Community Schools, Shared Power: Mountain Home's “One Town, One Team”
Podcast:The Purple Zone Published On: Tue Aug 25 2026 Description: Send us Fan MailIn this season opener, Alexis Morgan sits down with guest Stehvn Tesar, principal at Bennett High School, to explore how the community school strategy at Bennett High helps meet students’ needs and strengthens the surrounding community. We start by defining what a community school is and why this model fits the Mountain Home School District, before digging into the work happening at Bennett High, including an alternative school approach designed to support students through real barriers.You’ll hear how collaborative, community-driven leadership supports key priorities:Improvements in Student academic outcome Family & community engagementStudent belongingFood insecurity supportMental health supportWe also spotlight how the strategy is used through programs like T-shirts, a STEM center, daycare, and a greenhouse, and discuss feedback from students, parents, and community members. Finally, we look at why this approach is continuing to grow across Idaho.Find Alexis on Instagram and JOIN in the conversation: https://www.instagram.com/the_idaho_lady/JOIN the convo on Substack & STAY up-to-date with emails and posts https://substack.com/@theidaholady?r=5katbx&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-pageSend Alexis an email with guest requests, ideas, or potential collaboration.email@thealexismorgan.comFind great resources, info on school communities, and other current projects regarding public policy:https://www.thealexismorgan.com