District Dialogue

As the gavel dropped to adjourn the meeting on the evening of Monday, June 10th, 2024, board member Kate Serenbetz said her final goodbye to serving as a sitting member on the Sioux Falls School Board. Ms. Serenbetz is SFSD's longest standing school board member and has provided exceptional leadership for 15 years. Since July 2009, she has served on countless committees, watched over the construction of new buildings, facilitated Superintendent transitions, and acted as an advocate for all the children of the Sioux Falls School District. Her dedication to excellence will be felt in the community for years to come, and her commitment to providing the best education to all students will have lasting positive impact throughout Sioux Falls. Thank you, board member Serenbetz, for your years of dedicated leadership! We wish you all the best on your next chapter in life!

To read the full resolution of appreciation for Kate Serenbetz, click the link below.

Three options were presented to the School Board for the potential construction of a new Whittier Middle School. At the May 1, 2024 Board Work Session, option 3 of 3 was recommended, which impacts the least number of houses in the area and allows for the needed space to construct the building.

The new school will be constructed on the site of the current football field located between 3rd and 4th Streets and extend south into the next 1.5 blocks between the current Whittier Middle School location and the current football field, requiring the District to work with homeowners to purchase 29 properties.

The new Whittier Middle School is slated to open in the Fall of 2030.

View more details on both of these projects at the link below.

More information available at the link below.

Have you wanted to incorporate Project-Based Learning into your classroom, but weren't sure where to start? Then this workshop is for you! Participants will leave with a standards-rich, collaborative project that will engage students in rigorous, relevant learning. The PBL Summer Institute is open to all teachers and administrators grades K – 12. You may take this District approved course for continuing education hours or for graduate credit through the University of South Dakota.

In Person Meeting Time: Mon, July 29 - Wed, July 31, 2024 (8:00 am - 1:00 pm)

Asynchronous Time: Mon, July 29 - Thurs, Aug 1 (3-6 hours each day)

Location: Jefferson High School (Sioux Falls, SD)

ELED 592: https://aceware.usd.edu/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?&course=24SU-55458

SEED 592: https://aceware.usd.edu/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?&course=24SU-55459

Imagine Solutions Conference is a nationally known thought leader conference that brings world-class visionaries to share ideas on today's most relevant issues. The conference offers an impressive speaker lineup in topics, such as Science and Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Arts, Music and much more. We are excited to provide Sioux Falls School District teachers the opportunity to attend this year's conference virtually. Registered attendees will receive a link to the recorded videos.

During the past 14 years, the Imagine Solutions Conference (ISC) has brought together more than 550 world-class experts to learn, springboard, and leverage their capabilities to effectively address social issues. Their mantra, "a profound respect for learning" mirrors the heart and soul of teachers who "love to learn." The ISC Virtual Learning Program for the Sioux Falls School District was created out of these beliefs, allowing all teachers to participate for free.

All registered teachers qualify for 5 hours of professional development for registering and completing a brief survey after watching all of the videos.

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. VBelow 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.

The Power of Listening

Wednesday, June 12th at 12:30pm

According to the Greek philosopher Epictetus, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak”. However, simply hearing what someone says, and actively listening are two very different things. Active listening skills are critical to business success. In this session we will explore the three basic listening modes, we will discuss how individual communication styles affect listening and we will practice active listening strategies.

Click HERE to register!

Family and Friends - Relationships

Wednesday, July 10th at 12:30pm

Establishing and maintaining a healthy relationship requires monitoring and utilizing emotional tools to keep those relationships strong. In this class, participants will take part in interactive and lively discussions on the misconceptions of relationships, the meaning of fulfillment, the importance of communication, and the real definition of happiness. This class will conclude with the key ingredients for a successful relationship and create an action plan to strengthen our relationships and recognize areas we can improve upon.

Click HERE to register!

Click to view more upcoming webinars.

Click to view previously recorded webinars to watch now.

The South Dakota Retirement System (SDRS) has created Retire Ready, a new virtual format for group presentations. The SDRS Retire Ready series will consist of four short presentations, all designed to increase your financial awareness and help you prepare for retirement. All SDRS members, at any stage of their career, will benefit from the information provided. These 45-60 minute presentations are held via ZOOM every Wednesday on a rotating-basis.

SDRS-SRP & SPP:

June 12th, 2024 | 10:00 am

Retirement is expensive and additional personal savings will be key to having a financially successful retirement. Learn more about how the SDRS Supplemental Retirement Plan (SRP) and SDRS Special Pay Plan (SPP) can help you save more for your retirement.

Register via ZOOM

Steps to Financial Success:

June 26th, 2024 | 10:00 am

Build on your budgeting and savings skills and take charge of your finances to be more prepared for retirement.

Register via ZOOM

Check your license - is it time to renew? If so, be sure to start your renewal process as soon as possible to avoid having your certification lapse!

To apply for your renewal, visit https://www.sd.gov/educator and log-in to the account you previously used for your certification. Once logged in, click “Apply” in the red bar at the top of the screen and locate the application titled “Educator Renewal Application.” Complete the application and include all requested documents (i.e. updated Suicide Prevention Training certificate)

• View the Department of Education’s document on Renewal Requirements for Teachers at:https://doe.sd.gov/certification/documents/RenewalRequ-teacher.pdf.
• View the Department of Education’s document on Renewal Requirements for Administrators at:https://doe.sd.gov/certification/documents/RenewalReq-Admin.pdf

Questions on Certification Renewal? Contact Kate DiPasquale at kate.dipasquale@k12.sd.us!

• Choose water workouts and make a splash as you get fit and strong.
• Add color, variety, and flavor to your meals with fruits and vegetables fresh from your local farmers market.
• Visit museums, the zoo, or an aquarium and walk for hours without realizing it.
• When the sidewalks sizzle, get moving indoors with a fun fitness video or DVD.
• Start a small garden in your yard or in a community patch to exercise, grow healthy food, and have fun with family and neighbors.
• Plan a weekend hike through a park, a family softball game, or an evening walk around your neighborhood.
• Fuel your summer with nutrient-rich foods like whole grains, fat-free or low-fat milk and cheese, seafood, lean meats, poultry, eggs, beans, nuts, and seeds.
• Drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise, especially when the temperature soars.
• Strengthen your muscles at least twice a week with push-ups, pull-ups, or lifting weights
• Beat the heat with an early morning activity. Go for a walk or bike ride while watching the sun come up

Adapted from NIH