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In Every Issue:
Secretary's Column
CANS
In This Issue:
Secretary’s Column
By Dr. Rick Melmer, Secretary
Department of Education
What is 2010E?
Over the past several weeks, Governor
Rounds has shared with groups across the state his plans to initiate education
discussions entitled 2010E. These discussions will be modeled after the 2010
initiative that was conducted a year ago in the areas of tourism and economic
development for the state of South Dakota. Plans are underway to design the 2010E discussions that
will occur during the summer of 2004. Currently, the plans are to conduct
regional educational sessions around the state that will involve stakeholders
in our educational programs. Invitations will be sent to specific
stakeholders, but any interested parties will be able to participate in the
regional discussions. Dates and locations are yet to be determined. During these discussions, specific educational topics
will be covered. A potential list of topics includes: Another topic that will be discussed during the 2010E
meetings will be the proposed graduation requirements that received a first
reading at the May South Dakota Board of Education meeting. The proposed
graduation requirements will be available to all participants during the 2010E
discussions. The Department of Education applauds the Governor on his interest in
holding a statewide dialogue on education. More information on 2010E will be
shared as the details come together. Sunflower seed butter available for order Next year, South Dakota schools can order sunflower seed
butter (Sun Butter®) via the USDA Food Distribution Program. The product is an
alternative to peanut butter for students with peanut allergies. The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Services has developed the
guidance below to address questions about the allergy potential of sunflower
seed butter. Q: Is sunflower butter “more
safe” for children than peanut butter? A: To begin to answer this
question, we turn to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, who
state that 90 percent of all food allergic reactions are caused by eight types
of foods known as the “big eight” -- peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, cow’s milk,
soybean, fish, crustaceans, and wheat. They point out that a “second eight”
category of food allergens exists, accounting for the other 10 percent of food
allergic reactions. This second eight category includes seed allergens --
sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, cottonseed, and poppy. Those children whose allergy
is limited to peanuts could in many cases substitute sunflower seed butter,
without the dangers of severe allergic reactions. However, no food that has
the potential to cause an allergic reaction is 100 percent safe.
It should be recognized that
sunflower seed butter can still potentially cause an allergic reaction in a
limited number of children, although there would be a lower level of risk
associated with consuming it compared to consuming peanut butter. Therefore,
sunflower seed butter may be considered as a relatively safe substitute for
peanut butter in certain circumstances, and can meet children’s
consumption requirements as a non-meat, high-protein peanut butter
alternative. Plan to attend important school nutrition events Below is a list of pertinent upcoming events. Contact
Child and Adult Nutrition Services at (605) 773-3413 for information. 
May claims for reimbursement and proration
Important reminder: The proration of the state matching funds for the National School Lunch Program for public schools is based on the lunches served, as reported on the claims for reimbursement. May claims that have been filed by June 10 and paid are considered in that proration. Timely submission of the school year’s claims will ensure that there is adequate time to resolve any problems before the proration is run. Thank you to those who already have submitted their claims.
Child and Adult Nutrition Services uses the required matching funds mainly to cover the cost of transportation and storage of commodities for public schools. The rest of the money is then prorated among the public schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program. The proration check will come from the State Auditor’s Office. The allocation of these funds is determined by obtaining a percentage of the number of lunches served in your school compared to the total lunches served for all public schools.
This money is to be receipted into the agency’s school meals program funds, revenue code #3810. The proration will be run by June 15 and checks mailed some time after that.
Please contact Bob Adams at (605) 773-3456 or Sandra Kangas at (605) 773-4746 with questions about the proration.
Quick Q&A on monthly reimbursement payments
Two commonly asked questions regarding the state’s process for notifying schools of monthly reimbursement payments for Child Nutrition Programs include:
1) Why are the notices of amount sent out?
2) Why are the notices of amount sent out separately?
Answer #1: Notices of the amount that should be in your payment are sent out to make sure that the amount scheduled in your payment matches what you sent in as a claim, as well as to be compared against what is received. This should serve as a control that your claims are processed correctly.
Answer #2: Notice of amounts are sent separately from the checks (vouchers), because the checks go out from the Auditor’s Office rather than from Department of Education as was the practice in the past.
CANS to go online
In May, Child and Adult Nutrition Services began to work through a lengthy process to move management of the nutrition and distribution programs to an Internet-based system. The plan is to include filing and processing claims, placing commodity orders, and maintaining agreements. The online process will not be ready by fall 2004. It will be based on available federal funds and will progress in phases.
In July, CANS and the contractor will work with a select number of “customers” to determine the needs of school personnel as well as state office needs. One of the project’s main goals is to empower schools to have ready access to their information. If you have suggestions or concerns, please forward them to Child and Adult Nutrition Services.
Register for National Board Certification Candidate Retreat
Four intensive mathematics institutes for high school teachers will be held July 19-26 at two locations: USDSU in Sioux Falls and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City. Mathematics teachers may choose one of four strands:
1) Statistics and Probability
2) Geometry
3) South Dakota Mathematics Content Standards
4) Math for Middle School Teaching
The institutes will be taught by a team of university faculty members and high school teachers. Participants will receive a stipend of $50 per day, and room and board will be provided.
The Statistics and Probability Institute will allow participants to learn and develop curriculum units that emphasize statistics and probability.
The Geometry Institute will allow participants to learn and develop curriculum units that emphasize geometry.
The South Dakota Mathematics Content Standards Institute will provide the participant with an in-depth study of the new standards in mathematics. Two days will be devoted to each of the five strands. A daylong in-service on each strand will be held as a follow-up activity. This institute will be available for graduate credit only.
GPS/GIS technology hits the classroom
A series of GPS/GIS institutes are set for summer 2004. The series includes a two-week basic institute (two graduate credits) in both Brookings and Box Elder, along with a one-week advanced institute (one graduate credit) at South Dakota State University in Brookings.
The events will train interested educators to integrate GPS/GIS technology into their existing curriculum, as well as to explore opportunities to develop new interactive units. Teachers will be trained in the use of a GPS unit and GIS software, ArcView. ArcView is mapping software. The state has a statewide license and will make the software available to interested school districts.
Participants will receive $50 per day, and room and board will be provided. Dates of the institutes are:
Basic GPS/GIS Institutes
June 14-25 (Mon-Fri), 8 a.m.-5 p.m., SDSU, Brookings
July 12-23 (Mon-Fri), 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Douglas School District, Box Elder
Advanced GPS/GIS Institute
June 28-July 2 (Mon-Fri), 8 a.m.-5 p.m., SDSU, Brookings
More information on the institutes, including syllabi and
online registration forms, is available at
http://www.state.sd.us/deca/DDN4Learning/summertraining/gpsinfo.htm.
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LifeSkills® Training designed to prevent substance abuse
LifeSkills® Training, a highly effective substance abuse prevention program, is available to South Dakota schools. The program teaches students the skills necessary to resist social pressures to smoke, drink and use drugs. It helps them develop greater self-esteem and increase their knowledge of the consequences of substance use.
Training sessions are slated for the following dates and locations:
Cost
is $30. For information, contact Kari Senger at (605) 773-7608 or
kari.senger@state.sd.us, or sign up online:
http://www.state.sd.us/deca/CSCF/schoolhealth/training/
The training is a
partnership between the Coordinated School Health Program in the Departments
of Education and Health, the Department of Health’s Tobacco Control Program,
and the Department of Human Services’ Division of Alcohol and Drug
Abuse. Regional sponsors include the Human Service Agency’s Northeast
Prevention Resource Center in Watertown, Volunteers of America’s Southeastern
Prevention Resource Center in Sioux Falls, and Youth & Family Service’s
Western Prevention Resource Center in Rapid City.
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Workshop encourages health career exploration
Schools are invited to send educators, counselors and nurses to a one-day training June 22, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., at the Mitchell Technical Institute. The workshop, sponsored by the Office of Career and Technical Education, will provide practical tools for developing and implementing a comprehensive health career exploration program. Participants will learn:
How to implement hands-on, health career exploration activities
How module components provide for special needs students
How academic and technical education are integrated into the activities
How to serve all students and expose students to non-traditional careers
How to integrate business, community and parental involvement in the curriculum
The workshop is free. Participants should register by June 11. Contact
Shannon Mentzer at (605) 773-4681 or
shannon.mentzer@state.sd.us, or Halley Lee at (605) 773-6320 or
halley.lee@state.sd.us.
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August workshops focus on integrated curriculums
The Office of Career and Technical Education will sponsor integration workshops Aug. 2, 5 and 6 at the Ramkota RiverCentre in Pierre. The workshops are designed to help teachers meet the requirements of current legislation, while providing students with hands-on, real-world activities.
Workshop participants will have the opportunity to identify strategies for teaching integrated curriculums and revising their crosswalks. Emphasis will be placed on increasing academic and technical skills in the participant’s current curriculum.
The workshop schedule is as follows:
The integration workshops are free. Hours from the workshops can be used in conjunction with those accrued during the South Dakota Association for Career and Technical Education conference for one college credit or one renewal credit.
Registration deadline is July 15. Participants can register online at: www.state.sd.us/deca/dwcp/training/intworkshop.asp.
For more information, contact Shannon Mentzer at (605) 773-4681 or
shannon.mentzer@state.sd.us.
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SDACTE to hold summer conference
Mark your calendar for Aug. 2-5, the dates of the South Dakota Association of Career and Technical Education’s summer conference. The conference will be held at the Ramkota RiverCentre in Pierre. Sessions will address topics ranging from bullying and school violence to the role of CTE in the Governor’s 2010 Initiative. Workshops will grant college and/or renewal credit for certificate renewal.
Randy Jones will give the keynote address. A graduate of South Dakota State University and a former teacher and coach at Chester and Brookings, Jones is a principal member of Jones Development Group. He has served as a guest lecturer at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, and a teacher at Beveridge Institute for Sales and Sales Management in Chicago, Ill.
Sponsored in part by the DOE’s Office of Career and Technical Education, the conference attracts educational professionals involved in providing quality technical education statewide. It’s a great opportunity to learn and network with other professionals in the education arena.
Cost of the conference is $95 for members, $50 for first-time attendees who
are members, and $185 for non-members. To learn more about the conference,
visit
http://sdacte.southeasttech.com/.
To register, contact Bob Bell, SDACTE Executive Director, at (605)
692-6056 or
bellr@brookings.net
or the Office of Career and Technical Education at (605) 773-3247.
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Early South Dakota history focus of Teachers Institute
Discover “A River of Many Peoples” at a summer institute for teachers, July 18-24, on the University of South Dakota campus in Vermillion. The institute will focus on early South Dakota history and will incorporate elements of anthropology, archaeology, history and law. The institute is sponsored by the University of South Dakota and the South Dakota Humanities Council.
For a fee of $100, participants will receive three graduate credits,
textbooks, and room and board. To register, call the University of South
Dakota’s Department of History at (605) 677-5218.
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Festival of Books celebrates reading, writing
This summer, children of all ages
can get exposed to books in a whole new way! The Second Annual South Dakota
Festival of Books, Aug. 27-29, in downtown Sioux Falls will celebrate reading,
writing and literary arts. Kids will have the opportunity to be read to by
authors and celebrity readers, listen to professional storytellers, meet their
favorite storybook characters, and make book-related crafts. The event is a
program of the South Dakota Humanities Council.
Teachers, administrators and librarians also are invited to attend. Events
will be organized in six tracks: fiction, non-fiction, history, writers’
support, poetry and children’s literature.
For more information on the festival, visit
http://web.sdstate.edu/humanities or call the South Dakota Center for the
Book at (605) 688-6031.
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Important updates for driver instructors
New laws regarding driver instruction permits and restricted minors’ permits take effect July 1, 2004. They are as follows:
Beginning July 1, holders of a restricted minor’s permit may operate a motor vehicle from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., if the motor vehicle is being operated with the permission of the holder’s parent or guardian (SB 83). Prior to July 1, holders of a restricted minor’s permit can drive alone from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Beginning July 1, holders of an instruction permit may operate a motor vehicle from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., if accompanied in the passenger seat by a person holding a valid operator’s license who is at least 18 years old and has had at least one year of driving experience. The applicant may drive from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. if the applicant’s parent or guardian is occupying a seat beside the applicant (HB 1117). Prior to July 1, 2004, holders of instruction permits are allowed to drive anytime when accompanied in the passenger seat by a person holding a valid operator’s license who is at least 18 years of age and has one year of driving experience.