District Dialogue

For the safety of our staff who will be distributing shirts, we will not be handing out shirts in the afternoon. If you are unable to make it on Tuesday morning, shirts will be available at IPC for one week following the 22nd.

Please enter the lane between IPC and Robert Frost from the north side and continue to the southern-most available station. See the attached map for instructions.

If you pick up a shirt for a coworker, please communicate/coordinate with them so we have enough shirts for everybody who wants one. (Please note that you are not required to take one).

Do you have a coworker or colleague who is constantly going above and beyond? Do you notice when somebody is going out of their way to make a student's day just a little bit brighter? Do you have a staff member who consistently brings their best, day in and day out? We want to hear about it! We know that amazing things happen every day in every building of the Sioux Falls School District, and we need your help to tell those stories. Follow the above info (or click the link below) to nominate a coworker to be recognized for their amazing dedication to the work of SFSD.

There are still a few dates left before the first day of school for important trainings and orientations. Please take a moment to look over this bulletin to make sure you don't miss an important meeting!

Friday, August 18, 2023, teachers in the SFSD had the opportunity to work with Dr. Timothy Kanold and the concept of "Our Next Season" and the role of engagement, high energy, and effort in the workplace culture. All good teaching includes feedback, and Dr. Kanold would like to hear from you regarding the professional learning event.

Imagine Solutions Conference is a nationally known thought leader conference that brings world-class visionaries to share ideas on today's most relevant issues. The conference offers an impressive speaker lineup in topics, such as Science and Technology, Biodiversity, Arts, and much more. We are excited to provide Sioux Falls School District teachers the opportunity to attend this year's conference virtually. Registered attendees will receive a link to the recorded videos in late May of 2023.

This is a small way that we can show our appreciation for all you do for our students.

• All registered teachers will be provided a link to the conference videos from the Sioux Falls School District in late May until October 15.


• Each video is approximately 19-25 minutes in length and can be viewed 24/7.


• All registered teachers qualify for 5 hours of professional development for registering and completing a brief survey after watching all of the videos.

When work/life feels like a circus, see yourself as the most positive, upbeat ringleader possible! To keep the tone, intentionally release the negative energy of tough situations with slow and methodical breathing. Besides, the circus is FUN!

Last week staff at IPC were 🦴treated🦴to a quick puppy break! With Back to School in full swing, a bit of puppy love made for a paw-some end to the work day!

🎉 Who knew that a short break with wagging tails and wet noses could turn a regular workday into a tail-waggingly terrific one? 🐶🐾

As we gear up to kick off the 2022-2023 school year, be sure to take a second to complete these items:

Check Your License Renewal Date - Be sure to take a second to review the renewal date for your teaching/administrator license. Also be sure to review any requirements needed to renew to help you stay on top of it!

• Teacher Renewal: https://doe.sd.gov/certification/teachers.aspx
• Administrator Renewal: https://doe.sd.gov/certification/administrators.aspx

Review the South Dakota Code of Ethics for Professional Educators - Each time a Teacher or Administrator renews their license, they receive a link to the South Dakota Code of Ethics for Professional Educators. If you are unfamiliar with them, they are linked below:

• Teachers - https://sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/24:08:03
• Administrators - https://sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/24:11:03:01

Do you have questions about your personal leave options, SEMS codes, and personal leave balances? If so, please view the linked “Personal and Wellness Day Leave Memo” for the 2023-24 school year!!

• Personal and Wellness Day Leave Memo for the 2023-24 School Year

Do you have questions about which days in the 2023-24 school year are “restricted dates” for the use of personal leave? If so, please view the linked “No Meeting-No Personal Days Memo” for the 2023-24 school year!!

• No Meeting-No Personal Days Memo for the 2023-24 School Year

Do you have questions about the Comp Days you will earn by working the fall and spring conferences? If so, please view the linked “Comp Days Memo” for the 2023-24 school year!!

• Comp Days Memo

The policy video will be sent out soon. Please expect an email from the Sioux Falls School District Human Resources Department (Records) notifying you that it is time to complete the task. When you receive the email, you will want to log on, view, and sign-off on the video.

Troubles logging in to Records? Please contact Human Resources at (605) 367-7661 for assistance.

August is National Eye Exam Month. Getting regular eye exams is important, even if you think your vision is fine. Eye exams allow an eye care professional to monitor your eyes for common vision problems and signs of disease. By identifying diseases early, you have the best chance of preserving good vision with the best treatment options.

Simple actions can go a long way to protect your eye health, including not smoking, eating a healthy diet (especially dark, leafy greens like spinach or kale), and maintaining a healthy weight. Also, be aware of your family’s eye health problems, as certain diseases can run in families. Make sure to wear sunglasses to block harmful rays and protective eyewear for activities like sports and home improvement projects.

You can utilize our new Employee Assistance Program to locate an eye doctor near you! Call Sand Creek’s 24/7 Toll-Free Support at 888-243-5744 or login to your Sand Creek EAP account and click on the “Chat and Video” icon. You can ask for a listing of eye doctors in your area, or any other services you may be interested in through Sand Creek’s concierge service.

Join Sam’s Club today & save! All District staff members are eligible for an exclusive offer for discounted membership rates.

Click HERE to learn more!

Sioux Falls School District is inviting you to participate in Wondr, a digital health program helping people to lose weight and improve their whole health. And it’s available to you at no cost, if eligible.*

Looking for something simple to help you look and feel your best for the rest of your life? Wondr makes it easy for you. There are no strict diets, calorie counting, or exercise equipment needed. It's a straightforward, skills-based solution that provides simple, sustainable, life-long results.

Plus, the program’s available 24/7 through the mobile app and online community, WondrLink, where you can access curriculum and connect with online health coaches and participants anytime, anywhere.

Space is limited.

Learn more at https://www.wondrhealth.com/SFSD

Apply between 9/4/2023 – 9/17/2023

The program begins October 2nd!