District Dialogue

The Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation has been busy, and will continue to stay busy, as they begin to deliver the good news of Public School Proud Grants to teachers throughout the District! Since 2008, the Education Foundation has been encouraging and funding innovative solutions to enrich education in all SFSD schools. This year they will see their total distribution of funds through Public School Proud Grants surpass the $1,000,000 mark! Congratulations to everybody involved!

Over the past week the Education Foundation has awarded ten more Public School Proud grants for a total of 41 so far this year! This weeks grants will go towards things like task boxes, physical therapy tools, puzzle toys, sensory tools, STEM tools, photography tools, and so much more! Congratulations to all of this week's grant recipients!

Click the button below to see a list of all the 2024 Public School Proud Grant recipients!

It was a night full of smiles, hugs, and and celebrations at the 63rd Annual Recognition Banquet! Every year, SFSD honors employees with 25 years of service and those who are retiring with a banquet to show appreciation for their years of dedication. Congratulations to everybody who was honored, and thank you for your commitment to the students and families of SFSD! Want to relive the evening? Check out more photos here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBm4HY or watch the video below.

Congratulations to our newest🌟 SFSD All-Star 🤩, Becky Whitlock! Becky is a RISE Instructional Coach and works throughout SFSD. One of only two instructional coaches who support RISE programming across Sioux Falls, she goes above and beyond each and every day. Not only is she supporting the teachers who support our students, she is working behind the scenes to help choose curriculum, supports and interventions for students of all abilities. Find out why her coworkers feel lucky to have her.

Jefferson High School is still very new, and therefore, so is its band program. However, JHS has been able to accomplish some impressive firsts already: they have the only HS steel drum group in the region and they currently are the only school with a competitive winter indoor drumline. That drumline has already seen tremendous success in the first year, which bodes well for the future of this growing program overall. Learn more.

SHINE stands for Scholarship, Honors, Innovation, Networking and Exceptionalism. We’re looking for stories we can tell about high school seniors, any-age students, staff (yes, you can and should absolutely fill out this form for yourself!), projects and programs. Have a new partnership that is benefitting the classroom? Win a grant you think the world should know about? Get nominated for or receive a state-wide, regional or national honor? Know a senior stand-out on a team, in the fine arts arena, or in the classroom? How about younger students who are leading by example, making giving to charity a priority, or are making the most of a bad situation? Should a program or portion of your school be highlighted? What about some current projects: experiments, field trips, new collaborative lessons?

Send your suggestions today, and keep this in mind for the days, weeks and months ahead!

Please send any cards to "Attn: Learning Lab - Crystal Williams"

The Jefferson High School Project Based Learning Academy is pleased to announce that we will once again host a Project Based Learning Summer Institute at Jefferson High School. 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. Come think, struggle, learn (and have FUN!) with the PBL Academy staff and grow your project facilitation skills. Registration information is attached. You may take this District approved course for continuing education hours or for graduate credit through the University of South Dakota.

Until the end of April teachers and educators can bring in your teacher badge to purchase a $20 sauna session! Take some time for yourself to relax, boost your immune system and rejuvenate in the comfort and privacy of your own sauna suite.
Call us to schedule your appointment today
605.275.5565
*Session to be purchased and used same day

*This offer will be honored for ALL SFSD staff

We are excited to announce that Friday, May 3rd will be the official Sioux Falls Storm game to support Operation Hope and Caring! The Sioux Falls Storm will be taking on the Green Bay Blizzard at 7:05 PM at the Denny Sanford Premiere Center, and a portion of tickets purchased at https://www.levo.org/operation-hope-and-caring will go to help our schools that don't benefit from a PTA/PTO. You can click the link below to purchase tickets directly and make the biggest impact for our students!

For the past several years, Levo and the Sioux Falls STORM have teamed up for Operation Hope & Caring – a fundraiser to level the playing field for all schools and students, especially those without PTAs/PTOs. As a new twist, we are adding a tshirt to the many options staff have to support this important partnership. Please see the link below to purchase your shirt (and more for your friends and family)! Consider how you can support these schools TODAY!

How cool is this!? 100% of the proceeds from LEVO's Perky Coffee will go to Operation Hope and Caring, which has a direct impact on our schools. Click the button below to get your bag today!

SDRS Financial Literacy: Build on your budgeting and savings skills and increase your awareness of the many challenges we encounter during our careers and into retirement. Be empowered to take charge of your finances and be more prepared for retirement.

• April 17, 2024 - 7:00pm - 8:00pm - Register via Zoom

Q&A Session: Ask your questions and get answers from SDRS staff. Every session will have unique questions from our members, so feel free to tune in often.

• April 24, 2024 - 7:00pm - 8:00pm – Register via Zoom

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

Handling a Family Crisis- May 8, 2024 from 12:30pm to 1:30pm

This class was created for managers supporting employees experiencing a family crisis. For employees going through a family crisis, this class will cover how to manage expectations and emotional exchanges that may occur while having challenging conversations. Participants will learn healthy coping mechanisms during times of transition, as well as how to address and get support with potential financial challenges.

It’s Open Enrollment Time: April 8th through April 26th

Interested in Flexible Spending for 2024-2025 or Making a Change to Your Benefits?

If you are interested in flexible spending for 2024-2025 or want to make any changes to your benefits, you must do so during open enrollment. Please note, you MUST go through the ENTIRE open enrollment. Use the attached enrollment guide to help you through the enrollment.

Not Interested in Flexible Spending for 2024-2025 and Not Making Any Changes?

No action is required if you have no benefit changes and are declining flexible spending. Open enrollment is only for those who have/need to elect flexible spending and/or are interested in making changes to any of their benefits.

• Questions? Contact benefits.sfsd@k12.sd.us

*Link to Open Enrollment PDF

7-1-24 Medical Rates

7-1-24 Dental Rates

Included Health has replaced the WellVia telehealth services.

• See a doctor fast with 247/7/365 access to board-certified doctors.
• Get prescriptions sent to a local pharmacy of your choice.
• Connect anywhere, anytime virtually from your smartphone, tablet, or computer.

*Included Health is available to all SFSD employees covered on the medical plan. Activate your account today: PDF

Included Health

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

2024 SFSD – Step-tacular Challenge

Starting April 22nd, 2024! Get ready to step up your fitness game and boost your daily activity! Over the course of several weeks, this challenge will help you achieve 5,000 steps per day. Cheers to moving more, feeling better, and establishing healthy daily routines along the way!

Learn more about this group challenge at: Step-tacular Group Challenge

Register today at www.sfsdwellness.com.

Syncing Your Apple Watch

To sync your Apple Watch to your Navigate Wellbeing portal, you will first want to download the Navigate Wellbeing app to your mobile device. Once you log-in to the Navigate app, you should be prompted to sync your health data – toggle on all categories you would like Navigate to have access to.

Already downloaded the app but haven’t been prompted to sync health data? Go to your iPhone’s settings, click Health, click Data Access & Devices, locate Navigate, and then turn on those you would like Navigate to have access to.

Did you know that about 15% of the calories in the American adult diet now come from added sugars! Over time, excess sweeteners can take a toll on your health. Studies have found a direct link between excess sugar consumption and obesity and cardiovascular problems.

Here are some tips to cut added sugars from your diet.

1. Choose water, milk, or unsweetened tea or coffee instead of sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, and fruit drinks.
2. Reduce sugar in recipes.
3. Enhance flavor by adding vanilla, cinnamon, or nutmeg.
4. Eat fresh, canned, frozen and dried fruits without added sugar. Choose fruits canned in their own juice or water rather than syrup.
5. Top foods like cereal and pancakes with fresh fruit.
6. Read the Nutrition Facts label to choose packaged foods with less sugars.

Adapted from Sand Creek