Registration now open for Civics & History Summit

Registration is now open for the Civics & History Summit, to be held June 3-4 this year in Sioux Falls. The summit will bring together K-12 social studies educators for a two-day event featuring keynote presentations from former South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard and Northern State University education professor Dr. Christian Pirlet.

The summit, hosted by the Department of Education (DOE), is the second in two years. The summit is a high-intensity professional development event for K-12 social studies teachers as they prepare to incorporate the social studies standards that were adopted in 2023. The standards will be taught in K-12 classrooms in the fall of 2025; the summit is part of the DOE’s efforts to ensure that teachers have the tools to properly accommodate the standards in their lesson plans.

JoAnne Bohl, the 2024 South Dakota History Teacher of the Year, attended the Civics & History Summit in 2023. “I thought it was amazing,” she said. “They had so many sessions that so many teachers could benefit from – a variety of sessions depending on interest. As far as a professional development, it was one of the best I’ve ever been to. Regardless of grade level, there was something for everybody.” Bohl hopes to attend the event again this year.

Besides keynotes from Daugaard and Pirlet, the summit will include a “Dignitaries Dinner” featuring key figures from American history, educational sessions, and interactive exhibits. The educational sessions will address a variety of topics, from John Mollison’s Educator Kits to SDPB’s Educational Resources for the Classroom.

The summit is free for South Dakota teachers and administrators; those who attend the full conference will receive a $300 stipend. They can also earn 15 continuing education contact hours or one graduate credit at a reduced rate. Attendees will be eligible for prize drawings throughout the event. Those who register for the event before April 1 will be included in a random drawing at the summit for select prizes. Prize winners must be present at the time of the drawing to win.

To learn more about the Civics & History Summit and to register, please visit civicsandhistorysummit.com.