SVE Hiltunen Happenings
Friendship February 2025
Hello February. We are celebrating this month as Friendship February!
(Photo: Left to right-Crystal Niemann (Administrative Assistant), Heather Hiltunen (SVE Principal), and Tiffany Thompson (Medical Office Assistant).
Welcome to February! ❄️❤️
Hello, SVE families!
February is here, bringing lots of exciting learning and fun! This month, we celebrate kindness, friendships, and hard work. From classroom activities to special events, there’s so much to look forward to!
We will be having our Kids Heart Challenge with a new fundraising focus—turf for our playground! (See more details below, and watch for more information coming home with your child.) Plus, we have a Book Fair and conferences all this week too…oh my!
Be sure to check out the details in this newsletter to stay up to date on all things Sioux Valley Elementary.
Stay warm and keep shining, Cossacks! 💙🤍
Don’t forget, Hiltunen Happenings newsletters are emailed monthly and are also available on the SVE Learning HUB on our district website for easy reference. 🌟
Warm regards,
Mrs. Heather Hiltunen
SVE Principal
Title I and our Title I Interventionist
Our Title I Interventionist is Mrs. Bezdichek.
February 2025
Key Building Blocks of Reading
The Science of Reading focuses on essential literacy skills: Phonemic Awareness (hearing and manipulating sounds), Phonics (connecting letters to sounds), Vocabulary (building word knowledge), Fluency (reading with accuracy and expression), and Comprehension (understanding the text). Understanding these components helps families support their child’s reading journey and identify potential struggles early. For more information on how to support your child's reading, including signs of difficulty and tips for supporting your child at home, please refer to this month’s Title I newsletter.
Ms. Whitney Schnose, Sioux Valley Elementary School Counselor
Friendship February” is going to be all about how to communicate with each other, we will even dive into the different love languages and how important it is to show others around us we understand what makes them feel loved. This will help mold healthy friendships along with showing respect to all peers.
Understanding how to foster friendships is crucial for elementary students for a variety of reasons:
Social Skills Development: Friendships provide opportunities for children to learn important social skills like communication, cooperation, problem-solving, and empathy. Through interactions with friends, they practice how to share, take turns, resolve conflicts, and support each other.
Emotional Support: Friendships help children build emotional resilience. Having a friend to talk to can help them feel understood and less isolated, especially when they are facing challenges, whether at school or at home. Friends offer comfort and encouragement during difficult times.
Boosting Confidence: Positive friendships can make children feel more confident and secure. Friends help each other feel accepted and valued, which is especially important as children are developing their sense of self. Feeling part of a group can boost a child’s self-esteem.
Academic Motivation: Friends can be a source of motivation for learning. When children work together on projects or share learning experiences, they can encourage each other, which makes learning more enjoyable and engaging.
Physical and Mental Health: Studies have shown that positive friendships can contribute to better physical and mental health in children. Friends encourage each other to engage in healthy activities, and their companionship can lower stress and anxiety levels
Sense of Belonging: Friendships help children feel connected to their school or community. A strong social circle gives them a sense of belonging, which is important for their overall well-being and happiness.
Conflict Resolution Skills: Through their friendships, children learn how to handle disagreements and learn the value of compromise. These experiences help them grow in emotional intelligence and prepare them for future relationships.
As you read, a few of these key points have been topics we have focused on already this school year such as; self-esteem, problem solving skills, and collaboration/teamwork. One of my favorite aspects about Social-Emotional Learning is that a variety of topics tie in together to help in other areas that are crucial to a successful future.
In summary, friends play a crucial role in elementary students' growth and development, helping them feel supported, connected, and confident as they navigate their early school years and hopefully continue on through middle/high school. Navigating these skills amongst peers can be challenging- that’s where I come into play and can help!
On another note: In February I am blessed to celebrate National School Counseling Week with your kids. They are the best part of my job and the reason for many of my smiles and laughs. Thank you for trusting me and allowing me to work with your children.
I will continue to send out resources as needed/when the month is over. Thank you all for your continued support.
SVE Fundraiser: Healthy Hearts & a Better Playground
SVE is excited to enhance our playground with Turf Surfacing through multiple phases of upgrades! Our plan includes six key areas for improvement, providing a safer and more enjoyable play space for all students. We welcome families and businesses to support this initiative by sponsoring specific areas of the playground. Sponsorship includes recognition rights and various donation options. If you’re interested in making a lasting impact on our school community, please contact Mrs. Hiltunen for more details on how you can contribute! heather.hiltunen@k12.sd.us or call 605-627-5657.
SAVE THE DATE
📚 The Scholastic Book Fair is Here! 📚
The Scholastic Book Fair is officially set up, and we’re excited to offer this wonderful opportunity for our students and families!
A reminder note will be sent home today—be sure to check those backpacks! We encourage families to join us at the Book Fair and support our school’s reading initiatives.
📖 Fair Hours:
📅 Tuesday, 2/11 – 7:45-8:30 AM & 3:15-4:00 PM
📅 Wednesday, 2/12 – 2:00-6:00 PM
📅 Thursday, 2/13 – 4:00-8:00 PM
Thank you for your support, and happy reading! 📖💙
The Dakota Players Bring Theatre to SVE!
🎭 Shoutout to Our K-5 Cossack Superheroes! 🦸♂️🦸♀️
A huge round of applause to our 51 K-5 students for their amazing performance in "The SUPERHERO Show", produced by the Dakota Players, an outreach of the Black Hills Playhouse! These talented students auditioned on Monday, Feb. 3 and put on two fantastic shows just four days later on Friday, Feb. 7—what an incredible achievement! We are so proud of their hard work and dedication.
Special thanks to SV PTO, SV Schools, and the SD Arts Council for sponsoring the show and supporting our students throughout the week! 💙🎭
Hello Kid Whisperer Nation!
Click the title above to explore "Kid Whisperer Nation Tips for Parents" from Scott Ervin on building strong relationships with students, sharing control, and promoting positive behaviors. All current Sioux Valley staff have been trained in-person by Mr. Ervin, which is why we’ve introduced classroom names, Delayed Learning Opportunities (DLOs), explicit teaching strategies, "Nows & Laters," greetings at the door, and more! These techniques help create a supportive and positive learning environment for all students. You might also find these techniques helpful at home—our hope is that your children will carry over what they are learning at school into everyday life. THIS MONTH'S TIPS:
Roughhouse with your kids, Your good point is not the point, I trust your judgement, You will hurt your kids a lot, and Showcase your positive interactions with adults.
If you haven't lately, be sure to check out the Podcasts section of our website. They are adding new episodes each month for parents and educators!
Check them out here.
And families, Scott Ervin is launching a pilot Online Behavioral Leadership for Families sessions in late May! If you are interested in signing up for this series, please send an email to: support@ervineducationalconsulting.com.
Keep up the good work! And as always, thanks for reading.
Lost & Found
As part of our ongoing efforts to keep our Lost & Found organized, any unclaimed clothing and other items will be donated on the last Friday of each month. We kindly ask for your cooperation in labeling your child’s belongings to help ensure they are returned if lost. Recently, we made our third donation of one large bag of clothing and water bottles to the Brookings Area Goodwill. We already have a handful of hats, gloves/mittens, and boots that have been left behind by his/her owner. 😮
UPCOMING EVENTS at Sioux Valley Elementary. CLIP and POST on YOUR REFRIGERATOR
Feb. 11-Kid Heart Challenge Assembly/Wellness Week/Playground/Turf Fundraiser
Feb. 10-13-Bring your child's decorated Valentine's Day boxes to school.
Feb. 11-13-Scholastic Book Fair (see information above, notes also sent home)
Feb. 12 & 13--Parent/Teacher Conferences and Scholastic Book Fair; No STAAR CLUB
Feb. 13-Valentine's Day classroom parties
Feb. 14-NO SCHOOL for STUDENTS. Professional Development Day for Staff
Feb. 17-NO SCHOOL for STUDENTS & STAFF (Presidents Day)
Feb. 19-STAAR CLUB for 3rd-5th Grade Students
Feb. 21-JK/K Screening (NO SCHOOL for JK & K students)
Feb. 26- STAAR CLUB for 3rd-5th Grade Students
Feb. 28-SVE Assembly
March 5-STAAR CLUB for 3rd-5th Grade Students
March 12-End of 3rd Quarter; STAAR CLUB for 3rd-5th Grade Students
March 13-14-NO SCHOOL (Spring Break)
March 19-STAAR CLUB for 3rd-5th Grade Students
March 26-NO STAAR CLUB
Remaining 2024-2025 Elementary Concert Dates:
April 14-5th Grade Music & Band Concert. 7pm. Cossack Gym.
April 28-4th Grade Spring Music Concert. 6pm. Cossack Gym.
LEAVING SCHOOL EARLY/MESSAGES AT END OF DAY (Taken from our 24-25 SVE Student Handbook)
When your child is ill, has a doctor’s appointment, is going to be with you on family business, or will be absent for other reasons, please contact the school before 8:50 a.m. If we do not hear from you, we will make every attempt to call you at home or work to make sure your child is safe. A written excuse sent with a sibling is necessary unless parents have called the school beforehand. Please note that if your primary students have a change in dismissal routine, a note or a call to the office or teacher is needed before1:00PM, if possible.
For the protection of your children, no student is permitted to leave the school at any time during the school hours without permission from the office. Students should call their parents from a school phone and/or on their cell phone (if they have one) with permission of a staff member and with the staff member present.
Parents desiring early dismissal for students with appointments should send a note of explanation to their child’s teacher or call the elementary office prior to dismissal. Students will be released only to parents, guardians, or other authorized persons registering at the office.
If the student becomes ill during the day, the school administrative assistant or the principal will contact the parents and a designated adult will pick the student up at the office.
We prefer a phone call or email to the elementary office as teachers are busy teaching and may not be able to check email and/or to take the time to let the office know. It is important for the office to know so we can make sure attendance is recording correctly and to be aware of the whereabouts of all students.
You Asked, We Answered: Your Questions About Sioux Valley Elementary. Please email questions to Mrs. Hiltunen at heather.hiltunen@k12.sd.us.
If you’ve got something you’re wondering about, don’t be shy! Shoot me an email, and I’ll make sure to tackle your question in next month’s newsletter.