District Dialogue

The Instructional Coaches at Susan B. Anthony Elementary nominated Olivia Jacobson for her "exceptional handling of a sudden shift in her teaching role, coupled with her resilience and unwavering dedication, makes her an exemplary candidate for this honor. When Olivia faced the unexpected transition to teaching a different grade in a different building, she embraced the challenge with remarkable grace and adaptability. She quickly and thoughtfully revamped her classroom to meet the needs and interests of her new students, creating a welcoming and engaging learning environment. On the first day of her new position, Olivia arrived at the in-service with genuine enthusiasm and an eagerness to connect with her new team. Her approach set a positive tone for collaboration and relationships within her new school community. Olivia’s professionalism and dedication to students are evident in her daily interactions. She consistently shows a deep commitment to student success and well-being. Olivia’s resilience and ability to turn a challenging situation into an opportunity for growth make her an exceptional educator."

Congratulations Olivia! You are an All Star!

Do you have a coworker or colleague who is constantly going above and beyond? Do you notice when somebody is going out of their way to make a student's day just a little bit brighter? Do you have a staff member who consistently brings their best, day in and day out? We want to hear about it! We know that amazing things happen every day in every building of the Sioux Falls School District, and we need your help to tell those stories. Recognize a coworker for their amazing dedication to the work of SFSD.

We are now just days away from the Sioux Falls Stampede Home Opener vs the Lincoln Stars on Saturday, October 5th at 6:05 PM! Saturday Night will be our Annual Youth Jersey Giveaway, where the first 1,000 kids 12 and under get a Stampede Youth Replica Jersey as well as a Pre-Game Tailgate Party before we open the Doors at 5 PM. After doors open around 5pm, fans will be able to participate in a scavenger hunt, get a balloon from Mr. Twister and more family fun will be announced! Fans be sure to get your tickets early so you can get in line to get a Youth Jersey, they will go fast!

Through this exclusive special, tickets are only $22 for the gold level (rows 2-6), $17 for blue level seats (rows 7-14) and $14 for gray level seats (rows 15-21). Upgrades to the Black and Club Seating Levels are available.

To reserve your tickets, visit https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/supergroupoct5

Fall is here, and so is football season! Whether you're a die-hard NFL fan or love cheering on your college team, don't miss out on exclusive ticket discounts through Sioux Falls School District's Savings Marketplace. Score your seats today and catch all the action live!

Need to get Halloween-ready? We've got you covered with scary good prices on all your spooky essentials. And with the holidays approaching fast, why not start planning now? Whether it's a dream vacation or the perfect gifts for loved ones, we offer unbeatable savings to make this holiday season the best one yet.

Enrolling is quick, easy and free! Just visit https://sf.savings.workingadvantage.com to start saving today!

The Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation is requesting proposals for our 2024 Excellence in Education initiative, a program that awards grants to area teachers to help bring innovative classroom projects to life.

Classroom teachers from all grade levels in Lincoln, McCook, Minnehaha, and Turner counties are eligible to apply. This includes childcare providers from nonprofit centers and teachers at parochial, private, and public schools.

Apply online today! Applications are due by Midnight TONIGHT - Monday Sept. 30, 2024.

If given enough thought, we all can probably name someone we looked up to when we were younger. Roosevelt High School students are finding themselves right back where they started; and they are loving it!

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!

Imagine Solutions Conference is a nationally known thought leader conference that brings world-class visionaries to share ideas on today's most relevant issues. The conference offers an impressive speaker lineup in topics, such as Science and Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Arts, Music and much more. We are excited to provide Sioux Falls School District teachers the opportunity to attend this year's conference virtually. Registered attendees will receive a link to the recorded videos.

During the past 14 years, the Imagine Solutions Conference (ISC) has brought together more than 550 world-class experts to learn, springboard, and leverage their capabilities to effectively address social issues. Their mantra, "a profound respect for learning" mirrors the heart and soul of teachers who "love to learn." The ISC Virtual Learning Program for the Sioux Falls School District was created out of these beliefs, allowing all teachers to participate for free.

All registered teachers qualify for 5 hours of professional development for registering and completing a brief survey after watching all of the videos.

The South Dakota Retirement System (SDRS) has created Retire Ready, a new virtual format for group presentations. The SDRS Retire Ready series will consist of four short presentations, all designed to increase your financial awareness and help you prepare for retirement. All SDRS members, at any stage of their career, will benefit from the information provided. These 45-60 minute presentations are held via ZOOM every Wednesday on a rotating-basis.

SDRS 101 | October 2nd, 2024 from 10:00am to 11:00am

Take a more detailed look at the system and its benefits, including how retirement benefits are calculated, understanding your annual Personal Benefits Statement, availability of survivor and disability benefits, and more.

Click HERE to register!

SDRS - SRP 101 | October 9th, 2024 from 10:00am to 11:00am

Retirement is expensive, and additional personal savings will be vital to having a financially successful retirement. You can learn more about how the SDRS-SRP can help you save for retirement to achieve your financial goals. Information will also be presented on the SDRS Special Pay Plan (SPP), an additional personal savings program funded by an employee’s termination pay.

Click HERE to register!

SDRS Financial Literacy | October 16th, 2024 from 10:00am to 11:00am

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.

Click HERE to register!

SDRS & SDRS-SRP Q & A | October 23rd, 2024 from 10:00am to 11:00am

Don’t take your co-worker’s word or office water cooler talk as truth. This Q&A session is a fantastic opportunity to ask your questions and get answers directly from SDRS staff who know the system and its benefits inside and out! Every session will have unique questions from our members.

Click HERE to register!

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, SandCreek offers FREE monthly webinars that cover a variety of topics. VBelow are a couple upcoming ones!

To register for a SandCreek account, visit www.SandCreekEAP.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.

Political Anxiety

Wednesday, October 9th, 2024 | 12:30pm to 1:30pm

Political divisions and anxiety have recently impacted our world in a way many of us have never before experienced. Regardless of our political affiliation, there are ways to avoid this stress, and not be fearful of family gatherings turning confrontational over politics. This course offers participants the strategies to acknowledge our differences, identify the areas of our lives that we can control, and engage with each other in a respectful way that mitigates political anxiety.

Register Online!

Holiday Survival Guide

Wednesday, November 13th, 2024 | 12:30pm to 1:30pm

For many, the holiday season is a wonderful time for celebration, family gatherings and joyful memories. For others, it's a time of sadness and, possibly, a feeling of being overwhelmed. In this seminar, participants examine sources of holiday stress and learn strategies for coping and managing their emotions, time, relationships and finances. Participants will also share ideas for organizing holiday tasks, managing holiday demands, and explore the role of holiday traditions in our lives.

Register Online!

We've all been there—tossing, turning, and fruitlessly attempting to catch some shut-eye. It’s time to break free from restless nights with this four-week challenge. Join us and discover simple, sustainable strategies for achieving your best rest. Those who complete the challenge will earn 20 points towards their 60 point program goal!

• Registration Dates: September 30th to October 21st
• Challenge Dates: October 14th to November 10th (The last day to record is November 17th.)
• Requirements to Complete: Track your daily hours of sleep (at least 1 hour per day) for at least 20 of 28 days.

Visit www.sfsdwellness.com to learn more and register for Your Best Rest!

This challenge is part of the SFSD Wellness Program and is available to all SFSD staff and spouses covered on the district’s medical plan.

Questions on the wellness program? Contact our Benefits Specialist at (605) 367-7661 or at benefits.sfsd@k12.sd.us.

Staying hydrated throughout the day is one of the many ways to prevent the common cold this fall. You can also help prevent a cold by eating immune boosting foods such as: fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, olive oil, whole grains and lean proteins. Another immunity booster? Pumpkins! They are high in beta carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A helps strengthen the immune system.

Adapted from US News