Cossack Connection

Welcome Back, Cossacks!

I hope you and your family had a restful and meaningful Christmas break and were able to enjoy time together. As we return to school, I want to welcome everyone back and share how excited we are to begin the second semester.

January is a time to reset routines, refocus on goals, and start stacking small wins each day. Showing up prepared, staying organized, and asking for help when needed all go a long way toward long-term success.

Thank you for being part of the Sioux Valley community. We’re looking forward to a positive and productive second semester.

Student ALICE Training Dates During SRP with Deputy Kriese

• Monday, Jan. 12 – 8th Grade

• Tuesday, Jan. 13 – 7th Grade

• Thursday, Jan. 15 – 6th Grade

• Tuesday, Jan. 20 – 12th Grade

• Thursday, Jan. 22 – 11th Grade

• Friday, Jan. 23 – 10th Grade

• Monday, Jan. 26 – 9th Grade

January 12th - School Board Meeting @ 6:30 PM

January 16th - STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY; NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

January 19th - Martin Luther King Day - NO SCHOOL

January 28 - CTE Comprehensive Needs Assessment in Mitchell

January 30 - School Board Retreat @ 12:00-4:00 PM

February 5 - 3rd Quarter Midterm

February 9 - School Board Meeting @ 6:30 PM

February 11 - STAFF DEVELOPMENT - 2:00-6:00 PM

February 12 - HS Registration Information Night / Parent-Teacher Conferences - 4:00 - 8:00 PM

February 13 - No School; Comp Day

February 16 - Presidents Day - NO SCHOOL

March 11 - End of the 3rd Quarter

March 24 - Sioux Valley ACT Date for 11th Graders

Explore. Plan. Prepare for What’s Next.

Thursday, February 12th

4:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Join us for our High School Registration Information Night, held alongside Parent–Teacher Conferences. This is an informal, come-and-go event designed for both students and parents/guardians.

Families will have the opportunity to:

• Explore classrooms, labs, and the commons

• Meet Sioux Valley High School staff

• Learn about courses, programs, and academic opportunities available to students

Short presentations will be available for parents/guardians, focusing on topics such as:

• Senior Capstone Courses

• Developing strong study skills & healthy routines

• 4-Year course planning

• ACT preparation for juniors

• Dual credit opportunities

• Post-secondary pathways (4-year colleges, 2-year colleges, trades & technical careers)

More details will be shared as we get closer to the event. We hope to see you there!

Students & Parents,

Over the next few weeks, our School Resource Officer, Deputy Kriese, will meet with each grade level during SRP to review age-appropriate ALICE emergency response training. Our staff has been trained in ALICE for several years, and students completed this training previously as well. This is simply a refresher to make sure everyone knows what to do in the event of an emergency.

Grade-Level Training Dates

• Jan. 12 – 8th Grade

• Jan. 13 – 7th Grade

• Jan. 15 – 6th Grade

• Jan. 20 – 12th Grade

• Jan. 22 – 11th Grade

• Jan. 23 – 10th Grade

• Jan. 26 – 9th Grade

We appreciate your partnership in keeping our school community informed and safe.

The South Dakota Math and English Language Arts (ELA) assessments are administered to students in grades 3–8. South Dakota Science Assessment is administered to grades 3, 8 and 11 only. The testing window for these assessments is March 30 through May 8, 2026.

Beginning in spring 2026, 11th-grade students will take the national ACT to measure mastery of state standards. All juniors are registered to take the Sioux Valley ACT, which will be administered at 8:20 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. As this assessment is mandated by the South Dakota Department of Education, it is essential that 11th-grade students arrive on time. Because the ACT is a nationally normed assessment, late entry into the testing rooms will not be permitted.

Families are encouraged to schedule appointments, vacations, and other commitments outside of the March 24 testing date.

If an absence is unavoidable, the ACT make-up day will be Friday, March 27, 2026. Please note that students do not have regular classes on March 27; however, students taking the make-up ACT are required to report to school by 8:20 a.m.

Information regarding all assessments can be located on the South Dakota Department of Education site at www.doe.sd.gov.

Test Preparation Resources:

• ACT Test Prep: www.act.org
• Methodize ACT Prep: www.sdMyLife.com
• On to College ACT Prep: www.ontocollege.com
• March2Success: www.march2success.com
• Method Learning: www.methodlearning.com
• YouTube: Numerous videos offering testing tips and strategies

As we wrapped up the first semester, we want to share some encouraging academic trends across both Sioux Valley Middle School and High School.

Despite higher overall enrollment this year compared to last year, we saw a notable decrease in the number of students finishing the semester with failing or deficient grades—a strong indicator that our systems of support are making a difference.

Here’s what the data shows:

• Students with at least one failing grade had a 28.6% reduction.

• Students with at least one deficient grade (D or F) had a 14.0% reduction.

• At the high school level, the improvement was especially significant:

  • Students with at least one failing grade had a 63.6% decrease.

These gains are not accidental. A key contributor has been our Student Responsibility Period (SRP)—a dedicated intervention time designed to provide targeted academic support, increased accountability, and timely help before small struggles become bigger setbacks.

We are encouraged by this positive momentum and will continue refining our supports so that more students are not only passing their courses, but building confidence, habits, and skills that lead to long-term success.

Thank you to our students, staff, and families for partnering with us in this important work.

In the 2025–26 school year, Sioux Valley has seen a significant increase in student interest in online learning opportunities. A total of 44 students are enrolled in 16 different online high school courses.

Additionally, the dual credit program, which is sponsored by the South Dakota Board of Regents, allows students to earn both high school and college credit. This year, 64 Sioux Valley High School students have registered for a total of 146 dual credit courses through various colleges across the state.

I wanted to pass along a valuable opportunity offered through SDSU: Common Sense Parenting classes beginning in January. These classes provide practical strategies for building strong communication, setting healthy expectations, and navigating parenting challenges with confidence.

The next series runs January 8th – February 12th, and the flyer is attached for those who may be interested. There are already eight parents enrolled, and because of the high demand, additional sessions will be offered:

• February 17th – March 24th

• March 19th – April 30th (final series of the school year)

Parents who have participated in the past have shared that the sessions left them feeling supported, encouraged, and more confident in their parenting toolkit.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the class coordinator, Jan, using the information on the flyer.

Attention Senior Families: We’ve gathered everything in one place to help guide you through this important year. Our Senior Information Hub includes key details on:

• ✅ Graduation Requirements

• 🧠 ACT & Testing Resources

• 🎓 Post-Secondary Planning & College Visits

• 💰 Scholarship Opportunities

• 📅 Important Dates (Senior pictures, caps & gowns, etc.)

• 🔗 Helpful Resources and Links

Please encourage your senior to review the information and reach out to the school counseling office with any questions. Let's make senior year a success!

Methodize is a simple, yet effective online learning platform that empowers students to learn new skills and reach their potential. It offers a self-paced ACT preparation course that provides students in grades 9 to 12 with a comprehensive overview of the most effective strategies and the most relevant content for raising their ACT scores. Students who have used Methodize to study for the ACT have seen an average increase of 3 points!

Methodize is available at no cost to all South Dakota students in grades 9-12. This resource is provided by the South Dakota Department of Education and can be accessed through SDMyLife powered by Xello. Students and educators can simply log into their accounts and access Methodize at any time.

To learn more about utilizing Methodize as an ACT test preparation tool in your district, a free tutorial is available via Canvas, and you can register and view that here:

Methodize - Free ACT Test Prep Tutorial

https://sded.sd.gov/browse/division-of-college-career-and-student-success/office-of-student-wellness-and-supports/courses/methodize---free-act-test-prep-tutorial2025

Welcome back to the 25-26 school year! I found a resource I wanted to share with you that is now available at the South Dakota State Library.

Whether you have students prepping for exams or you yourself may need a little extra prep, you should check out Gale Presents: Peterson’s Test Prep, available at https://library.sd.gov. Go to Electronic Resources and search for Gale and choose Gale Presents: Peterson’s Test Prep. You and/or your students will need to log in or sign up to use this resource.

Browse menu to:

• Improve a Test Score in Foundational Skills, High School, College, Grad School and international tests
• Find a School – includes school and scholarship search tools, Financial Aid Quiz and a Teen’s Guide to College & Career Planning
• Explore Careers – includes career advice, online resume builder, job search and a Teen’s Guide to College & Career Planning
• Vocational Test Prep – includes prep for many of the CTE exams

Choose a category and when you click “View all”, you can add the courses to “My Resources” for quicker access.

Praxis exam prep is also available. The library will have this available for 1 year but the more it is used, the more likely they are to renew it.

If you wish to learn more, the library will have a session on Sept 3rd at 3:00pm and Sept 18 at 10:00am. Sign up is required and can be completed at https://library.sd.gov under the Training Calendar tab.

Please call the library at 605-773-3131 if you have any questions.

Thanks!

Do you know a student who loves science, asks great questions, and enjoys learning how things work? The PROMISE Scholars Program at Sanford Research is an incredible opportunity for motivated high school students interested in biomedical science.

This 10-week, hands-on summer research internship immerses students in real laboratory work alongside professional scientists. Scholars become part of a research team, learn advanced lab skills, connect with other science-minded students, and present their work at the Sanford Research Symposium.

Students selected for the program will:
• Work in a real biomedical research lab
• Learn how to design experiments, collect and analyze data, and interpret results
• Participate in Journal Club to review and discuss scholarly articles
• Explore scientific ethics, including data integrity and responsible research
• Present their research through a scientific poster and written reflection
• Attend career coaching sessions and explore post-secondary opportunities
• Earn 3 undergraduate elective credits through the University of South Dakota
• Receive a $4,000 scholarship
• Engage in outreach projects that bring science to the community

2026 Summer Program Details

• Dates: May 26 – July 31, 2026

• Time Commitment: Minimum of 35 hours/week for all 10 weeks (with up to 5 discretionary days)

• Eligibility:

  • Must be at least 16 years old by May 26

  • Must be entering senior year in Fall 2026 (home-school students also eligible)

  • Must have a strong interest in a research-related career

• Scholars will work directly with a Sanford Research mentor as part of their research team

• Finalists must attend a Science Boot Camp on Saturday, January 31 from 9:00 AM–3:00 PM

• Students are encouraged (not required) to take part in other PROMISE programs such as Research Shadowing, Teen Science Café, or Biomedical Research Investigations

How to Apply

Applications are available online, and the deadline is Friday, January 9, 2026.
Program Information & Application: https://bit.ly/PROMISEScholars

Please note: Housing is not provided, so this program is intended for regional students.

This is a remarkable opportunity for students to explore biomedical research, build college-level skills, and learn from leading scientists. We encourage interested students to apply!

To provide real-time access to attendance and grades, we have the Parent Portal on Infinite Campus. Many parents/guardians and teachers are embracing technology tools like Parent Portal on Infinite Campus, Google Classroom, and email communication as alternatives to in-person conferences. These tools offer information most relevant to parent/guardian interests.

If you need help connecting to the Parent Portal to view your child's attendance and grades, please feel free to contact Angie Andreasen in the MS/HS Office. We're here to assist you with any inquiries you may have.

Website: https://www.svs.k12.sd.us/
Location: 200 Hansina Avenue, Volga, SD, USA
Phone: (605) 627-5657

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