BOISE, Idaho — While it's important all Gem State students have the opportunity to receive a good education, not all students have the same needs in the classroom.
A new school in the West Ada School District aims to help kids overcome behavioral challenges to thrive in class.
The Flyers Center focuses on behavioral support for elementary-aged kids to help students learn how to regulate their emotions, putting them on a path toward better educational opportunities.
"I believe that proper mental health is the basis of everything," Flyers Center Principal Kelli Knowles said. "You can't learn anything if your brain is not ready to learn. So, in order to feel at baseline, to feel secure and safe and ready to learn – that's the most important thing that a student can know. Those are soft skills that some students need more intervention with."
The school is located on the Joplin Elementary campus in Boise. It has a full-time counselor who's a licensed therapist, and has resources beyond what's offered in a normal classroom setting to help students manage their emotions.
"Most of our curriculum and most of our day is spent on self regulation, learning about your body, learning about how your brain works and what the proactive strategies are that you can use in order to be learning ready in your classroom," Knowles said.
Putting an emphasis on building better learners to foster a positive environment for students who need it most.
"I feel like Flyers is that place for kids to learn how to feel safe, to learn how to have a voice and use their power and their tools to learn," Knowles said. "I feel like the impact that this is going to have is life-changing."
The Flyers Center currently has nine students enrolled, a number likely to grow in the future. Students have to be recommended for their program by staff at their current schools.