Sports offer huge benefits to the girls involved: Leadership opportunities, scholarship possibilities, and self-development are just a few. But perhaps most important - it's FUN to participate and spend time with friends old and new! Learn about high school sports opportunities for girls in the Sioux Falls School District.
https://youtu.be/LItUMMYZ8GY
In December, Sandy Lown with the Teddy Bear Den visited 5th graders at Sonia Sotomayor to talk about their mission and receive blankets from Project Warm-Up. Students asked how they could help the Teddy Bear Den and the reply was “diapers! We’re always in need of diapers!”
So. Lobos Leaders organized a diaper drive with a goal of collecting 5,000 diapers in the month of February. On Friday, Sandy came to pick up the donation….of over 33,000 diapers! Mayor Paul TenHaken was on hand to congratulate students and celebrate the importance of kindness. Way to go Lobos!
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls (Habitat) recently celebrated the dedication of two homes built in partnership with the Sioux Falls Career & Technical Education Academy (CTE) and Southeast Technical College (STC) during the 2022-23 school year. This is what we would call a win-win-win scenario: students learn and gain valuable experiences, collaborative partnerships are made and strengthened, and housing needs are bolstered in the community. Project Warm-Up was even on hand to give deliver some cozy housewarming gifts! Congratulations to all!
As we wrap up Public Schools Week, it's important to pause and reflect on what happens inside SFSD schools every day. Our schools are places of exploration and discovery, where students find their strengths and interests, making lifelong friendships and connections. In addition to academic learning, students gain important social skills, emotional intelligence, and build skillsets to last them long beyond graduation day. When we strengthen collaborations between schools, families, and communities, students are set up to achieve the highest possible outcomes. #PSW24 #PublicSchoolsWeek
It's more than just arguing. High school debate is a great way for students to use their voice and join a community. Washington High School head debate coach Angelica Mercado-Ford credits debate with helping her find her voice in high school, and she is now leading the next generation of speakers to follow their passions. Listen in as students share what debate means to them, and why it helps them find direction and meaning.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or here! https://youtu.be/YgtxBB78T5g
📚 Today is the first day of Everybody Reads! 📖 It's a collaboration between SFSD and Siouxland Libraries to celebrate all the joys of reading. 📗 Between now and March 22nd, our goal is to collectively read 300,000 books! The halls of schools and libraries throughout Sioux Falls will soon start filling up with paper 🌧️ rain drops 💧 to represent each book read. Superintendent Stavem sat down with Lucy from Siouxland Libraries and Mayor Paul TenHaken to discuss the importance of reading in our communities. Watch the video here! https://youtu.be/l_MQYpW0UsM
And remember, 🌦️ "Rain or Shine. Everybody Reads!" 🌈
Throughout the month of February, students across SFSD have been celebrating Black History Month. It's a time to recognize and honor the achievements, struggles, and successes of Black individuals throughout history. At Washington High School, members of the Black Student Union spoke with leaders from NAACP Sioux Falls about empowerment, how to help one another, and how to be a force for good in the community. Engaging in these meaningful conversations empowers students to work toward a future of which they can be proud. Thank you NAACP Sioux Falls 4102-B for your commitment to student engagement!
🏫 Public Schools Week is February 26th - March 1st! Public Schools Week is an annual celebration uniting schools, families, and communities to strengthen collaborations and highlight strategies for ongoing improvement. In today’s fast-paced world, public schools are enhancing both their academic and extracurricular offerings, catering to the diverse and evolving needs of students, and integrating technology and innovations to elevate the learning process. Join us in supporting our local public schools and uplifting our kids!
Everybody Reads starts this Friday, March 1st! In partnership with Siouxland Libraries, we will be adding one paper raindrop to walls across school and public libraries throughout Sioux Falls. Our goal is 300,000 books read from March 1st - March 22nd. Thanks to our sponsors, when our goal is met we can make a donation to our friends at REACH Literacy! Today we had members on KELOLAND Living to speak about our initiative. Be sure to tune in for more info! #EverybodyReads
In case you missed it, here is a link to the full ceremony for the 36th Annual Dr. John W. Harris Teacher of the Year program! This video includes the performance of the Ben Reifel Middle School Band, a segment where we get to know the finalists a bit better, and the entirety of last night's event. Make sure to watch until the end for bonus video from this morning, where the celebration continues, and Mrs. Thies shares what this acknowledgment means to her.
https://youtu.be/zRi0zERakkY
Last night's Teacher of the Year event was full of smiles, hugs, and happiness from everyone in attendance. Congratulations to everyone who was nominated and a special congrats to Katie Ellwein (One American Bank Distinguished Educator) and Susan Thies (Dr. John W. Harris 2024 Teacher of the Year)! Were you at the event? Feel free to get your photos here! https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBfGBH
Congratulations to Katie Ellwein, who is the recipient of the 2024 One American Bank Distinguished Educator Award! Katie teaches 4th grade at Laura B. Anderson Elementary School.
Per her nomination, "Katie is a great leader, an optimistic leader. She shows tremendous love for all kids." "Katie exudes the LBA way. She is always trying to grow as a teacher, she is unafraid to embrace change and she builds relationships with family members."
Thank you, Katie, for everything you do for students and parents every day. SFSD is a better place because of you!
A HUGE congratulations goes out to Susan Thies, winner of the 36th Annual Dr. John W. Harris Teacher of the Year Award! Susan teaches 5th grade at Garfield Elementary.
To paraphrase her nomination, "There are only a select few teachers I have ever come across that I would label as master teachers. Teaching is both an art and a science which requires full commitment mentally, emotionally, and physically. Teaching requires that you know your content, your students, and yourself, inside and out, completely. It is for these reasons, and many more, that I can say with complete conviction that Susan Thies is a master teacher."
Thank you, Susan, for your many years of dedicated service to education and the Sioux Falls School District. The lasting impact you've made on countless students will be felt for generations.
Watch the 2024 Teacher of the Year event live here, starting in moments!
https://youtube.com/live/emtSKRsWZNw?feature=share
Tonight is the night! The 2024 Teacher of the Year will be announced at an event starting at 7:00 PM. Watch the Live Feed section of the SFSD website for a link to watch LIVE on our YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emtSKRsWZNw
We have another LEVO Credit Union Adopt-a-Classroom Award winner! Andrea Bleil is a 4th grade teacher at Robert Frost Challenge Center and she was nominated by Abby Wheeler. Abby had this to say about Andrea, "Mrs. Bleil is my son's 4th grade teacher. She has such a positive and bright attitude and demeanor about her. Often times we focus so much on academics and forget that our students need so much more than just academics. Mrs. Bleil focuses on growth mindset and helping students navigate their feelings and emotions. She helps them to problem solve when they have a setback academically or socially and helps give them tools to build their self-confidence. These things are so important for our kids at a young age. Lessons on kindness and gratitude are focused on and she often acknowledges each individual student and things she specifically appreciates about each of them." Thank you Mrs. Bleil for being the best you can be for your students everyday!
National School Board Appreciation Week was Feb. 19-23, and we're pretty proud of ours! Our school board members work tirelessly to ensure our staff are well taken care of, our buildings are safe and up-to-date, and that our finances are used appropriately and responsibly. School board members come from many different backgrounds but they all have the same purpose, to serve students and positively represent their communities. School board meetings make up only a fraction of the work that is required to be a successful school board member. There are conferences, seminars, executive sessions, and training sessions, not to mention always staying on top of current trends in education (and going to extracurricular activities, community events, the list goes on!). So THANK YOU to all our current (and past) school board members. SFSD wouldn't have the success it does without you!
Culture Day at Roosevelt was a beautiful celebration of the amazing cultures represented at the school. Started a few years ago by the Black Student Union as a way to lift up their voices, the event has grown to include all groups of culturally diverse students. Celebrations like these empower our students, which helps create our future leaders!
70 teachers were nominated for the 36th Annual Dr. John W. Harris Teacher of the Year Award this year, and seven were named as finalists. Get to know them a little better through this video, and stay tuned as the winner is announced on Monday, February 26th! https://youtu.be/y_EwZ7H1hmM
A big THANK YOU goes out to our partners at Air Madness who hosted a wonderful day of jumping yesterday in support of Operation Hope and Caring! It was a fabulous day of fun and it all goes towards a great cause. Thank you to LEVO Credit Union and Sioux Falls Storm for making the day a success.
