Sioux Valley Secondary

Please review this communication plan to learn about:

• 24/7 Access to Your Student's Progress
• Parent/Guardian/Teacher Partnership
• Teacher Outreach
• Fall Registration & Back-to-School Day
• Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Registration Information Night

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Effective communication between home and school is a critical component of creating a welcoming, supportive, and quality educational experience for your student. This is especially vital as we strive to meet the individual needs of all learners in our ever-changing world. We highly value your involvement and support in enhancing student achievement.

With various opportunities and invitations to engage in your child's experience, we often hear questions like:

- Which events and conferences should I attend? All of them? Some? Why?

- Should I only attend if my student is struggling? What if my student is doing well?

- Are there alternative ways, like technology, to stay connected to my child's progress?

The answers to these questions will differ for each parent/guardian, based on the level of involvement you seek.

To keep you informed and connected, we employ several tools to report your student's progress. This newsletter outlines the SVMS and SVHS School-to-Home Communication Plan, providing information to tailor your experience to your needs throughout the school year.

We welcome your input as we continuously study outcomes, evaluate progress, and report results to the community. If you have any suggestions to make our communication from school to home more meaningful, effective, and efficient, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Tyler Bolstad, Principal

Phone: 605-627-5657 EXT. 407

Email: Tyler.Bolstad@k12.sd.us

Tuesday, August 6th – Registration & Picture Day

Join us in the MS & HS Commons. During registration, parents will update emergency contact information, and students will receive their class schedules, locker assignments, and have their school pictures taken. Activity tickets will feature last year’s school picture, so seniors do not need a new photo. Athletes and fine arts participants should purchase a $20 activity ticket. Students can also deposit money into their lunch accounts and pick up their yearbooks.

High school students will receive their laptops during registration, while middle school students will receive their Chromebooks in the first week of school. Please remember to read, sign, and bring the laptop policy and email form along with the $20 user fee. Please note that this is a user fee and not insurance for the device.

We have staggered the registration times based on the first letter of the student’s last name. However, if your assigned time doesn’t fit your schedule that day, feel free to come anytime between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.

Registration Times:

T-Z: 8:00-9:30

A-F: 9:30-11:00

G-K: 11:00-12:30

Staff Lunch Break: 12:30-1:00

L-N: 1:00-2:30

O-S: 2:30-4:00

Open Slot: 4:00-5:00

This event is an opportunity for families to meet the teachers, visit classrooms, bring in school supplies, and organize lockers. Tissues may be brought to your first-period teacher or the office.

• November 14th, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
• November 15th, 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM
• February 13th, 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM (Middle School Only; High School will be holding Registration Information Night)

Parent-Teacher Conferences are an opportunity to hear about your student's academic progress directly from his/her instructors. 15-minute sessions can be scheduled with your child's teachers through a Sign-Up Genius link we'll email you prior to the conference dates.

February 13th, 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Join us for our Registration Information Night at Sioux Valley High School. It's an informal and engaging event where you can explore classrooms, labs, and the commons while meeting our staff. Discover all the classes and academic opportunities we have to offer. It's a great opportunity for both students and parents to learn more about our school.

Presentations will be developed to share with parents/guardians. Themes may include topics such as:

• How to develop good study skills & healthy routines
• 4-Year Course Planning
• ACT Prep for Juniors
• Understanding Dual Credit Opportunities
• Post-Secondary Opportunities (4-year schools, 2-year schools, trades and technical careers)

We warmly invite you to join us for our Coffee and Conversation Gatherings for the upcoming school year.

Dates: November 14th, February 13th, April 17th

Location: MS/HS Conference Room

Come enjoy some coffee and rolls as we discuss the latest developments and initiatives at Sioux Valley Middle School and Sioux Valley High School. Your input and participation are important to us, and we look forward to sharing meaningful conversations that will help us foster a thriving educational community.

I can't wait to see you there!

With Cossack Pride,

Tyler Bolstad

Principal, Sioux Valley Middle School & Sioux Valley High School

To provide real-time access to attendance and grades, we have the Parent Portal on Infinite Campus. Many parents/guardians and teachers are embracing technology tools like Parent Portal on Infinite Campus, Google Classroom, and email communication as alternatives to in-person conferences. These tools offer information most relevant to parent/guardian interests.

If you need help connecting to the Parent Portal to view your child's attendance and grades, please feel free to contact Karen Steege in the MS/HS Office. We're here to assist you with any inquiries you may have.

In our ongoing commitment to keeping you informed, please note that grades are updated weekly depending on the type of assignments. Teacher feedback is a meaningful process and just one of the many day-to-day responsibilities our educators manage. For specific questions on grades or assignment feedback, please reach out directly to the instructor.

If you have a graphic or video you hope to share with fans at one of our events, please contact Mr. Bolstad no later than two business days in advance of the event.

Our teachers are committed to supporting every student's success, and as part of that effort, they will be initiating outreach to parents/guardians, which includes developing appropriate interventions when necessary.

To strengthen parent/guardian communication, teachers actively utilize before and after-school time to schedule meetings, make phone calls, and send email messages. They also keep Infinite Campus and Google Classroom regularly updated to provide timely information about students' progress.

At Sioux Valley, we value the partnership between parents/guardians and teachers in ensuring our students thrive academically and personally.