Alarm clocks are being set a bit earlier this week for hundreds of thousands of Idaho families as many students head back to school.That includes thousands of little going to school for the first time.
“There is something that never gets old about the beginning of a school year,” said Stacey McKenna, principal at Jefferson Elementary School on the Boise Bench. “Especially when you’re in an elementary school.”
Across much of the Gem State, students, teachers and staff are facing poor air quality, and that’s already impacting the beginning of fall high school sports like soccer, football and cross country.
“Our fall sports started on Monday, so we’re constantly checking the Air Quality Index,” said Chad Wright, principal at Timberline High School in southeast Boise. “We’re checking what that AQI number is what it allows us to do. And that really limits our indoor space also. So we're just following the guidelines that we have. And then we work together as the coaching staff and the AD on where people can practice indoors if needed, for how long and what does that rotation look like? And then of course, working within our conference when it comes to games, and if we have to reschedule or if games can be played, what does that look like?"
McKenna and Wright joined George Prentice to talk about the new school year, which includes a state-mandated moment of silence in every Idaho public school room.
Find reporter George Prentice @georgepren
Copyright 2026 Boise State Public Radio
