Maxed out on NCAA basketball? Switch gears and take in some football to raise funds for Sioux Falls Schools without PTA/PTOs! The Sioux Falls STORM take on the Iowa Barnstormers (that's the team Kurt Warner played for before he became SuperBowl MVP!) at 7:05pm tonight at The Premier Center.
50% of net proceeds from tonight's game go to Night of Hope & Caring!
https://www.ticketmaster.com/sioux-falls-storm-vs-iowa-barnstormers-sioux-falls-south-dakota-03-28-2022/event/06005C3CC1FA7A1E
Community Engagement is a strong focus for the Sioux Falls School District. Take this 7-question survey to help us learn more about your interactions with your school and with other families.
https://survey.k12insight.com/survey1.aspx?k=SsXRVPsQQSYsPsPsPsYQRWQRXQQ&lang=0
Important information about school lunches for next year (2022-23):
Because Congress voted against covering the cost of school meals, FREE SCHOOL MEALS END THIS SUMMER. What does this mean for you? That means starting in the Fall of 2022, parents/guardians will again be responsible for paying for school meals – and fees will more accurately reflect the real cost of each meal instead of being subsidized. If you believe your family meets the income eligibility requirements to qualify for Free or Reduced School Meals, please fill out the 2021-22 form now. For more information about school lunches next year click on this link: https://www.smore.com/3gzqj-free-school-meals-end-this-summer
Math in the library???? Absolutely! Today Mr. Taphorn's 6th grade math classes practiced writing algebraic equations. They worked in pairs to solve different problems spread around the room. Who knew math could be so much fun!
It's #ThrowbackThursday here at Whittier library. Everyone is reading their favorite books as part of the city-wide Everybody Reads initiative including our Whittier Wolverine who is reading in the famous Egg Chair! It has been here for decades, and it is still a student favorite in the library. Find your favorite spot and cozy up with a good book today!
We are working hard at Whittier! Students in Ms. Mayer's social studies classroom answered the question, "How did geography affect life in ancient China?" by creating 3-D landscape models. Great job, 6th Grade!
This week the Whittier Wolverine is with Director Kaye Waltner. Whittier students are busy with practices on the stage getting ready for the spring musical – Moana, Jr. It’s shaping up to be a fantastic event full of singing, dancing, and fun! Make plans now to come out and see the show Thursday, March 24 or Friday, March 25 at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $4.00; Pre-sales start this week (for students during lunch/PRO Time) or tickets will be available at the door the night of the show.
Great things are happening at Whittier! In our new “Cops and Kids” program students are training hard and learning social skills, self-discipline, and building confidence through martial arts. Read more about it in this feature story from KELO: https://www.keloland.com/news/local-news/new-program-combines-kids-cops-and-martial-arts/?fbclid=IwAR1GoBecS_feN30-3osSmfSg0EiUN2u-P1lnVvVhAI8mpfD2XUBVIQoqKgQ
Congratulations and good luck this weekend to Sam Ayalew and Nathan Loaeza who were chosen by audition to be part of the 2022 SD Middle School All-State Band! They will represent Whittier at the All-State Concert in Mitchell on Saturday, March 3 at 3:00. Check out the live stream: https://youtu.be/ebCUDA_zzFs
Superintendent Jane Stavem hosted nearly 50 future educators Tuesday for "Bagels with the Boss." Student teachers currently working in SFSD classrooms joined us to learning about job opportunities, hear about the support offered by the District's Instructional Coaches, and connect with leadership. We look forward to adding many of these new teachers to our team in the Fall!
The Sioux Falls School District is excited to partner with Siouxland Libraries for a community-wide reading initiative. Throughout the month of March, students, staff, parents, and community members are being encouraged to track how many books they read. View the Count here! https://www.sf.k12.sd.us/page/everybody-reads The goal is to create a community of readers ages 0 –100!
Native American Connections program renamed to Očéti Šakówiŋ Owáuŋspe (OSO)! The Native American Connections program, often referred to as ‘NAC’ is a program in the Sioux Falls School District that connects Native students with the culture, traditions, and heritage of the Oceti Sakowin. To center Indigenous language and culture in its programming, Native American Connections has collaboratively determined to rename its programs to Očéti Šakówiŋ Owáuŋspe or OSO. The program will continue to have OSO facilitators in all elementary buildings and offer OSO classes to Indigenous middle and high school students. In addition, OSO has renamed its Lakota language classes at the high school level which will now be titled Languages of the Oceti Sakowin. Our Languages of the Oceti Sakowin and Indigenous Studies courses are available to all high school students in the Sioux Falls School District. See more here: https://youtu.be/HdDc-JLLRCE
Project Search 2022! While it may not be a brand-new program, it is one that is having a huge impact on many Sioux Falls School District students! Project Search is an innovative, business led transition program for special education students ages 18-21 who have completed all high school requirements. The program is a partnership between the Sioux Falls School District, Dow Rummel Village, Department of Human Services, Transition Services Liaison Project, and Department of Labor and regulation. With the help of a classroom environment and Sioux Falls School District staff, students in the program learn and develop their employability skills. Students then apply those skills while participating in targeted internships at Dow Rummel, 5 days a week. The ultimate goal of Project Search is to find competitive employment for each intern upon completion of the program. The program’s strong partnerships are helping to develop the workforce of tomorrow, while gaining valuable interns and future employees along the way. To see more about Project Search, visit our YouTube page: https://youtu.be/5NsEybdUU94
Thank you, School Bus Drivers!
February 22nd is National School Bus Driver Appreciation Day! Our School Bus drivers have been through a lot this past year. From picking up extra routes due to driver shortages to having to pivot on a dime almost daily. We cannot emphasize their importance enough. Please help us say thank you to our bus drivers not just today, but every day!
No School February 21-22!
Don’t forget, President’s Day Break is Monday, February 21st through Tuesday, February 22nd. There will be NO school these days. See you on Wednesday, February 23rd!
NO SCHOOL on February 21-22- Presidents' Day Break
