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Tipipiwp " Wf WWTP T O BOISE (AP) — Gov Dirk Kempthorne is encouraging residents to journey through all of 'An Idaho Supreme Court Justice says making the divorce process easier for families especially children is part of her reclection campaign Cathy Silac spoke at the Franklin County Courthouse on Friday afternoon as did Franklin County Magistrate Judge Lowell Castleton She is running for her second consecutive term The focus of Silac’s campaign is protecting children from divorce through a program she has headed since its creation in 1994 by the Idaho Supreiqe Court and the Idaho State Bar r1 “Its purpose is to protect children from the harmful effects of parental port “With the Lewis and Clark bicentennial fast approaching as well as the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake Gty we know that company's com- ing" he said “The Corps of Discovery Passport is a fun and exciting way for Idahoans to learn more about the fascinating history and diversity of our state — and in the process become ambassadors for thousand who will be visiting us in'the coming years” The passport has a center section which displays 44 county seals which will be stamped when a passport holder visits a designated location in each county Once all 44 counties are validated their holders send the passports to t I - ' ed tv H r confrontation and emotional tur ( i i ' - t' 'W-- f' ' I J i- - r 1A ! ' - $' i'll v V S £ lb ft r ' 1 ’7“ BOISE (AP) — Idaho school districts will use more than $74 million in grants to train teachers and pay for projects that will improve the use of technology classrooms The grants are funded through the Goals 2000: Educate America Act and the Technology Literacy Chal- - f''- 1 - ' IkAvx sii'VVO i tV- - ‘ - jr ' 7' “‘Tv mYv S J- : ' ' ' i '' i' 'S t i? 7 "A V y-'- ' j " ' v‘ ' j P y ' j'HrtdXJY-- v'l 1 - Ih 7 y " ' ’Hvlvvqxa ' AP photo BOISE (AP) — The results of a statewide math test indicate students across the state are struggling with g skills they need key to solve problems Scores on the Direct Math Assessment dropped from last year as the test's emphasis was changed from basic computation to more complex questions Educators attributed the drop to tougher state standards that substantially raise the bar for what students need to know The assessment uses a scale A 3 is considered passing a 3 shows advanced understanding and a 1 indicates minimal skills : The in scores of fourth-gradeBoise Meridian Kuna and Nampa generally hovered around the passing level of a 3 However they all were down from last year by one- - to of a point Statewide there was a three-tentscores showed a drop Eighth-grad- e more marked drop They fell by of a point statewide and in Boise in Meridian in Nampa Kuna and A drop is considered significant Knowing there had been a change in the focus of the exam would have helped students prepare said Dean Jones educational services supervisor for math in die Boise district two-tent- hs hs four-tent- hs five-tent- hs six-tent- hs two-tent- hs Cache Valley ribwt tips Cal reporter Tucker Heap 1 Ext 3030 752-212- Jim Spranger of Lewiston paints columns on the new Anderson and Walker building in Moscow on Wednesday Statewide scores stable in BOISE (AP) — Overall statewide scores remained stable on the latest test measuring how well fourth- - eighth- - and llth-grastudents write but a number of schools in Idaho's two largest districts saw their results decline Lower scores in some Boise and Meridian schools are tied to tougher grading by state educators that raises the bar on acceptable writing and holds students more accountable for their work said Tom Farley bureau chief oi curriculum and accountability for the Idaho Department of Education The Direct Writing Assessment while created in 1983 is seen as an indication of the emphasis in coming statewide standards that will spell out what children should know and be able to do from kindergarten through eighth grade State lawmakers passed a set of standards for ninth through 12th grades this year Standards for kindergarten through eighth-grad- e students will go to the Legislature in January and could take effect in fall 2001 Students who take the Direct Writing Assessment are given 90 minutes in eighth and 11th grades and 75 minutes in fourth grade to write a response to a question or statement provided by state were asked to write about a memorable experience Eighth-gradewere asked to write an essay explaining de Snake upstream from test-take- Fourth-grade- rs rs rs rs ' ’ The snowpack plunges to 37 percent of average for the y Oakley and' Salmon Falls basins and only 16 percent for the Owyhee drainage Most of the major reservoirs should fill Abramovich said MaglC Reservoir south of Bellevue is full and Mack'dy Reservoir is 88 percent Furin-- ’ ers with reservoir storage in the Payette v Boise Little Wood Upper Snake and Bear basins should have an ade quate supply But if moderate weather per-sists the water may be mar- ginal for reservoirs in the Big Wood Lost River Birch Creek Mud Lake Salmon Falls and Oakley basins ' The early melt meant the Owyhee and Bruneau rivers peaked in early April for rafters and kayakers Vast year the water remained high on the Salmon River This year recreationisis will be able to put in much earlier basin is 76 percent It then drops to 61 percent of the norm for the Salmon River basin 61 percent for the Payettp and 68 percent for the can pay for safety Attorney General Michael BOISE (AP) — Most Idaho school districts seeking state Gilmore said “Some have money sitting in the bank and are paying for financial relief to improve building safety can afford the work with money they already have according to arguments filed in 4th District Court by Attorney General Al Lance In a separate brief 15 school districts suing the state said ' problems with crumbling schools may be so widespread that the court should order surveys of safety systems in all Idaho schools Both arguments were submitted to 4th District Judge Deborah Bail in the lawsuit over how the state 10-ye- ar fourth-grade- rs learning-conduci- rs de two-thir- - Pal- isades Reservoir is 57 percent and 49 percent above Ameri- “ can Falls Reservoir where they would spend a day away from were asked to school Eleventh-gradeselect a specific worry and write about why people should not worry about the issue State schools Superintendent Marilyn Howard said she was pleased by the overall results "In the area of writing student perfor- Legislature funds public mance shows improvement at each grade schools A decision is expected next level" die said “That indicates to us lhat but likely will be month there is a continued focus on writing which to the Idaho Supreme appealed We're does lead to improvement seeing that by the lllh grade students are scoring Court School districts contend the well above the satisfactory level overall" scale Legislature's system of relying Students were graded on a with 1 indicating minimal performance 2 on local property taxes for for developing 3 for satisfactory 4 for pro school improvements and con- struction violates the Idaho ficient and 5 for advanced Constitution's mandate that the The average score for the 17779 who took this year's assessment was state provide a “uniform ahd 26 down marginally from the 27 average thorough’ public education for 16779 students tested in 1999 system which includes ensurThe average score was 28 for the 171 U ing a safe the same as for last year’s environment for students averIdaho is the only state that 17294 students And the llth-grasupermaage also showed no change remaining at requires a 33 for 16343 students this year as it was jority to pass school bonds and for the 16326 assessed in 1999 puts no state money into But there was concern in the Boise and school buildings All but two of the districts Meridian districts where some schools showed dramatic reversals while others seeking financial help from the state should be denied Deputy improved markedly eighth-grade- i : weather to boost streamfiows later this month As was the case for all of last winter the state north of the Salmon River had the highest snowpack The Pan: handle is 82 percent of average while the Clearwater Pllldr Of baint ' r Boise River drainage Y The Big Wood and Little Wood basins have 62 percent On the Henry's Fork of the Snake River the snowpack is 55 percent of average The users” That leaves only rainy H v Educators evaluate results of math test rs ' Resources Conservation Ser- v vice The snow started melting a month earlier than 1999 which featured cool and wet spring weather “What's hurting us is the temperatures are moderate" he said “It melted a lot of snow which went into the ground That means it doesn’t go into the streams for water : - five-poi- nt Idaho's 4th Judicial District The nonpartisan judicial election will be decided at the state primary elections May 23 Abramovich water-supplspecialist for jfie Natural v- - 7:- - - “We funded many exciting "LW innovative approachei tb using technology to assist student learning and to help teachers better understand how to use technology in the classroom” Superintendent of Public Instruction Marilyn Howard said : Members of the Idaho Council for Technology in Learning reviewed the applications and decided to fund 93 projects for 67 school districts school year during the 2000-200-1 “This year we received more applications than ever before and were able to fund more projects’’ said Dayid Breithaupt of the state Department of Education “Unfortunately there were quality proposals that were not funded simply because we ran out of money” The applications are evaluated on several factors including the quality of the project the project's connection-to district technology goals and how the applicant would evaluate how effective the project was critical-thinkin- m administrative district judge for V Iy- ' I Eis-mai- BOISE (AP) Balmy temperatures in April caused an early snowmelt so farmers depending on desert reservoirs in southern Idaho could have marginal water supplies this summer a federal snow s'ur- ' veyorsays The overall state snowpack ' peaked in early April at between 75 andTOO percent of Ron y said average ' stamps Passports are available at 330 places The validation sites were picked to showcase Idaho’s history scenic beauty and economy Schools getting $74 million ini tech grants I Her opponent is Judge Dan of Boise Idaho Eismann is the V '7 j v - I reception she received in 1994 "They just greeted me so warmly” she said “They told me I was the first statewide official to visit in 23 yean so I made sure to come again during this campaign” Warai April spell water in summer summer travel seasons or until December 2002 to get all the t : Low-inco- the governor’s office and will - i : ct high-confli- receive a certificate signed by the chief executive as well as a replica of the Lewis and Clark peace and friendship medal the explorers gave to Indian tribes along their way Those participating will have three l $ v Families that don’t meet the low- income requirements are referred to other attorneys who will advise them in their case “Being the only mother on the Supreme Court I am very dedicated to these issues" Silac said Silac said she made Preston part of her campaign tour because of the low-inco- - six-ye- ar “It’s been helpful to avoid a lot of The program puts future conflicts We’ve learned the the family in a medilonger the divorce the worse it is for ation process the children" she said The mediators are Another project Silac is involved in is providing families attorneys psycholowith legal representation gists counselors and social workers certiSome families going through a fied by the Idaho divorce can’t afford an attorney In 80 percent of all divorce cases in Supreme Court in SUac Idaho at least one of the spouses is family law mediation Cathy Silac said “They are trained to help the par- ents reach a harmonious agreement In 19 Bannock County and the with the best interests of the children state Supreme Court cooperated in in mind" Silac said funding a court assistance office in They help the couple develop a Pocatello and is The office' restricted to family visitation plan rather custody than have a judge impose a certain law matters including protection ' from domestic violence structure' Silac said the judge may not families can have a volunteer or legal aide attorney Represent them at no always accept the plan completely A £ cost but it will speed up the process “ 1 r'r rw Justice seeks to ease moil” Silac said By Tucker Heap staff writer Idaho’s 44 counties to commemorate Lewis and Clark’s expedition across the Panhandle two centuries ago Kempthorne bn Friday unveiled his Idaho Corps of Discovery Pass- t w w Page 7 Travelers urged to visit each county I mm Saturday May 6 2000 In brief ' w w m i The Herald Journal Logan Utah s pp ve ' educational programs not required in state rules” Gilmore said White Pine School District for example could put thousands of dollars toward solving safety problems at Troy High School by cutting the teaching staff by six people That would bring it down to the number the state funds Two districts —- Cotton- wood and Orofino — may have trouble paying for needed repairs Gilmore said But he r has asked Bail to suspend judgment in those cases until laws passed by the Legislature this year take effecL ' Lawmakers passed bills including creation of a $10 million loan fund ahd a tougher program for school safety inspections But those bills “don't go far enough” said David Neumann Genesee School District superintendent and a spokesman for the districts suing the state “The loans are so inaccessible I don't think many school districts will try them" he said The districts asked Bail to order statewide studies on school fire alarm systems and handicapped access They also want buildings constructed before 1942 checked for crumbling foundations m mi t0mmrnnm MIMVM - 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