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Taft Elementary School

Educating Today for a Better Tomorrow!

About us

Five young girls pose for a photo outdoors on a sunny day.
An audience of children watches a stage performance in a school gymnasium.
taft elementary

Why Taft?

  • At Taft, students don’t just attend school — they belong to and engage in a diverse, inclusive community designed to help them thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

     

    The Taft Advantage

    Academic Rigor|Community Connection|Whole-Child Support|Global Perspective

    Taft isn’t just a school — it’s a launchpad for confident, capable, and compassionate learners.

  • Our diversity is our strength!

    With more than 10 languages spoken across our community, students learn every day how to respect differences, build empathy, and engage confidently in a connected world.

    • Annual Cultural Festival celebrating heritage and identity

    • Inclusive practices that foster belonging and global awareness

    • A school culture grounded in respect and curiosity

  • We believe excellence means growth for every student.

    Taft blends strong academic expectations with individualized support, ensuring each child is challenged and supported at the right level.

    • Differentiated core instruction in ELA foundational skills K-3 using the Orton-Gillingham approach

    • Honors Math opportunities in 5th-6th grade

    • Pull-out GATE programming

    • Layered academic supports from intervention to acceleration

  •  

    Enrichment That Builds Confidence & Character

    Students explore interests, build leadership skills, and gain confidence through enriching programs woven into the school day.

    • Comprehensive Music Program including Band, Orchestra, and Choir

    • Elementary Athletics: Track and Basketball

    • Student Leadership Groups

    • Lunchtime Enrichment Clubs:

      • Art Club

      • Screenprinting Club

      • Jump Rope Club

  • Boise District Community School

    Well-being is foundational to achievement.

    Taft provides integrated supports so students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.

    • Full-time school counselor

    • On-site community counselor & school social worker

    • Community School resources for families

  • Because access matters.

    • Free breakfast

    • Free lunch

    • Free supper snack

    Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed.

  • Exceptional educators create exceptional outcomes.

    Taft teachers engage in ongoing professional learning and use research-based practices to continually improve instruction.

    • Ongoing professional development

    • Evidence-based teaching strategies

    • A culture of growth and collaboration

Mission/Vision/Values

Our Mission

Recognizing that we live in an ever-changing world, William Howard Taft Elementary School, in partnership with parents and community, is deeply committed to establishing and upholding high standards of learning that ALL students will achieve.

 

Our Vision

"Taft Tigers stick together."

We will work together as a professional learning community that continually incorporates "best practices" so that all students will achieve high standards personally, socially and academically.

 

Our Values

-We will behave in a way that models respect and responsibility for all individuals.
-We will work to create confident children through empowerment and trust.
-We will treat our students in a way that promotes critical thinking.
-We will utilize a variety of teaching methods to benefit all children.
-We will involve parents, students, and the community in the teaching and learning process.

Our Beliefs

-We believe that all students can learn, and that we have the capacity to teach all students.
-We believe that it is our responsibility to create an environment in our classrooms that engages students in academic work that results in a high level of achievement.
-We believe that with our support and help, students can master challenging curricula.
-We believe that we are prepared to work collaboratively with colleagues, students, and parents to achieve this shared educational purpose.
-We believe that all individuals involved in the educational process will model respect & responsibility for themselves and for others.
-We believe that communicating honestly and openly at all levels, both internally and externally, is critical to the growth of the organization.
-We believe that it is our responsibility to continually assess our effectiveness and continually improve the organization & its effectiveness.

A group of children smiles with a tiger mascot in a school hallway.

Welcome from our Principal
 

Amy Collinge, Taft Prinicipal

Dear Taft Elementary Families,

Welcome to the 2025–2026 school year! I’m honored to introduce myself as the new principal here at Taft, and I’m so excited to join this incredible community of students, families, and educators. I bring to Taft a deep curiosity, commitment to learning and growth, and advocacy for educational opportunities for all of our learners. 

As we prepare for a wonderful year I want to share a few important updates and resources to help your family start the year smoothly:

🎒 Join Us for the Resource Fair – Thursday, August 7th
You're invited on Thursday, August 7th from 3:00–4:00 PM. This is a great opportunity to get ready for school, connect with valuable community resources, and meet your child's teacher! We hope to see you there.

📲 New Communication Tool: ParentSquare
This year, our school and district will begin using ParentSquare, a new platform to keep communication simple and consistent between home and school. I highly recommend that you log in and set up your parent account to get timely school communication this year, click Join Us for the Resource Fair for more information. 

👋Please Welcome our New to Taft Staff! 

As some of our colleagues have retired or moved on to graduate school, we get to welcome a phenomenal group of new educators to our team this year. Please join me in welcoming them!

  • Kelsey Swope, Community Schools Coordinator
  • Cassie Arana, ML Co-Teacher
  • Cheri Robinson, Orchestra Teacher
  • Tawny France, ERR Paraprofessional
  • Christine Wallin, Speech/ Language Pathologist (SLP)
  • Katie Woodrick, Learning Coach
  • Emma McComb Kennedy, Social Worker
 

💙 City of Boise depart of recKid City Registration is Liveparks-and-recreation/facilities/taft-kid-city! 

If you need after-school care for your child in 1st-6th grade, you can sign them up for our on-site, low-cost child care starting today!

🛡️  Annual Notification Regarding Public Release of Student Directory Information
The Boise School District complies with federal law (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) as it relates to the release of student directory information to the public. To learn more, log on toBoise school district webpage and navigate to Parents & Patrons > Parent Information > Join Us for the Resource FairFERPA FormJoin Us for the Resource Fair.  Or, please call the Clerk of the Board at 208-854-4123 to obtain a copy of the FERPA form. 

🌟 Back-to-School Information: First Day is August 12, with early release at 1:15pm.
Boise School District has created a Back-to-School Website with everything you need to know—school calendars, supply lists, registration info, and more.
👉Boise school news 2025–2026 Back-to-School InformationBoise School News

🧡Save the Dates:

August 28: Back to School Night

September 26: Student Picture Day

October 9: Taft Family Photo Night

I look forward to partnering with you to create a safe, welcoming, and joyful school year full of discovery, belonging, and academic growth. We will continue our focus on student centered learning this year, and part of that is daily attendance at school. (Less than 9 and always on time!) Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or celebrations. Here's to a fantastic year ahead!  

In service,

Amy Collinge (Ms. Collinge)

Principal

Taft Elementary School

Boise School District 

208-854-6180

 

Monthly News Letter

Friendships

Learn more about Taft friendships and team building

Community School

Learn more about our comminity connection and enrichment or join us

Music/Arts

Learn more about our music/arts

School Hours/Schedule

  • Daily Bell schedule normal days

  • A chalkboard displays a schedule with dates and times.