America’s Field Trip: Students in grades 3-12 eligible to enter contest celebrating America’s 250th

Students can answer “What does America mean to you?” and win a trip!

Summer food program to provide meals during school break

Healthy, tasty foods will be available at community sites throughout the state.

Hearings to be held regarding certification and accreditation rules changes

The Board of Education Standards will hold public hearings on May 20 to discuss two proposed Administrative Rules packages relating to educator certification and permits.

Discover the 10 principles to an effective and engaging read aloud with this self-paced course that features Rebecca Bellingham’s book, The Artful Read-Aloud – 10 Principles to Inspire, Engage, and Transform Learning. Those who successfully complete the book study will earn 15 continuing education contact hours from the South Dakota State Library.

Immerse yourself in the world of technology and educational innovation at Dakota State University’s K-12 Educators Cyber Camp designed exclusively for K-12 educators including teachers, counselors, librarians, support staff, and administrators. This camp aims to equip educators with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to inspire and support your students.

Anyone connected to K-12 education is invited to attend! The camp will take place at DSU June 4 - 6, 2024, with events running 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. each day. There is no cost to participate in the camp. On-campus housing will be provided if needed as well as breakfast and lunch for all participants each day. Participants will also have the option to enroll in a three-credit hybrid course.

Educators who teach grades 2-5 are eligible to attend the South Dakota Elementary Teacher STEM Initiative at South Dakota State University (SDSU). The workshop, which is sponsored by the Department of Education, will enable participants to spend a week on campus immersing themselves in all things STEM as they learn about integrated STEM, discover STEM activities for students in grades 2-5, and practice routines that can be used in the classroom to engage all students.

Attendees will have time to work with teachers of the same grade level to create high-quality, integrated STEM lessons to use in the classroom. Those who complete the workshop will have the option to earn two graduate credits at a reduced tuition rate ($40/credit). Room and board are provided on campus during the workshop.

The workshop at SDSU will take place June 10-14; the workshop at BHSU will take place July 15-19. Applications are available on the Board of Regents website. For more information, contact Sharon Vestal.

Learn about the research process from start to finish with this course from the South Dakota State Library. Participants will learn the fundamentals of information literacy, identify strategies for supporting multi-lingual learners in the research process, distinguish between the open web and hidden web, and identify a variety of methods for sharing information and learning.

This course is self-paced via Canvas, with a suggested time frame of one month. Those who successfully complete the course will receive 30 continuing education contact hours from the State Library, or they can choose to receive two graduate credits from the University of Sioux Falls for $90.

Good to Great Teachers is a program for teachers in years 3-5 of their career. The program provides webinars, in-person events, and classroom observations for teachers to fine-tune their skills in three critical areas: communication skills, classroom management, and student engagement.

Teachers who successfully complete the program will receive 45 continuing education contact hours or three graduate credits. Registration is now open, and will close July 12.