District Dialogue

As we approach the end of the first quarter, Superintendent Stavem shares with staff her gratitude for a successful start to the year, along with ways you can contribute your ideas and feedback to move SFSD in the direction of becoming the BEST district in the nation!

Mr. Hutchinson was recently named the South Dakota Assistant Principal of the Year for Region 2! His nominator had this to say about him, "Mr. Hutchinson has been the constant force at GMMS for the 9 years the building has been open. He has worked with three different lead principals in this time and all three will say that he was the one person that helped them have success in the building. In the four years I have worked with Mr. Hutchinson he has taken our building through several initiatives. Two years ago, he led a team of teachers, students, and parents through the process of reviewing and adopting a behavior management plan for George McGovern. The past two years, Mr. Hutchinson has been leading our PBIS team and working to develop alternative options for those students who need the most support. For me personally he has been the person I lean on the most, when trying to gain perspective for the SFSD and GMMS. Mr. Hutchinson is the consummate professional and leads with passion. His zeal for working with students who come from difficult backgrounds and poverty is unmatched. His ability to manage the most demanding situations is unparalleled. He has this unique ability to discipline students and not only maintain their dignity but help them to learn in the process. Therefore, students respect him and return to the school seeking his counsel. I am immensely proud to be his colleague.​"

Congratulations, Richie! 🥳

This week we are celebrating the first two people you see when you visit Jefferson High School! Jen McKellep and Chastity Erickson are the administrative professionals who create a welcoming space for JHS students, staff, and caregivers alike.

They were nominated by JHS Principal Dan Conrad, who had this to say about the duo, "Jen and Chastity have been invaluable as we have opened JHS. They are the faces and voices of Jefferson High School. They work extremely well together as we all work to meet the varied needs of staff. From simple directions, securing subs, purchase orders, guiding staff through the proper process, they do it all, and they always do it with a kind, optimistic, empathetic approach. Together they are a great team, and JHS would not be the same without them."

Thank you Jen and Chastity for being the friendly faces and voices of Jefferson High School!

This Thursday, October 20th, marks the 23rd Annual Lights On Afterschool event! Launched over 20 years ago, Lights On Afterschool is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families, and communities.

In honor of this event, Kids Inc. staff at all locations will be hosting celebrations throughout the month of October. These events are meant to bring awareness to the importance of quality after-school programs for kids.

Please help us say thank you to our Kids Inc. staff who play a MAJOR role in so many of our students' education journeys. We are incredibly thankful for each and every one of them for their dedication to the District and our students!

These clinics are open to all Sioux Falls School District staff and their spouses. If you have District health insurance, the shot is FREE (*please bring your insurance ID card with you). If you, or your spouse, do not have District health insurance, the cost is $20 per person. Clinics will be held in the Board Room at the Instructional Planning Center (201 E. 38th Street).

Tuesday, October 18

• IPC Board Room from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm
  

Thursday, October 20

• IPC Board Room from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm

Thursday, October 27

• IPC Board Room from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Future Teachers Among Us: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

With a culture centered around innovation, our District ignites the hearts and minds of not only our students but our staff as well. Each day we are inspiring individuals to choose their own path and chase their dreams. We have several staff working in our schools while pursuing their dreams of becoming a teacher. To share our appreciation for their dedication to serving our students, we want to recognize these individuals.

This week we celebrate Dylan Martin, Kayden Hoeke, Whitney Thies! Join us in recognizing them by connecting with them in your school, sending them a note of encouragement, or sharing your best study tips!

Are you currently pursuing a degree in teaching? Do you know someone who works in your school who is? Email kate.dipasquale@sf.k12.sd.us to be recognized or help recognize them!

The second virtual forum in our Family Forum Series - a new partnership between SFSD and Avera to help bring families and experts together on important topics - will be taking place tomorrow evening (Tuesday, October 18) at 6 pm. This month's topic will be about Anxiety.

You can join the webinar by clicking the button below.

Your anonymous participation on a secure web platform provides a safe space to learn about the challenges facing today’s students and the resources available for help. Sessions, each approximately 40 minutes in length, will be recorded and posted on the same site for on-demand playback at your convenience.

What changes and/or improvements would you like to see to enrich student and/or staff experiences in SFSD? A reminder that we are collecting your ideas throughout the month of October. If you haven't shared anything yet, we'd love to hear from you! Submit your ideas, read and comment on the ideas of others, and vote for those you think need consideration. Watch your idea turn into action!

Deadline to submit ideas is October 31st, 2022

Notice from the Sioux Falls School District About Your Prescription Drug Coverage and Medicare

*This notice applies to you or your covered family members who are or become eligible for Medicare prescription drug coverage. If this notice does not apply to you, you can disregard it.

Please read this notice carefully and keep it where you can find it. This notice has information about your current prescription drug coverage with Sioux Falls School District and about your options under Medicare’s prescription drug coverage. This information can help you decide whether or not you want to join a Medicare drug plan. If you are considering joining, you should compare your current coverage, including which drugs are covered at what cost, with the coverage and costs of the plans offering Medicare prescription drug coverage in your area. Information about where you can get help to make decisions about your prescription drug coverage is at the end of this notice.

Questions? Email benefits.sfsd@k12.sd.us

The "On the Road to Financial Success" workshops target those members in the early and middle stages of their careers and offer a wide-ranging spectrum of money-related topics to promote personal financial awareness and increase retirement preparedness through budgeting and financial planning exercises.

Click the link to register: https://sdrs.sd.gov/events/earlymidcareer/schedule.aspx

South Dakota Retirement is currently aware of some organizations and/or advisors offering financial planning services that seemingly represent themselves as affiliated with SDRS. Other than Nationwide Retirement Solutions (NRS), who administers the SDRS Supplemental Retirement Plan (SRP), SDRS does not work with or endorse any external vendors for financial planning services. SDRS should always be the first point of contact with questions about benefits.

SDRS has provided members with more information in the link below.

Questions? Please contact South Dakota Retirement Systems at 605-773-3731.

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

• Wednesday, November 9th: 12:30pm - 1:30pm - The Stress and Addiction of News Consumption

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

Stress is a national epidemic and as the summer fades, and another school year begins, stress tends to peek. Stress management and resilience building are particularly important to your overall health. Here are several tips to help:

1. Recognize and counter signs of stress: Your body sends signals that it’s stressed, including difficulty concentrating, headaches, cold hands, tight muscles, a nervous stomach, clenched teeth, feeling on edge, fidgety, irritable, or withdrawn. Knowing how your body communicates can help you deal with stressful moments. Learn to not only recognize but also to name these feelings, either to oneself or to a friend. Then, take action to counter their effects. For example, deep breathing, stretching, going for a walk, writing down your thoughts and taking quiet time to focus can help induce relaxation and reduce tension
2. Take time for yourself: Make taking care of yourself a daily routine. It’s not selfish or self-indulgent — and it might require saying “no” to requests or prioritizing yourself along with your responsibilities. Start with small changes in your routine to help build resilience to stressful circumstances. Work in time to exercise, eat healthy foods, participate in relaxing activities and sleep. In fact, including a regimen of exercise, which for some may include yoga or meditation, can be very important when feeling stressed. Also, take time to notice the “good minutes” in each day or to do something that you enjoy, such as reading a book or listening to music, which can be a way to shift your attention and focus on the positive rather than the negative.
3. Try new routines: From scheduling baths and bedtimes to blocking off time to plan and prioritize tasks, additional structure can provide a daily framework that allows you to attune to your body’s signals. Then, you can take steps to potentially manage stress earlier than you once did.
4. Stay connected and make new friends: Stay in touch with family, friends, and groups in your life — technology makes this easier than ever. Having or being a person to talk with can be reassuring and calming. Using video features can enhance the connection in telecommunication or online communications for some people.

Recognizing individual signals of a body’s stress responses and learning to respond to those signals in new ways can help build the emotional, intellectual, and physical strength that comprise resilience, which can help you tackle future stressors.

Adapted from Sand Creek

Each week, we want to introduce you to some pets in our Sioux Falls School District community! To kick-off our introductions, this week we have some pets from the Human Resources department. Say hello to Archie, Daisy, Hades, Joy, Sampson, and Walt!

Whether they are at your home or in your classroom, submit your pet by completing this brief Google form and emailing a photo of them to Kate DiPasquale at kate.dipasquale@k12.sd.us. Those who submit their pet will be entered to win a Starbucks gift card!