Veteran educator Penni Cyr is the new president of the Idaho Education Association. Cyr was elected by her colleagues in balloting last spring and begins serving a 3-year term today.

Cyr (rhymes with "clear") has been a teacher in the Moscow School District for 28 years. For the past 11 years, she was the teacher-librarian/media specialist at Moscow High School.  Before that, she taught junior high math and computer skills, 5th grade, 6th grade and was the elementary teacher/media specialist overseeing all four district elementary libraries. She has undergraduate and master’s degrees in education from the University of Idaho, and she earned her National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification in media K-12 as well.

“I am honored to have this opportunity to represent the majority of Idaho’s education employees as the leader of the state’s largest professional organization,” Cyr said. “IEA members are deeply committed to the success of every child in Idaho’s public schools and to the idea that every student will have a caring, qualified teacher.”

Cyr said that she will seek to promote a wide dialogue – including community conversations this fall – on how schools can improve to serve Idaho’s students and strengthen the state’s economic future. “Idahoans know that responsible education reform demands everyone’s involvement: educators, parents, students and elected officials,” she added. “IEA members and our allies believe that we are all accountable for being sure that Idaho’s public schools are among the best in the United States.”

The Idaho Education Association represents elementary and secondary teachers, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.