Wishing all of our students, families, and staff a happy, safe, and relaxing summer break! ☀️ We are so grateful for another amazing year at EFA+ and can’t wait to welcome our students back in August for more learning, growth, and fun.
— The EFA+ Staff 💙
We had a wonderful last day of school at EFA+!
Our 5th graders kicked off the morning celebrating at Union Social, and later we honored both our graduating seniors — representing high schools all across Sioux Falls and Tea — and our graduating 5th graders during our annual Grad Walk. Our returning Eagles also got a sneak peek at next year during SOAR Up as they met their new teachers!
Some of the most heartwarming moments came when former Eagles, now graduating seniors, revisited some of their favorite spots in the building one last time — drawing in the art room and playing four square on the playground, just like old times.
It was a beautiful ending to an amazing school year. Thank you to our students, staff, and families for making this year so special. Happy summer, Eagles! 🦅☀️
Today we celebrated Multiple Intelligences Day at EFA+! As part of the 25th anniversary of our A+ School, this year’s theme was “25 Acts of Kindness.”
Students participated in meaningful, hands-on projects designed to give back to our community, with the support and guidance of many incredible local organizations. From start to finish, the day was filled with creativity, collaboration, compassion, and service.
It was truly a fulfilling experience for everyone involved, and we are so grateful to our community partners for helping make this special day possible!
All 5th graders collaborated on a vibrant mural inspired by the artwork of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Students also created their own Basquiat inspired pieces using a variety of mediums, bold graffiti-style elements, and his iconic crown symbol, representing respect, success, and power.
The creativity didn’t stop with the students! Even our ESP, Mr. Joe, was inspired to create his own artwork and generously gifted a piece to each 5th grader.
Today our students participated in the EFA+ Arts Quest! Students rotated through a variety of activities inspired by the Multiple Intelligences, exploring creativity, movement, teamwork, problem-solving, and more.
While many of our original rotations were planned for a beautiful sunny day outdoors, our “Plan B” activities turned out to be just as engaging and fun!
Our 4th graders wrapped up the school year in social studies by diving into the War of 1812! 🇺🇸
Students explored major military events, discussed important historical figures, and examined how the war impacted the young United States. To showcase their learning, they stepped into the role of historians and journalists by creating their own newscasts or newspapers. 📰🎥
From breaking news reports to creative headlines, students shared their projects with classmates while bringing history to life through creativity, collaboration, and communication!
When it’s the final full week of school, A+ teachers get creative! 🎉
This week, our staff teamed up for an “underground” dress-up week, keeping the themes a secret from students and relying on our improv skills to see who would notice first and guess the daily theme. 😄
Monday was “Not Our School” Day, with staff sporting spirit wear from other schools. Tuesday brought “Tattoo Day,” followed by a royal transformation on Wednesday as the staff became kings, queens, princes, and princesses. 👑
On Thursday, we explored “New Careers” and dressed for the jobs we might try if we weren’t teachers. We wrapped up the week with the all-time favorite: “Pajama Day”! 💤
A little creativity, a lot of laughter, and one more fun memory to close out the school year together. ❤️
Our 2nd graders had an amazing day at the Agricultural Heritage Museum at South Dakota State University! 🌱🐄🍦
Through hands-on experiences, students connected their science learning to the real world by planting seeds, learning about farm animals, and exploring how living things survive and grow.
A favorite part of the trip was enjoying SDSU ice cream while discussing states of matter, temperature changes, and how ingredients can mix to create something new!
What a fun day of curiosity, discovery, and learning beyond the classroom!
Tonight, the cast of Alice in Wonderland Jr. celebrated their musical success at The State Theatre! 🎭✨
Students gathered together to watch the world premiere recording of their incredible performance and celebrate all of the hard work, talent, and creativity that brought this show to life.
Congratulations to our amazing cast and crew on a truly unforgettable production! ❤️
Part two of our kindergarten self portrait project, featuring more beginning-of-the-year and end-of-the-year portraits created by our kindergarten artists. The growth is simply amazing! 🎨✨
Each year, when our new kindergarteners arrive in the art room, they begin by drawing a self portrait. Over the course of the year, we explore the elements of art and experiment with new materials. We practice creativity, make bold choices, learn from our mistakes, and strengthen our observation skills.
At the end of the year, they draw themselves again, this time using mirrors and all the new skills they’ve developed along the way.
The growth that happens over the course of a kindergarten year is truly amazing to see. 🎨✨
On Thursday night, our 4th and 5th graders presented their vocal music concert, We Are A+, featuring a trip down memory lane with songs from over 25 years of the EFA+ musical.
It was a joyful evening filled with music, dance, and confetti! 🎶✨
We also got to hear from the Treble Makers, and the EFA+ staff & family choir.
Congratulations to Ms. Mickelson, Mrs. Jacobson, and the talented students who shared their hard work and learning with us.
This mama duck clearly knows where the Nature Smart people are 🦆💛 She chose the EFA+ playground to build her nest, and we were lucky enough to welcome 7 adorable baby ducklings into our school community!
A perfect little reminder of springtime magic right on the playground 🌿🐥
Today was planting day! 🌱
After learning all about seeds, companion planting, and soil blocking, our third and fourth graders have been tenderly caring for their plants each day as they germinated and sprouted. Today, students got to put their learning and hard work into action by planting their soil blocks.
We’re so thankful to learn directly from the experts at Iron Fox Farm and are grateful for the meaningful real-world experiences they provide for our students.
Stay tuned for summer opportunities open to all to help the farm continue to flourish! 🌿
🎉 Friendly Reminder! 🎉 Our Spring Carnival & Book Fair is this Friday, May 8 from 6:00–8:00 PM, with doors opening at 5:45pm. We’re looking forward to a fun evening with our students and families. 📚🎡 We are still in need of volunteers and donations to help make the event a success. If you’re able to help, please sign up below! Book Fair Volunteers: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080B45ADAA23A5FB6-63620506-spring#/ Carnival Volunteers: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0A4BADAD2DABFC1-63370144-2026 Carnival Donations: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0A4BADAD2DABFC1-63370108-2026 Thank you for supporting our school community! ❤️
🎉 A HUGE congratulations to EFA+ 1st grader Lucy O'Connor DeBoer on earning an Award of Excellence in the Visual Arts category of the National PTA Reflections competition! 🎨✨
We are incredibly proud of Lucy and this outstanding achievement. Her creativity, talent, and hard work truly shine, and we are thrilled to celebrate this exciting honor with her and her family. Way to go, Lucy! 💙
For more information and the full list of winners, use the link below:
https://www.pta.org/home/programs/reflections/awards
Our first graders have been learning about the American Revolution! During Art Integration, students used Visual Thinking Strategies to explore two famous paintings from the era: The Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull and Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze.
Students discussed the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the events that led the colonists to seek a new nation. Then it was their turn to make declarations of their own! Each student boldly shared an idea that was important to them and invited classmates to sign their declaration. Along the way, they practiced sharing their opinions, listening to others, and disagreeing respectfully.
Some students even got a signature from Mr. Mees!
🎪 The EFA+ Spring Carnival is NEXT FRIDAY! 🎉
Our PTA is hard at work planning a fun-filled evening for our school community, and we’d love your help to make it a success! There are two easy ways to get involved:
🎟️ Donate Carnival Supplies:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0A4BADAD2DABFC1-63370108-2026
🙌 Volunteer at the Carnival:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0A4BADAD2DABFC1-63370144-2026
Thank you for supporting this festive event and helping create a memorable night for our students and families! 💙
Dear Families,
Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up, and the PTA invites you to help us celebrate our wonderful teachers and staff!
Families are encouraged to record a short thank‑you video, post a note, or add a photo. These messages will be shared during Teacher Appreciation Week and mean so much to our staff.
How to participate:
• Use this link (https://www.tribute.co/efa-staff/?slideout=Invitations&invite=copy_link) to open our school's Tribute message:
◦ Record a brief video
◦ Write a short thank‑you message
◦ Submit a photo
Please send your submission by Tuesday, May 5th.
Thank you for helping us show our gratitude for all they do!
EFA+ PTA
