District Dialogue

A special group of students at Monday evening's school board meeting were treated to a small celebration and a recognition from the board. These students earned the distinction of being National Merit Finalists. The mission of National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) is to recognize and honor the academically talented students of the United States. National Merit Finalists are those students who have the strongest combination of academic accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The students honored at Monday evening's meeting were:

Lincoln

Avery Baumgartner

Dylan Bennet

Ryan Calhoun

Laura Ge

Luke Jerstad

Rockwell McKenzie

Jackson Skuodas

Ian Smith

Arthur Tao

Roosevelt

Kennedy Blechinger

Samuel Newitt

Washington

Siyanne Redda

Happy (belated) Mother's Day!

In this very special Vodcast edition of the pod, Dr. Stavem sits down with two pairs of mother/daughter duos in the SFSD.

Sidney Kennedy is a first-year teacher at Harvey Dunn Elementary and her mom is Diane Kennedy, who serves as principal at Lowell Elementary. Emilia Skogstad is a first-year teacher at Laura Wilder and her mom is Kristin Skogstad, who serves as principal at Garfield Elementary. The generational divide between our veteran educators and those just getting into the field provides some very interesting insight into how the teaching profession evolves over time. It's clear when listening to this conversation that everybody involved has a passion for education and cares deeply about the students they serve everyday.

There have been a few more Public School Proud Grants given to teachers across the District since the Education Foundation surpassed their $1 million donation threshold. This past week saw grants given at Hayward, LBA and Pettigrew elementary schools. Funds from the grants given recently will go towards classroom supplies like math games, gardening supplies and sensory items. Congratulations to all the grant recipients!

The second annual South Dakota Education and Agriculture Conference will be held on June 11 and 12 in the Raven Precision Agriculture Center. Information about the conference as well as the registration form can be found at the following link:

https://www.sdstate.edu/academics/2024-education-and-agriculture-conference

Registration is $50 for both days and $30 for one day attendance.

The conference will feature speakers and panel discussions on topics such as dairy in the classroom, soil health, agriculture and reading, and rural mental health. Educators are eligible for 1-2 graduate credits and 1.7 CEUs for participation in the conference and completion of post-conference activities. They may also be eligible for a stipend and/or travel reimbursement if they attend the session on soil health and submit a reflection.

Congratulations to this week's SFSD All-Star - Brandi Everette at Hawthorne Elementary! She serves students and families in a variety of ways as both an Education Assistant and Attendance Liaison, but her daily duties don't end with those job descriptions. Because Brandi is constantly going above and beyond, and doing it with a thoughtful and caring heart, chronic absenteeism is down at Hawthorne, perfect attendance days are up, and students know they are loved. Learn more about all the amazing things Brandi does everyday in the video above.

This Jefferson junior credits the 8th Grade Poetry Slam with starting her love for, and success with, poetry, writing, speaking and performing. Last summer, her skills took her to New York City. She's won regional and national awards for her perspectives. And this spring and summer, she'll take 2 trips to national speech competitions and enjoy all-expenses-paid experiences she's earned at Brown University and Wake Forest University to improve even further. Things came full circle this week when she was invited to perform at this year's SFSD Poetry Slam as an inspiration to young writers. Meet this remarkable young woman.

SHINE stands for Scholarship, Honors, Innovation, Networking and Exceptionalism. We’re looking for stories we can tell about high school seniors, any-age students, staff (yes, you can and should absolutely fill out this form for yourself!), projects and programs. Have a new partnership that is benefitting the classroom? Win a grant you think the world should know about? Get nominated for or receive a state-wide, regional or national honor? Know a senior stand-out on a team, in the fine arts arena, or in the classroom? How about younger students who are leading by example, making giving to charity a priority, or are making the most of a bad situation? Should a program or portion of your school be highlighted? What about some current projects: experiments, field trips, new collaborative lessons?

Send your suggestions today, and keep this in mind for the days, weeks and months ahead!

Last week the Sioux Falls School District and Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire held a groundbreaking for Sioux Falls' first out-of-school time Club being built on to a school. The 16,000 square foot facility is being built at George McGovern Middle School and will include a multi-purpose gym, a teaching kitchen, art and audio studios, social spaces, and much more. This impactful initiative will provide a safe and nurturing environment for youth during critical out-of-school hours, which will empower young people, enhance their academic performance, and foster their personal and social development. The facility has a tentative Fall 2025 opening date. More photos from the day here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBpmzH

Check your license - is it time to renew? If so, be sure to start your renewal process as soon as possible to avoid having your certification lapse!

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 (i.e. updated Suicide Prevention Training certificate)

View the Department of Education’s document on Renewal Requirements for Teachers at:https://doe.sd.gov/certification/documents/RenewalRequ-teacher.pdf.

View the Department of Education’s document on Renewal Requirements for Administrators at:https://doe.sd.gov/certification/documents/RenewalReq-Admin.pdf

Questions on Certification Renewal? Contact Kate DiPasquale at kate.dipasquale@k12.sd.us!

Meet Dominick Pitzl, your new Benefits Specialist! Dominick has been a valuable member of the HR team serving in multiple areas since his start with the District in August 2021, and we are excited to announce that he will be taking over the reigns as Benefits Specialist. We are confident that his expertise and dedication to helping District staff will make him a great fit for this position.

Navigate Wellbeing recently implemented Multi-Factor Authentication. Below are some reasons why:

• Heightened Security: MFA significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access to your account, providing an additional layer of protection even if your password is compromised.

• Protection of Confidential Information: Your privacy and the confidentiality of your data are paramount to us. MFA adds an extra layer of defense, ensuring that only authorized individuals can access sensitive information associated with their account.

• Compliance Requirements: In today's evolving landscape of data protection regulations, implementing robust security measures like MFA is essential for maintaining compliance and adhering to industry best practices.

• Peace of Mind: By implementing MFA, we aim to provide you with greater peace of mind, knowing that your accounts are fortified against unauthorized access and potential security breaches.

How to Set Up Multi-Factor Authentication

View the complete set-up guide (with screenshots) here: Navigate Multi-Factor Authentication or follow the steps below!

Multi-factor authentication set-up must be completed on the web browser and cannot be enabled on the Navigate app. Once you have completed the set-up process, you will be able to log-in to the Navigate app using the MFA process.

1. On a web browser (Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, etc.), visit www.sfsdwellness.com and log-in to your Navigate portal using the credentials you set-up when you first joined.

2. Once logged in, you will see the MFA instructions and authentication app suggestions. Keep this page open while you complete the remaining steps.

The Navigate portal suggests many authenticator apps. We recommend using Microsoft Authenticator for this process.

1. Keeping the Navigate portal MFA instructions open on the web browser, use your smartphone to open the authenticator app downloaded and click on add or “+” in the right-hand corner.

Depending on the app, you may be asked to select what type of account you are adding. Select which applies to this account. For those using Microsoft Authenticator, you will select the “Other” option.

1. Select to add an account using the QR code. You may be asked to enable your camera or give your authenticator access to your camera to scan the QR code. If prompted, select “Ok.”

2. Scan the unique QR code on your Navigate portal where you have logged in using your web browser on your desktop or laptop.

3. Once you scan the code, the account will be created. You will receive a code on the authenticator app. This code will expire and refresh every 30 seconds (timing of expiration will vary based on the authenticator you are using).

Recommendation: Edit the name of the account within the authenticator app so you can recall thai when you log into your Navigate portal.

1. Return to the Navigate portal on the web browser to enter the 6-digit passcode from your authenticator into the “Authentication Code” field on the Navigate portal.

2. Save your backup codes! Backup codes will be displayed after enabling MFA. Save these codes. These can be used if there is ever a time where your authenticator app is not able to verify your credentials. Each backup code can only be used once.

View the complete set-up guide (with screenshots) here: Navigate Multi-Factor Authentication

Questions on setting up MFA? Reach out to Kate DiPasquale at kate.dipasquale@k12.sd.us or set-up a time to meet with her using this link: www.bit.ly/NavigateSupport

May is National Mental Health Month. After the last two years of pandemic living, many people are realizing the stress, isolation, and uncertainty can take a toll on their well-being. It’s natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief and worry during challenging times. Learning to cope with stress in a healthy way will help you, people you care about, and those around you become more resilient. Here are some healthy ways to cope and manage stress in your life.

1. Take breaks from news stories, including those on social media - It’s good to be informed, but constant discouraging information can be upsetting. Consider limiting news to just a couple times a day and disconnecting from your phone, TV, and computer screens for a while.
2. Take care of your body - Eating more fruits and vegetables, going to bed at the same time each night, and moving at least 20 to 30 minutes a day will help manage your stress levels in your body.
3. Make time to unwind - Take a break from your busy day to do activities that you enjoy.
4. Connect with others - Talk and spend time with those that you trust and love.
5. Connect with your community - Join a group activity in your community. Try connecting online, through social media, or by phone or mail.

Adapted from Sand Creek