• Secretary's Column
• TCAP: What’s next?

• High school waivers:
  Exams to be required

• Credit recovery, correspondence and VHS

• CTE grant recipients announced

• Tech standards on the way

• New SPED rules mirror federal regulations

• 2008 Dakota STEP to feature student art

• Grants target technology integration

• Hot Topic
• Upcoming Events

Secretary's Column

Wax on – wax off

After viewing the title of the article, you can probably name that movie in less than five seconds. If you guessed “The Karate Kid,” you are correct! You might wonder what this movie has to do with education. Continue to read, and I’ll try to connect the dots.

In “The Karate Kid,” Daniel LaRusso moves from New Jersey to California. He quickly discovers that new kids do not always fit in, and he gets involved in some fights to help initiate him into his new town. Daniel becomes motivated to learn how to defend himself and quickly becomes impressed with a karate teacher – Mr. Miyagi – who has a history of helping young people learn the art and skill of karate.

To Daniel’s surprise, some of the activities that Mr. Miyagi teaches him appear to have nothing to do with karate. He asks Daniel to wax his car using a particular type of motion (wax on – wax off). He also assigns Daniel the task of painting the fence – again using a particular motion while he paints. While Daniel is waxing the car and painting the fence, he is angry and convinced that the exercises have nothing to do with learning karate. Soon, however, he realizes that the skills he learned from Mr. Miyagi did have a direct impact on his ability to be successful in karate competitions.

Each year, we graduate thousands of high school students in South Dakota. We expect that what they have learned in school will prepare them for life after high school. Employers and postsecondary faculty seem to be clear on what they expect from our graduates. My question is: Do the subjects and activities that we stress in high school prepare our students for their future lives? Here are some expectations that people have of our high school students and some activities that we can endorse to address these expectations.

• Basic Skills – Our students need to have a basic handle on academic skills such as reading and math. How do you acquire those skills? Rigorous coursework and solid assessment systems. End-of-course exams will become much more common as schools across our country attempt to assure the general public that our students have the basic skills to succeed.

• Literacy – Students must be able to read and comprehend at an adult level. Yet students may read less in high school than at any time in their school careers. More reading requirements at the high school level would assist in preparing students in the area of literacy. Each high school teacher should have a book that students could read to gain a greater understanding of the content area and sharpen their reading skills at the same time.

• Communication – If they have learned it, can they communicate it to others? Our current system of learning in high school is still quite passive – students listen as the teacher presents material. Activities such as Senior Projects provide students with a chance to package their learning from high school and communicate this learning to others. Senior Projects cause a student to reflect on his or her learning in high school.

• Problem-solving – Information is growing so rapidly that we can no longer expect to memorize all there is to learn. Students need to apply their learning to problem-solving situations. Our curriculum and activities need to be project-based so that students work with others to solve problems. We need to ensure that teachers are incorporating problem-solving activities into their curriculum.

Our students may be like Daniel LaRusso. They don’t understand how their high school curriculum will help them later in their lives. Let’s be more like Mr. Miyagi and ensure that the activities we create for our students will help them be prepared for the future.

TCAP: What’s next?

More than 100 school districts have applied for funds under the new Teacher Compensation Assistance Program. Next up: The TCAP Oversight Board will review the applications and make recommendations to the South Dakota Board of Education. Districts can expect notice on the status of their applications by mid-July.

“We want to thank those districts that have submitted their TCAP applications,” said Secretary of Education Rick Melmer. “We believe this program offers a measurable way of beginning to address the issue of teacher compensation. We also fully expect the public conversation regarding teacher salaries to continue.”

Districts that have not yet applied for their 2007-08 TCAP funds will have another opportunity to do so in August. An exact deadline has yet to be set; however, that information will be sent out to superintendents via e-mail once the timeline has been set.

The 2007 Legislature earmarked $4 million in the state’s budget for the Teacher Compensation Assistance Program. Local districts must invest $1 for every $4 that the state invests in the program.

Questions regarding TCAP can be directed to Wade Pogany at the Department of Education. Call (605) 773-3282 or e-mail wade.pogany@state.sd.us. 

At its June meeting, the South Dakota Board of Education took action on two issues related to the waiver of rules for high school credit.

First, the board approved a change to the Department of Education’s waiver policy for allowing students to earn high school credit for courses completed before 9th grade. Under the new rule, districts that apply for a waiver will be required to administer an end-of-course exam to prove student competency in the course. The department must approve the end-of-course exam. The department currently has exams available for Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry. Students will be required to score 85 percent on the test in order to earn high school credit. Students will be allowed to take the exam twice. The new rule takes effect July 1, 2007.

Second, the board passed rules that allow students to test out of a course, as long as the district has the appropriate approval for waiver from the Department of Education. The student must prove competency by passing a course equivalency exam. Students will be required to score 85 percent on the test in order to earn high school credit. Students will be allowed to take the exam one time only. The new rule takes effect July 1, 2007. As noted above, the department has tests available for Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry.

To request a paper copy of the department-approved Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry tests, contact Jan Martin, Department of Education, at (605) 773-3246. jan.martin@state.sd.us

Any questions regarding the waiver for high school credit can be directed to Jennifer Neuhauser at the Department of Education, (605) 773-4774. jennifer.neuhauser@state.sd.us

Credit recovery, correspondence and VHS

The 2007 Legislature passed House Bill 1113, which stated that no school district may grant credit for any course completed through distance learning unless the course is offered through the South Dakota Virtual High School. The law takes effect July 1, 2007.

With implementation of the new law approaching, a number of districts have had questions about whether correspondence courses may be taken for credit recovery this summer. In particular, districts have asked about courses taken from North Dakota Independent Studies. Any student that is enrolled in a course – online or correspondence – before July 1 will be allowed to finish the course and receive credit for it.

Further, the Virtual High School Advisory Council will review the issue of correspondence courses at its June meeting. At that time, the group will determine whether correspondence courses actually fall under the umbrella of a “virtual” class. The department will keep districts informed of the council’s decision.

“In developing the Virtual High School, we knew that credit recovery could be one of its practical uses,” said Melody Schopp with the South Dakota Department of Education. “This first year, we have very limited summer options available. But we plan to work with our providers so that we can offer a wide selection of credit recovery courses next summer. We know that the need is out there, and we are eager to help fill that need.”

CTE grant recipients announced

Forty-three schools and educational cooperatives across South Dakota will receive a total of $1.5 million to fund career and technical education initiatives during the 2007-08 school year. (See list below.) The one-year grants will support 60 projects.

Through career and technical education, students learn about the strong connection between high school, postsecondary education and the workplace.

Grant proposals focused on seven key areas: academic and technical skills, career guidance, entrepreneurial activities, new CTE programs within specific career clusters, partnerships, adding rigor to high school, and distance learning.

“By encouraging distance learning projects within this grant, we should see more CTE courses available statewide via the new Virtual High School,” said Mark Wilson, director of career and technical education for the South Dakota Department of Education.

The South Dakota Legislature appropriated $1.5 million in career and technical education funds earlier this year, which was an increase of $500,000 over last year’s funding.
The Department of Education received more than 80 applications requesting $2.8 million to fund initiatives during the 2007-08 school year.

Career and technical education projects funded for 2007-08

• Armour School District

• Belle Fourche School District

• Brandon Valley School District

• Bridgewater School District

• Brookings School District

• Canton School District

• Chamberlain School District

• Clark School District

• Cornbelt Educational Cooperative

• Dakota Valley School District

• East Central Multi-District

• East Dakota Educational Cooperative

• Emery School District

• Faulkton Area School District

• Hanson School District

• Harrisburg School District

• Hot Springs School District

• Hub Area Multi-District

• Lake Area Multi-District

• Lennox School District

• Leola School District

• Madison School District

• Meade School District

• Mid-Central Educational Cooperative

• Miller School District

• Mitchell School District

• Mitchell Technical Institute/Regional School Districts

• Mobridge School District

• Northeast South Dakota Tech Prep Consortium

• Northern High Tech Consortium

• Northwest Area Multi-District

• Northwestern Area School District

• Pierre School District

• Rapid City School District

• Sioux Falls School District

• Sisseton School District

• Tea Area School District

• Vermillion School District

• Viborg School District

• Wall School District

• Warner School District

• Watertown School District

• Yankton School District

Tech standards on the way

New K-12 educational technology standards have been drafted and are expected to go before the South Dakota Board of Education in July. A group of 40 educators worked to develop the standards to help determine students’ technology proficiency.

The proposed standards are designed to be integrated into the instruction of other content areas, not as stand-alone items. The standards focus on a technological way of thinking, rather than simply the use of computers. Under No Child Left Behind, students are required to be technology literate by the end of 8th grade.

Click here to review the proposed standards.

2008 Dakota STEP to feature student art

Next year’s Dakota STEP covers will feature artwork created by South Dakota students. This spring, students across the state were asked to submit artwork to be considered for the test booklet covers. Winning entries for each grade level are listed below. Each of the winners will receive a $100 savings bond from Citibank.

 

3rd grade: Corinne, John Harris Elementary, Sioux Falls School District
4th grade: Justus, Lakeview School, Todd County School District
5th grade: Kiley, Central Elementary, Brookings School District
6th grade: Dade, Faulkton Elementary, Faulkton School District
7th grade: Madison, Northwestern School District
8th grade: Joni, Northwestern School District
11th grade: Elissa, Northwestern School District

Grants target technology integration

Eight school districts and educational cooperatives will receive a total of $1.2 million for technology integration in the classroom. The recipients of the grants for the 2007-08 school year include:

• Black Hills Special Services Cooperative
• Brookings School District
• East Dakota Educational Cooperative
• Mitchell School District
• Pierre School District
• Sioux Falls School District
• Sisseton School District
• Wolsey-Wessington School District

The funds, which are part of the federal Title II Part D grant, will be used for development of technology projects in math, reading and/or science. All of the projects are comprehensive professional development initiatives designed to maximize the district’s existing technology and improve student achievement.

For information, contact Peg Henson at the Department of Education, (605) 773-2489. peg.henson@state.sd.us.  

Spring cleaning?
Tips for removing chemicals
By Carrie Jacobson
South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Has your school been putting off “spring cleaning”? Whether it’s the chemistry lab or your custodian’s closet, every school has materials that need to be disposed of. But you may not have the expertise to do it. The South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Waste Management Program offers the following tips to ensure that waste materials are safely managed and made ready for disposal.

• Inventory: Prepare a list of the materials you wish to dispose of. Include the label name, container size, amount of material in the container, and condition of the container.

• Contain: Make sure that any chemical stored in a container that is in poor condition is placed in another secure container. It’s not necessary to remove the chemical from its original container. Simply place the older container within a larger one that is in good condition and compatible with the chemical.

• Store Safely: Place compatible chemicals together, on a set of shelves or in a suitable container for safe onsite storage. Do not physically organize your chemicals in alphabetical order. Even though this may seem logical, it may result in fire or explosion should two incompatible chemicals co-mingle.

• Review: Determine whether another teacher, even one in another district, could use any of the chemicals on your list. If the material is still in good condition and can be used for its intended purpose (and another school is willing to accept it), the material will not be considered a waste.

• Neutralize: Some acids and bases can be safely neutralized onsite and flushed into the sewer system. Extreme caution must be taken. If school personnel feel comfortable performing the neutralization themselves, we suggest also working with local wastewater treatment plant officials to ensure adequate water volumes are used for the process. Other valuable resources to tap include your local HazMat and fire department officials. All of these individuals have been trained and routinely work with chemicals, and may be of assistance to school personnel when neutralizing chemicals.

• Dispose: This final step generally requires the assistance of a hazardous waste management contractor. These individuals have the expertise to identify unknown chemicals, package the chemicals according to compatibility and hazard category to ensure the wastes can be safely transported off-site. Schools in close proximity, or even not so close, may wish to use the same contractor. A contactor may do a “milk run” and service a number of schools in one trip, saving transportation costs for all. Click here for a list of contractors who have indicated their availability to service schools in South Dakota.

• Be sure to maintain a copy of your chemical inventory list, as well as shipping manifests that accompanied the off-site transportation of your unwanted chemicals.

Once your “spring cleaning” has been completed, it’s time to think about preparing purchasing guidelines for all staff to follow in the future. These guidelines might focus on 1) minimizing the amount of chemicals purchased, 2) keeping up on changes that may apply to school chemical cleanouts, and 3) conducting annual inspections of areas where chemicals are used.

For more information, please contact DENR’s hazardous waste program staff at (605) 773-3153. In addition, a list of online resources appears below.

• www.state.sd.us/denr/denr.html

• www.epa.gov/schools/

• www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/clusters/schools/

• http://cfpub.epa.gov/schools/top_sub.cfm?t_id=361

Upcoming Events

For a more complete list of professional development opportunities, visit www.southdakotapd.com.

• Historical Society to sponsor WWII programs in schools

• Lakota language program to help educators reach students

• Reading/Language Arts:
  Workshop addresses new standards

• Healthcare Workforce Summit planned

• Career and tech ed conference set for mid-summer

• Save the date:
  2007 South Dakota Infinite Campus Interchange

Historical Society to sponsor WWII programs in schools

The South Dakota State Historical Society will sponsor nearly a dozen school assemblies this fall. The free multimedia assemblies will focus on World War II.

Developed by the TRACES Center for History and Culture in St. Paul, Minn., the assemblies are a two-part program titled “Behind Barbed Wire: Midwest POWs in Nazi Germany.” The program includes the stories of 34th Division members (from armories in Aberdeen, Brookings, Deadwood, Edgemont, Hot Springs, Huron, Lead, Madison, Mitchell, Pierre, Rapid City, Sturgis and Watertown) and other men captured by the Germans and kept as prisoners of war until spring 1945.

Part I will consist of school assemblies, the showing of Public Broadcasting Service and/or International Red Cross films and a guest speaker. For Part II of the program, students tour the “BUS-eum,” a mobile exhibit in a retrofitted school bus. The BUS-eum contains 22 panels with photos and documents from the POWs’ stories, artifacts from the war and POW camps as well as several videos. You can view the BUS-eum at http://traces.org/buseumscenes.html.

Immediately after each program, schools would be encouraged to find local veterans to meet with students to share their personal WWII stories.

“Behind Barbed Wire” will tour South Dakota in September 2007. If you are interested in bringing this unique learning opportunity to your school, contact TRACES Program Director Eric Brandt at admin@TRACES.org or (651) 292-8700. The SDSHS-sponsored programs will be awarded to schools on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Lakota language program to help educators reach students

A new Lakota language immersion program aims to provide educators with an understanding of South Dakota’s unique American Indian culture. The program will be held June 24-29 at St. Joseph Indian School in Chamberlain. It is part of Governor Rounds’ 2010 Education Initiative.

A group of skilled Lakota speakers – Francis Whitebird, Ben Black Bear Jr., Sandra Black Bear and Philomene White Lance – will lead the language immersion classes. The program will focus on how to speak Lakota rather than how to write it. Besides learning the language, students will explore the history, song, dance and spirituality of the Lakota. They also will have an opportunity to participate in the sacred “inipi,” or sweat.

Twenty students will be allowed into the program. Students will receive free lodging and meals. Teachers and counselors of American Indian students, as well as students themselves, are invited to apply. Those who wish to take the course for college credit must pay for it.

During the 2007 legislative session, Gov. Rounds introduced a bill that called for establishing a revitalization of the American Indian language. “This pilot program will give us an opportunity to begin the process of language revitalization and give participating educators a better understanding of American Indian culture in South Dakota,” said Keith Moore, director of Indian education for the South Dakota Department of Education.

For more information or to register for the Lakota Language Immersion Program, contact the South Dakota Department of Education’s Office of Indian Education at (605) 773-8194.
 

Reading/Language Arts:
Workshop addresses new standards

A workshop designed to familiarize educators with the state’s new reading/language arts standards will be held June 25 at the Oaks Hotel in Sioux Falls.

Teachers who helped to develop the standards will lead the one-day workshop. Participants will leave the workshops with a clear understanding of the format and content of the standards. They also will have the opportunity to obtain standards-based lessons and activities.

The workshop is slated to begin at 8:30 a.m. and run to 4 p.m.

Registration is online at http://www.doe.sd.gov/PDregistration/index.asp.  The workshop is titled Reading/Language Arts Roll-Out.
 

Healthcare Workforce Summit planned
The South Dakota Healthcare Workforce Summit, “Preparing for the Challenge,” will be held July 24 at the Ramkota in Pierre. The summit is sponsored by the South Dakota Departments of Education, Health and Labor together with the South Dakota Board of Regents.

“The challenges facing South Dakota’s healthcare workforce are immense,” said Sandi Durick, assistant administrator of rural health for the South Dakota Department of Health. “At the same time the healthcare workforce in our state is aging and nearing retirement, we’re looking at a shrinking pool of potential replacements.”

As of June 2006, at least 50 percent of registered nurses, LPNs, pharmacists, dentists and physicians in the state were age 46 and over. In addition, the South Dakota State Data Center projects the numbers of South Dakotans of retirement age will increase 58 percent between 2005 and 2025. The result is that South Dakota is projected to need an additional 13,000 healthcare workers between 2004 and 2014.

For more information about the summit, visit the Department of Health’s Web site at http://ruralhealth.sd.gov or call 1-800-738-2301. Online registration for the summit is available.

Career and tech ed conference set for mid-summer
Pathways to Success, a comprehensive conference focusing on career and technical education, will be held July 30-Aug. 3 at the Ramkota in Pierre. The main conference takes place July 31-Aug. 1, with pre- and post-workshops and events.

Keynote speakers include Dr. Elaine Johnson, an expert on brain research and teaching. General sessions address best practices in areas such as senior projects, youth internships, career guidance and teachers as advisors. The South Dakota Association for Career and Technical Education will hold its annual business meeting during the event. Participants also will hear from CTE projects funded by dollars earmarked by the 2006 Legislature.

A pre-conference workshop is designed for High Schools That Work. Two post-conference workshops are slated for Aug. 1-3. They are Writing to Win, and Integrating Mathematics and Career and Technical Education.

The event is a joint effort of the Department of Education’s Office of Career and Technical Education, South Dakota Association for Career and Technical Education, South Dakota Tech Prep, and High Schools That Work/Making Middle Grades Work.

For more information, visit http://doe.sd.gov/octe/training/ and click on “Pathways to Success.”
 

Save the date:
2007 South Dakota Infinite Campus Interchange

Mark your calendars now for the 2007 South Dakota Infinite Campus Interchange, Oct. 2-3, 2007, at Cedar Shore Resort in Chamberlain.

Last year’s event drew an impressive 348 attendees, including technology coordinators, principals, teachers, and school secretaries. More information will be e-mailed this summer, including a link to register online.

This year’s event will feature more hands-on training, new presentations and a unique opportunity for you to network with state officials and colleagues from districts across South Dakota.

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