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Principal's Message

Welcome to the John Brown Elementary community! It is my great honor to serve your family as JBE’s principal. Welcome to all new and returning JBE families for the 2024-2025 school year!! I look forward to meeting all of you on our Back-to-School Night, Thursday, August 29th from 6:00 to 7:00pm, and working together with you to provide your children a well-rounded education.

My husband and I raised our three children in Rathdrum and are the proud parents of JBE, Lakeland Junior and Senior High School alums. I have dedicated my career to serving the educational needs of our community’s children and families. I have served as an Idaho public school teacher since 1988, and have been continuously employed by the Lakeland Jt. School District since 1991. For sixteen years I wholeheartedly served JBE as a students with disabilities teacher, instructional coach, or education assistant to the principal. I have volunteered in my children’s classrooms and served alongside many parents in our Parents & Teachers United group. I am deeply committed and passionate about teaching and learning. Some of my life’s most joy filled moments are when I watch former students walk across the stage at graduation!

JBE teachers and supporting staff understand the power of instruction that is engaging, rigorous, meaningful, while maintaining high expectations, and creating a safe learning community where all students feel valued. To nurture a greater sense of belonging, all of our classes hold daily class meetings where students will get to know their teachers and classmates better. We will focus on building students’ empathy for each other and resiliency skills that will help them become successful learners. 

I invite you to come and be a regular visitor and volunteer. We value your participation at all JBE events. We have lots of ways for you to become involved, including; 

  • Parent & Teachers United meetings on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 3:15 (childcare is always provided)

  • Family Night & Community Fair on Wednesday, October 16th from 6:00 to 7:30 pm

  • School Levy Election - Tuesday, Nov 5th - Your Polling Place

  • Dr. Seuss inspired carnival “A Seussational Celebration” on Friday, Friday Feb 28th from 5:00 to 8:00 pm

To ensure the safety of our students, all visitors must check-in at the office to sign in and receive a visitor badge, please bring a current driver’s license to receive security clearance. Keep an eye on our school calendar on this website and opt in to receive text messages from me (text, YES to 67587) to stay up to date on all school events. 

We truly believe it takes a village to raise our children, please come be a part of our village!

Sincerely,

Ana Vazquez Schnepf

My Professional Mission Statement: 

I am committed to: 

  • Fostering an attitude of joyfulness toward learning in my students, their families, and school staff. 

  • To maximize student learning and ensure every learner is growing academically, social-emotionally, and behaviorally every day in all environments!

  • Creating environments for learning that are healthy, supportive, productive and safe for everyone in every classroom, meeting, or collaboration in the school