News & Events

Please join us in celebrating Denise Bell, who is retiring after 10 years of dedicated service as the secretary at Gate City Elementary.

One of Denise’s favorite memories from her time in PCSD 25 came from a thoughtful 5th‑grade class. Each student brought her a sticky note sharing something they appreciated about her — from “you are sweet” to “thanks for opening the door for us” and even “thanks for calling my mom.” Those small, heartfelt messages meant the world to her.

When asked what she will miss most, Denise shared that she’ll miss helping the kids and the amazing friends she’s made along the way.

Denise, thank you for the kindness, care, and steady support you’ve given to students, families, and staff. Gate City has been brighter because of you, and your impact will be felt for years to come.

Please join us in wishing Denise a joyful and well‑deserved retirement!

PTO is excited for our Glow Party this coming Monday, May 4th. Tickets can be purchased before the event to save time. A link will be provided below. The event will be at the school from 6:30-8pm and will have several fun activities. Treats and glow items will also be available for purchase!

As the school year wraps up, PTO has a couple more volunteer opportunities. Teacher appreciation week is next week and we have an opportunity to put together a lunch for them! A sign-up genius link is available in GroupMe. We are running a field day on the last day of school. We are so grateful to Family Medical Clinic of Chubbuck and Idaho Skin Institute for sponsoring a snow cone trailer at field day! It will be a fun treat for the kids. Watch for a sign up to help with activities at field day.

Finally, we are hosting an appreciation breakfast May 12th at 8:30 in the cafeteria. Anyone who has helped at the school in classrooms or with PTO is welcome to come and have a little breakfast! We are asking if you can come to RSVP on our GroupMe which anyone is also welcome to join to get school updates and reminders. You can join with this link GroupMe  

Thanks for all you do!  

PTO Board   

Glow Party Tickets and Info

Dear Grizzly Families,  

May is such a fun and busy time of year. There are still many standards to teach between end of year testing, projects, fieldtrips and celebrations. Attendance is still so important.

I want to give a big thank you to Leavitt Orthodontics for sponsoring our CAMP Grizzly end of year field trip! More details to come with permission slips.  

Safety: Staff are not on duty until 8:00am for supervision of after 2:55pm (1:55 Mondays). Please do not leave your learner unsupervised.

Proactivity:  Be in touch with your learner’s teacher if you have academic, behavior or social emotional concerns. Sometimes new things or past things come up for learners this time of year. School-home connection can be so helpful in ending the year positively.

Thank you, Mrs. Delonas 

Upcoming Dates

• Fri. 1st – SD25 Art show at the Art Walk @ Gate City Coffee 5pm-8pm
• Mon. 4th- PTO May The 4th Glow With You 6:30-8pm at the school $10pp or $50 per family 5+
• Wed. 6th- PTO Running Club 2:45-3:15pm  
• Wed. 20th- PTO Running Club 2:453:15pm
• Mon. 25th- Memorial Day- NO SCHOOL
• Wed.  27th- 3rd-5th grade SWAT 2:45-3:15  
• Thurs. JUNE 4th- LAST DAY OF SCHOOL  
• Mon. Aug. 24th Back to School Nigh & Kinder Orientation (time to be announced)
• Wed. Aug. 26th 1st-5th grade First Day of School  
• Thurs. Kinder A-M First Day
• Fri. Kinder N-Z First Day

Gate City Elementary had a visit from the co-founders of Extreme Rush and Rush himself. I am incredibly grateful for their generous donation. Community partners like Extreme Rush help schools amplify the educational experience. Thank you for investing in our public school community!  

Jason Hebdon, Owner, said, Giving back to the community that has supported us from day one means a lot to us. This is exactly what Extreme Rush is all about, not just creating a fun place, but being part of the community.

Gate City elementary had their fifth grade DARE graduation with Officer Ryan Kendall. 

This program is fun for our learners, and provides a wonderful opportunity to strengthen their decision-making, communication, and social awareness sills. They feel empowered to keep themselves safe and healthy. 

D.A.R.E was such an amazing thing, and I am so happy I got the opportunity to take it. I’m so grateful Officer Kendall took time to teach us about how to solve tricky problems. My favorite lesson was when we acted out how to walk away from drugs. All in all, because of D.A.R.E, now I know how to be responsible, the consequences of taking risks, bad drugs and how to avoid them, and so much more.

Clara McCabe

DARE is amazing and taught me a great lesson about drug use and how to avoid it, how to respond to pressure, and how to communicate clearly. I have learned a ton, and my classmates did too. I believe that we can make the world a better place by doing these things that I learned from DARE.

Hannah Hibbert

First Friday Art Walk | MAY 1, 2026 | 5-8:00 p.m. | Gate City Coffee

Artwork | Poetry | Photography & Photo Stories
Pottery & Sculpture | Musical Composition and More

Artwork awards sponsored by the SD25 Education Foundation

The Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 invites the community to experience America Through the Eyes of Our Learners, a special Fine Arts Exhibition celebrating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States.

The exhibition will take place during the Historic Downtown Pocatello First Friday Art Walk on Friday, May 1, 2026, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Gate City Coffee (320 W. Center Street). The event will feature more than 200 pieces of original artwork and creative expression from learners across School District 25.

Live student musical performances will also be featured during the event at 6:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

The exhibition features submissions from learners in grades K–12, with works developed through classroom and individual creative efforts across a variety of mediums, including visual art, photography, multi-media creations, and poetry.

The event is part of a broader effort by the PCSD 25 Board of Trustees to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary by creating opportunities for learners to explore, reflect on, and share what the nation’s history and ideals mean to them today.

Awards will be presented across multiple categories and grade levels, including Best in Show and People’s Choice Awards, with more than $2,000 in prizes recognizing learner achievement and creativity.

Awards for the competition are proudly sponsored by the School District 25 Education Foundation, whose support helps make opportunities like this possible for learners across the district.

This event is about more than art—it’s about giving our learners a voice, said Courtney Fisher, Director of Communications, Community Relations and the Education Foundation. “Through their work, our learners are sharing their perspectives, their creativity, and what America means to them during this once-in-a-generation milestone. We’re proud to showcase that with our community.”

Visitors are encouraged to participate in the People’s Choice voting during the event and help select winning entries. Community members can also support future opportunities for learners by connecting with the Education Foundation during the event.

The exhibition is free and open to the public.

By Courtney Fisher

Neighborhood schools shape more than education — they shape childhood, community, and the friendships that last a lifetime.

When I was a student at Indian Hills Elementary in the 1980s, the upper stretch of Country Club Drive wasn’t paved and lined with homes the way it is today. It was a craggy dirt road — the kind best suited for off-roading — bordered by open fields. I lived in the upper Johnny Creek neighborhood, and most mornings my friends and I climbed onto the bus together, sharing stories from the day before, laughing about playground adventures, planning whose house we’d hang out at after school, and hoping it would be a good lunch day with chocolate peanut butter bars. 

Getting to school took a little longer in those days. Without today’s straight shot down the hill, our bus hugged the tight curves of Johnny Creek Road before heading south on Bannock Highway—a route that added miles and minutes to the trip compared to the bus routes children ride today.

On warm spring days, my brother and I rode our bikes instead, gripping our handlebars as we bounced along the rutted road until it gave way to smoother pavement, where we’d coast the rest of the hill toward a building that felt as familiar as home.

Indian Hills looked different then. The school was organized in a mix of open pods and closed classrooms — a different approach to learning spaces than we see today. But what hasn’t changed in nearly 40 years is how that school made me feel.

I felt welcomed. I felt known. I belonged.

Those neighborhood friendships extended beyond the classroom. We played on the same teams, attended the same birthday parties, and sang and danced — and yes, even clogged — in the same community groups. We grew up together.

Many of those friendships still exist today. In fact, one of those neighborhood friends, Mrs. Baird, now teaches kindergarten at Indian Hills — welcoming a new generation of learners into the same community that shaped us.

Years later, my own children walked through the doors of Indian Hills.

They formed tight-knit friendships with classmates who lived just down the street. They played on the same teams. They found teachers who knew their strengths and encouraged their growth. They experienced the same sense of belonging that shaped my childhood.

Neighborhood schools are more than buildings. They are anchors of community — where children form their first friendships, build confidence, and begin to understand that they are part of something bigger than themselves.

Today, the dirt road is gone. The fields are neighborhoods. Classrooms have evolved. Technology is integrated. Instruction is more research-based than ever before. But when I walk into Indian Hills — through the same hallways I once walked — I still see what matters most: relationships.

At Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25, we believe strong foundations start with belonging.
Kindergarten is often a child’s first experience in structured learning outside the home — a milestone for children and parents alike. That first day brings excitement, but also uncertainty.

Neighborhood schools ease that transition.

When children attend school close to home, they see familiar faces at the park, at community events, and on their own street. Classmates become teammates, neighbors, and often lifelong friends. Parents build relationships with families who share the same sidewalks and routines.

Inside those classrooms, our educators focus on the whole child.

PCSD 25’s kindergarten classrooms are built on safe, welcoming environments where every learner is known and supported. Teachers use proven instructional practices to help students understand not only what they are learning, but how they learn best. Structured routines, play-based exploration, and strong early foundations in literacy and math nurture curiosity and confidence.

The results speak for themselves.

PCSD 25 ranks among the districts with the highest graduation rates among large school districts in Idaho while maintaining one of the highest teacher retention rates. Those outcomes do not begin in high school. They begin in kindergarten classrooms — where children first discover they are safe, valued, and capable.

Public neighborhood schools also reflect something essential: accountability and access. There is no tuition. No barriers. Our schools are rooted in the communities they serve and committed to supporting every learner.

As someone who once rode the bus down a dirt road to Indian Hills — and later watched my own children grow in those same hallways — I see the continuity clearly. School has changed. Our community has grown. Our tools have advanced. But the heart of our neighborhood schools remains the same.
They are places where children belong.

Online kindergarten registration for the 2026–2027 school year is now open, with in-person visits to complete the process scheduled on April 2. If you are considering where your child will begin their educational journey, I encourage you to look close to home.

Strong communities build strong schools. Strong schools build confident learners.

And in PCSD 25, your neighborhood school is ready to welcome your family — just as Indian Hills once welcomed me.

You belong here.
                                      
Courtney Fisher is the Director of Communications & Community Relations for the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25, where she also serves as the Director of the SD25 Education Foundation. A native of Pocatello and graduate of PCSD 25, she is passionate about strengthening local public education. Courtney and her husband, Ethan, are the proud parents of two daughters, both now in college.
 

Experienced. Caring. Relationship-driven.

Our Kindergarten teachers specialize in easing the transition to school through structured routines and engaging learning.

Online registration opens March 20

Enroll Today

On Time, In School, Every Day! 

Keep the Joy Hold the Routine

Every Day Matters

December brings joy and holiday excitement - but don't let routines slide! Keeping consistent school attendance help learners stay connected and focused. Mark holiday events on the calendar and build in reminders for school days.

Let's finish the calendar year strong with the message that learning, laughter, and belonging happen across PCSD 25 every single day.

#YouBelongHere
#PCSD25
#EveryDayMatters