
District Dialogue
Keeping you informed the week of Mar. 20-24, 2023
Everybody Reads
It's the second week of Everybody Reads and our number of books read keeps reaching for the stars! As of Monday we are at 74,110 and that number keeps growing everyday! Thank you to everybody who has been participating and/or is helping to encourage students to read everyday.
To keep track of how many books we're reading you can follow along here.
Ramadan 2023
Some things for school faculty/staff to consider
This Islamic holy month can have a big impact on our Muslim students. Please read these helpful tips and important reminders to support our students who are observing Ramadan.
- Ramadan is the muslim month of fasting. Practicing muslim students will be fasting from dawn-dusk (6 AM to 8 PM).
- Fasting means NO FOOD and NO WATER.
- Ramadan celebrations often involve prayers late into the night.
- It is not unusual to be up past midnight for prayers and then get up around 5 am to eat before dawn and pray.
- Ramadan 2023 will last approximately from March 22 - April 21. Ramadan is scheduled on the lunar calendar so it moves dates each year.
Muslim students may be tired, hungry and dehydrated in your classes - especially if they are with you late in the afternoon.
Carbs for Kids Fun Run 5k!
The Carbs for Kids 5k & Bake Sale is meant to support the kids and youth in our community.
Kiwanis is a community of members and partners dedicated to improving the lives of children in Sioux Falls. Every child has different needs, and Kiwanis empowers members to pursue creative ways to serve the needs of children and youth such as fighting hunger, improving literacy, and offering guidance.
Come support a great cause and start your weekend off right with a fresh baked goodie!
All funds raised from the race and bake sale stay local.
TedX Sioux Falls Youth: This Friday!
This Friday, March 24th 2023 fifteen Sioux Falls School District students will take the stage at 7pm in the District’s first-ever TEDxYouth@Sioux Falls event. Carrying on in the tradition of TED talks, their presentations will be thought-provoking, daring, and ideas worth spreading. Students who will be presenting are:
- Zouhera Mahamed - JHS - The Fear of Failure is Holding Us Back
- Will Schmidt - JHS - How Safe Are Your Really?
- Aayush Mohapatra - JHS - The "Art" of Programming.
- Audrey Akkerman - LHS - Risking It All to Stay Connected
- Lexi Hopp - LHS - Art Is Expression
- Masha Doering - LHS - Fish Out of Water
- Carter Van Ruler - WHS - The Importance of the Journey
- Luis Gaspar - RHS - The Story and Importance of Mental Health
- Sunday Rose - WHS - Am I Congolese or American?
- Beneyam Hassen - JHS - The Expectation of Happiness
- Jenisha Gurung - WHS - Home Is Where the Heart Is, Not Where People Tell You It Is
- Ida Pickner - JHS - The Hidden Health Crisis Affecting Children In America
- Isabela Azumatan Aceituno - JHS - What Happens When You've Reached Your Life Goal?
- Moriah Mulamba - JHS - Transferring Your Tools to Power Opportunity
- Joudy Hahbi - JHS - Is Our Universe a Line or a Cirlce?
Staff Recognition
The SFSD would like to recognize any employee that has achieved an advanced degree or certification during the 2022-2023 school year. Please share your information through this link, as we would like to recognize your accomplishment and commitment to the field of education at an upcoming school board meeting.
Mmmmm, Coffee!
Our friends at Levo are offering bags of Perky Coffee for $10/each with 100% of the money going to Operation Hope & Caring, which provides money for SFSD elementary schools without PTAs/PTOs. Mugs are $25 each, again with 100% of proceeds coming right back to our schools! Contact DeeAnn.Konrad@k12.sd.us to order yours today!
Storm Tickets for Operation Hope and Caring
47% of school kids live in poverty. This means they might not have money for school lunch, school supplies, winter boots, field trips, or washing their clothes. But you can help level the playing field by participating in some fun and practical ways. Join Levo Credit Union, The Sioux Falls Storm and Air Madness in this great effort.
ATTEND THE GAME
Saturday, April 29, 2023
Enjoy some local football that supports local kids. Bring your friends and family out for a night of food, field goals and fanfare.
50% of net proceeds will be donated to Operation Hope & Caring.
*Group tickets are available. Please contact: Stephanie Richter at stephanie.richter@siouxfallsstorm.com
This month, Human Resources is celebrating our staff who reach an anniversary milestone in the 2022-23 fiscal year (July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023)!
This week, join us in celebrating our staff who reach 15, 20, or 25 years this year!
Help us celebrate our 2023 Retirees!
This week join us in celebrating Jeanne Even, Nancy Hagen, Kathy Hofer, and Rose Olinger! Be sure to take a moment to greet them in their classrooms or send them an email with your best wishes as they reflect on their inspiring career with Sioux Falls School District and make their transition to retirement.
Jeanne, Nancy, Kathy, and Rose – thank you for a lifetime of making a difference and congratulations on your upcoming retirement!
62nd Annual Recognition Banquet - Tickets On Sale NOW!
Join us on April 18th, 2023 to celebrate our retirees and employees with 25 years of service. Tickets are available for $25 each and can be purchased here: www.bit.ly/SFSDBanquet2023
Questions? Contact Kate DiPasquale at kate.dipasquale@k12.sd.us
HR Radar
HR Radar: South Dakota Retirement System
South Dakota Retirement is currently aware of some organizations and/or advisors offering financial planning services that seemingly represent themselves as affiliated with SDRS. Other than Nationwide Retirement Solutions (NRS), who administers the SDRS Supplemental Retirement Plan (SRP), SDRS does not work with or endorse any external vendors for financial planning services. SDRS should always be the first point of contact with questions about benefits.
SDRS has provided members with more information in the link below.
Questions? Please contact South Dakota Retirement Systems at 605-773-3731.
HR Radar: SDRS Q&A
Do you have questions about SDRS or the SDRS Supplemental Retirement Plan (SRP)? We have the answers!
Join SDRS Member Services Manager Michelle Humann and SDRS-SRP Senior Retirement Specialist Jamie Seiner for a 30-minute Q&A via ZOOM on Tuesday, March 21st.
No matter what stage you are at in your career, retirement planning and financial awareness are important. At some point, everyone has questions. Michelle and Jamie will provide a short presentation explaining what’s new with SDRS and SDRS-SRP, and if you have any questions, they will provide the answers!
Q&A with M&J
March 21, 2023
Two Sessions Available:
10:00 AM (CT) / 9:00 AM (MT)
OR
4:15 PM (CT) / 3:15 PM (MT)
Register via ZOOM:
10:00 AM (CT) / 9:00 AM (MT) https://state-sd.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sbaGsIFhT8mNHLTUzKakxw
4:15 PM (CT) / 3:15 PM (MT) https://state-sd.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nI2DpoQBSpGYJaS2RJbLFw
Once registered, you will receive a ZOOM invitation from Michelle and an email will be provided to submit any general questions in advance.
Unable to attend? Michelle and Jamie will be hosting additional Q&A sessions on April 11th and May 16th.
Invitations will be sent closer to the event.
Visit the SDRS website at https://www.sd.gov/sdrs or the SDRS-SRP website at https://www.srp457.com for more information about the retirement benefits available to you.
HR Radar: Personal Leave Reminders
If you are a retiring teacher, clerical, or administrator this year and want to cash in any eligible personal leave before retiring, you will want to submit your electronic Personal Leave Cash-In Form on Records by March 15, 2023.
HR Records: https://sf.tedk12.com/Records
HR Radar: Upcoming Sand Creek Webinars
Click the link below to register for Sand Creek EAP’s live webinars.
- Tuesday, March 21st - 11:00am - 11:30am - Boundaries and Blindspots
- Wednesday, April 12th - 12:30pm - 1:30pm - Parenting Your Teen: Managing Conflict and Problem Solving
Can’t attend a webinar? No problem! Visit https://allonehealth.com/blog/ to view all past webinars.
Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment is coming in early April. Right now is the perfect time to review your benefits and decide if you need to make changes for the new plan year.
Please visit this link to be taken to the Benefit Enrollment page: https://boonchapman.benselect.com/Enroll/Login.aspx?Path=SFSchoolDistrict
- Your username is your employee number.
- Pin: last 4 of your social security number and last two in year you were born
Questions? Email benefits.sfsd@k12.sd.us
Weekly Wellness
Weekly Wellness: Spring Clean Your Health
Spring is all about getting your house in order, preparing for a fresh start, and, of course, cleaning. It’s very common to seek ways to declutter and tidy up your house in the spring, but spring cleaning your physical and mental well-being is just as important as a clean house.
Here are some spring health tips that will have you looking and feeling better in no time.
- Fill your plate with fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables.
- Be mindful of opportunities to overindulge.
- Stay hydrated.
- Get outside and get moving again.
- Soak up the sun.
- Protect your skin and eyes from damaging UV rays.
- Reset your sleep schedule.
- Watch for indoor and outdoor allergens.
- Check in with your doctor.
Adapted from Everyday Health