District Dialogue

And just like that, another year has come and gone! To quote Superintendent Dr. Jane Stavem, "At SFSD, our unwavering commitment is to foster academic excellence, a strong community spirit, and competitive success across all domains. We strive to provide a well-rounded education that prepares our students for the challenges and opportunities of the future. And if the past week's celebrations are any indication, our schools are doing an incredible job!" Congratulations on another great school year in the Sioux Falls School District! If you're reading this right now, you matter, your work matters, and you are playing a key role in our stand-out community. Thank you!

The Sioux Falls School District, in collaboration with the National Park Service (NPS) through its Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program, is proud to announce the development of the South Dakota Native American Heritage Outdoor Education Space at Renberg Elementary School.

The primary goal of this outdoor education space is to provide a unique learning environment that will focus on the Oceti Sakowin essential standards, South Dakota heritage, outdoor education, and serve as a gathering space for the community. The design will take the existing green space at Renberg Elementary and re-vision it into an outdoor classroom that will incorporate room for traveling exhibits, farm-to-table plants, native South Dakota plants, and unique growing spaces that are directly connected to learning outcomes.

Nearly 1,700 students who have attained senior status by the start of the Spring 2024 semester walked across the stage on Sunday, May 19 to be recognized for their academic and personal accomplishments. Here are some of the Class of 2024 Highlights:

• 540 students are recognized as Regents Scholars by the South Dakota Department of Education
• 292 students are members of the National Honor Society
• 164 students are recognized as Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars by the College Board
• 12 students are National Merit Finalists
• 540 students are Presidential Education Award Winners
• 265 students have earned the Advanced Placement Achievement Award

Congratulations to all graduating seniors on this major accomplishment! We look forward to seeing what you do with all the tools you've been given!

On Monday, May 13th, SFSD held their annual Native American Honoring Ceremony. This event honors graduating (and 8th grade into 9th grade) Native American students in a way that is culturally significant and closely tied to certain practices and traditions. Congratulations to everybody who was honored! View photos from the event here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBqebm

The very last Public School Proud Grant of the spring has been awarded, and it went to Kasey Thompson and Zoey O’Brien at Washington High School! The Education Foundation was able to give out 60 PSP Grants this year, in addition to surpassing the $1 million dollar mark in funds distributed. That is a major milestone to reach, and it will be a joy to continue to watch how all the important work they are doing influences students and teachers across SFSD for years to come. Congratulations!

Last week on the podcast we had two pairs of mother/daughter duos who work within the Sioux Falls School District talk about what it was like serving in education as a family. These conversations are a goldmine of interesting tidbits ranging from how trends change in education to what it's like on a day-to-day basis.

This week we speak with one more mother/daughter duo within SFSD, but the twist here is they both work in the same building! Michele Jensen teaches science at JHS, and her daughter Hannah teaches english. Tune in to hear about what makes their bond special, and how they navigate the ups and downs of life in education together.

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.

Deadline is May 31st, 2024.

Savings Marketplace is your one-stop-shop for savings on products, services, and experiences, with new deals added weekly!

As an associate of the Sioux Falls School District it is totally cost-free and easy to enroll if you haven't yet. Just visit https://sf.savings.workingadvantage.com and begin saving today!

Open Enrollment is now over, so please log into the Selerix Benefit System and do the following:

• Verify that your benefit elections look as you think they should. (You won’t be able to change anything in Selerix. Email benefits.sfsd@k12.sd.us)
• If you have life insurance, you must add or verify your beneficiary information. (Beneficiary designations are the only modifications allowed in Selerix at this time).

Click HERE to access the Benefit Enrollment Site.

Your login is your Employee ID Number. The initial PIN/password for the system is the last four numbers of your social security number plus the last two numbers of your birth year.

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. VBelow 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.

Opening Up About Mental Health - THIS WEEK!

Wednesday, May 22nd at 12:30pm

We have made such great progress in encouraging the discussion around mental health and mental illness, and we want to continue going in the right direction. This class focuses on the challenges yet to be conquered as well as stigmas that we still need to overcome. We will delve into “the tentacles” of outreach and discuss how our mental health affects other societal issues.

Click HERE to register!

The Power of Listening

Wednesday, June 12th at 12:30pm

According to the Greek philosopher Epictetus, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak”. However, simply hearing what someone says, and actively listening are two very different things. Active listening skills are critical to business success. In this session we will explore the three basic listening modes, we will discuss how individual communication styles affect listening and we will practice active listening strategies.

Click HERE to register!

Click to view more upcoming webinars.

Click to view previously recorded webinars to watch now.

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!

Research has shown that the benefits of exercise go beyond just physical well-being. Exercise helps support emotional and mental health. So, next time you’re feeling down, anxious, or stressed, try to get up and start moving! Physical activity can help:

• Reduce feelings of depression and stress, while improving your mood and overall emotional well-being.
• Increase your energy level.
• Improve sleep .
• Empower you to feel more in control.

In addition, exercise and physical activity may possibly improve or maintain some aspects of cognitive function, such as your ability to shift quickly between tasks, plan an activity, and ignore irrelevant information.

Exercise ideas to help you lift your mood:

• Walking, bicycling, or dancing. Endurance activities increase your breathing, get your heart pumping, and also boost chemicals in your body that may improve mood.
• Yoga. A mind and body practice that typically combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and relaxation.
• Tai Chi. A “moving meditation” that involves shifting the body slowly, gently, and precisely, while breathing deeply.
• Activities you enjoy. Whether it’s gardening, playing tennis, kicking around a soccer ball or something else, choose an activity you want to do, not have to do.

Source: SandCreek and NIH - National Institutes of Health

If you enjoyed this, you may find these other articles from SandCreek interesting:

• Be Physically Active without Spending a Dime - You don’t need to spend a fortune to be physically active.
• Improving Our Physical Wellness - Nutrition, exercise, and appropriate health care.
• Mindfulness - Finding Peace in a Changing Environment