Principal's Corner
We want to thank you for an incredible school year. Your unconditional support throughout the year has made this year amazing. We appreciate our John Harris families and their partnership. Thank you for sharing your child with us!
As we end the 21-22 school year, we would like to wish our 5th graders the best in Middle School. We know they will do amazing things, but they will be missed at John Harris. We hope they will come back to visit. To our John Harris families who will not be returning next year, thank you! You and your family will always hold a special place in our hearts. We also have several PTO chairs leaving us! Thank you for all your time and attention! We appreciate your support! You will be missed!
We look forward to seeing many of you at the Talent Show, All Pro Dad, Year End Activity, 5th Grade party, and Class Field Trips. It will be a fast four weeks! Enjoy!
One IMPORTANT REMINDER: Free school meals are ending this summer. Recently, Congress voted AGAINST covering school meal costs as they have done since the start of the pandemic. This means starting in the Fall of 2022, parents/guardians will again be responsible for paying for school meals.
IMPORTANT: If you believe your family meets the income eligibility requirements to qualify for Free or Reduced School Meals, PLEASE fill out the 2021-22 form NOW. The new form for the fall will be available in mid-July. However, filling out the current form now allows a 30-day grace period in the fall, giving you more time to complete it for the 2022-23 school year.
Mrs. Dobberpuhl
SUPERINTENDENT'S COLUMN - You're Talking, We're Listening
Community Engagement is one of the five key areas the Sioux Falls School District is focusing on as we strive for continuous improvement. In the past year, we have spent time listening to stakeholders to learn what you want most from your public schools.
We’ve made the phrase “community engagement” actionable in several ways. We hosted five Community Engagement Sessions with parents, students, and leaders to discuss their hopes and dreams for the future. We met with our Native American families, and with the help of skilled language translators, we sat down with families who speak another language, inviting in small groups of parents and students who speak Spanish, Kunama, Swahili, Nepali, and Bhutanese as their first language. Those valuable forums revealed some common themes that will result in improvements to our programs and processes in the future. One thing that was abundantly clear from our meetings – all families value our public educational system and want their children to succeed at the very highest level.
Last month, we asked families to watch for a survey because we want to know more about what you enjoy about your school connection and what we can do to increase involvement and a sense of belonging with SFSD staff and with other families. You responded in a BIG, BIG way, and we’re so grateful that nearly 1,000 parents took the time to share their thoughts and ideas. Many of you appreciate the communication you are receiving from your school; some of you offered ideas for improvement. Some suggested grade-specific mixers to help parents get to know one another; others said it’s as simple as a friendly voice on the phone or the principal greeting students as they walk into the building each morning. All of it matters! Watch for more short surveys in the future. You can help us improve our district with just 5 to 10 minutes of your time.
In March, we introduced a new website and app to better serve our families and community. The improved tools are more user-friendly and provide all the information you need in the palm of your hand. We look forward to growing these tools as the go-to resources for school information and the stories that are happening every day throughout our District.
You have also been reaching out to us consistently on the Let’s Talk platform. In just over six (6) months, SFSD school leaders have fielded 442 questions from 387 unique users. Questions range from open enrollment processes, student/staff safety, and class registration. You tell us you are happy with our timely and thorough responses. One parent said, “Starting freshman year is stressful already, so to receive a response on the weekend and get a needed class change was excellent.” Another said, “It provided the info I needed to reach the school, clarification on enrollment and open enrollment, and was received very quickly! Much faster than I’d anticipated.”
As the end of the school year comes into view, our work to connect with our families and community will continue as we plan for more listening forums next year, add to our opportunities for connection to our schools and each other, and continue building ways for you to know what your students are doing in the classroom and after school. Our students are amazing and it’s important to make their successes visible to Sioux Falls. We value your thoughts and want you to feel connected to your schools. Together, we can become the best District in the nation, one step at a time.
Watch for some exciting new developments in the next newsletter
Book Battles 2022
Book Battles 2022 was a huge success. We had over 200 students participate, and it was amazing. We are so proud of all of our readers. Book Battles is a great way to introduce new genres, authors and book series to the students.
Mrs. Hage
John Harris Teacher Librarian
Stefanie.Hage@k12.sd.us
“FREE Child Screenings”
The Sioux Falls School District is offering developmental screenings for preschool children who reside within the Sioux Falls School District.
Screenings can be completed from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday (schedule could change with seasons). Children from birth to age five are eligible for the free service. For information or to schedule a free appointment, call the Early Childhood screening office at 605-367-8488. Relay Services for Hearing Impaired: Dial 711 before the desired number.
Sioux Falls School District
2205 N. Career Avenue
Sioux Falls, SD 57107
605-367-8488
Contact us
Email: kersten.dobberpuhl@k12.sd.us
Website: http://www.sf.k12.sd.us/john-harris/home
Location: 3501 East 49th Street, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
Phone: 605-371-4111
