West Ada School District

"West Ada" redirects here. For the district of Accra, Ghana, see Ada West District.

The West Ada School District #2, long known as the Meridian School District, is a school district based in Meridian, Idaho. In addition to Meridian, the district operates public schools in Eagle, Star and western Boise. It is the largest school district in Idaho.^[3]

West Ada School District #2
Address
1303 E Central Dr Meridian, ID 83642 Meridian, Idaho Western Ada County, Idaho United States
District information
Type	Public
Motto	"Preparing Today's Students for Tomorrow's Challenges"
Grades	K-12
Established	1945
Superintendent	Dr. Derek Bub
Budget	$343,881,647 (2023-24)[1]
Students and staff
Students	38,906 (2023-24)[2]
Athletic conference	Southern Idaho - 5A (IHSAA)
Other information
Website	westada.org

In June 2014, the district board of trustees voted to change the common name of the district, previously known as the Meridian School District, to West Ada School District. The official name, Joint School District No. 2, remains unchanged.^[4] The district received widespread attention for its negative reaction to "Everyone is welcome here" posters.

District information

The West Ada School District educates more than 35,000 students in 49 schools over an area of 382 square miles (990 km²). The district has grown by more than 5,000 students in the last five years. West Ada School District schools range in enrollment from 100 to over 2,000 students. School buildings vary in age with the oldest being more than 50 years old.^{[citation needed][when?]}

In Ada County the district includes:^[5]

• All of: Avimor
• Most of: Meridian, Eagle, Star
• Portions of: Boise, Garden City, Kuna

The district extends into Canyon County, where it includes portions of Nampa and Star.^[6]

Governance

The district is administered by a five-member Board of Trustees elected by voters residing within the district's boundaries.^[7] Each of the five trustees represent specific geographic zones in the district.^[8] They receive no salaries or benefits and are elected to a four-year term.^[7]

Zone	Trustee (as of 2023)[9]
1	Lori Frasure (Chair)
2	Lucas Baclayon
3	Angie Redford
4	David Binetti
5	Rene Ozuna (Vice-Chair)

History

Timeline

• 1945 - School districts reorganized to reduce 1,082 school districts in Idaho to 301 districts.
• 1950 - District named "Class A School District No. 2."
• 1963 - The District’s name was officially changed to its current name, "Joint School District No. 2."
• 2005 - Total enrollment for the district reached over 30,000.
• 2007 - The district moved into its new offices, consolidating seven different office locations.
• 2014 - Colloquial name changed from "Meridian School District" to "West Ada School District."

"Everyone is welcome here" controversy

In March 2025, West Ada School District forcefully removed a poster from a classroom at Lewis and Clark Middle School for violating district policies "because in today's political environment they're considered a personal opinion."^[10] The poster had hung for several years and read "Everyone is welcome here" and had depictions of children's hands of all skin colors. District administrators cited internal policy and Idaho's Dignity and Nondiscrimination in Public Education Act as justification for the removal,^[10] and later stated that if the poster had just contained the text, it would likely have been acceptable.^[11]

Superintendents

Superintendents	Years
L.A. Thomas	1950–1953
Roy G. Denton	1953–1963
J. Lowell Scott	1964–1973
August M. Hein	1973–1985
Nick Hallett	1985–1992
Bob L. Haley	1992–1998
Christine H. Donnell	1998–2004
Linda Clark	2004–2015
Mary Ann Ranells	2016–2021
Derek Bub	2021–Present

High schools

There are currently seven high schools and six alternative schools in the district, five of which are classified 5A by the Idaho High School Activities Association.

Boise

• Centennial High School - (1987)

Meridian

• Central Academy (Alternative)
• Idaho Fine Arts Academy
• Meridian Academy (Alternative)
• Meridian High School - (1904, Rebuilt 1975, Modernized 2007)
• Meridian Medical Arts Charter High School - (2003) (Alternative)
• Meridian Technical Charter High School - (1999) (Alternative)
• Mountain View High School - (2003)
• Owyhee High School - (2021)
• Renaissance High School- (2009) (Alternative)
• Rocky Mountain High School - (2008)

Eagle

• Eagle Academy (Alternative)
• Eagle High School - (1995)
• North Star Public Charter School (Alternative)

Middle schools

There are currently 7 middle schools & 2 alternatives in the district.

Star

• Star Middle School

Meridian

• Heritage Middle School (2007)
• Lewis & Clark Middle School
• Meridian Middle School (1904, 1975)
• Sawtooth Middle School (2004)
• Victory Middle School (2016)

Boise

• Lake Hazel Middle School (1977)
• Lowell Scott Middle School (1972)

Eagle

• Eagle Middle School

Alternatives (Meridian)

• Crossroads Middle School
• Pathways Middle School

Elementary schools

There are currently 32 elementary schools in the district.

Meridian

Chaparral Elementary Chief Joseph School of the Arts Discovery Elementary Hillsdale Elementary Hunter Elementary Linder Elementary Mary McPherson Elementary Meridian Elementary

Paramount Elementary Peregrine Elementary Pleasant View Elementary Ponderosa Elementary Prospect Elementary River Valley Elementary Siena Elementary

Boise

Cecil D. Andrus Elementary Christine Donnell School of the Arts Desert Sage Elementary Eliza Hart Spalding (Spalding) Elementary Frontier Elementary Gateway School of Language and Culture Joplin Elementary

Lake Hazel Elementary Pepper Ridge Elementary Pioneer School of the Arts Silver Sage Elementary Summerwind School of Math & Science Ustick Elementary

Eagle

• Eagle Elementary School of the Arts
• Eagle Hills Elementary
• Galileo STEM Academy*
• Seven Oaks Elementary

Star

• Star Elementary

*Galileo STEM Academy is both a middle school and an elementary school