May 5-9 - Staff Appreciation Week

May 7 - Senior Academic Awards @ 8:30 AM in Cossack Center; Middle School Academic Championship in Tile Town during 6th & 7th Period (HS & MS Lunch Periods Flipped)

May 8 - HS Slip and Slide Kickball during 6th and 7th Periods; Student Climate Surveys in ELA Classes; NHS Induction Ceremony @ 5:30 in PAC

May 12 - Main Thing Day Student Sign Up (Grades 6-11) during 1st Period; Check Out Forms Passed out to Senior Students; Senior Lunch at Legends Diner

May 13 - Senior Sunset on Cossack Field @ 8:30 PM

May 14 - Main Thing Day; Senior's Last Day (Sign Out Day); Baccalaureate @ 7:00 PM in the PAC

May 16 - Senior Breakfast & Graduation Rehearsal @ 9:00 AM in the Commons; Moving On Up Day for Rising 6th Graders & Parents - 2:00 PM

May 19 - Check Out Forms Passed out to HS Students

May 20 - MS Laptop Turn in During Exploratory Classes; Elementary Track & Field Day; 8th Graders Help in the Afternoon

May 21 - Stepping Into High School: 8th Grade Recognition Ceremony @ 9:30 AM; Middle School Talent Show @ 10:00 AM; HS Students Reverse Check Out Day

🌟 Highlight a Hero at Sioux Valley! 🌟
We’re excited to launch a new initiative! The Sioux Valley Climate Team invites parents and community members to recognize Sioux Valley staff members who are making a difference. 💙💛

Do you know a teacher, coach, or staff member who’s gone above and beyond? Someone who’s made a positive impact on your child or your family?

✨ Nominate them as a Sioux Valley Hero!
📢 Let’s lift up the people who help make our school great.

8th Grade Parents:

As we prepare to celebrate the end of your child’s middle school journey, we’re putting together a special recognition video to be shown on the last day of school. To make this video extra meaningful, we’re asking each family to send in two photos:

• One childhood photo

• One recent portrait or current photo

Please email both photos to Karen Steege at:
📧 Karen.Steege@k12.sd.us

Deadline to submit: Friday, May 10th

Thank you for helping us create a memorable send-off for our 8th graders!

Wednesday, May 7th, 2025

12:30 PM – 1:45 PM
Location: Tile Town Gym

Overview

The Middle School Championship is a friendly competition between the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade classes for bragging rights! Points are earned through state assessment performance, a quiz bowl, and a volleyball tournament.

Parents are welcome to attend and watch the Quiz Bowl and Volleyball action!

The 8th graders are the defending champions after their thrilling dodgeball comeback last year — who will take the title this year?

Scoring System

State Assessment Growth

• Grades earn points based on their jump in proficiency in Math and ELA compared to last year’s scores.

• First place (biggest jump): 5 points

• Second place: 3 points

• Third place: 1 point

• Note: If a grade has the largest jump in one subject and the second largest jump in the other subject, they will receive both the first place and second place points.

Quiz Bowl

• First place: 3 points

• Second place: 2 points

• Third place: 1 point

Volleyball Tournament

• There will be a Boys Division and a Girls Division.

• Each grade will play each other once (round-robin format).

• 1 set per matchup. First team to 15 wins.

• Grades earn 1 point per match victory.

Events & Procedures

Quiz Bowl

• Participants will be determined by a Kahoot competition in Science classes.

• Format: Quiz bowl questions will cover a variety of general knowledge and academic topics.

• Important: Students selected for the Quiz Bowl cannot participate in the Volleyball Tournament.

Volleyball Tournament

• Signup: Students interested in playing must sign up in the office.

• Team Selection: Names will be randomly drawn from the signup lists to form grade-level teams.

• Format:

  • Round-robin style within the boys' and girls' divisions.

  • Standard volleyball rules apply (with minor adjustments if needed for time).

Additional Notes

• Sportsmanship is expected throughout the day — cheer for your classmates and show Cossack Pride!

• Let’s see which grade will carry home the trophy this year! 🏆

We are excited to continue the Senior Sunset event, a tradition that is a highlight for our graduating class as a bookend to the Senior Sunrise event held during homecoming week. Scheduled for Tuesday, May 13th at 8:30 pm, the evening will begin outside the commons doors where seniors will have a chance to “leave their mark” with a tasteful yet humorous prank. Following the prank, we’ll gather for a movie outside at Cossack Field. We encourage students to bring blankets, lawn chairs, and their favorite yard game. It's the perfect opportunity for our seniors to enjoy a night of laughter, nostalgia, and friendship together.

8:30-9:30 - Juniors

9:30-10:30 - Sophomores

10:30-11:30 - Freshmen

Students will receive their check out sheet on Monday, May 19th. Students will be expected to finalize their check out sheet, including turning in their computers to Tim Holter in the Cossack Concession stand in the Commons, during their assigned time.

8:20 - 9:15 - Students finalizing their check out sheet.

9:15-9:30 - Transition to Performing Arts Center for 8th Grade Recognition Ceremony.

9:30-10:00 - Stepping Into High School: 8th Grade Recognition Ceremony - 8th Grade Parents and Family Members are Welcome to Attend!

10:00- Approximately 11:00 - Middle School Talent Show - Parents and Family of students signed up to perform are welcome to attend!

Middle School students may be dismissed on the last day if they are checked out following the talent show or if excused by parents prior to the final day by contacting Karen in the office.

Congratulations to the Sioux Valley Students of the Month! Teachers nominated them, and the SV Climate Team awarded them for their strong academics and character.

6th

Maleah Squires-Academic

Alaric Montanez, junior visual arts student at Sioux Valley, who is the Runner-Up Class A State Champion for the Three-Dimensional Category at the 2025 SDHSAA State Visual Arts Competition! Alaric's stoneware sculpture "Harmonies in Layers" earned her 2nd Place overall for Class A in the 3D category.

Alaric also competed in the Crafts category with her mixed media piece "Whispers in the Wind". The artworks were on display at the Aberdeen Recreation and Cultural Center (ARCC), Aberdeen, SD, April 11-12, 2025. The SDHSAA State Visual Arts Competition is South Dakota's largest visual art competition, and an awards presentation was held at 3 pm on Saturday, April 12th.

Sioux Valley visual art students competed and had artwork on display at the 2025 SDHSAA State Visual Arts Competition held at the Aberdeen Recreation and Cultural Center (ARCC), Aberdeen, SD, April 11-12, 2025.

The artwork was on display Friday, April 11th from 5 to 9 pm, and Saturday, April 12th from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. The awards presentation was held at 3 pm on Saturday, April 12th.

The Sioux Valley visual art students in photo who are competing at the 2025 SDHSAA State Visual Arts Competition, are listed from left to right along with their artwork:

• Michael Aasness, Sioux Valley 6-12 Art Instructor

• Riley Stirling, 11th grade, "Oceanic Stoneware Set" (stoneware clay)

• Citabria Manzanares, 10th grade, "The Corner of Venice" (watercolor on paper)

• Alaric Montanez, 11th grade, "Whispers in the Wind" (crafts) and "Harmonies in Layers" (3D-stoneware sculpture)

• Macy Bohnet, 11th grade, "Tangled Tower" (digital drawing)

• Cian Young, 11th grade, "1979 Porsche Carrera RS" (graphite on paper) and "What a Beautiful World" (photography)

• Hunter Steinhaus, 11th grade, "Jazz" (acrylic on ceiling tile) and "Fighting Ducks" (mixed media on paper)

• Tate Steffenson, 12th grade, "Senior Year" (drypoint etching)

• Broden Teske, 11th grade, "National Champion" (drawing-colored)

• Keneth Sequiera Galeano, 9th grade, "El Guegense" (traditional culture art)

We’re thrilled to celebrate the amazing achievements of our Sioux Valley FCCLA members at State FCCLA!

✨ Final competitions wrapped up with fantastic performances:

• 💃 Jaelyn, Savana, Hannah, and Mattayah took 1st place in the Talent Show with a dance they learned at Senior Retreat!

• 🏅 Both the Middle School and High School chapters earned Top Superior Gold in the Leadership Team Project.

• 🎖️ Dillyn received the Presidential Award, and both chapters were honored with the Merit Chapter Gold Award.

• 🔥 Seven High School and two Middle School members completed Power of One!

• 📣 Both chapters also earned Gold in Public Relations.

• 💼 And in leadership news — Dillyn was elected VP of Programs and Recognition, and Mati was elected Junior High Representative!

👏 What an incredible showing of leadership, talent, and dedication from our students. We couldn’t be more proud!

We’re excited to welcome Jared Anderson as our new Middle and High School PE teacher and football coach!

Mr. Anderson was inspired to pursue education through his passion for working with kids and saw teaching as the perfect opportunity to keep doing what he loves. When he’s not in the classroom or on the field, you might find him out hunting — his favorite way to spend a day off.

A fun fact you might not know? He grew up on a ranch near Kennebec, SD!

We’re lucky to have you on the Cossack team, Mr. Anderson!

We’re excited to welcome Mrs. Andreasen as our new Middle School & High School Administrative Assistant!

Her heart for students and belief in the impact of a great school experience inspired her to join the world of education. From front office coordination to daily student connections, she’s here to help make each day run smoothly for staff, students, and families alike. 📝📚

On her days off, you might find her lakeside with a good book, at the theater, or rocking out at a live concert. Speaking of music… 🎤 Fun fact: In high school, she was the lead singer for a band and even toured with POD, Relient K, and The O.C. Supertones on the “See Spot Rock” tour!

If she could become an expert in any skill, she’d master professional music mixing. Her favorite movie? The Princess Bride — a true classic. 🎬

We’re so lucky to have her energy, creativity, and experience at Sioux Valley!

We’re excited to welcome Mr. Bellis as our new Band Director at Sioux Valley!

Mr. Bellis pursued a career in education because of the meaningful connections formed with students and colleagues — and his deep love for music. He believes in teaching life lessons through music, creating a powerful blend of inspiration and creativity in the classroom and rehearsal space. 🎷🥁

On a day off, you’ll likely find him relaxing, enjoying sports, or diving into a good movie. A fun fact? He’s related to both Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Jackson!

If he could master any skill instantly, he’d choose creativity, which fits perfectly with his passion for music and the arts.

We’re thrilled to have your energy and expertise on the Cossack team, Mr. Bellis! 💙💛

We’re thrilled to welcome Mrs. Benedetto as our new Middle School English Language Arts teacher!

Her love for literature and writing was sparked by her junior year English teacher, Mrs. Carol Swier, who inspired her to pursue a career in education by encouraging her to be herself and embrace her voice.

When she’s not teaching, Mrs. Benedetto treasures time with her daughters, Roma and Rosie, especially library visits and family trips to the lake or farm. 🐮📖

✨ Fun Fact: She used to compete in rodeos during middle and high school!

If she could become an instant expert in any skill, it’d be cooking—and she’s currently enjoying books like Where the Crawdads Sing and anything by Emily Henry or Carley Fortune. 🎬 Her favorite shows include Yellowstone, 1883, 1923, and The Office.

We’re excited to introduce Mr. Hilbert, our new Middle School Science and Social Studies Teacher!

Mr. Hilbert was inspired to become a teacher by the lasting impact of a few influential educators from his own school days—relationships so meaningful, he still connects with them today. He now hopes to build those same lifelong connections with his students at SV.

On a day off, you’ll likely find him starting with a good coffee shop visit before hitting the golf course. And speaking of golf—🏌️‍♂️ Fun fact: Mr. Hilbert has not one, but TWO hole-in-ones! ⛳️⛳️

If he could instantly master any skill, it’d be making only one trip to Lowe’s for home projects. (Now that’s a superpower.)

We’re excited to welcome Mr. McMullen as our new Agriculture and Building Trades teacher!

With a passion for Career & Technical Education, Mr. McMullen is driven to make a direct impact on the next generation—connecting classroom and lab learning with real-world opportunities. He’s especially excited to bring the community into the fold through guest speakers, site visits, and hands-on experiences that go beyond the textbook.

When he’s not teaching, you might find him spending time with family and friends, working on projects, or getting inspired at Runnings or the hardware store. 🛠️

🔧 Fun fact: Mr. McMullen and his wife have identical triplet daughters—Letty, Rylee, and Allie—so life at home is always lively!

If he could instantly become an expert in anything, it would be becoming the ultimate “jack of all trades”… which, of course, would require lots of tools.

The South Dakota Board of Regents (BOR) have set tuition rates for next year, which includes a new high school dual credit rate. Beginning with the Summer 2025 semester, tuition for high school dual credit will be $156.97 per credit hour. With the statute change that occurred during the recent legislative session, families will be responsible for $78.48 per credit hour.

Beginning in April 2025, students who choose to take the ACT online will see an updated format that’s shorter and lets you choose whether to include the science section, allowing for greater flexibility while maintaining the accuracy and reliability colleges rely on. These changes will also apply to the paper-pencil test starting in September 2025. The Composite score will now focus on English, math, and reading, while science scores will be reported separately for those who take it.

These updates ensure colleges can continue making informed admission and scholarship decisions, making your results even more relevant as students take the next steps toward higher education.

ACT Enhancements PDF

What's Changing

• Reduced the number of questions overall (44 fewer)

• Reduced the test length. Students can receive their college-reportable Composite score after 125 minutes of testing, rather than up to 195.

• More time per question.

• Reduced the number of answer choices in math questions from five to four.

• Students can now choose to take the ACT National test with or without the science section. State and district customers will choose whether to include the science section with the ACT test for their students.

What's Not Changing

• The ACT scale will remain 1-36 with no changes to ACT benchmarks or state-specific achievement standards.

• Scores from tests taken prior to the rollout of the new Composite score will not change.

• Ability to predict success in first-year college credit-bearing courses will not change.

• Both paper-and-pencil course will continue to be available

When do these enhancements take effect:

The changes are expected to take effect starting with the April 2025 test for examinees who choose to test online. The paper test will reflect the enhancements starting in September 2025. Schools and districts will have these options starting in spring 2026.

Will ACT Still provide a Superscore?

Yes.

What if the students still want to take the science section (or writing)?

If a student decides to take the ACT test with science or writing (or both) added, they will remain in the room quietly while others are dismissed. There will be a short break to allow them to get up and stretch their legs, after which they will return to their seat. If a student is taking science, they will need their test booklet and answer sheet. If a student is taking writing, the test administrator will collect their booklet and provide them with writing materials. Both science and writing will be 40 minutes and will be given in the same room. The tests will consist of:

• Science: 40-minute section with 40 questions (around one minute per item)

• Writing: 40-minute section with one writing prompt

Following the 40-minute session, there will be a short break with materials collection. Anyone who is only taking science in addition to English, math, and reading, and anyone who completed writing, should now be done, and will be dismissed following document collection. Anyone who is taking writing in the second additional 40-minute section will have a short break before beginning the writing portion.

Who should take the science section?

Students planning to major in science or a STEM field or take science courses in college should consider taking the science section since those who have math and science scores will still receive a STEM score.

Is the ACT Composite Score changing?

Yes. The new ACT Composite score will be calculated using your English, math, and reading scores and will not include the science score.

How will ACT Superscoring work?

Starting in April 2025, students who choose to take the online ACT test will have their ACT Superscore calculated using the new method incorporating English, math, and reading. For everyone else, this change will happen in September 2025. We'll still show your highest scores for each subject with the test date, but the Composite score will be based on the new English, math and reading calculation.

📎 Resources to Learn More:

• ACT Enhancements Overview

• ACT Requirement Clarification

If you have questions or want to discuss what this means for your child, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our school counselor, Mrs. Jorgenson.

We are excited to share that registration is now open for this summer's Service Leadership Academies (SLA), scheduled for June 2-4 and July 30-August 1 at Augustana University. These academies offer students a valuable opportunity to develop leadership skills through service-oriented activities.

Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested students can apply using the following link: https://forms.gle/qMR8wMJwehYuMH366

For a glimpse into the experiences of past participants, you can watch a KELO news story about the SLA here:

Additionally, an informational video about the academy is available here: https://www.keloland.com/news/local-news/local-high-schoolers-learning-leadership-skills/

We encourage students to take advantage of this enriching experience to enhance their leadership abilities and make a positive impact in their communities.

On behalf of U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell, I write with exciting information about the Summer Law Camp for 2025 for high school students. From June 23-25, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota will be hosting a three-day Summer Law Camp to expose students (rising sophomore through graduating seniors) to various careers in the federal criminal justice system. The camp will take place at our office in downtown Sioux Falls and run from 8:30am-11:30am and 1:00pm-3:00pm. The camp is free of charge and space is limited.

More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/usao-academy-summer-law-camp. The deadline to apply for this opportunity is Friday, April 25, 2025.

Attention 2025-26 7th and 8th grade students: Free Dakota Dreams Career Exploration Summer Camps in summer 2025! Five-day residential camps hosted on South Dakota college campuses. Dates and locations of the camps located Summer Camps page.

Safe2Say South Dakota is a statewide tip line that allows South Dakota students, school staff, and community members to safely and anonymously report sensitive information that concerns their safety, or the safety of others, including mental health concerns.

How it Works

Safe2Say South Dakota operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Anyone with information about a potentially dangerous situation can call the toll-free number at 1-844-3SD-SAFE/1-844-373-7233, make a web report by clicking the Submit a Tip Online button, or by downloading the mobile app and making a report from a smartphone or digital device.

A trained Safe2Say analyst will interact with the person reporting the safety concerns and forward the information to a multi-disciplinary team consisting of school officials, law enforcement, and mental health professionals. Safe2Say South Dakota was created to ensure that South Dakota schools and students remain safe. With Safe2Say South Dakota, our schools and communities are able to anonymously report student safety concerns in a safe and secure fashion.

Why Say Something

Research on those willing to do harm to themselves or others is startling. We know that in over 80 percent of school shootings, someone other than the attacker knew, but failed to report it. We also know that four out of five teens who have attempted suicide, have given clear warning signals that go unreported, and in the majority of cases, teens with mental health needs do not receive needed care.

To provide real-time access to attendance and grades, we have the Parent Portal on Infinite Campus. Many parents/guardians and teachers are embracing technology tools like Parent Portal on Infinite Campus, Google Classroom, and email communication as alternatives to in-person conferences. These tools offer information most relevant to parent/guardian interests.

If you need help connecting to the Parent Portal to view your child's attendance and grades, please feel free to contact Karen Steege in the MS/HS Office. We're here to assist you with any inquiries you may have.

Website: https://www.svs.k12.sd.us/
Location: 200 Hansina Avenue, Volga, SD, USA
Phone: (605) 627-5657

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