Upcoming Events

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

• South Dakota Board of Education to meet
• Find your balance as a leader:
  New event targets school administrators
• Master 21st century teaching skills
• Save the date:
  Career and technical education conference
• Teacher Leadership Conference
  Event takes new bent: focus on first-year teachers

South Dakota Board of Education to meet

The South Dakota Board of Education will meet May 19-20, 2008, in Rapid City at Western Dakota Technical Institute. An agenda will be posted at http://doe.sd.gov/secretary/board/schedule.asp as soon as it is available.

Find your balance as a leader
New event targets school administrators

School leaders are stretched in a hundred different directions. The new Balanced Leadership Academy will help frazzled superintendents and principals find their balance! The first session begins June 23-37 in Sioux Falls.

The Balanced Leadership Academy, which includes five sessions, is based on McRel’s 21 key leadership responsibilities. School administrators will leave the program with the skills of knowing how to lead, why leadership is so important, and when it’s critical to provide effective leadership.

This academy is a joint effort of the School Administrators of South Dakota, South Dakota Department of Education, McRel, and North Central Comprehensive Center.

For more information, click here.

Master 21st century teaching skills

The Department of Education will host a 21st Century Master Teacher Academy July 21-25. (Location to be determined.) Teachers who participate will learn to design curriculum and instructional practices that support 21st century learning, which includes a focus on skills such as innovation, creativity, problem solving and communications. In addition, they will learn to incorporate 21st century tools into their classrooms.

The department’s goal is to develop a cadre of about 40 teachers to serve as 21st century skills master teachers in South Dakota.

For more information, contact Shannon Schweitzer, Department of Education, at (605) 773-8193. Shannon.schweitzer@state.sd.us. 

Save the date:
Career and technical education conference

The annual Career and Technical Education Conference is slated for July 27-30 at the Ramkota RiverCentre in Pierre. This year’s event will feature hands-on activities related to career clusters, career guidance, personal learning plans, programs of study and units of instruction.

The event is hosted by the South Dakota Department of Education and the South Dakota Association for Career & Technical Education.

Teacher Leadership Conference
Event takes new bent: focus on first-year teachers

South Dakota’s newest teachers will be the stars at the 2008 Governor Rounds’ Teacher Leadership Conference in Pierre! In the weeks ahead, first- and second-year teachers will receive an invitation to attend the Oct. 5-7 event. Teachers must have the permission of their principal and superintendent to attend the event.

This year’s Teacher Leadership Conference is designed to support new teachers on the road to becoming accomplished professionals. Sessions will cover a range of topics pertinent to new teachers. Veteran South Dakota educators will facilitate.

There is no cost to attend the event, and lodging and meals will be provided during the conference. However, mileage and other travel expenses must be covered by the local school district.

With the new focus of the Teacher Leadership Conference, the department will no longer host the Governor’s New Teacher Academies in the summer.

For more information about this year’s TCL, visit http://doe.sd.gov/conferences/TLC/index.asp.