District Dialogue

A HUGE congratulations goes out to Susan Thies, winner of the 36th Annual Dr. John W. Harris Teacher of the Year Award! Susan teaches 5th grade at Garfield Elementary.

To paraphrase her nomination, "There are only a select few teachers I have ever come across that I would label as master teachers. Teaching is both an art and a science which requires full commitment mentally, emotionally, and physically. Teaching requires that you know your content, your students, and yourself, inside and out, completely. It is for these reasons, and many more, that I can say with complete conviction that Susan Thies is a master teacher."

Thank you, Susan, for your many years of dedicated service to education and the Sioux Falls School District. The lasting impact you've made on countless students will be felt for generations.

Congratulations to Katie Ellwein, who is the recipient of the 2024 One American Bank Distinguished Educator Award! Katie teaches 4th grade at Laura B. Anderson Elementary School.

Per her nomination, "Katie is a great leader, an optimistic leader. She shows tremendous love for all kids." "Katie exudes the LBA way. She is always trying to grow as a teacher, she is unafraid to embrace change and she builds relationships with family members."

Thank you, Katie, for everything you do for students and parents every day. SFSD is a better place because of you!

We'd also like to extend a big congrats to all the teachers who were nominated for this year's Teacher of the Year award. You all have such a huge impact on the lives of your students, and that positivity makes an impact on their families, and their families sing those praises to other families. Good teachers have a ripple effect in a community that is felt far and wide, and SFSD is proud to have the best of the best!

The 3rd annual Everybody Reads campaign officially kicks off this Friday (3/1)! Everybody Reads is a collaborative initiative with Siouxland Libraries intended to encourage reading throughout our schools and the broader community. We'll be tracking how many books we read from March 1-22nd, and for every book read a raindrop will be added to the walls at our schools and libraries. If we hit our goal of 300,000 books read we are able to make a donation to our friends at REACH Literacy. Our theme for 2024 is "Rain or Shine: Everybody Reads!". See the above video for more information, and let's get ready to see raindrops all over our schools as we "make a splash" with reading!

As the legislative session winds down, we get another update from Todd Vik on the status of all the bills relating to SFSD matters. Click the link below for a full rundown on the state off all the bills SFSD has been watching go through the capitol this season.

Public Schools Week is a time for us to celebrate and highlight all the amazing things public education does for our kids and our communities. This is a week where teachers, administrators, specialists, and school board members across the country come together to show the strength - and potential - of our wonderful public education system. Research shows communities and parents are largely supportive of their local public schools and educators, and they want schools to prepare their children to succeed in a diverse and changing world. Our goal for Public Schools Week is to show the public at large what is happening in public schools.

We invite you to get involved in celebrating our local public schools and the educators and school professionals committed to serving our kids by using the hashtag #PSW24.

We are excited to announce that Friday, May 3rd will be the official Sioux Falls Storm game to support Operation Hope and Caring! The Sioux Falls Storm will be taking on the Green Bay Blizzard at 7:05 PM at the Denny Sanford Premiere Center, and a portion of tickets purchased at https://www.levo.org/operation-hope-and-caring will go to help our schools that don't benefit from a PTA/PTO. You can click the link below to purchase tickets directly and make the biggest impact for our students!

Last Tuesday, February 20th was a great success for Operation Hope and Caring thanks to our friends at Air Madness, along with LEVO Credit Union and the Sioux Falls Storm! Thanks to everybody who was able to come out to jump the energy out over the long weekend!

For the past several years, Levo and the Sioux Falls STORM have teamed up for Operation Hope & Caring – a fundraiser to level the playing field for all schools and students, especially those without PTAs/PTOs. As a new twist, we are adding a tshirt to the many options staff have to support this important partnership. Please see the link below to purchase your shirt (and more for your friends and family)! Consider how you can support these schools TODAY!

How cool is this!? 100% of the proceeds from LEVO's Perky Coffee will go to Operation Hope and Caring, which has a direct impact on our schools. Click the button below to get your bag today!

Sometimes all it takes for a student to make the leap into something new is some encouragement from a teacher (or counselor, or adult they look up to). The thawing snow has shown us a glimpse of warmer times to come, and students will soon start to think about what fall sports they want to sign up for. If you know a student who would benefit from all the opportunities provided through the SFSD sports and activities program, please give them that extra little nudge they need to make the leap towards future self improvement!

This week join us in celebrating Dr. Teresa Boysen, Diane Kennedy, Sue Parrott, Shelly Pierson, Deb Piper, and Susan Thies! Be sure to take a moment to greet them in their classrooms or send them an email with your best wishes as they reflect on their career journey with the Sioux Falls School District and make their transition to retirement.

Dr. Boysen, Diane, Sue, Shelly, Deb, and Susan – thank you for a lifetime of making a difference, and congratulations on your upcoming retirement!

Join us on Tuesday, April 9th at the 63rd annual recognition banquet as we celebrate our retirees and employees with 25 years of service!

Tickets are on sale NOW! Tickets can be purchased for $25 per ticket online through PayPal (www.bit.ly/ExpeditionExcellence) or with cash or check at the Instructional Planning Center. Please have all checks written out to the Sioux Falls School District. Also, please note, we are unable to provide change so cash payments must be for the exact amount.

Eating Right for Life - March 13, 2024 from 12:30pm to 1:30pm

If donuts for breakfast, candy bars for lunch, and constantly making impulse decisions while eating on the run sounds familiar, then this is the class for you! Participants in this seminar will learn the benefits of nutrition, including the importance of making informed food choices to develop and maintain sound eating habits. Expect to leave this interactive session understanding what your body needs for optimal health and the key nutritional guidelines to follow.

The South Dakota Retirement System (SDRS) has created Retire Ready, a new virtual format for group presentations. The SDRS Retire Ready series will consist of four short presentations, all designed to increase your financial awareness and help you prepare for retirement. All SDRS members, at any stage of their career, will benefit from the information provided. These 45-60 minute presentations are held via ZOOM every Wednesday on a rotating-basis.

SDRS 101: Take a more detailed look at the system and its benefits, including how retirement benefits are calculated, understanding your annual Personal Benefits Statement, availability of survivor and disability benefits, and more.

• March 6, 2024 - 7:00 PM CT/6:00 PM MT – Register via ZOOM

SDRS-SRP & SPP: Retirement is expensive and additional personal savings will be key to having a financially successful retirement. Learn more about how the SDRS Supplemental Retirement Plan (SRP) and SDRS Special Pay Plan (SPP) can help you save more for your retirement

• March 13, 2024 - 7:00 PM CT/6:00 PM MT – Register via ZOOM

Steps to Financial Success: Build on your budgeting and savings skills and take charge of your finances to be more prepared for retirement

• March 20, 2024 - 7:00 PM CT/6:00 PM MT – Register via ZOOM

Q&A Session: Ask your questions and get answers from SDRS staff. Every session will have unique questions from our members, so feel free to tune in often.

• February 28, 2024 - 4:00 PM CT/3:00 PM MT – Register via ZOOM

• March 27, 2024 - 7:00 PM CT/6:00 PM MT – Register via ZOOM

SDRS Lunch and Learn

Grab your lunch and join us to learn more about SDRS, your benefits, ask questions, and more! Held on the second Tuesday of each month.

• March 12, 2024 - 12:10 PM CT/11:10 AM MT – Register via ZOOM

District staff have a wonderful opportunity to participate in a Medicare Seminar. Whether you are approaching Medicare eligibility, want to learn more to help your parents, or just want to be more knowledgeable all around, please join us! There will be a guest speaker here from Wellmark to talk about Medicare, all the moving pieces and he will also be available after if you have individual questions. Attached is a nice packet to review, but these will be available in person so no need to print.

WHEN:

Tuesday, March 19th - 4:30pm - 5:30pm

Location: Instructional Planning Center

Please RSVP on the below link:

https://medicareadvantageseminarsfsdc.splashthat.com

Questions? benefits.sfsd@k12.sd.us

District Staff participating in the Wellness Program have deadlines fast approaching. In order to earn the Wellness Credit for the 2024-25 school year, all Wellness Program requirements need to be completed by March 1, 2024.

The three requirements for earning the Wellness Credit for 2024-25 are listed below:

1. Complete the Personal Health Assessment in the Uprise Health Wellness Portal
2. Schedule a wellness visit with your doctor and submit a completed Preventative Care Form.
3. Complete ONE Wellness Program Activity:

• Participate in the Wondr Health Program
• Participate in a Fitness Challenge
• Complete 3 Digital Health Workshops
• Complete 3 sessions with a Health Coach

If you have not already scheduled your wellness physical with your doctor, call your doctor’s office now to get scheduled before the March 1st deadline!

Questions? benefits.sfsd@k12.sd.us