In June of this year, the Department of Education hosted the first-ever Civics & History Summit in Sioux Falls. Approximately 300 educators attended the event, which featured sessions that covered a diverse range of topics, from digging into the newly adopted social studies standards to incorporating the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings into lessons. Highlights included a dinner theater featuring figures from the American revolutionary period: George Washington, Abigail Adams, James Forten, and Phyllis Wheatley.

Check out the Summit video on our YouTube channel, and mark your calendar to attend next year’s event: June 3-4, 2024.

The South Dakota Department of Education is seeking individuals interested in serving on an advisory committee to help inform the revision of the K-12 health education content standards. The current standards can be viewed online.

The work will take place late August and September. Stipends will be provided to committee members.

If you are interested in serving on the committee, please email Terri.Mehlhaff@state.sd.us by Aug. 25. Individuals selected for the committee will be notified late August.

Teachers, don’t forget to include BookFlix in your back-to-school plans! BookFlix is an engaging read-aloud experience that pairs animated stories with related nonfiction titles. For children, BookFlix supports both literacy and family time and reinforces early reading skills. To learn more, visit the South Dakota State Library website.