The final month of the school year is starting out with a whole host of important staff to highlight!

The day to day tasks of school principals may vary from school to school, but they all share one thing in common: they're busy! From Elementary to High School, they are responsible for creating a safe, nurturing, and conducive learning environment for students while managing the overall operation of the school. They work tirelessly to ensure that teachers are equipped with the necessary resources and support to deliver quality education, and they also provide guidance and mentorship to staff members. SFSD principals are passionate about their work and often go above and beyond their duties to make a positive impact on the lives of their students. Let's all take a moment to thank our wonderful school principals this week!

We all have "that one teacher." That one whose name we'll never forget. Let's take some time to say thank you to the teachers that make such a monumental impact on our students everyday!

There are 77 different languages present within the Sioux Falls School District. Communicating clearly and effectively to students and parents is vital for student achievement, and our interpreters help make that possible every day. Interpreters (both for spoken and sign languages) enable us to connect to one another while celebrating our differences and embracing the diversity that makes our district such a special place to grow and thrive. Thank you for playing a key role in the lives of students and families!

SFSD school lunch workers play an important role in the education system. Their commitment to providing healthy and nutritious meals to students is essential for growth and development. Our school lunch professionals do important work to prepare and serve meals that meet the nutritional needs of students, while also accommodating dietary restrictions and preferences. They provide a much-needed service to the community, ensuring that students have access to healthy food to take on the challenges of the day. The dedication and hard work of school lunch hero's is a testament to their commitment to students and their well-being, and they deserve a hearty **Thank You!** for their invaluable contribution to the day-to-day success of students.

This week we celebrate the importance of health and PE education. A well-rounded education wouldn't be complete without health and PE. It's where students learn critical personal and social skills, important character values such as resilience, fairness, respect, equality, and inclusion, and fundamental motor skills needed to participate in physical activity. Healthy habits are formed in these classes that help students to grow into active and aware young adults. Thank you to all the health and PE teachers for their work teaching these life-changing skills to students across SFSD!

Speech Language Pathologist Month is observed in May each year to increase awareness about communication disorders and hearing health. This is a month to focus on the importance of understanding speech and hearing disorders, to prevent hearing loss, and to encourage people to seek treatment for hearing and speech-related issues if they notice them developing. Thank you to all SFSD speech-language pathologists and audiologists for the important work you do everyday!

Registration is now open for the 2023 Inspire Education Conference, August 2nd-3rd at Jefferson HS!

This conference is open to all SFSD employees free of charge! Topics include MTSS, PBIS, mental health, restorative practices, PLC+, literacy, strengthening core instruction and many more!

Click here to view the full conference schedule and session descriptions.

Click here to view sessions by topic.

Click here to register!

It's been another busy week for the Sioux Falls Education Foundation as they've awarded fourteen more Public School Proud Grants across the District!

2023 will be a record year for the Education Foundation as they award a record number of grants and overall funding to educators.

Congratulations to all the Public School Proud grant recipients! Thank you for going the extra mile to benefit your students! (Be sure to follow the link below for a full list of recipients!)

Faith is new to us this year at RHS and works primarily with our RISE students. This nomination takes us back to the fall when one of our students snuck out of the building in a T-shirt on a cold fall day. The search took over four hours and many staff members were out looking as well as law enforcement and other city resources. Faith took her own time to drive and search for him as well. Finally she went home and listened to a police scanner to hear if there was any good news. When law enforcement found the young man in a ditch by a field, sher heard the location and was at the scene within minutes. The boy was very scared and did not want to go with the officers. When Faith arrived she explained her position with the school and asked if she could see him. She immediately went to him and gave him a hug and comforted him. With her help, she was able to get him to settle down and know he was safe. When I asked her about it, she said she couldn't imagine what he was going through and knew he had to have someone he recognized and trusted when he was found. That's going above and beyond the call of duty to say the least! Faith is a valued member of Roosevelt and the Sioux Falls School District.

For 150 years, SFSD has provided a high-quality public education to hundreds of thousands of students. Student success is heavily dependent upon the adults who guide learning, develop expectations, and personally display a positive attitude and caring spirit. This award celebrates staff members who embrace the mission/vision of SFSD with excellence and professionalism, and who leave their mark without fanfare.

South Dakota Retirement will be hosting a Lunch & Learn via ZOOM on Wednesday, May 3rd. Grab your lunch and join them for a quick overview of SDRS and its benefits!

SDRS Lunch & Learn: General Overview

May 3, 2023

12:15-12:45 PM (CT)

Register via ZOOM: https://state-sd.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JAPks_C3TKSebbN0Xy9a8A#/registration

If you are unable to attend the Lunch & Learn, you may also visit the SDRS website at www.sd.gov/sdrs for more information about the retirement benefits available to you.

Teachers and Administrators: Have you checked your SD Educator Certification expiration date? Do it today! https://www.sd.gov/411

After October 1 each year, Teachers and Administrators with expired licenses are charged an additional $100 to renew. Also, the Be proactive and check your certification today! Then, ask your co-workers to check their certification.

If you find you need to renew your license this spring, check out the Renewal Requirements.

Click the link below to register for Sand Creek EAP’s live webinars.

• Wednesday, May 10th - 12:30pm - 1:30pm - A Balancing Act for the Work and Personal Life Seesaw
• Wednesday, June 14th - 12:30pm - 1:30pm - Healthy Living: Navigate Life’s Transitions

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

• The last day SFEA (Teachers) staff may use personal leave or a wellness day is May 12th.
• For all other employee groups (EAs, Clerical, Specialists, Custodial, etc), please refer to each working agreement for specifics, as restricted time frames for personal leave may be different.

Working Agreements can be found here: Working Agreements

Sioux Falls School District continually strives to offer and educate staff about our unique and advantageous benefits. One such benefit is our elective retirement savings plan(s) that employees can utilize to help provide financial security at retirement. In order to ensure you receive information about this benefit, we are pleased to provide you with a newsletter that has been prepared by the compliance administrator for our plan(s), U.S. OMNI & TSACG Compliance Services (OMNI/TSACG). In addition to providing information about our plan(s), OMNI/TSACG also offers a Financial Wellness website that covers areas such as managing personal finances, college funding options, and how to navigate Social Security when the time comes. You will find calculators, videos, and informative content on various topics to help guide you in your planning process.

The newsletter will be sent each quarter, and we encourage you to take advantage of this excellent resource.

Questions? benefits@k12.sd.us

View the OMNI/TSACG Spring Newsletter HERE

May is National Mental Health Month. After the last two years of pandemic living, many people are realizing the stress, isolation, and uncertainty can take a toll on their well-being. It’s natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief and worry during challenging times. Learning to cope with stress in a healthy way will help you, people you care about, and those around you become more resilient. Here are some healthy ways to cope and manage stress in your life.

1. Take breaks from news stories, including those on social media - It’s good to be informed, but constant discouraging information can be upsetting. Consider limiting news to just a couple times a day and disconnecting from your phone, TV, and computer screens for a while.
2. Take care of your body - Eating more fruits and vegetables, going to bed at the same time each night, and moving at least 20 to 30 minutes a day will help manage your stress levels in your body.
3. Make time to unwind - Take a break from your busy day to do activities that you enjoy.
4. Connect with others - Talk and spend time with those that you trust and love.
5. Connect with your community - Join a group activity in your community. Try connecting online, through social media, or by phone or mail.

Adapted from Sand Creek

We’re here for YOU. The District is pleased to offer the Sand Creek Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to help employees and their families find support and the necessary resources when difficult situations arise. Sand Creek helps with everyday life struggles by offering solutions such as mental health counseling, work/life resources, legal/financial resources, medical advocacy, life/wellness coaching, and a personal assistant. Additionally, the EAP is an excellent option for webinars, articles, and other resources to help support our well-being. Our EAP through Sand Creek is free, professional, and confidential.

Learn more about Sand Creek HERE