District Dialogue

During National School Counseling Week this week, we celebrate the vital role our school counselors play in the Sioux Falls School District!

A school counselor's role goes far beyond simply providing academic guidance to students. These remarkable professionals are advocates, problem solvers, data keepers, and most importantly, champions for student success.

So during this special week (and each and every day after that) we say THANK YOU to our counselors for shaping a bright future for our students where they feel empowered to learn, thrive, and grow. Every student deserves a school counselor like you!

Of the outstanding 83 educators from across the District nominated for the 37th Annual Teacher of the Year Award, five individuals have been chosen as finalists.

The finalists are:

• Jennifer Aerts | Horace Mann Elementary
• Scott Amundson | Lincoln High School
• Bryan Aukerman | Washington High School
• Jessica Foley | Terry Redlin Elementary
• Bruce Rekstad | Washington High School

The final recipient of the award will be named at the annual Teacher of the Year Award Ceremony on Monday, February 24th, 2025, at 7 pm. The ceremony will be held at Ben Reifel Middle School and will be available to livestream (link coming soon)! All nominees and finalists will be recognized at the event. Ticket information coming soon!

Congratulations to all the nominees (listed below) and finalists! We are honored to have such exceptional educators inspiring young minds every day!

Meet Victor Ramirez Galvan... As the leader of the breakfast and lunch program at John Harris Elementary, Victor does so much than just provide 500-600 meals per day. Victor has cultivated a welcoming environment where every student feels welcome in the lunchroom.

He was nominated by John Harris principal Ryan DeGraff for his embodiment of the John Harris HERO values (being helpful, showing excellence, demonstrating respect, and taking ownership). Whether he is managing hundreds of meals, keeping the kitchen running smoothly, or connecting with students who need a little extra support, his impact goes far beyond the lunchroom!

Thank you, Victor for creating this community with kindness and your commitment to the wellbeing of the school community! You make all the difference to any number of kids' days just by being yourself!

LEVO, Air Madness, and Union Social are teaming up over President's Break to support Operation Hope & Caring - a fundraiser that levels the playing field for SFSD students!

Jump start brighter futures by joining us on Tuesday, February 18th at Air Madness for a full day of fun. The cost is just $25 for the full day and your contribution will help our students receive a thriving education and sense of community!

If you end up jumping too hard on February 18th and are exhausted on February 19th, we have just the solution for you! In addition to the Air Madness day, we are also excited to partner with LEVO by selling Perky coffee!

A bag of this bold coffee is priced at just $10 a bag, and 100% of the proceeds go directly to our schools!

You can order and pay through this link or scan the QR code and pick up at IPC (see Vicky Vetter in the CLC) or request the coffee be sent to your school office.

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 and meet rigorous standards. They may be reviewed before, during, or after enrollment; however, prior review is preferred to ensure relevance and rigor. Programs must align with the employee's job assignment or contribute to additional certification. Employees are responsible for meeting all deadlines and submitting the 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.

To apply for your renewal, visit https://www.sd.gov/educator and log-in to the account you previously used for your certification. Once logged in, click “Apply” in the red bar at the top of the screen and locate the application titled “Educator Renewal Application.” Complete the application and include all requested documents.

Certification Renewal Links:

• Educator Portal (application website): https://www.sd.gov/educator
• Educator 411 (check your certification’s expiration date): https://www.sd.gov/411
• Renewal Requirements for Teachers: https://doe.sd.gov/certification/documents/RenewalRequ-teacher.pdf.
• Renewal Requirements for Administrators: https://doe.sd.gov/certification/documents/RenewalReq-Admin.pdf

Questions on Certification Renewal? Contact Kate Rovang at kate.rovang@k12.sd.us!

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

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.

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!

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

Below are new opportunities posted within the last week. Be sure to check them out and apply online (at the link provided) if you’re interested! Please note, most job postings are open until filled. If you click on a link and receive an error message (“No matching records found”), it may mean the position has been filled. To view all Sioux Falls School District openings, please visit https://sf.schoolspring.com/.

• High School Principal at Jefferson High School - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4955450
• Elementary Principal at RF Pettigrew Elementary - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4955463

• Assistant Competitive Dance Coach at Lincoln High School - ttps://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4964512
• Head Freshmen Football Coach at Roosevelt High School - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4964721
• Assistant Freshmen Football Coach at Roosevelt High School - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4964724
• Assistant Varsity Football Coach at Roosevelt High School - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4964732

• RISE Education Assistant - 0.875 FTE at John F. Kennedy Elementary - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4956843
• Over Enrollment Education Assistant - Kindergarten - 0.75 FTE at Rosa Parks Elementary - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4959970
• Middle School Education Assistant - 1.0 FTE at Axtell Park - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4959982
• RISE Education Assistant - 0.875 FTE at Ben Reifel Middle School - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4960014
• Personal Education Assistant - 0.875 FTE at Lowell Elementary - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4961146
• Early Childhood Behavior Facilitator - 0.8 FTE at Hawthorne Elementary - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4964562
• Over Enrollment Education Assistant - 1st Grade - 0.75 FTE at Rosa Parks Elementary - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4964620
• Behavior Facilitator - 0.875 FTE at Lowell Elementary - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4964706
• RISE Education Assistant - 0.875 FTE at Washington High School - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4965342

• Speech Language Pathologist - 1.0 FTE - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4960293

• 2025-26 Special Education Teacher (with or without Team Lead duties) - 1.0 FTE at Memorial Middle School - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4964597
• 2025-26 Tier II Teacher - 1.0 FTE at Lowell Elementary - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4964676

• School Nurse - Extended School Year & Summer Programs (INTERNAL CANDIDATES ONLY) - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4956880
• School Nurse - Summer Early Childhood Evaluation (INTERNAL CANDIDATES ONLY) - https://sf.schoolspring.com?jobid=4956888

Questions? Contact Kate Rovang at kate.rovang@k12.sd.us.

When striving for a healthy heart, focusing on cardiovascular health and self-love is a winning and meaningful pair. This dynamic combination is essential for achieving a long-lived and fulfilling life. By prioritizing both heart health and self-care, we can enhance our overall wellbeing, making every day a step towards greater life and happiness.

Prioritizing Cardiovascular Health

Our heart is the engine that drives our entire body, and caring for it is crucial for long-term health. Here are key strategies to keep your heart in optimal condition:

1. Nourishing Nutrition: A heart-healthy diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Incorporate heart-friendly foods like fatty fish (rich in omega-3s), nuts, seeds, and legumes. Reduce intake of processed foods high in trans fats, saturated fats, and sodium, which can elevate blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
2. Engaging in Regular Exercise: Physical activity strengthens the heart muscle and improves circulation. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking or cycling, each week.
3. Managing Stress: Chronic stress can negatively impact heart health by contributing to high blood pressure and unhealthy habits. Integrate stress-reducing practices into your routine, such as mindfulness, yoga, or deep breathing exercises.

Embracing Self-Love and Self-Care

Self-love is a cornerstone of overall wellness. It involves treating yourself with kindness and respect, which is fundamental for emotional and physical health. Here are ways to cultivate self-love and effective self-care:

1. Practice Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer a friend. Embrace your imperfections and celebrate your strengths.
2. Create Self-Care Rituals: Dedicate time to activities that nourish your body and soul. Whether it’s enjoying a relaxing bath, reading a favorite book, or taking a nature walk, regular self-care practices help reduce stress and enhance your overall quality of life.
3. Cultivate Gratitude: Develop a gratitude practice by regularly reflecting on the positive aspects of your life. Keeping a gratitude journal can shift your focus towards the things you appreciate, creating a more positive outlook and greater emotional resilience.

Focusing on heart health and self-love creates a powerful foundation for a vibrant and fulfilling life. By adopting heart-healthy habits and embracing self-care practices, you not only enhance your physical wellbeing but also nurture your emotional health. Commit to caring for our hearts and ourselves with enthusiasm and dedication, celebrating each step towards better health and happiness.

Adapted from: Navigate Wellbeing and https://www.heart.org/en/