Sioux Falls School District - Educate and prepare each student to succeed in a changing world

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 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

🖤❤️💛🤍

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

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

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.

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!

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

Ben Reifel Middle School made history last week as the first middle school in our District to host a unified basketball game!

Bison Unity welcomed Washington High School’s Best Buddies for an awesome matchup, finishing with a 23-22 win.

Unified programs continue to grow across SFSD, creating more opportunities for students to connect and compete together.

A big thank you to the staff and organizers at Ben Reifel and Washington who helped make this possible! If this inaugural game is any indication, the future of Unified at the middle school level in SFSD is off to a strong start! 🏀

Now open! It's time to complete the Annual Student Update! ⏰

Every child who will attend school in the Sioux Falls School District for the 2026-2027 school year must complete an annual update. This is required every year to ensure that student information, such as data privacy, emergency, and health information, is correct and up to date.

Complete the update using your desktop or laptop computer in just a few minutes through your Infinite Campus Parent Portal account that can be found here --->https://siouxfallssd.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/parents/siouxfalls.jsp

Need help with the update? Please call your child's school or the Student Records and Registration Office at 605-367-7952.

“Very well prepared!”…”Great communication!”…”Very personable!”

All the feedback you would love to hear after an interview, right?! That’s exactly what our Academy of Finance students heard after knocking it out of the park earlier this week during their annual summer internship interviews with local business partners.

Through this opportunity, students can earn 200 hours of high school credit, optional dual credit through USD, and a $2,000 stipend.

We are grateful for the continued partnership with Junior Achievement, Intek, First National Bank, LEVO, First Bank and Trust, Helpline Center, Southeast Tech, First Premier Bank, HyVee, and POET. (And a big thanks to current and retired SFSD staff who helped with mock interviews) Your investment in our students is an investment in the future workforce of our community.

These experiences, much like those highlighted during our recent Week of Work post, show the power of connecting education with industry in big ways!

Our Facilities Task Force is off and running! The first of four meetings was held last night at the Instructional Planning Center, kicking off important conversations about the future of Sioux Falls School District facilities.

Over the next several weeks, this group will take a close look at growth, current needs, and what lies ahead, helping shape thoughtful, long-term recommendations for our schools.

We are grateful for the time and perspective these community members are bringing to the table and look forward to sharing updates as the work continues! Follow along at our Facility Planning website here ---> https://www.sf.k12.sd.us/page/facility-planning

A huge congratulations is in order for the Lincoln High School Band's Jazz Collective, who were recently selected to perform (one of only FOUR bands in the country!) at the 2026 Midwest Clinic in Chicago.

In its 80th year, Midwest Clinic is one of the largest and most prestigious music education conferences in the world!

This marks the first time a jazz ensemble from South Dakota has earned this honor, and only the second time in the event’s history that a band from our state has been selected.

We are super proud of these students for representing LHS and our SFSD on a global stage!

There is a new episode of our podcast "Spotlight" out, and in it, we're asking questions. What does it mean to be an artist? What does it mean to be a teacher? Is there any way these two things could overlap (spoiler alert: YES!)?

In this episode we explore the intersection of creativity and education through the lens of "Teachers as Artists," a collaborative exhibit featuring SFSD art educators at the Washington Pavilion. Art teachers from K through 12 share what it's like to balance life as both an educator and a practicing artist. A common theme that emerges is: when you continue to practice making art yourself, you're setting an example for your students and showing them that art is enjoyable and important at all points throughout life.

From sparking creativity in the classroom to modeling lifelong artistic passion, we hear how their personal art practices shape the way the teach and why that matters for students.
Check out the full episode here! https://youtu.be/BmrWhmgrJY8

Wait, WHO was running the city last week?? Memorial Middle School 6th graders?? Just kidding!

But thanks to Junior Achievement’s BizTown, these students did get the chance to step into real-world roles like CEO, banker, and even mayor (watch out, Mayor TenHaken 👀), working together to run a fully functioning mini-city. From managing paychecks and budgets to making big decisions about spending and saving, students got a hands-on look at how our communities work.

This unique experience was piloted at Memorial this year, and we’re excited to expand it to all middle schools next year!

See more pictures from the day here! ---> https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCMWL2

Friday, January 23, 2026, will be a Remote Learning Day in the Sioux Falls School District!

iPads and Chromebooks were sent home with each student earlier today. We will not have in-person learning in the schools, but students are expected to connect to their Canvas account from home for assignments and learning resources. They have practiced this at school and know what is expected of them.

Additional information for Students and Families can be found here: https://app.smore.com/n/wgz62

Students at Discovery Elementary recently got a surprise lesson in civics from the the man who knows it best, Mayor Paul TenHaken!
Tuesday, November 25th was the last day before Thanksgiving break, and the energy amongst the Discovery Explorers was flying high. The excitement was only amplified when they found out their guest speaker for the morning was none-other than the mayor of Sioux Falls! Mayor TenHaken talked to students about what a leader does in government, not just at the city level, but also state, national, and at the school level (shoutout to you, Principal Fischer!). The mayor talked about responsibility and all the things a mayor is responsible for, and how great it is to be a resident in our wonderful city. He took plenty of questions at the end, and the students left with a better understanding of what it means to be a leader, and how we can all be helpful, responsible residents of our cty. Thank you, Mayor TenHaken, for always taking time out of your schedule to share your story with SFSD students!

On this month's episode of "Spotlight: Conversations From The Sioux Falls School District" we sit down with Allison Struck, executive director of the Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation.
Allison has served as director since 2018, but the Education Foundation has been around since 2008. In this episode you'll hear a bit about the history of how it came to be ,and how it has been helping to lift up students and staff ever since!
Check it out here! --------> https://youtu.be/0J4r8Am25bA

Join in the fun of Youth in Music day in Minneapolis, Minnesota with the RHS and WHS marching bands!
View the experience with RHS here: https://youtu.be/fs6CoWl_ZI4
And WHS here: https://youtu.be/hDcuJrS0VUU