• Pam Brewer – Harding County
• Janie DesLauriers – Clark
• Moon Hemeyer – Spearfish
• Jennifer Klinkel – West Central
• Ryan Kruse – Sioux Falls
• Irish Pepito – McLaughlin
• Gayle Strand – Sioux Falls

Educators from the state’s 15 largest districts recently gathered for the Large School CTE Summit in Sioux Falls to learn from each other, share best practices and challenges, and create an action plan for the future of their career and technical education programs.

Attendees explored the new Perkins report card, heard a panel discussion on CTE teacher recruitment and retention, saw business partnerships in action with SD Junior Achievement Inspire Day and the South Dakota Retailers Association ProStart program, and toured McCrossan Boys Ranch.

Summit attendees got to see hundreds of area youth learning about different careers at Junior Achievement’s Inspire Day.

Attendees learned about McCrossan Boys Ranch curriculum and programs.

The South Dakota Week of Work will take place April 11-15. Resources are available on the Schools page [https://weekofwork.sd.gov/schools.aspx] of the Week of Work website [https://weekofwork.sd.gov/] to help educators and 10th and 11th grade students prepare for an engaging week of local in-person activities aimed at exploring career opportunities.

Need help planning activities? Email sdweekofwork@state.sd.us for tips or to connect with local resources.

Live panel discussions with business and industry leaders from across the state will also be held virtually.

Monday, April 11, will be an opportunity to engage your students in classroom activities to help them make the most of the week. Need ideas? Check out the resources on the Week of Work website [https://weekofwork.sd.gov/schools.aspx].

Tuesday through Thursday, April 12-14, students will be able to participate in live 40-minute panel discussions at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. CT. Panels will encompass six broad areas: agriculture, business, manufacturing and construction, public service, private sector service, and science. Each panel will feature representatives from a variety of related career clusters. Panel discussions will also be recorded and made available for later viewing. Keep an eye on the 2022 Schedule webpage [https://weekofwork.sd.gov/schedule.aspx] as plans develop.

Videos from businesses spotlighting various careers within their respective organizations are also available via the 2022 Schedule webpage [https://weekofwork.sd.gov/schedule.aspx].

Does your school already have robust work-based learning programs in place? Kudos to you! Consider using this week to celebrate everything you have done to prepare students for their next steps.

Whatever you do during this exciting week, please share your photos and success stories by using #SDWeekofWork on social media or email them to sdweekofwork@state.sd.us.

Andrea Diehm is the South Dakota Department of Education’s school counseling liaison.

As educators, you’ve likely encountered students dealing with anxiety. You may notice students who avoid situations and activities, display difficulties concentrating, and/or experience physical symptoms, such as stomachaches and headaches.

Like adults, all students have good days and bad days. While experiencing some level of anxiety in response to a stressor is normal, severe anxiety may interfere with school and daily life, which may indicate an anxiety disorder may be present. A clinical mental health clinician may be able to provide assistance with students experiencing severe anxiety. This article does not constitute medical advice.

As educators, there are things you can do to help students reduce anxiety and develop healthy coping strategies for dealing with stress. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) offer some useful advice.

• Provide a predictable classroom and routine. Experiencing fewer surprises helps students, especially those dealing with anxiety, do better in school. NASP offers a few suggestions on how to make your classroom more predictable.
  • At the beginning of the school day, allow a few extra minutes for students to transition into the school routine after arriving from home and/or school breakfast.
  • Display the day’s routine so students are aware of what will be occurring for the day in your classroom.
  • If there are any changes that will be occurring the following day, send a note home to bring it to the attention of parents and students. This gives time for the student to process the upcoming change.
  • Provide a regularly scheduled “downtime” for students which includes time that is not demanding, is nonsocial, and is quiet.
  • Avoid making assignments and classroom expectations overly complex. You can do this by breaking tasks down into manageable steps, sharing the length of time students are given to complete an assignment, and provide a variety of ways students may participate in class.


• Integrate stress-reduction techniques in your school setting. Modeling and teaching healthy coping strategies may help students use them when dealing with stress and anxiety. Teachers may find these strategies useful at the beginning of the school day or class period and/or before a test. The strategies featured in this section come from ASCA and not only help with general anxiety and stress reduction, but also with test anxiety.
  • Use deep breathing exercises to help students calm down, as this slows heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and increases oxygen intake. The 4-7-8 breathing exercise is comprised of four seconds of inhaling, holding for seven seconds, and exhaling for eight. Repeat if needed.
  • Use a grounding strategy to help students stay in the present and distracted from their anxiety. The 5-4-3-2-1 senses technique involves students coming up with five things they can see, four things they can feel, three things they can hear, two things they can smell, and one thing they can taste.
  • Encourage positive self-talk through use of: daily positive quotes; creating a positive world wall filled with positive quotes, can-do attitude posters, and test-taking strategies; journaling to allow students to process their anxiety and release emotions; and an activity called “crush the can’ts” in which students write a negative thought down on a slip of paper and tape it to an empty pop can and stomp on it to literally “crush” their can'ts.


• Develop a plan for managing anxious behaviors. If students are experiencing anxiety and need some assistance, have a plan ready to intervene. NASP provides a few strategies.
  • Have a communication system in place in which a student may signal an adult when they’re experiencing anxiety. This will help to limit some of the embarrassment they may experience when encountering anxiety symptoms.
  • Identify a safe place within the classroom for students to go when experiencing high anxiety or stress.
  • Identify a point person at the school for students to check in with briefly (5-10 minutes) if they need to leave the classroom during times of anxiety. A school-based mental health provider, such as a school counselor, school psychologist, or school social worker may be helpful to work with the student to practice anxiety-relieving strategies before returning to class.

Sources:

Malone, C., Dugas, J., & Ellis, T. (2018). Anxiety: Helping handout for school and home. Helping Handouts: Supporting Students at School and Home. National Association of School Psychologists. https://nasponline.org/HHportal.

Duvall, A., & Roddy, C. (2019). Coping with student anxiety. ASCASchoolCounselor. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Magazines/January-February-2019/Coping-With-Student-Anxiety.

Howard, N. (2019). Battling test anxiety. ASCASchoolCounselor. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Magazines/January-February-2019/Battling-Test-Anxiety.

SDMath/SDSci Leadership is a program by the South Dakota Department of Education to create and support a dynamic network of educators. The program selects, challenges, and develops K-12 South Dakota mathematics and science educators who have demonstrated an interest in leadership skills related to mathematics and science education.

Apply by May 20 to join the next cohort.

SDMath/SDSci Leadership is designed around the following goals:

• Build capacity by focusing on problem solving, innovation, leadership, systems thinking, change, STEM learner identity and efficacy
• Create a common knowledge base for educational advocacy and leadership, including effective instruction, clarity about STEM, and research-based practices
• Explore challenges and opportunities in our classrooms, schools, districts, state, and nation
• Provide opportunities for all students to be included in the work of mathematics and science teaching and learning
• Understand that the purpose of all of the above is to impact student experiences in mathematics and science for all students

Application Process
Ideal candidates for the SDMath/SDSci Leadership program aspire to grow professionally, challenge their thinking and practice, and be leaders/advocates for effective mathematics and/or science education. Applicants must teach or co-teach in a mathematics or science classroom for at least one course during their participation year. The application process is designed to ensure a class that consists of members from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and geographical locations. Approximately 20 participants are chosen annually.

A completed application requires submission of the following three components by Friday, May 20, at 5 p.m. CT:

Application: https://forms.gle/iN2JAMbbXdLpeT3c9
Letter of recommendation: https://forms.gle/7PYRwqZPZBGaktP9A
Administrator support letter: https://forms.gle/RL9t7Xq6ckCBdPg28

Program Meeting Dates
Upon selection, participants will be expected to attend all of the following meetings:

• Virtual Orientation – Aug. 30, 2022 (4:30 - 5:30 p.m. CT)
• Alpha Retreat – Sept. 17-18, 2022, Pierre
• Beta Retreat – Dec. 10-11, 2022, Pierre
• Virtual Check-in – Jan. 11, 2023 (4:30 - 5:30 p.m. CT)
• Gamma Retreat – Feb. 4-5, 2023, Huron (attendance at SD STEM Ed Conference Feb. 3-4 strongly encouraged)
• Delta Retreat – April 15-16, 2023, Pierre

Costs
Registration for SDMath/SDSci Leadership is free. The South Dakota Department of Education is able to cover hotel, mileage, and meals for each of the four retreats.

The SD STEM Ed Conference is an excellent way to network, learn from and with other math and science leaders from across South Dakota, including veterans of the SD Math/SD Sci Leadership program. The South Dakota Department of Education pays for the membership rate (SDCTM or SDSTA) for conference registration, with the expectation that SD Math/SD Sci participants are current on their SDCTM or SDSTA membership dues. The department also pays for the cost of participants’ hotel rooms for Friday night so that they can attend the conference. The department is not able to pay for the cost of a substitute teacher if participants wish to come to the conference on Friday.

Questions? Email Stephanie Higdon [stephanie.higdon@state.sd.us] or call 605-295-8190.

South Dakota educators are invited to apply to participate in a variety of activities this summer related to state assessments in English language arts, math, and science. Participants will be compensated for their time and have the opportunity to network with colleagues from across the country. Application deadlines are coming up in April.

• Math and ELA alternate assessment content and bias review: June 13-15, Minneapolis

The South Dakota Department of Education, in collaboration with Cognia, Inc., invites a team of diverse South Dakota educators to apply to participate in a content and bias review of English language arts and math field test items developed for the 2023 administration of the statewide alternate assessment, which is available for students who have met the significant cognitive disability criteria.

The review will take place in Minneapolis, Minnesota, June 13 – 15, with the following schedule:

• ELA Grades 3-6: June 13-15
• ELA Grades 7, 8, & 11: June 13-15
• Math Grades 3-6: June 13-15
• Math Grades 7, 8, & 11: June 13-15
• ELA Bias - All Grades: June 13-14
• Math Bias - All Grades: June 13-14

Stipend/Substitute Reimbursement
Stipends of $150/day will be available for eligible participants.

The actual cost of substitute expenses will be paid to the school district for individuals who take leave to participate in the MSAA Item Content and Bias Review.

Cognia is the assessment contractor to MSAA and will be responsible for this review. The South Dakota Department of Education will confirm and notify selected participants. Cognia will contact participants to work out logistics including registration, travel and accommodations, materials, the review work, and will cover all expenses.

Questions? Email Jessie Ahlers [jessica.ahlers@state.sd.us] or Chris Booth [christina.booth@state.sd.us] with the South Dakota Department of Education.

• Review and create Tools for Teachers resources: July 13-15 and July 18-20, Portland, Oregon

Share your expertise with other educators from across the country by helping review and create instructional resources for Tools for Teachers, the Smarter Balanced teacher resource website.

Schedule

• English language arts: July 13-15, Portland, Oregon
Math and grades K-2: July 18-20, Portland, Oregon

Please fill out this form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSco_KWAzohlWzQnBPRnCpvvxeI5cx1heK3q4LECSOP-xXkObg/viewform] to apply by April 11.

The workshop goal will be to create English language arts (ELA) and mathematics instructional resources for grades 3 - 8 and the high school Interim Connections Playlist using the Tools for Teachers Instructional Resource Quality Criteria. ELA resource development will focus on reading (i.e., literary texts or informational texts), while math resource development will focus on a selection of Claim 1 Targets. Additionally, participants will pilot the creation of instructional resources for grades K - 2. Final SNE selection is based on the content needs of the workshop.

It is important to note that all selected participants will be required to complete online training before attending the workshop. Enrollment in the online training modules will occur approximately one week after participant invitation acceptance/registration.

Invitations to the workshop will come from event travel coordinator, Collaborative Communications, and are scheduled to be delivered at the beginning of May. Be sure to check all of your email folders (including your junk folder) for your invitation to register for the event. Please register for the event as soon as you get your invitation. Find more information about the workshops, including a draft agenda, on this Tools for Teachers webpage [https://sne.smartertoolsforteachers.org/].

• Science assessment development activities: July 22, 25, 26-27, 28-29, online

The South Dakota Department of Education’s Office of Assessment will hold four meetings for the general education and alternate science assessments in grades 5, 8, and 11 this summer. Participants should have a science and/or special populations background.

These meetings will be held remotely via Microsoft Teams and will generally last all day, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT. Cameras and reliable internet are required. Participants will be paid an honorarium of $125 per day.

Please fill out this form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeUYfALQNmIpP0E9BsXi3aE3N1NrRYPCLm_qg3h5FrN7bnrCQ/viewform] to apply by April 21.

Schedule

• Science Alternate Assessment Content Advisory Committee Meeting: July 22
• Science Alternate Assessment Achievement Level Descriptor Meeting: July 25
• Science Alternate Assessment Standard Setting Meeting (set cut scores): July 26–27 (participants must attend both days)
• Science Standard Validation Meeting (validate cut scores): July 28–29 (participants must attend both days)
• Science Independent Alignment Study review: dates and times to be determined
  • An item alignment study for science and alternate science assessments will also be held sometime this summer. Details are still pending.

Created for parents and caregivers, three new videos and a video guide are now available for access on the Project AWARE webpage under “Parent/Caregiver Resources.”

The Project AWARE team strives to enhance partnerships that support and promote wellness, resilience, and tools to empower students, families, educators, and school staff. This 3-part video series, Nurturing Child and Adolescent Development and Mental Health, is made possible through collaboration of the Department of Education, Department of Social Services-Division of Behavioral Health, and South Dakota State University.

• Video: Middle Childhood Development [https://youtu.be/SWG2YzcB4o0]
• Video: Adolescent Development [https://youtu.be/FyT63VrclkA]
• Video: Child and Adolescent Mental Health [https://youtu.be/IBk43VCallE]

Have you ever thought of mental health as a continuum of well-being? Learn more about it in the Strengthening Child and Adolescent Mental Health video. All these videos are a great tool to have in one’s toolbox to review and share with parents and caregivers. Additionally, a video guide [https://doe.sd.gov/mentalhealth/documents/PA-VideoGuide.pdf] has been made available which provides an overview of the content, supplemental resources, and timestamps for convenient accessibility.

The videos were made possible through Project AWARE funds in partnership with the South Dakota Department of Education, South Dakota Department of Social Services, and South Dakota State University.

Questions? Please contact Teresa Rowland [teresa.rowland@state.sd.us], Project AWARE Director.

The South Dakota State Fair and the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources encourage teachers to submit student education entries for display in the Arts & Education Building at the 2022 South Dakota State Fair. On average, more than 50 schools participate, entering more than 5,000 entries each year.

“For some teachers, it’s a tradition,” said State Fair Manager Peggy Besch. “The education division is a great way to showcase their students’ work. Parents, family, and students love seeing their projects on display in the Arts & Education Building.”

Entry forms are due to the State Fair office by April 16. The Education Department handbook and entry forms are available online at https://www.sdstatefair.com/participate/competitive-exhibits/education/.

All classroom subjects are eligible; public, private, and homeschools can enter projects. Schools interested but concerned about how to get entries to the fairgrounds should contact the fair at 605-353-7340 for assistance.

The 2022 South Dakota State Fair runs Thursday, Sept. 1, through Monday, Sept. 5. Channel Seeds preview night will be Wednesday, Aug. 31. For information about the South Dakota State Fair, contact the Fair office at 800-529-0900, visit www.sdstatefair.com or find them on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/SDStateFair], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sdstatefair/?hl=en], and Twitter [https://twitter.com/SDStateFair].