District Dialogue

We are officially closed the chapter on the Fourth Annual Everybody Reads community challenge, and it was a sweet success! 🍬📚

With our partners at Siouxland Libraries, Augustana University, and University of Sioux Falls, we far exceeded our goal of 350,000 books read with a whopping total of 429,845 books, allowing us to present a $1,700 donation to REACH Literacy!

Thank you to our generous sponsors Sora, Follett Learning, and Bound to Stay Bound Books for helping us sprinkle some extra sweetness into Sioux Falls and making this gift possible! But most importantly, thank you to our SFSD librarians and staff who helped make this another successful year!

It's Afterschool Professionals Week and we are sending a HUGE thank you to the incredible people who support our students beyond the school day! From our CLC staff who serve over 1,800 elementary students at 22 schools, to the afterschool club leaders, tutors, mentors, and community partners making an impact at the middle and high school level, you all play a major role in helping kids thrive.

THANK YOU! We are so grateful for everything you do!

Our team of administrative professionals are some of the first smiling faces our students and families see each morning. They keep our schools operating seamlessly, juggling more hats than we can count, and somehow, they make it all look effortless! These individuals are the organizers, the problem-solvers, the planners, and the calm-in-the-storm people who keep everything moving forward.

THANK YOU to all of our incredible administrative professionals across SFSD for being the heart of our District! We appreciate you more than you know!

As a Reading Interventionist, Ann has spent years quietly changing lives, one reader at a time. Nominated by Principal Demi Moon, Ann is the kind of person who never seeks the spotlight, but shines anyway. She is a calm and steady presence for students and staff alike. Students adore her, colleagues count on her, and Memorial Middle School simply won't be the same when she retires at the end of the year. Ann believes, to her core, that every child deserves the gift of reading, and she has dedicated her career to give it to them.

Congratulations, Ann! Thank you for everything you have given to Memorial and the Sioux Falls School District! ✨

Join us on Tuesday, April 29th at the Instructional Planning Center (201 E. 38th Street) for a showcase of amazing artwork from students at all four high schools. The exhibition includes pieces submitted to the SDHSAA State Art Competition, including several award-winning works!

The gallery will be open from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm with a reception from 6-7:30 pm.

Stop by any time and support our talented student artists!

The Jefferson Symphonic Band is teaming up with the Dallas Brass for a special concert on Tuesday, May 6 at Jefferson High School!

This unique performance will take audiences on a musical journey through American history, featuring everything from Dixieland and Swing to Broadway and Patriotic favorites.

Even better, one of the Dallas Brass trumpet players, Luis Cardenas Casillas, is a 2009 Roosevelt High School graduate!

Join us for a great night of music! Purchase your tickets here! ---> https://drive.google.com/.../1q5hfscf2CpnauKLCpzb8CC.../view

The Sioux Falls School Board election is coming up on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. Four candidates are running for two open seats: Elizabeth Duffy, incumbent Nan Kelly, Patricia Ringold, and Thomas Werner. Current School Board President Carly Reiter will not seek reelection.

To help voters get to know the candidates, the League of Women Voters is hosting a School Board Candidate Forum on Wednesday, April 30th, from 6:30 to 7:30 PM at IPC. This is a valuable opportunity to hear directly from the candidates about their priorities for our schools. Can't make it to the forum? We'll provide a recording after the fact. Stay tuned!

We are excited to announce that TeamMates has been selected as one of 10 nonprofit organizations to participate in this year's Health Connect Human Race, a community fundraising event supporting causes across the Sioux Empire!

The Human Race includes a 5K run and a 1 mile fun walk at Sertoma Park on Saturday, June 7th at 9 am. When you register, you get to choose a non-profit to support and 75% of your registration fee will go directly to TeamMates when you select them.

This is a fun, family-friendly way to get active and make a difference for the mentoring matches that benefits students across all grade levels!

We hope to see you there!

AllOne Health (previously 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, AllOne Health offers FREE monthly webinars that cover a variety of topics. Below are a couple upcoming ones!

To register for a AllOne Health account, visit https://allonehealthmemberportal.mylifeexpert.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.

Fear and anxiety can hold us back from being fully present and enjoying our lives. In this class, participants will dive into the similarities and differences between fear and anxiety, and how they can impact productivity and comfort. We’ll explore how to harness the power of our thoughts to successfully manage these feelings. You’ll also learn practical coping strategies and resources to help you move forward with confidence. Join us to transform fear and anxiety into opportunities for growth!

Wednesday, May 14th, 2025 | 12:30pm to 1:30pm

Register Online!

Effective communication within teams is crucial for achieving personal and professional goals. In this session, participants will dive into team dynamics through discussions, hands-on exercises, and insightful debriefs. We’ll explore proven strategies for fostering collaboration and resolving conflicts, while learning how to apply these concepts in real-world scenarios. By the end of the seminar, participants will walk away with practical tools and resources to inspire their teammates, enhance teamwork, and ensure seamless collaboration to achieve shared objectives.

Wednesday, June 11th, 2025 | 12:30pm to 1:30pm

Register Online!

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Tuesday, April 15th for our Recognition Banquet! We enjoyed celebrating our 25-year honorees and retirees whose hard work and commitment continue to shine brightly within our District.

And, if you missed the event or want to relive the special moments, you can watch the full program here:

This week we celebrate Mario Chiarello, Beth DeRuyter, Cheryl Munkvold, Lori Novak, and Bonnie Prodanovich their incredible careers with the Sioux Falls School District. Their dedication has been a guiding light, helping students and colleagues shine brighter along the way. Now they’re stepping into a well-earned retirement, leaving behind a lasting constellation of excellence.

Take a moment to stop by their classrooms or send an email to share your well wishes as they reflect on their journey and step into this new season of life.

Mario, Beth, Cheryl, Lori, and Bonnie - thank you for a lifetime of guiding, inspiring, and making a difference. Your impact will forever be part of the SFSD universe. Congratulations on your retirement!

If you are interested in flexible spending for 2025-2026 or want to make any changes to your benefits, you must do so during open enrollment (flexible spending must be elected each year - it does not auto-renew).

Please note, you MUST go through the ENTIRE open enrollment process for these changes/selections to go through.

No action is required if you have no benefit changes and are declining flexible spending. Open enrollment is only for those who need to elect flexible spending (must be done every year - does not auto-renew) and/or are interested in making changes to any of their benefits.

Please visit this link to be taken to the Benefit Enrollment page: https://boonchapman.benselect.com/Enroll/Login.aspx?Path=SFSchoolDistrict

• Your username is your employee number.
• Pin: last 4 of your social security number and last two in year you were born

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

Click HERE to learn more about Open Enrollment and for a checklist to help guide you through the process!

Below are new opportunities posted within the last week. Be sure to check them out and apply online (at the link provided) if you’re interested! Please note, most job postings are open until filled. If you click on a link and receive an error message (“No matching records found”), it may mean the position has been filled. To view all Sioux Falls School District openings, please visit https://sf.schoolspring.com/.

• Head Cross Country Coach with or without Teaching at Jefferson High School: https://sf.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5105741

• Resource Education Assistant - 0.875 FTE at Roosevelt High School: https://sf.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5105736

• 3rd Grade Teacher - 1.0 FTE at Hayward Elementary: https://sf.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5102215
• 5th Grade Teacher - 1.0 FTE at Cleveland Elementary: https://sf.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5109001

• High School Social Studies Teacher - 1.0 FTE at Jefferson High School: https://sf.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5089254
• High School Science Teacher (Physical and/or Chemistry) - 1.0 FTE at Jefferson High School: https://sf.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5105760

• Special Education Teacher - 1.0 FTE at John F. Kennedy Elementary: https://sf.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5110543

Questions? Contact Kate Rovang at kate.rovang@k12.sd.us.

What Is It

Pollen is the grains or tiny seeds of flowering plants, trees, and grasses. These seeds can be carried on the wind and can cause many symptoms, or none at all, if exposed to them.

Health Impact

If you have hay fever, also known as "allergic rhinitis," breathing in pollen can cause:

• sneezing
• congestion
• runny nose

Pollen exposure can also result in "allergic conjunctivitis," causing:

• red eyes
• watery eyes
• itchy eyes

Pollen exposure can also cause asthma attacks if you have asthma, and pollen is an asthma trigger.

Prevention of Allergies

If you are allergic to pollen, or if you have asthma, you can take steps to protect yourself:

• Check pollen forecasts and limit outdoor time during high levels.
• Take your allergy and/or asthma medicine as prescribed by your health care provider.
• Do not touch your eyes outside and wash your hands before touching your eyes indoors.
• Shower after being outside to remove pollen from your skin and hair.
• Change your clothes after being outdoors. Keep windows closed during pollen season.
• Use high-efficiency filters in your home’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Make sure your HVAC system can use high-efficiency filters and that they don’t violate the system’s warranty.

Content sourced from: CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention