SVE Hiltunen Happenings
Building a Strong Start to 2026 at SVE
(Photo: Left to right-Crystal Niemann (Administrative Assistant), Heather Hiltunen (SVE Principal), and Tiffany Thompson (Medical Office Assistant).
January is already flying by, and as we settle into 2026, we’re reminded of our school-wide motto for this school year: “We Are BUILDERS.” This mindset guides our work each day as we continue building strong routines, positive relationships, problem-solving skills, and a supportive learning environment for all students and staff.
We hope you and your family enjoyed a restful holiday break and are feeling refreshed for the days, weeks, and months ahead. As we begin this new year together, it’s also a great time to reflect on the many wonderful moments that happened in December at Sioux Valley Elementary.
December was filled with special highlights, the PTO-sponsored Kids Night In, which brought our SVE students together for an evening of fun and connection and the K–1 and 2nd–3rd grade music concerts. The week of December 22 wrapped up the quarter with festive activities such as a student-friendly White Elephant Gift Day and a holiday movie day. BASE (Before and After School Enrichment) programming also remained available over the holiday break, supporting families and helping us stay connected as a school community.
I am incredibly proud of the learning, growth, and joy happening at SVE each day. Thank you for your continued partnership and support in making Sioux Valley Elementary such a special place for our students and families.
Don’t forget, Hiltunen Happenings newsletters are emailed monthly and are also available on the SVE Learning HUB on our district website for easy reference. 🌟
Warm regards,
Mrs. Heather Hiltunen
SVE Principal
Title I and our Title I Interventionist
Our Title I Interventionist is Mrs. Bezdichek.
Celebrating Growth & Looking Ahead
As we begin the second semester, I want to celebrate the hard work, effort, and incredible growth so many of our students made last semester, it truly shows in their data. I am also grateful for our teachers and the intentional, individualized instruction they provide each day. The work happening in classrooms is making a difference.
When students return from winter break, January will focus on mid-year assessments that help guide instruction and support student growth. Dibels assessments will begin January 5 and continue over the following two weeks for all students..
For students receiving Title I services, the week of January 5–9 will be used for diagnostic assessments and Dibels. Title I services will resume on Monday, January 12. RTI services will begin later in January once all assessment data has been reviewed and instructional groups are finalized. If families have questions about RTI or the supports their child may be receiving, I encourage them to reach out to their classroom teacher.
We’re also excited to share that One School, One Book will return this March! Every family will receive a copy of our selected book to read together throughout the month. The book reveal will take place in late February/early March—more details coming soon!
Ms. Amanda Hillesheim, Sioux Valley Elementary School Counselor
Hello SVE Families and Students,
Welcome back! I hope you had a restful break and are feeling ready to jump into the days ahead. A new stretch of school brings fresh opportunities to learn, grow, make mistakes, solve problems, and try again and I’m so glad we get to do that together at SVE.
Remember, it’s okay to have big feelings, questions, or worries as we get back into routines. I’m always here to listen, help, and support you. You are important, you belong, and you matter.
As a reminder, if you are ever interested in having your child visit with an outside counselor, Sioux Valley Elementary has outside counseling providers who come to the school to offer 1:1 sessions during the school day. This option allows students to receive support at school while minimizing the need for parents to leave work or adjust schedules.
If you would like more information or would like help setting up this possibility for your child, please contact Ms. Hillesheim by emailing amanda.hillesheim@k12.sd.us.
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Please note that parents are responsible for all counseling costs associated with these services.
We are grateful to be able to offer supportive options that help meet the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of our students. 💙
📊 SVE Behavior Update
Shared by Mr. Chad Trigg, Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA)
At Sioux Valley Elementary, we are committed to creating a safe, supportive, and positive learning environment where students can grow academically and socially. We are excited to share some encouraging behavior data with our families!
📉 Referrals Are Down!
As of January 6, 2026, SVE has recorded 290 behavior referrals, compared to 504 referrals at this same time last year.
That’s a 42% decrease—a tremendous improvement and a true reflection of the hard work by students, staff, and families working together.
⭐ Most Students Are Making Great Choices
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72% of SVE students have ZERO behavior referrals
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84% of students have 0, 1, or 2 referrals
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Only 11% of students have 3 or more referrals
This tells us that the vast majority of our students are consistently making respectful, responsible, and safe choices each day.
📍 Where & When We’re Focusing
We continue to monitor patterns so we can best support students:
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Areas with higher referrals include the classroom, playground, hallways, and music room
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Tuesday and Thursday afternoons have shown a slight increase in referrals
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By grade level, referrals have evened out since November, which is another positive sign of growth school-wide
🎯 Our Next Steps
Our staff continues to use proactive strategies—such as structured transitions, refocus routines, and positive reinforcement—to help students be successful, especially after recess and later in the day.
Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting student behavior and growth. Together, we are helping every child learn, succeed, and reach their full potential at SVE.
💙 We are proud of our Cossacks!
Hello Kid Whisperer Nation! Happy New Year! We wish you joy and peace in 2026!
Click the title above to explore "Kid Whisperer Nation Tips for Parents" from Scott Ervin on building strong relationships with students, sharing control, and promoting positive behaviors. The majority of our current Sioux Valley staff have received some kind of training by Mr. Ervin, which is why we’ve introduced classroom names, Delayed Learning Opportunities (DLOs), explicit teaching strategies, "Nows & Laters," greetings at the door, and more! These techniques help create a supportive and positive learning environment for all students. You might also find these techniques helpful at home. Our hope is that your children will carry over what they are learning at school into everyday life. THIS MONTH'S TIPS: Engage with your kids in ways that you enjoy, state facts and allow your kids to solve the little problems they cause, Don't be afraid to pack it in, and how to Plan for Quality "me" time.
If you haven't lately, be sure to check out the Podcasts section of our website. They are adding new episodes each month for parents and educators!
Check them out here.
Keep up the good work! And as always, thanks for reading.
LEAVING SCHOOL EARLY/MESSAGES AT END OF DAY (SVE Student Handbook)
When your child is ill, has a doctor’s appointment, is going to be with you on family business, or will be absent for other reasons, please contact the school before 8:50 a.m. If we do not hear from you, we will make every attempt to call you at home or work to make sure your child is safe. A written excuse sent with a sibling is necessary unless parents have called the school beforehand. Please note that if your primary students have a change in dismissal routine, a note or a call to the office or teacher is needed before1:00PM, if possible.
For the protection of your children, no student is permitted to leave the school at any time during the school hours without permission from the office. Students should call their parents from a school phone and/or on their cell phone (if they have one) with permission of a staff member and with the staff member present.
Parents desiring early dismissal for students with appointments should send a note of explanation to their child’s teacher or call the elementary office prior to dismissal. Students will be released only to parents, guardians, or other authorized persons registering at the office.
If the student becomes ill during the day, the school administrative assistant or the principal will contact the parents and a designated adult will pick the student up at the office.
We prefer a phone call or email to the elementary office as teachers are busy teaching and may not be able to check email and/or to take the time to let the office know. It is important for the office to know so we can make sure attendance is recording correctly and to be aware of the whereabouts of all students.
Lost & Found
As part of our ongoing efforts to keep our Lost & Found organized, any unclaimed clothing and other items will be donated on the last Friday of each month. We kindly ask for your cooperation in labeling your child’s belongings to help ensure they are returned if lost. Recently, we made our 4th donation of bags of clothing and water bottles to the Brookings Area Goodwill. We already have a handful of hats, gloves/mittens, and boots that have been left behind by his/her owner. 😮
SAVE THE DATE
SVE will be having another BOOK FAIR during our upcoming conferences on Feb. 11-12. Every purchase supports our school and helps to keep kids reading!
UPCOMING EVENTS at Sioux Valley Elementary. CLIP and POST on YOUR REFRIGERATOR
January 5-School Resumes. Welcome back.
January 6-15-Middle of the Year (MOY) DIBELS Assessments for all K-5 students
January 9-SVE Assembly 2:45 (Cossack Gym). Review of Expectation. Hiltunen/Trigg Led.
January 7-STAAR CLUB/Homework Help for students in 3rd-5th
January 14-NO STAAR CLUB/Homework Help for students in 3rd-5th
January 16-NO SCHOOL for STUDENTS. ALL DAY BASE AVAILABLE, if needed.
Professional Development Day for Staff.
January 19-NO SCHOOL (Martin Luther King Jr Day)
January 21-STAAR CLUB/Homework Help for students in 3rd-5th
January 22-RTI MOY Start Date
January 26-SVE Assembly 2:45 (Cossack Gym). 1st Grade Student Led.
Other VIP DATES:
Feb. 2-6-National School Counselors Week
February 11-12-Conferences and Book Fair
February 13-NO SCHOOL; ALL DAY BASE AVAILABLE, if needed
February 16-NO SCHOOL/NO BASE
February 19-4th GRADE NAEP TESTING (all day). More information to come. Please plan any trips around that date. It is important for all 4th grade students to be here this day.
February 20-Kindergarten Screening for students starting kindergarten in 2026. Must be 5 by 9/1.
February 20-NO SCHOOL for KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS ONLY. BASE IS AVAILABLE all-day, if needed.
Feb 23-27-Dakota Players-Space Pirates Play for K-5. (See above)
MARCH-One School, One Book (Details provided later)
March 12-13-NO SCHOOL (Spring Break); BASE TBD
March 27-Staff Development Day (NO SCHOOL for students)
April 3 and 6-NO SCHOOL (Easter)
May 13th-Kindergarten Signing Night (for incoming 2026 kindergarten students)
May 14th-Surprise Day for SVE Students
May 15th-Moving On Up Day (students meet their teachers for the 2025-2026 school year)
May 18th- SVE Field Day (afternoon)
May 19th- 5th Grade Send-Off (11:45)
May 19th-Last Day of School (12pm Dismissal)
We are excited to share joyful news from the Klein family! 💙💗
Mrs. Klein, our first-year 1st grade teacher at SVE, and her husband, Treston, welcomed healthy twins: baby girl Lola and baby boy Maverick. Mrs. Klein was placed on bed rest at 23 weeks, and we are so thankful and grateful that both babies arrived healthy and strong. We extend our congratulations and best wishes to the entire Klein family as they enjoy this very special time together.
We would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Mrs. Sue Docter, a long-time, retired kindergarten teacher from SVE, for stepping in as Mrs. Klein’s long-term substitute. Her care, experience, and dedication have been such a gift to our students.
Beginning January 20, we are excited to welcome Ms. Keatyn Moad as Mrs. Klein’s classroom teacher. Keatyn is a graduate of Sioux Valley Schools and recently completed her student teaching right here at SVE in 5th grade under Ms. Saige Wudtke. We are thrilled to have her join our SVE team and continue supporting our students.
Please join us in congratulating the Klein family!
You Asked, We Answered: Your Questions About Sioux Valley Elementary. Please email questions to Mrs. Hiltunen at heather.hiltunen@k12.sd.us.
If you’ve got something you’re wondering about, don’t be shy! Shoot me an email, and I’ll make sure to tackle your question in next month’s newsletter.
Q: Will students get to decorate their own Valentine’s Day boxes again this year?
A: Yes! All K–5 students will once again create and decorate their own Valentine’s Day boxes at home and bring them to school. Boxes should be no larger than a cereal box or a Kleenex box.
Q: What is the best way to make sure a message gets to my child’s teacher?
A: The best way is to call or email the elementary office at (627-5657). During the school day, teachers are busy teaching and may not be able to check email or messages right away. The office will be happy to help make sure your message gets to the teacher.
Q: What time do elementary students get dismissed during an early dismissal even when due to weather (exception is HOMECOMING)?
A: When there is an early dismissal, we still will follow our staggered dismissal process as we do on a daily basis. For example, with a 1:45 PM early dismissal:
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Pick-up students are dismissed about 8 minutes early
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BASE students are dismissed about 4 minutes after that
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Bus students are always dismissed at the announced dismissal time.
This system helps ensure a safe and smooth dismissal for all students.