District Dialogue

To the teachers across the Sioux Falls School District, thank you for all you do! Your dedication fuels our community. As Teacher Appreciation Week unfolds, know that your efforts are valued beyond measure. Your creativity, patience, and unwavering support make an impact every day.

As a reminder, you have access to Sioux Falls School District's Savings Marketplace. From entertainment to everyday essentials, there's something for you. Treat yourself, unwind, travel, or save on necessities – you've earned it. To celebrate Teacher Week, enjoy some extra savings all month long by using promo code THANKYOU24. If you haven’t registered yet, please visit https://sf.savings.workingadvantage.com to create your account.

Splash My Ride is offering a 20% discount for all teachers on any service during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-10. They can be contacted at:

https://splash-my-ride.square.site/

email: splashmyride.siouxfalls@gmail.com

phone: (605)799-7783

It's no secret that a healthy student is a student who is more well-equipped to learn. Since 1972, National School Nurse Day has been set aside to recognize school nurses. This day was established to foster a better understanding of the role of school nurses in the educational setting. School nurses are professional nurses that advance the well-being, academic success, and life-long achievements of all students by serving on the frontlines and providing a critical safety net for our students. Thank you to all the school nurses across SFSD this Wednesday, and every day!

Operation Hope and Caring concluded its fundraising this past weekend at the Sioux Falls Storm game. Together with partners at LEVO Credit Union and KELOLAND they were able to raise $18,417 for schools without PTAs/PTOs! Thank you to everybody involved for this amazing contribution to help 'level the playing field' for students across SFSD!

View the presentation video below, and find all of this year's Public School Proud Grant recipients at the button below that.

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.

A big congratulations goes out to this week's SFSD All-Star, Paula Dean at Oscar Howe Elementary! This resource teacher goes above and beyond for her students each and every day, in every way - and she always has. Paula has a heart for kids, which often means long hours, deep research, and innovative strategies to help them succeed - and so they do. Watch this video to learn more about all the ways she brings her passion to school each day!

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!

The Hawthorne Elementary Art Show and Success Night is next Thursday, May 9th, from 4:30-6:30 PM. Students have been working hard to get things ready for this night, hand-made posters and all!

Click the link below to register for Sand Creek EAP’s live webinars.

Handling a Family Crisis- May 8, 2024 from 12:30pm to 1:30pm

This class was created for managers supporting employees experiencing a family crisis. For employees going through a family crisis, this class will cover how to manage expectations and emotional exchanges that may occur while having challenging conversations. Participants will learn healthy coping mechanisms during times of transition, as well as how to address and get support with potential financial challenges.

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