SFSD Families! IF you have not yet completed your 2026-27 meal benefits application, now is the time! 🍎
The 30-day grace period for students who received free or reduced-price meals last year ends Friday, October 9th, 2026. **You must submit a new application each school year to determine eligibility!** Even if you are unsure if you qualify, please apply!
Complete the application today! ---> https://www.myschoolapps.com/Home/PickDistrict
Your application can help ensure your student has access to meals and other financial assistance.
The 30-day grace period for students who received free or reduced-price meals last year ends Friday, October 9th, 2026. **You must submit a new application each school year to determine eligibility!** Even if you are unsure if you qualify, please apply!
Complete the application today! ---> https://www.myschoolapps.com/Home/PickDistrict
Your application can help ensure your student has access to meals and other financial assistance.
Congratulations to Superintendent Dr. Jamie Nold on receiving the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire’s Community Impact Award! 🥳
Dr. Nold was presented with the award last Friday afternoon at the BGCSE annual staff retreat. He was selected in recognition of his support for out-of-school time opportunities, our CLC program, and the new Boys & Girls Club at McGovern.
We are so grateful for our partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire and, just as importantly, for the incredible work they do alongside our CLC teams to support students and families!
Congratulations, Dr. Nold! And THANK YOU, BGCSE, for all you do for our kids!
We have two All Stars to celebrate this week! Big congratulations to Discovery Elementary School counselors Jacee Johnson and Karmyn Marchand for being named our latest All Stars! 🤩
Principal Dan Fischer nominated Jacee and Karmyn for the kindness and compassion they show students each day. This duo knows how to meet students where they are, listen, build trust, and make sure they feel valued and connected. They also work alongside teachers, families, and staff to make sure all students have the support they need to thrive.
THANK YOU, Jacee and Karmyn, for putting kids first and making Discovery a better place every day! Meet them here! ---> https://youtu.be/bqUtC_r4ano
Thanks to a partnership between the City of Sioux Falls, the Summit League, local artist Les Cotton, and many of our very own SFSD students, you will soon start to see these colorful, one-of-a-kind basketball backboards at parks throughout Sioux Falls.
Hundreds of local kids submitted their doodles, which were then combined by Les Cotton to create the unique backboard designs.
Laura B. Anderson students were some of the first to check them out at an unveiling celebration and Pioneer Park!
We absolutely LOVE seeing student creativity become part of the community!
Hundreds of local kids submitted their doodles, which were then combined by Les Cotton to create the unique backboard designs.
Laura B. Anderson students were some of the first to check them out at an unveiling celebration and Pioneer Park!
We absolutely LOVE seeing student creativity become part of the community!
Have a student who’s ready to get behind the wheel?
Registration is OPEN for SFSD Driver’s Education fall classes!
Classes are offered at all four traditional high schools, with current openings at Jefferson and Washington High Schools. Spots at the other locations are currently full, but waitlists are available.
Middle school, high school, and out-of-district students are welcome to register!
Classes start on September 8th, so secure your spot TODAY! ---> https://app.smore.com/n/g6byn
(Must be 14 years old by the first day of class)
Registration is OPEN for SFSD Driver’s Education fall classes!
Classes are offered at all four traditional high schools, with current openings at Jefferson and Washington High Schools. Spots at the other locations are currently full, but waitlists are available.
Middle school, high school, and out-of-district students are welcome to register!
Classes start on September 8th, so secure your spot TODAY! ---> https://app.smore.com/n/g6byn
(Must be 14 years old by the first day of class)
And just like that, we are BACK! Welcome to the 2026-27 school year! See photos from the first day of school here! ---> https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjD3ohT
Our theme for the 2026-27 school year is “Our Kids. Our Future.” It’s a great reminder that when we invest in our kids today, we are investing in the future of our entire community!
We have to give a huge shoutout to our community partners for helping distribute this year’s theme in the form of t-shirts to staff last week. For over 20 years now, Architecture Incorporated has sponsored our annual staff t-shirts, with Sayre Associates, Structural Engineering Associates, and Associated Consulting Engineering, Inc. joining as co-sponsors. We are so grateful for their continued partnership and investment in SFSD! (And also a big thank you to MRG Hauff for another great printing job, AND for hand-delivering a very full van of t-shirt boxes to IPC!)
This year’s design brings in a little bit of Sioux Falls and SFSD together, featuring notable downtown landmarks alongside some of our schools and other district locations (including the new CTE greenhouse that Arc Inc. helped with!)
We are just TWO DAYS away from welcoming students back for the 2026-27 school year and we can’t wait! Looking forward to making it a great year!
We have to give a huge shoutout to our community partners for helping distribute this year’s theme in the form of t-shirts to staff last week. For over 20 years now, Architecture Incorporated has sponsored our annual staff t-shirts, with Sayre Associates, Structural Engineering Associates, and Associated Consulting Engineering, Inc. joining as co-sponsors. We are so grateful for their continued partnership and investment in SFSD! (And also a big thank you to MRG Hauff for another great printing job, AND for hand-delivering a very full van of t-shirt boxes to IPC!)
This year’s design brings in a little bit of Sioux Falls and SFSD together, featuring notable downtown landmarks alongside some of our schools and other district locations (including the new CTE greenhouse that Arc Inc. helped with!)
We are just TWO DAYS away from welcoming students back for the 2026-27 school year and we can’t wait! Looking forward to making it a great year!
“Seatbelts please!” 🚌🎶 On their first day back, Garfield Elementary staff loaded up a school bus (some would even call it a “Magic” School Bus), complete with tickets to board, a scavenger hunt along the way, and even a couple of Ms. Frizzles! The goal of the Magic School Bus field trip was to tour their school neighborhood so staff could better understand where their students are coming from and build connections along the way.
Garfield serves a diverse community, not only culturally, but geographically. Its attendance areas stretch across a variety of neighborhoods and living environments, including apartments, hotels converted to housing, single-family homes, businesses, industrial areas, golf courses, and more.
While they didn’t see an Octopus in the neighborhood, they DID see many familiar students' faces who were as excited to see the teachers as the teachers were to see them!
Watch highlights from their field trip here! ---> https://youtu.be/-JLrYRAnhyk?si=9kMp7nbkgLJfKPcf
Garfield serves a diverse community, not only culturally, but geographically. Its attendance areas stretch across a variety of neighborhoods and living environments, including apartments, hotels converted to housing, single-family homes, businesses, industrial areas, golf courses, and more.
While they didn’t see an Octopus in the neighborhood, they DID see many familiar students' faces who were as excited to see the teachers as the teachers were to see them!
Watch highlights from their field trip here! ---> https://youtu.be/-JLrYRAnhyk?si=9kMp7nbkgLJfKPcf
The Whittier Middle School team is already starting the 2026-27 school year strong!
Today marked the official first day back for our teachers, and the Whittier Middle School team is starting the year strong! WMS staff spent part of the day driving around the neighborhood to personally visit students and share how excited they are to welcome them back next Thursday! The goal was to build connections and show these students how much they care and how excited they are to see them next week. This is just one example of the many, many ways that our SFSD staff show up for Our Kids. Our Future.
Great job Wolverines!
Today marked the official first day back for our teachers, and the Whittier Middle School team is starting the year strong! WMS staff spent part of the day driving around the neighborhood to personally visit students and share how excited they are to welcome them back next Thursday! The goal was to build connections and show these students how much they care and how excited they are to see them next week. This is just one example of the many, many ways that our SFSD staff show up for Our Kids. Our Future.
Great job Wolverines!
Summer has been great, but can we talk about how magical it was to have students in our hallways again this week?! Over the course of the week at our high schools, we had Patriot Power Day, Rider Charge Day, Warrior Day, and we ended it today with Cavalier Day. Pictures taken, check! Student schedules, check! One step to the new school year. Check!
Next up, open houses! We’re getting that much closer to the First Day of School, which, as a reminder, is Thursday, August 27th! Get all your back to school info here! ---> https://www.sf.k12.sd.us/page/back-to-school
Congratulations to Mark Fonder and Jesse Severson of Hungry Hearts on receiving the South Dakota Community Service Award earlier today!
The duo was nominated for the award by Superintendent Nold, as Mark and Jesse have been INCREDIBLE partners to the Sioux Falls School District over the years. They have dedicated themselves to ensuring all students have access to nutritious meals and have stepped in to support the kiddos who need a little extra help in other areas of life.
We were honored to be in attendance when they received the award because it is SO well deserved! We truly can’t thank them enough for being such incredible partners AND such great humans. 💜
The duo was nominated for the award by Superintendent Nold, as Mark and Jesse have been INCREDIBLE partners to the Sioux Falls School District over the years. They have dedicated themselves to ensuring all students have access to nutritious meals and have stepped in to support the kiddos who need a little extra help in other areas of life.
We were honored to be in attendance when they received the award because it is SO well deserved! We truly can’t thank them enough for being such incredible partners AND such great humans. 💜
As Superintendent Dr. Jamie Nold completes his first full school year in the role, he brings with him more than three decades of experience serving students, staff, and families in the Sioux Falls School District. From his early days as a teacher and coach to his leadership roles as principal, assistant superintendent, and now superintendent, Dr. Nold's deep roots in the district continue to shape his vision for the future.
In this interview, Dr. Nold reflects on the successes and challenges of his first year as superintendent, shares lessons learned, and discusses the opportunities ahead. Join us as we look back on a year of growth and progress and hear how the district is building on its momentum for the future.
🎥 Watch the full interview here! -----> https://youtu.be/7h8FsnmSCkA
In this interview, Dr. Nold reflects on the successes and challenges of his first year as superintendent, shares lessons learned, and discusses the opportunities ahead. Join us as we look back on a year of growth and progress and hear how the district is building on its momentum for the future.
🎥 Watch the full interview here! -----> https://youtu.be/7h8FsnmSCkA
Summer months are a great time for middle school students to explore careers they may find interesting! There are spots left in this year's CTE Academy Healthcare camp. Take a look!
Step into the world of healthcare in this interactive camp! Meet real-life healthcare professionals, explore career opportunities, and develop essential caretaking and lab science skills.
+ Learn hands-on patient care and laboratory skills.
+ Explore many careers in health care.
+ Priority will be given to first-time campers.
Before Susan B. Anthony Elementary stood on its current site, it was home to Mark Twain Elementary. In 1976, as part of America’s bicentennial celebration, students and staff buried a time capsule filled with photos, papers, and memories for future generations to discover.
On Tuesday, May 21, 2026, that time capsule was finally unearthed and opened for the first time in nearly 50 years. The following day, former students, teachers, staff members, and community members gathered together to reconnect, share stories, and see what had been preserved inside.
While decades underground had taken a toll on some of the contents, many items still offered a meaningful glimpse into the lives, classrooms, and culture of Mark Twain Elementary during the 1970s. For those who attended or worked at the school, the event became more than just the opening of a time capsule — it was a chance to revisit memories, celebrate friendships, and reflect on the lasting impact the school community continues to have today.
Though the building itself is gone, the spirit and connection shared by Mark Twain alumni remains as strong as ever.
🎥 See highlights from the unearthing here: --------> https://youtu.be/bLJiuFxLMvg
🎥 View the full ceremony here! -----> https://youtu.be/7h8FsnmSCkA
On Tuesday, May 21, 2026, that time capsule was finally unearthed and opened for the first time in nearly 50 years. The following day, former students, teachers, staff members, and community members gathered together to reconnect, share stories, and see what had been preserved inside.
While decades underground had taken a toll on some of the contents, many items still offered a meaningful glimpse into the lives, classrooms, and culture of Mark Twain Elementary during the 1970s. For those who attended or worked at the school, the event became more than just the opening of a time capsule — it was a chance to revisit memories, celebrate friendships, and reflect on the lasting impact the school community continues to have today.
Though the building itself is gone, the spirit and connection shared by Mark Twain alumni remains as strong as ever.
🎥 See highlights from the unearthing here: --------> https://youtu.be/bLJiuFxLMvg
🎥 View the full ceremony here! -----> https://youtu.be/7h8FsnmSCkA
On Monday, SFSD's Sioux Falls Native American Connections team proudly hosted the Native American Honoring Ceremony at the Washington Pavilion! This annual event celebrates our Native American graduating seniors and 8th graders moving on to high school. It’s an incredible evening of honoring these students in a way that reflects the traditions and cultural practices of our Native community.
Congratulations to all who were honored!
📸 View photos from the event here ---> https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCTzMa
📽 Video the full ceremony here ---> https://youtube.com/live/1rK6l-1bN5Q?feature=share
🖤❤️💛🤍
Congratulations to all who were honored!
📸 View photos from the event here ---> https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCTzMa
📽 Video the full ceremony here ---> https://youtube.com/live/1rK6l-1bN5Q?feature=share
🖤❤️💛🤍
Well, we blinked and now it’s May! As we enter the home stretch of the school year, the celebrations are in full swing!
Over the past two weeks, all four SFSD high schools celebrated the MANY accomplishments within their school communities during their annual Honor Fest assemblies.
Each school hosted its own ceremony to recognize student achievements like National Honors Society, straight-A seniors, perfect attendance, Seal of Biliteracy recipients, and Students of the Month, while also celebrating outstanding teachers, retiring staff members, and the collective success of the school year!
This is one of our FAVORITE times of the year as we get to honor the hard work and growth of our students and staff alike. See more photos from the events here! ---> https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCRGEc
Over the past two weeks, all four SFSD high schools celebrated the MANY accomplishments within their school communities during their annual Honor Fest assemblies.
Each school hosted its own ceremony to recognize student achievements like National Honors Society, straight-A seniors, perfect attendance, Seal of Biliteracy recipients, and Students of the Month, while also celebrating outstanding teachers, retiring staff members, and the collective success of the school year!
This is one of our FAVORITE times of the year as we get to honor the hard work and growth of our students and staff alike. See more photos from the events here! ---> https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCRGEc
Students and families gathered on the playground at Laura B. Anderson elementary on the evening of Thursday, April 30th, for an evening of fun and celebration. April 30th marks the birthday of the school's namesake, Laura B. Anderson. She was a revered educator at the old Riverside school, and when the school was rebuilt in the 1960's, it was renamed in her honor.
LBA is one of SFSD's oldest elementary schools, and it is considered a hub of community in the neighborhood where it sits. Generations of families come and go through this school's doors, and the impact the school makes reverberates throughout the community. We'd like to offer a big THANK YOU to all the teachers, staff, students, and families that continue to make this historic school a place where kids love to learn and grow.
View more photos from the fun-filled event here! https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCSxKM
LBA is one of SFSD's oldest elementary schools, and it is considered a hub of community in the neighborhood where it sits. Generations of families come and go through this school's doors, and the impact the school makes reverberates throughout the community. We'd like to offer a big THANK YOU to all the teachers, staff, students, and families that continue to make this historic school a place where kids love to learn and grow.
View more photos from the fun-filled event here! https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCSxKM
For 25 years, Eugene Field A+ Elementary has been redefining what learning can look like. Since 2001, teachers have been blending academics with creativity to help students grow as thinkers, artists, and collaborators. As South Dakota's first Arts Plus school that approach has been woven into daily instruction, creating classrooms where music, visual art, movement, and storytelling are not extras, but essential tools for learning.
That spirit of creativity and connection has been at the center of this year’s 25th anniversary celebration, including a special Open House on April 24 that brought together students, staff, families, and alumni. The evening highlighted the depth of the A+ experience with an all-school art show, student performances, and reflections from 5th graders sharing how arts-integrated learning has shaped their journeys. It also echoed a theme seen throughout the school year’s celebrations: that the impact of Eugene Field extends far beyond the classroom, leaving a lasting impression on students long after they leave its halls.
That spirit of creativity and connection has been at the center of this year’s 25th anniversary celebration, including a special Open House on April 24 that brought together students, staff, families, and alumni. The evening highlighted the depth of the A+ experience with an all-school art show, student performances, and reflections from 5th graders sharing how arts-integrated learning has shaped their journeys. It also echoed a theme seen throughout the school year’s celebrations: that the impact of Eugene Field extends far beyond the classroom, leaving a lasting impression on students long after they leave its halls.
Welding students from all across the Sioux Falls School District recently had the opportunity to put their skills to the test in the 7th annual Marmen Energy Weld-Off Competition! This fun-filled day gave students the opportunity to tour Marmen Energy, the Southeast Technical College campus, and come to the CTE Academy to see who could put their bead down best.
This day was really a celebration of the trade of welding. Sponsors of the event were on site to provide students with door prizes and info on potential future career paths. Each student put their skills to the test at CTE where they welded a small tool carrying case that was later judged by a group of professionals. At the end of the day an awards ceremony was held and the winners were announced. Fabulous (welding related) prizes were given out to the top students, and **drum roll please** Washington High School took home the Top Program Award!
Welding 1 Individual Results:
5th place - Peyton Stouth
4th place - Aiden Jordan
3rd place - Charlie McCloskey
2nd place - Eli Boyd
1st place - zave Aungie-Baker
Advanced Welding Results:
3rd place - Zayden Tjerdsma
2nd place - Joseph Johnson
1st place - Beckett Whitlock
Congratulations to everybody involved on a day full of celebrating the art and craft of welding! We look forward to watching you build the future, no matter what path you may take!
This day was really a celebration of the trade of welding. Sponsors of the event were on site to provide students with door prizes and info on potential future career paths. Each student put their skills to the test at CTE where they welded a small tool carrying case that was later judged by a group of professionals. At the end of the day an awards ceremony was held and the winners were announced. Fabulous (welding related) prizes were given out to the top students, and **drum roll please** Washington High School took home the Top Program Award!
Welding 1 Individual Results:
5th place - Peyton Stouth
4th place - Aiden Jordan
3rd place - Charlie McCloskey
2nd place - Eli Boyd
1st place - zave Aungie-Baker
Advanced Welding Results:
3rd place - Zayden Tjerdsma
2nd place - Joseph Johnson
1st place - Beckett Whitlock
Congratulations to everybody involved on a day full of celebrating the art and craft of welding! We look forward to watching you build the future, no matter what path you may take!
Our newest episode of "Spotlight: Conversations from the Sioux Falls School District" is live! And this month we are highlighting everything that is amazing about our school libraries!
School libraries are special places. They're more than just stacks of books and computers. The school library is a place where curiosity flows and students are empowered to explore, create, and grow. At the heart of every school library is the librarian, and they are the ones who bring the magic to life. From fostering a love of reading to supporting research and collaboration, school librarians open up new worlds for students every time they step foot into the library. As Sarah Becker, librarian at Hawthorne Elementary puts it, "Reading and stories are what makes humans human. If students can see themselves in a story, that connects them to a wider community, and it makes us all better humans." During national library month (but also, all the time!) we want to say thank you to all our wonderful school librarians. You make the magic happen, and you brighten our schools and communities with the work you do everyday.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or the SFSD YouTube channel, right here!
https://youtu.be/tlX9wyt7YzM
School libraries are special places. They're more than just stacks of books and computers. The school library is a place where curiosity flows and students are empowered to explore, create, and grow. At the heart of every school library is the librarian, and they are the ones who bring the magic to life. From fostering a love of reading to supporting research and collaboration, school librarians open up new worlds for students every time they step foot into the library. As Sarah Becker, librarian at Hawthorne Elementary puts it, "Reading and stories are what makes humans human. If students can see themselves in a story, that connects them to a wider community, and it makes us all better humans." During national library month (but also, all the time!) we want to say thank you to all our wonderful school librarians. You make the magic happen, and you brighten our schools and communities with the work you do everyday.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or the SFSD YouTube channel, right here!
https://youtu.be/tlX9wyt7YzM
