District Dialogue

We hope you've enjoyed the long (and frigid) long weekend. On this day we take a moment to reflect on the man who made so much change in US history. MLK Jr. paved the way for future generations of change makers, and his legacy continues to inspire people to work towards a brighter future.

"The time is always right to do the right thing."

- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Mollie Weflen, counselor at Edison Middle School, is an SFSD All Star for her unwavering dedication to enhancing students' school experiences. After noticing a need for after-school engagement, Mollie spearheaded the return of student clubs that had paused during the pandemic. Through surveys, she discovered students’ interests and worked tirelessly, often on her own time, to organize and launch eight new clubs, including cooking, guitar, arts, and the Kindness Club.

Mollie’s passion for student well-being and her ability to collaborate with organizations like the YMCA ensured every club was a success. Her leadership is a model for other schools and a testament to her commitment to creating safe, engaging environments where students thrive.

Thank you, Mollie, for going above and beyond to make a lasting impact on Edison Middle School’s students!

Since you are a current SFSD staff member, you are able to enroll during our priority enrollment period.

NEW offerings for the 2025/26 school year:

• After-school care will be provided at the soon-to-be opened elementary school, Marcella LeBeau, making this the 23rd elementary school that the CLC offers care at.
• Before school care will be offered at (3) additional locations: Anne Sullivan, Robert Frost and Terry Redlin, in addition to our current before school program held at RF Pettigrew.
• Only need care on SFSD No School Days, but not after or before school? We can help you with that! Click on the link below to learn more!

How to enroll: To find out more about HOW TO ENROLL, rates, summer locations, payment calendar, hours of operation, no school day care, etc., click on the following link: https://secure.smore.com/n/n1y2t0

Let us know if you have any questions – we are here to help!

Watch the puck drop and the dachshunds dash on Saturday, February 8th, in one of the most exciting events of the year!

As an exclusive opportunity for SFSD staff, you can snag discounted tickets to this fan-favorite night. But don’t wait—lower bowl tickets are expected to sell out this week, and the discount offer ends on January 24th.

Purchase your discounted tickets here: https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/wdndtofeb8

Tickets will be sent to the email you use when you order tickets. If you have any questions, call Eric Oetken at 605-275-4625 or email him here.

The Graduate Credit & Degree Advancement (GCDA) process in the Sioux Falls School District allows certified employees to pursue salary advancements by completing approved graduate-level courses or programs. A GCDA Pre-Approval Committee meets monthly to review all coursework and degree programs to ensure rigor and relevancy related to salary advancement.

The process involves two steps:

1. Staff Development oversees the GCDA Committee’s review of courses and master’s programs, and
2. Human Resources handles salary advancement applications.

Courses must be from an accredited institution, meet relevancy and rigorous standards, and can be reviewed before, during, or after enrollment. Programs must align with the employee’s job assignment or lead to additional certification. Employees are responsible for meeting all deadlines and submitting required documentation.

For more details, visit GCDA Guidelines or contact Velina.Onate-Nelson@k12.sd.us in Staff Development and Amira.Lawrence@k12/sd/us in HR.

Your work-life balance and general well-being are as important to us as the work you contribute. That's why we’re excited to offer your savings marketplace, your one-stop shop for exclusive and convenient savings on the products, services, and experiences you know and love.

It’s cost-free and easy to enroll. Just visit https://sf.savings.workingadvantage.com and begin saving today!

RETIREMENT NOTIFICATION DEADLINE:

Teachers wishing to retire at the end of the 2024-25 school year must submit their letters of retirement by Monday, February 3rd.

The retirement letter (with signature) can be sent as an email attachment to Rachel Marshall, HR Benefits Specialist, at benefits.sfsd@k12.sd.us.

GRADUATE CREDIT/DEGREE ADVANCEMENT INTENT FORMS:

Teachers planning to advance to steps requiring the BA+24, Master’s Degree, or Master’s + 24 must submit INTENT FORMS by February 1st. This process is online through HR Records. The INTENT FORM is found in the Available Forms section.

Contact Amira Lawrence in Human Resources at (605) 367-4692 or amira.lawrence@k12.sd.us with Graduate Credit/Degree Advancement questions.

SHORTAGE AREA - EARLY RESIGNATION STIPENDS $500:

The District will provide a $500 bonus to any Teacher from an identified shortage area who is not eligible to receive or has not already received the District Retirement Benefit and/or Health Benefit, if the Teacher submits a resignation to the Human Resources Department by February 3rd.

Link to Resign: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfR0HFhrh4fHYC-S6flJL_lhn8yinerT6irPfSDZPKNU_hYKQ/viewform

As of July 1, 2024, the South Dakota Department of Education has transferred responsibility for tracking youth suicide awareness and prevention training from the Certification Office to the Office of Accreditation. Suicide awareness and prevention training records are no longer maintained by the state. It is now the responsibility of individual school districts to track compliance for their certified educators.

To comply with this requirement, please complete the following steps:

1. Complete the required training (if not already done). A list of approved online training options is available at South Dakota Suicide Prevention Resources. The training takes approximately two hours.
2. Submit your training certificate by uploading it through this brief Google form.

• Any staff member who falls under the requirements of SDCL 13-42-71. This includes, but is not limited to: Teachers, Librarians, Athletic Trainer Teachers, TOSAs (Teachers on Special Assignment), Instructional Coaches, JROTC Instructors, Counselors, Success Coordinators with SD DOE Certificates, School Psychologists, Principals and Assistant Principals, Special Education Director, Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent.

• To comply with this requirement, please complete the following steps by February 4th.

• A list of approved online training options is available online at https://doe.sd.gov/suicideprevention/. The trainings listed on this site are the ONLY ones the district is allowed to accept for the accreditation requirements.

• Please upload your training certificate to this Google form (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclTsyQjaEmrnYIRxCneDbVlUnP4_Eu2RxC-OubM76rObiakw/viewform)

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Human Resources at (605) 367-7661.

Are you interested in representing your fellow teachers on the SDRS Board of Trustees? Here are some important things to know about the SDRS Board of Trustees and their responsibilities:

• The SDRS Board of Trustees is the governing body of SDRS.
• Elected representatives serve a four-year term beginning July 1 of the year elected.
• Our 17-member board typically meets four times per year. Meetings are usually held at the SDRS Campus in Pierre.

If you are interested, please click below to download a Memo, Notice, and Petition for the position.

2025 Election for a Teacher Representative to the SDRS Board of Trustees Notice, Memo, and Petition

To be considered, your completed Nomination Petition must be in the SDRS Executive Director’s office by 5:00pm (CT) on February 24th, 2025.

Information regarding this year’s election is also available on the SDRS website at: Election Information

Questions? Please contact Dawn Smith of SDRS at (605) 773-4596

The Human Resources Department will be offering informational meetings 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 meetings will be recorded and sent out via District Dialogue.

Join Zoom Meeting:

Thursday, January 23rd, 2025 | 4:15 pm to 5:00 pm

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

You deserve special savings just for being an EyeMed member. So there’s a page on eyemed.com/member that only registered members like you can see. It’s a mix of the latest discounts and extra savings that give your benefits a boost. So you can keep your eyes healthy and save some cash while you’re at it!

2025 EyeMed Special Offers Flyer

Start your year off right with Wondr - a digital weight-loss program offered by Sioux Falls School District at no cost to you.*

You’ll master science-backed strategies to feel energized, stress less, and sleep better. No fads, no drastic diets - just practical skills that let you enjoy every season’s flavors and festivities all year round.

Get started today at wonderhealth.com/SFSD!

* Restrictions and eligibility info can be found at wondrhealth.com/SFSD

SandCreek, our Employee Assistance Program, is free, confidential, and available to ALL Sioux Falls School District employees and their family members. As a part of their extensive list of offerings, SandCreek offers FREE monthly webinars that cover a variety of topics. Below are a couple upcoming ones!

To register for a SandCreek account, visit www.SandCreekEAP.com and click the “Sign Up” link just below the Log In button. Enter siouxfalls as your company code and complete the signup process! A confirmation email will be sent to complete the registration.

New for 2025! As of January 2025, SandCreek will be using the WebEx Platform for their webinars. Multi Language closed captioning will be available at that time!

In this seminar, participants will reflect on the challenges of the past few years and explore how adversity can fuel personal growth. We’ll dive into what it means to be mentally tough, how to find the positive in negative situations, manage ambiguity, and react with agility to change. Finally, we’ll explore the concept of “grit,” as defined by Dr. Angela Duckworth—passion and sustained persistence toward long-term goals. This essential skill is crucial for personal and professional success in today’s fast-paced world. Join us to strengthen your resilience and cultivate the grit needed to thrive!

Wednesday, February 12th, 2025 | 12:30pm to 1:30pm

Register Online!

Just a reminder the wellness program will need to be completed by March 1st, 2025, to qualify for the wellness discount. Below is the link to the wellness program and the physician form to bring to your wellness visit. https://sfsdwellness.com

Preventative Care Form

Questions? Contact the Benefits Office at (605) 367-7662

The Sleigh the Season group challenge kicked off on Monday, January 20th! During this four week challenge, participants will focus on themes that include:

• ‘Tis the season for a healthier you
• Using tunes to fuel your workout
• Resilience is a muscle - let’s strengthen it!
• Give yourself the gift of self-care.

How to Participate: Track your daily activity minutes within the challenge dashboard or calendar. Note: if you have a device or app synced to the platform, it will automatically record your active minutes.

Requirements to Complete: Track at least 30 active minutes each day for a minimum of 20 of the 28 days.

It’s not too late to register! Visit www.sfsdwellness.com and go to Challenges > Find A Challenge to get started. Registration closes January 27th!