The grant will allow the program to purchase three state-of-the-art flight simulators, unlike any South Dakota aviation program has ever seen. CTE’s aviation program will be the only aviation program in South Dakota to have flight simulators of this caliber, both at the secondary and post-secondary levels. A big congratulations goes out program leader, Laureen Mehlert, who worked tirelessly in her efforts to be the winning recipient of the grant. (An additional thanks goes out to Rebecca Wimmer who spent a significant amount of time helping with the grant writing process.) In total, the grant award amount is over $249,000!

Congratulations to Laureen and the Aviation Program on this exciting accomplishment!

Congratulations to R.F. Pettigrew Elementary Principal, Kevin Dick, on his recent graduation from The Learning Forward Professional Development Academy which he has been working on since 2019.

The Learning Forward Academy is an extended and profound learning experience that immerses members in a model of inquiry- and problem-based learning. Academy members work collaboratively to gain knowledge to solve significant student learning problems in their schools, districts, or organizations.

Principal D spent his class time working on a project related to enhancing the reading and literacy performance of students at Pettigrew.

Congratulations, Kevin!

Last Friday was National Special Education Day!

This special day is dedicated to honoring the federal special education law, (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), signed into law on December 2, 1972, and the students teachers, and administrators striving to make special education possible.

We want to extend a big THANK YOU to all the Sioux Falls School District Special Education teachers and support staff!

In this month's newsletter, learn about the six important principles of PBIS, how a district of our size gets PBIS going, classroom incentive ideas, and more! Plus, find out who November's monthly drawing winners are!

Click below to view the full newsletter.

Nominate a staff member - veteran or new - who embraces the mission/vision of the Sioux Falls School District with excellence and professionalism. This is a staff member who leaves their mark without fanfare – an unsung hero – the person you would like to clone due to attitude, efficiency, and reliability. This person looks for ways to improve the school environment for students and staff while also improving themselves. Someone you're proud to work beside each day.

It’s almost the end of 2022! That means it will soon be time to prepare the 2022 W-2 forms.

We recommend that you elect to receive your W-2 form electronically in Employee Access Center (EAC). See the attached documents for information on Electronic W-2s to be issued in January 2023, as well as instructions for logging into the Employee Access Center.

(Click on photos below to enlarge.)

Please check your home address and telephone number each time that you log into the Employee Access Center. Please try to have all addresses updated prior to the holiday break.

If you have any questions, please contact any of the Payroll Staff:

• Kayla Haines: (605) 367-7911
• Audra Sternke: (605) 367-6174
• Maranda Shibley: (605) 367-5734
• Sarah Newcomb: (605) 367-4307
• Cindy Miller: (605) 367-7912

The District Insurance Committee, made up of representatives from our employee groups, would like your input regarding the Wellness Program. If you need a Wellness Program refresher, click CURRENT SFSD WELLNESS PROGRAM

The Wellness Program is available to all employees and spouses who are covered under our Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield health plan. Individual responses are anonymous, but collectively make an impact on Wellness programming decisions in the future. Help us foster a Wellness Program that meets the needs of District employees by completing the survey below. (If you are not part of the Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield health plan, please disregard this email.)

Click here to start the survey: Sioux Falls School District Wellness Program Survey

It will take about 10 minutes to work through the survey. The survey closes at 5:00 pm on Friday, December 9.

A new year brings new health goals, and we’re making it easier to prioritize your health in the new year. All SFSD employees and their spouses that are on the SFSD medical plan have a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card by participating in our Personal Health Assessment and wellness activities.

Click the links below to register for Sand Creek EAP’s live November webinar.

• Wednesday, December 14th: 12:30pm - 1:30pm - Family Dynamics During the Holidays
• Wednesday, January 11th: 12:30pm - 1:30pm - Managing Your Money in Tough Times

Can’t attend a webinar? No problem! Visit https://allonehealth.com/blog/ to view all past webinars.

The Human Resources Department will be offering an informational meeting on the District Retirement Incentive outlined in the SFEA Collective Bargaining Agreement via Zoom. This meeting is for Teachers (SFEA) only. Guests are welcome. For those unable to attend, the meeting will be recorded and sent out via District Dialogue.

Join Zoom Meeting:

Tuesday, December 13th – 4:10 – 5:00pm

Tuesday, January 10th – 4:10 – 5:00pm

https://sdk12.zoom.us/j/2539207779

Please contact benefits.sfsd@k12.sd.us with questions.

What Causes Allergies During the Winter?

We don’t have pollen in the winter, but we still can have indoor allergies. In the winter, we spend more time indoors, which may cause you to notice an increase in allergy symptoms. These symptoms can be triggered by dander, dust mites, and indoor mold. According to Matthew Rank, MD, an allergy expert with the Mayo Clinic, roughly five to twenty percent of Americans suffer from some form of winter allergy.

What Can You Do to Prevent Winter Allergies?

• Use a humidifier to reduce dryness in the air.
• Avoid wall-to-wall carpeting, which provides a favorable environment for dust mites.
• Clean, dust, and vacuum regularly.
• Wash sheets weekly in hot water. This will kill dust mites.
• Bathe pets once a week, which can help minimize dander.

Adapted from Everyday Health

‘Tis the season of holiday cooking and baking! Share your favorite recipe(s) with us to have them featured in our District community cookbook. Recipe submissions will be accepted until Tuesday December 20th. To submit, fill out this Google form: https://forms.gle/J4ByLmxsPDw6oSgW6.

Questions or troubles submitting the Google form? Contact Kate DiPasquale at kate.dipasquale@k12.sd.us.