The Explorer

It is hard to believe that it’s the beginning of a new school year! While you are not part of the teaching staff, you are just as important to your child’s education as we are. Your child receives the best education when parents/guardians and our dedicated teachers work as a team. It's a parent’s enthusiasm, support, and involvement that inspires children to do their best - and a teacher's ability to teach what they need to learn. Together we can achieve wonderful things.

There is plenty of excitement ahead of us: new teachers to meet, new books to read, new friends to make, and new skills to master. I look forward to you experiencing those exciting times with us. One year your child is in 1st grade, and then in the blink of an eye, he or she is graduating high school.

I encourage you to fully embrace the moment and urge you to take the time from your busy schedule to become familiar with our school, as well as create a homework-friendly home environment that will allow your child to excel.

Thank you for your commitment to your child's education, and I am looking forward to another successful school year.

Mr. Dan Fischer, Principal

The 2024-25 SFSD Parent Calendar is also attached below.

• Aug. 30: No School - Labor Day Break
• Sept. 2: No School - Labor Day Break
• Sept. 9: Practice evacuation drill to Memorial Middle School at 10:00 am. All students and staff will evacuate. The drill will take approximately 30 minutes.
• Sept. 10: Vision and hearing screens for students in grades 1st, 3rd, and 5th.
• Sept. 12: School Picture Day starting at 8:05 am. More information to come!
• Sept. 19: All 3rd grade students to the Young Reader's One Book Program at the Washington Pavilion from 12:25 pm - 2:00 pm.

If your student(s) is going to be late for school, please let the office know. The office has voicemail so you can leave a message at any time. If we do not hear from you, we will try calling. If we are unable to reach you, we will start calling your student's emergency contacts.

At 8:00 am, all doors are locked except for the front main entrance leading you into the entryway. If you need to enter the school, you have to check-in at the office. There is a doorbell to the right of the office door that has a camera and microphone on it (see attached photo). The doorbell is similar to a home security system (ex. Ring, Blink). Ring the doorbell, stand in front of the camera, and office staff will assist you. Once entering the office, you may or may not have to present a government issued ID, so please bring it with you.

Please do NOT enter the school through a side door as students are trying to enter in the morning or at dismissal. For the safety of students and staff, all visitors must come through the office.

Discovery's PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) has an online store for ordering Discovery Spirit Wear, which is open until 11:59 pm on Tuesday, September 3. To order, go to: https://cfpromo.chipply.com/discoverypto/.

Not ready to order - the online store will be open a few more times throughout the school year.

This year, Discovery’s PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention & Support) team has implemented “Discovery Way Wednesday”.

Every Wednesday, students and staff are encouraged to celebrate being a community by wearing Spirit Wear from Discovery Elementary, Memorial Middle School, George McGovern Middle School, or Jefferson High School. No Spirit Wear? Go ahead and wear school colors from any of the schools.

Wondering what PBIS is? See below, and how you can support your student(s).

If your student is going to have a change in after school plans, please let the office know. This is especially important if your student normally rides the school bus or goes to daycare.

We do not have student birthday parties. Please do not send birthday party invitations to school to be dispersed. A classroom directory can be opted into for sending invitations through the USPS. Also, please refrain from sending balloons, flowers, and other delivery items for students at school. These items are not allowed in the classroom and will stay in the office to be picked up at the end of the day.

• If your student(s) is going to be absent or leaving early, please let the office know. If we do not hear from you, we will start calling your student's emergency contacts. It is important that we know that your student is safe and accounted for. The office has voicemail, so you can leave a message at anytime (24/7).
• You can submit for a full day absence through your parent portal - no half days or partial days can be submitted. Please do NOT submit for a full day absence and comment that your student is leaving early in the comments section.
• If your student is leaving early, he or she will not be called down to the office until you get here as every instructional minute is important to learning.
  

After dismissal, all students must be picked up by 3:00 pm. We do not have staff available to care for students after 3:00 pm. If your child is not picked up on time, we will call you. If we are unable to reach you, we will start calling your student's emergency contacts.

• Since lunch is delivered to the school, we place our “order” by 8:30 am. If your child is going to be late and will need a hot lunch, please call the office by 8:30 am otherwise your child will need to bring a cold lunch from home.
  
• If you are coming for lunch, you will need to check-in at the office with a government issued ID.
• You can only eat with your student(s). We do not allow other students to join you.
• Commercial “fast food” should not be brought in, and it should not be delivered during the school day.
• If an adult is planning to eat school lunch, he/she must call the office by 8:30 am to order one.
• If someone other than a parent/guardian is coming to have lunch with a student, the parent/guardian must inform the office either by phone or email.

Welcome back, Explorers! Although we are here to help everyone, Mrs. Johnson primarily works with Kindergarten, 2nd grade, and 4th grade; and Mrs. Marchand works with 1st grade, 3rd grade, and 5th grade. Please reach out if there is anything we can do to help with your student(s)!

If your student(s) is in need of additional food over the weekend, please contact one of us. We can have your student added to the Feeding SD Backpack Program, where you can receive a sack of food in your child's backpack on the last day of each school week. For more information about this program, visit https://www.feedingsouthdakota.org/programs/child-hunger/backpack.

Email: Daniel.Fischer@k12.sd.us

Assistant Principal: Mrs. Jodi DeHaven

Email: Jodi.DeHaven@k12.sd.us

Location: 1506 South Discovery Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
Phone: 605-362-3530 Fax: 605-362-3535