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March 2021 | ||
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K-12 teachers and staff now eligible for COVID-19 vaccination
The South Dakota Department of Health has begun using its state allocation to vaccinate the “Teachers and Other School Staff” group. According to DOH, K-12 teachers/staff are now eligible to be vaccinated by the state’s health care partners, in addition to the pharmacies that participate in the federal retail pharmacies program. |
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Award-winning SD teachers honored in Pierre 2021 South Dakota Teacher of the Year Amanda Hargreaves and Regional Teacher of the Year winners Luke Erfman, Lisa Weier, Spencer Cody, and Marissa Whipple were in Pierre Feb. 5. They had an opportunity to visit with Governor Noem and be recognized by both the House and Senate chambers for their work. Kudos to these outstanding teachers! |
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Olson and Preheim named Grosvenor Teacher Fellows South Dakota teachers Julie Olson and Kelly Preheim are among only 50 teachers from across the U.S. and Canada to be chosen as Grosvenor Teacher Fellows. Once travel conditions allow, they will take a Lindblad Expeditions’ voyage to experience natural wonders with an expedition team including marine biologists, geologists, undersea specialists, National Geographic photographers, and more. |
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DOE’s science specialist receives SDSTA Distinguished Service Award Jennifer Fowler, the South Dakota Department of Education’s science specialist, has received the Distinguished Service Award from the South Dakota Science Teachers Association. Congratulations, Jennifer! Thank you for all you do for teachers and students in our state. |
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Educators awarded SD Space Grant Consortium grants Several South Dakota math and science teachers have been awarded Kelly Lane Earth and Space Science Grants and Daniel Swets Robotics Materials Awards. Congratulations to these innovative educators who were recognized at the SDSTA Virtual Science Day event in February! |
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Register now for SD Week of Work
Registration information is now available on the 2021 Schedule page of the South Dakota Week of Work website. The Week of Work will take place April 19-23, with many activities being held virtually, including live panel discussions with business and industry leaders from across the state. |
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Seeking participants for CTE standards revision and unpacking this summer Our Division of Career & Technical Education is inviting educators and community members to participate in content standards revision and unpacking workgroups in June. Each workgroup will include approximately 20 members, and applicants will be selected to ensure a broad representation on each workgroup. Application deadline: March 31. |
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Crosswalk between early learning guidelines and kindergarten standards now available The recently released crosswalk between the South Dakota Early Learning Guidelines and Kindergarten Content Standards is intended to improve daily instruction for those children exiting a pre-kindergarten program and entering a kindergarten program by aligning and coordinating standards across the continuum. |
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Free virtual learning series aims to help educators support multilingual learners WIDA Professional Learning is offering a five-part series of 30-minute on-demand learning opportunities to help educators navigate some of the nuances of teaching and supporting multilingual students this school year. South Dakota is part of the WIDA consortium, a group of states dedicated to the design and implementation of high standards and equitable educational opportunities for English learners. |
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Apply by May 3 to help Smarter Balanced with item development The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium seeks educators to participate in content development activities beginning in summer 2021. This process involves educators, researchers, policymakers, and community groups in a transparent consensus-driven process. Apply by May 3. |
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More resources supporting OSEU instruction now available The Department of Education continues to distribute new resources for K-12 teachers to support instruction of the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings and Standards. Resources are released weekly, organized by OSEU standard. These resources are housed on the South Dakota Office of Indian Education website. |
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SFEC starts Fam Jam podcast The South Dakota Statewide Family Engagement Center started The Fam Jam podcast to bring together schools, families, and community members to discuss tricky topics in supporting students. Some tricky topics include the importance of attendance, mental wellness, and communication. Listen via the Fam Jam podcast webpage and follow SFEC on Facebook and on Twitter. |
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Upcoming Events A complete listing of events is available at GoSignMeUp.
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View printable version of this newsletter. Contact us with your story ideas. | ||||