After a long day at school, Abby Berke finds joy in the simple things like peace and quiet. The Lincoln High teacher would love to enroll in Advanced Foods if she could take any class at her school and if she wasn't teaching, she would have chosen a career as a talk show host! Today's Teacher Feature introduces you to Abby Berke!
Teonna Randle credits the 8th Grade Poetry Slam with starting her love for, and success with, poetry, writing, speaking and performing. Last summer, her skills took her to New York City. She's won regional and national awards for her perspectives. And this spring and summer, she'll take 2 trips to national speech competitions and enjoy all-expenses-paid experiences she's earned at Brown University and Wake Forest University to improve even further. Things came full circle this week when she was invited to perform at this year's SFSD Poetry Slam as an inspiration to young writers. Meet this remarkable young woman. https://youtu.be/Gcz03I_RT_Q
As the school year comes to a close there's a lot to celebrate! Major accomplishments, overcoming problems, moving on to the next step. Celebrations are happening often throughout SFSD, like earlier today when new first- and second-year elementary teachers gathered to commemorate their milestones. Coaching teams and admin help teachers navigate these formative first years, and they put on the celebration for them today. When we support our teachers we support our students, and our communities are able to grow and flourish. Congratulations to all!
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/fSWJw1wX4Iw
In case you missed it - the Sioux Falls School District and Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire held a groundbreaking for Sioux Falls' first out-of-school time Club being built on to a school! The groundbreaking was held on Tuesday, May 7th. Follow the link to hear about all the amazing things this will mean for the Sioux Falls community! https://youtu.be/vyGZaBIwiFs
Construction at the Sioux Falls School District's newest school, Marcella LeBeau Elementary, is well underway! Here's a quick progress update from a birds eye view. The school is expected to be open to serve the families of northwest Sioux Falls in Fall 2025. https://youtu.be/DknwBMS7Noo
In case you missed it last week - With the latest grant awarded to the PE and dance teacher at Eugene Field A+ Elementary, the Education Foundation has surpassed more than $1 million raised and donated to teachers and education professionals in the SFSD for innovative projects for student learning! Watch the event here, which also features long-time vocal music and drama teacher Laura Tjaden from EFA+ who is retiring at the end of this year! https://youtu.be/sCRS1sMFJgs
Earlier this year students in Washington High School's Okichiyapi Club held a children's book drive. Last week they got to deliver two van fulls of books to the Yankton Sioux Indian Reservation at Lake Andes. Bruce Rekstad with the Oceti Sakowin Owaunspe at WHS said, "In Lakota, children are called Wakanyeja (sacred gifts) and these pictures certainly depict that!" Great work WHS Okichiyapi Club!
As summer break approaches, please be aware that SFSD is once again offering the Free Summer Meal Program. See attached for information.
Happy Mother's Day (on Sunday)! To get in the Mother's Day spirit, please enjoy this very special video edition of our podcast "Spotlight: Conversations from the Sioux Falls School District". We hear from not one, but TWO mother-daughter duos who work in SFSD. This delightful conversation sheds an interesting light on how the teaching profession has evolved over the years. It's clear when listening to this conversation that everybody involved has a passion for education and cares deeply about the students they serve everyday. https://youtu.be/1oP_tNLl0O8
It's a bit belated, but here's the last blip in the Barbie Blog! Students at CTE Academy said goodbye to Barbie and her babies earlier this week. As amazing as CTE is, it's still a school, not a farm. Thank you to Pipestone for lending out Barbie so our students can receive real-world, hands-on experience with livestock. Learning experiences like this are what set CTE and SFSD apart!
Things are all set up and ready to go for the SFSD 2024 8th Grade Poetry Slam! Watch along on our livestream as students share their stories through poetry! https://m.youtube.com/live/wktxQEtKFDE?si=Cicm48iVomVKk-Nf
For the second year in a row, the Sioux Falls School District is proud to be called one of the Best Communities for Music Education by the National Association for Music Merchants Foundation. This recognition is a testament to the dedication of our teachers, the commitment of our students, and to the close ties that have grown together over the years in our music education community. As we celebrate this recognition, let us also celebrate the power of music to inspire, educate, and unite us all.
It's no secret that a healthy student is a student who is more well-equipped to learn. School nurses are professional nurses that advance the well-being, academic success, and life-long achievements of all students by serving on the frontlines and providing a critical safety net for our students. SFSD nurses are there for our students every day to make sure they are happy, healthy, and ready to learn. Thank you for all you do!
This morning the Sioux Falls School District and Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire held a groundbreaking for Sioux Falls' first out-of-school time Club being built on to a school. The 16,000 square foot facility is being built at George McGovern Middle School and will include a multi-purpose gym, a teaching kitchen, art and audio studios, social spaces, and much more. This impactful initiative will provide a safe and nurturing environment for youth during critical out-of-school hours, which will empower young people, enhance their academic performance, and foster their personal and social development. The facility has a tentative Fall 2025 opening date. More photos from the day here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBpmzH
This week's ⭐️ SFSD All-Star 💫 is Paula Dean at Oscar Howe Elementary! 🤩 This resource teacher goes above and beyond for her students each and every day, in every way - and she always has. Paula has a heart for kids, which often means long hours, deep research, and innovative strategies to help them succeed - and so they do. Learn more about this All-Star here! https://youtu.be/XwLjbBQNQMs
Wow! SFSD is so grateful to the Sioux Falls STORM, LEVO, and media partners KELOLand TV for supporting Operation Hope & Caring where $18,417 was raised to support elementary schools that don't have PTAs/PTOs. We had a great time at the game and especially enjoyed the WIN! ❤️
📚🍎 Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! 🍎📚 This week (and every week!) we honor the educators who inspire, motivate, and empower our students every single day! 🌟Thank you for your dedication, passion, and hard work in shaping the future leaders of tomorrow. 🌈💼 Your creativity, kindness, and commitment make our school community shine brighter. 🌟✨If you happen to see one out and about this week, remember to #ThankATeacher !
As the weather gets warmer, golf might start to sound pretty nice, right? Well the girls golf team at Roosevelt High School is already hitting the links, ready to take on the competition! Sports like golf 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 more here.
https://youtu.be/rIYgU73imD8
It's a tradition going back decades: Graduating seniors from Washington High School walk the halls of Anne Sullivan Elementary in caps and gowns to applause and cheers, while simultaneously showing these young students where they will be after a few more years of hard work! For the seniors, many of whom attended Anne Sullivan, it's a chance to get some well-deserved praise and catch up with former teachers and staff members. For the elementary students, it's an inspiration that will soon come full circle. Meet a couple of former Anne Sullivan students who watched grad walks as kids, and are now the ones doing the inspiring. https://youtu.be/Poxz22LDLbk