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Every community in the Heartland, especially Cascade, takes education of their young people very seriously, and as a result students in the local school districts consistently exceed national testing averages. Five public school districts serve the region with one preschool, a Head Start program, five elementary schools, one middle school, four high schools, one alternative high school and one school serving kindergarten through 12th grade. (Click Here detailed list of area schools.) All schools are dedicated to providing their patrons with an enjoyable and enriching educational experience and the high schools in particular have strong athletic programs and extracurricular activities.
Cascade School District
The mission of Cascade School District is to inspire its students to reach their maximum potential, become lifelong learners, and be contributing, responsible citizens. The district sees education as a partnership between students, parents, educators and the community.
- Cascade Elementary School -- Serving grades preschool through 6th grade with one classroom per grade level, Cascade Elementary School is a public primary school in Cascade with 155 students. A ratio of one teacher for every 19 students makes both teaching and learning easier.
- Cascade Junior/Senior High School -- Students in the Cascade area can attend public school at Cascade Junior/Senior High School from grade 7 to 12. 138 students attend the school with a teacher/student ratio of 1 teacher for every 9 students.
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| Classroom at McCall Outdoor Science School |
The McCall-Donnelly Education Foundation is a strong advocate of educational excellence and supports the McCall Donnelly School District by securing funds and other resources to build a better future for children in the district. Their long-term goals include securing $5 million in endowments and making the McCall-Donnelly School District recognized as the most prestigious school district in Idaho. Since they began in 2006 they have already granted over $105,000 to educational endeavors in the community.
Education is not necessarily limited to the regular school year, and a number of enrichment opportunities can be found in the area. The University of Idaho sponsors the McCall Outdoor Science School (just 34 miles from Cascade), which offers classes to junior high and high school students during the summer months. The classes serve the dual purpose of giving students a hands-on approach to scientific discovery and providing educators with practical, field teaching experience. The university also offers Summer Teacher Institute teacher education courses at the field campus.
In the broadest sense, education is a life-long process that can benefit all aspects of our lives. In this sense, Idaho's Heartland has a great deal to offer with instruction in many forms of recreation and the opportunity to educate oneself in the intimate knowledge of the land, using the many resources offered by the staff of the National Forests. The Parks and Recreation Department in McCall presents a variety of sports and recreation programs for young people and some adult programs.
A sampling of some of the other excellent institutions of higher learning include: Boise State University, College of Idaho, University of Idaho, George Fox University, Idaho State University, College of Western Idaho, Northwest Nazarene University and Boise Bible College. These institutions also offer a wide variety of special seminars and training sessions in almost any course of study you might seek.