Exciting updates are coming to our Junior Kindergarten program for the 2025-26 school year!

Now called Junior Kindergarten Academy, this FREE full-day program offers a structured, play-based approach to prepare students for kindergarten success and beyond. The program will focus on literacy, numeracy, social connections, and creative exploration, designed to meet the needs of our youngest learners.

Junior Kindergarten Academy will be offered at Robert Frost, JFK, Cleveland, and Hayward. Registration opens on Monday, February 3rd, and will be open to any student who turns five on or before September 1, 2025.

More information can be found here: https://www.sf.k12.sd.us/page/kindergarten-registration

School nurses play a vital role in keeping Sioux Falls students healthy, safe, and ready to learn!

Across the District, 32.5 FTE nurses support 38 schools and programs by providing health services, managing care plans, and advocating for students with unique needs. Last year, they partnered with community organizations to provide critical services, including dental care valued at nearly $395,000.

Read more about the incredible work of our school nurses here by clicking below.

SFSD's Community Relations department works to connect stakeholders with their public schools and foster meaningful engagement. From internal communications to managing Community Education and facility use, the team is dedicated to strengthening relationships with students, families, and community members. Transparent and real-time updates highlight the achievements of nearly 25,000 students and 3,600 staff while addressing diverse needs.

Learn more about how Community Relations builds bridges by clicking below.

At tonight’s School Board meeting, Business Manager Todd Vik presented an overview of the bills along with the Sioux Falls School District’s recommended positions. The Board unanimously approved these recommendations.

Stay informed by viewing the real-time status of these bills and our positions through the document linked below or by visiting: https://www.sf.k12.sd.us/page/legislative-positions

Better South Dakota is dedicated to raising awareness about mental health and suicide prevention in South Dakota. Each year, the organization partners with an educational institution to award the "Counseling for Kids" grant. On Saturday, January 25th, Patrick Henry Middle School was honored with a $10,000 grant during a ceremony at the El Riad Shrine. Congratulations to the entire team at PHMS!

See more from the event by clicking below:

We are excited to introduce you to Katie Machacek, a first-grade teacher at Discovery Elementary and this week's All Star! Known for her positivity and dedication, Katie creates a welcoming classroom where students feel valued and excited to learn.

Katie's thoughtful lessons keep learning fun and engaging, while her leadership shines as team lead. She goes above and beyond to meet each student's needs and maintains excellent communication with families.

Even while balancing life as a new mom with a busy classroom, Katie continues to give it nothing less than her all to her students, her team, and her family. Her dedication, bubbly personality, and unwavering positivity inspire everyone around her.

Congratulations Katie! Thank you for making a difference everyday! 🌟

Since you are a current SFSD staff member, you are able to enroll during our priority enrollment period.

NEW offerings for the 2025/26 school year:

• After-school care will be provided at the soon-to-be opened elementary school, Marcella LeBeau, making this the 23rd elementary school that the CLC offers care at.
• Before school care will be offered at (3) additional locations: Anne Sullivan, Robert Frost and Terry Redlin, in addition to our current before school program held at RF Pettigrew.
• Only need care on SFSD No School Days, but not after or before school? We can help you with that! Click on the link below to learn more!

How to enroll: To find out more about HOW TO ENROLL, rates, summer locations, payment calendar, hours of operation, no school day care, etc., click on the following link: https://secure.smore.com/n/n1y2t0

Let us know if you have any questions – we are here to help!

The Graduate Credit & Degree Advancement (GCDA) process in the Sioux Falls School District allows certified employees to pursue salary advancements by completing approved graduate-level courses or programs. A GCDA Pre-Approval Committee meets monthly to review all coursework and degree programs to ensure rigor and relevancy related to salary advancement.

The process involves two steps:

1. Staff Development oversees the GCDA Committee’s review of courses and master’s programs, and
2. Human Resources handles salary advancement applications.

Courses must be from an accredited institution, meet relevancy and rigorous standards, and can be reviewed before, during, or after enrollment. Programs must align with the employee’s job assignment or lead to additional certification. Employees are responsible for meeting all deadlines and submitting required documentation.

For more details, visit GCDA Guidelines or contact Velina.Onate-Nelson@k12.sd.us in Staff Development and Amira.Lawrence@k12/sd/us in HR.

RETIREMENT NOTIFICATION DEADLINE:

Teachers wishing to retire at the end of the 2024-25 school year must submit their letters of retirement by Monday, February 3rd.

The retirement letter (with signature) can be sent as an email attachment to Rachel Marshall, HR Benefits Specialist, at benefits.sfsd@k12.sd.us.

GRADUATE CREDIT/DEGREE ADVANCEMENT INTENT FORMS:

Teachers planning to advance to steps requiring the BA+24, Master’s Degree, or Master’s + 24 must submit INTENT FORMS by February 1st. This process is online through HR Records. The INTENT FORM is found in the Available Forms section.

Contact Amira Lawrence in Human Resources at (605) 367-4692 or amira.lawrence@k12.sd.us with Graduate Credit/Degree Advancement questions.

SHORTAGE AREA - EARLY RESIGNATION STIPENDS $500:

The District will provide a $500 bonus to any Teacher from an identified shortage area who is not eligible to receive or has not already received the District Retirement Benefit and/or Health Benefit, if the Teacher submits a resignation to the Human Resources Department by February 3rd.

Link to Resign: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfR0HFhrh4fHYC-S6flJL_lhn8yinerT6irPfSDZPKNU_hYKQ/viewform

The Human Resources Department recently offered informational meetings on the District Retirement Incentive outlined in the SFEA Collective Bargaining Agreement via Zoom. These meetings were for Teachers (SFEA) only, guests were welcome.

For those who were unable to attend, you can view the recording here: Retirement Incentive Presentation Jan 2025.mp4

Documents to Refer To:

SDRS Return to Work Guide

SD Special Pay Plan Document

As of July 1, 2024, the South Dakota Department of Education has transferred responsibility for tracking youth suicide awareness and prevention training from the Certification Office to the Office of Accreditation. Suicide awareness and prevention training records are no longer maintained by the state. It is now the responsibility of individual school districts to track compliance for their certified educators.

To comply with this requirement, please complete the following steps:

1. Complete the required training (if not already done). A list of approved online training options is available at South Dakota Suicide Prevention Resources. The training takes approximately two hours.
2. Submit your training certificate by uploading it through this brief Google form.

• Any staff member who falls under the requirements of SDCL 13-42-71. This includes, but is not limited to: Teachers, Librarians, Athletic Trainer Teachers, TOSAs (Teachers on Special Assignment), Instructional Coaches, JROTC Instructors, Counselors, Success Coordinators with SD DOE Certificates, School Psychologists, Principals and Assistant Principals, Special Education Director, Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent.

• To comply with this requirement, please complete the following steps by February 4th.

• A list of approved online training options is available online at https://doe.sd.gov/suicideprevention/. The trainings listed on this site are the ONLY ones the district is allowed to accept for the accreditation requirements.

• Please upload your training certificate to this Google form (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclTsyQjaEmrnYIRxCneDbVlUnP4_Eu2RxC-OubM76rObiakw/viewform)

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Human Resources at (605) 367-7661.

Are you interested in representing your fellow teachers on the SDRS Board of Trustees? Here are some important things to know about the SDRS Board of Trustees and their responsibilities:

• The SDRS Board of Trustees is the governing body of SDRS.
• Elected representatives serve a four-year term beginning July 1 of the year elected.
• Our 17-member board typically meets four times per year. Meetings are usually held at the SDRS Campus in Pierre.

If you are interested, please click below to download a Memo, Notice, and Petition for the position.

2025 Election for a Teacher Representative to the SDRS Board of Trustees Notice, Memo, and Petition

To be considered, your completed Nomination Petition must be in the SDRS Executive Director’s office by 5:00pm (CT) on February 24th, 2025.

Information regarding this year’s election is also available on the SDRS website at: Election Information

Questions? Please contact Dawn Smith of SDRS at (605) 773-4596

Just a reminder the wellness program will need to be completed by March 1st, 2025, to qualify for the wellness discount. Below is the link to the wellness program and the physician form to bring to your wellness visit.

https://sfsdwellness.com

Preventative Care Form

Once your Preventative Care Form is complete, you must upload it into your portal at www.sfsdwellness.com. Navigate is unable to accept completed forms via fax.

Questions? Contact the Benefits Office at (605) 367-7662 or at benefits.sfsd@k12.sd.us

You deserve special savings just for being an EyeMed member. So there’s a page on eyemed.com/member that only registered members like you can see. It’s a mix of the latest discounts and extra savings that give your benefits a boost. So you can keep your eyes healthy and save some cash while you’re at it!

2025 EyeMed Special Offers Flyer

Start your year off right with Wondr - a digital weight-loss program offered by Sioux Falls School District at no cost to you.*

You’ll master science-backed strategies to feel energized, stress less, and sleep better. No fads, no drastic diets - just practical skills that let you enjoy every season’s flavors and festivities all year round.

Get started today at wonderhealth.com/SFSD!

* Restrictions and eligibility info can be found at wondrhealth.com/SFSD

SandCreek, our Employee Assistance Program, is free, confidential, and available to ALL Sioux Falls School District employees and their family members. As a part of their extensive list of offerings, SandCreek offers FREE monthly webinars that cover a variety of topics. Below are a couple upcoming ones!

To register for a SandCreek account, visit www.SandCreekEAP.com and click the “Sign Up” link just below the Log In button. Enter siouxfalls as your company code and complete the signup process! A confirmation email will be sent to complete the registration.

New for 2025! As of January 2025, SandCreek will be using the WebEx Platform for their webinars. Multi Language closed captioning will be available at that time!

In this seminar, participants will reflect on the challenges of the past few years and explore how adversity can fuel personal growth. We’ll dive into what it means to be mentally tough, how to find the positive in negative situations, manage ambiguity, and react with agility to change. Finally, we’ll explore the concept of “grit,” as defined by Dr. Angela Duckworth—passion and sustained persistence toward long-term goals. This essential skill is crucial for personal and professional success in today’s fast-paced world. Join us to strengthen your resilience and cultivate the grit needed to thrive!

Wednesday, February 12th, 2025 | 12:30pm to 1:30pm

Register Online!

Looking for a new way to stick to your resolutions? Think about focusing on sustainable change and meaningful progress. The Mindful Micro-Momentum Method, as mentioned in Psychology Today, removes the pressure of “all or nothing.” By focusing on small, intentional actions you can easily maintain, you build momentum that compounds over time. The result? Sustainable change and meaningful progress.

1. Start Small, Think Big: Set clear goals but break them down into tiny, manageable steps. Instead of overwhelming yourself with massive tasks, focus on a single micro-action to create momentum.

• Example Resolution: “I want to improve my fitness.”
• Micro-Momentum Step: Start with 5 minutes of stretching or walking every morning.

2. Anchor New Habits to Existing Routines: Link your micro-actions to habits you already perform daily. Anchoring makes new habits easier to adopt.

• Example Resolution: “I want to practice mindfulness.”
• Micro-Momentum Step: Take 3 deep breaths while waiting for your morning coffee to brew.

3. Focus on Consistency, Not Perfection: The power of micro-momentum comes from consistency, not intensity. Celebrate small wins and keep going—even on “off” days.

• Example Resolution: “I want to read more books this year.”
• Micro-Momentum Step: Read 2 pages before bed every night. Even if you’re tired, 2 pages keeps the momentum alive.

4. Reflect and Refine Weekly: Mindfully check in on your progress each week. Ask: What worked? What felt challenging? Make tiny adjustments to keep momentum flowing.

• Example Resolution: “I want to save more money.”
• Micro-Momentum Step: Track small expenses once a week, such as skipping a daily coffee and transferring $3 to savings.

5. Celebrate Tiny Wins: Every micro-step matters. Acknowledge progress, no matter how small—it strengthens motivation and reinforces the habit.

• Example Resolution: “I want to prioritize self-care.”
• Micro-Momentum Step: Dedicate 5 minutes each day to journaling or listening to a relaxing song. Celebrate that moment as time invested in yourself.

6. Stay Present and Patient: Micro-momentum thrives on mindfulness. Focus on one small action at a time, avoiding overwhelm. By staying present, you cultivate patience and trust in the process.

• Example Resolution: “I want to declutter my home.”
• Micro-Momentum Step: Declutter one drawer or one shelf a week instead of tackling the whole house at once.

Adapted from AllOne Health.

It’s not too late to register! Visit www.sfsdwellness.com and go to Challenges > Find A Challenge to get started. Registration closes January 27th!