Boyle

A teacher working with her students through morning meeting

Harrison, Lincoln, Oregon Trail, Perrine, Rock Creek Kindergarten Families!

Help us make 'Meet At The 50' a success! This heart-warming program brings together our senior class and kindergarten students for a special moment on the football field. At this event, our graduating seniors and kindergarteners met at the 50-yard line, symbolizing the connection between the beginning and end of their educational journeys.

This new tradition is designed to create lasting memories and highlight the shared bond within our school community. Thank you to everyone who comes out and shows their support!

Great photo opp for parents and grandparents, all are welcome! Gate fees do apply.

21 days ago, Eva Craner

Friday morning, Mr. Sheen worked with his students through some apology scenarios, as well as discussed classroom/schoolwide expectations. Our school photographer enjoyed stories that Mr. Sheen told from his childhood experience about apologizing. Thank you Mr. Sheen for building relationships with every student that walks through your door. We love that you are at Oregon Trail! Classroom Photo Credit: Oregon Trail Photographer, Barsa

22 days ago, Alexis Boyle

Week 3 was a success! Don't forget to get enough sleep each night, wash those hands, and keep up on your vitamins. We want to see all of you healthy and back in school next week!

23 days ago, Alexis Boyle