May 2017
		HOT TOPICS 2016-17 Report Card schedule available The South Dakota Department of Education is looking ahead to the release of the State Report Card later this year. The tentative schedule for release of the 2016-17 Report Card is now available. Board of Education to consider rule changes May 15 The state Board of Education will hold a public hearing on proposed rules changes impacting several areas, including accountability calculations for SY 2016-17 and teacher and principal performance standards and evaluation. To offer public comment, visit rules.sd.gov, click on “Department of Education” and look for the “May 15, 2017” rules package. Reminder: QZAB applications due May 12 As shared recently via email, public school districts can now apply for bond authorizations. Qualified Zone Academy Bonds, or QZABs, may be used for rehabilitating public school facilities and providing equipment, instructional materials and professional development for teachers at qualified schools. Find more information on DOE’s QZAB webpage.
		School Lunch Hero Day May 5 Thank you to all of South Dakota’s school nutrition employees for your dedication to serving healthy, delicious foods to our state’s students. You help prepare South Dakota kids to do their best in the classroom by keeping them fueled for learning!
		Suicide prevention training requirement begins in July Beginning July 1, 2017, anyone applying for an initial or renewal certificate as a teacher, administrator or other education professional must participate in a minimum of one clock hour of suicide awareness and prevention training. Find more information on the DOE's Youth Suicide Awareness and Prevention Training webpage.
		Spotlight: Sturgis Brown High School This spring, more than 100 business and postsecondary representatives gathered in the Sturgis Brown High School gym, marking the school’s 10th Annual SBHS Career Fair. Surrounding districts are taking notice, with several busing in students, and teachers visiting to learn how they might do something similar in their own schools.
		Reminder: 6th grade vaccination requirements Please remember that the Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) and MCV4 (Meningococcal ACYW) vaccines are required for entry into the 6th grade. Just prior to the end of the school year can be a good time to remind parents of next fall's 6th graders of this requirement.
		Workshops to cover ESSA/GMS updates DOE’s Title Office is offering four workshops that will address new LEA and Schoolwide plan requirements and how they will work with the Grants Management System, or GMS. Workshops also will cover updates related to Parent and Family Engagement policies, as well as other changes as a result of the new ESSA.
		Shared services grants awarded to school districts Seven proposals from South Dakota school districts will be funded under the latest round of the state’s shared services grant program. The program provides incentives for districts to work together to find ways to increase learning opportunities. Six other proposals were funded in earlier rounds of shared services grants in 2016.
		Governor announces appointees to new Board of Technical Education Gov. Dennis Daugaard has announced the initial appointees to the Board of Technical Education. The nine-member board will provide state-level oversight to the state’s four technical institutes, taking on the functions currently served by the state Board of Education.
		Upcoming Events A complete listing of events is available at GoSignMeUp. ESSA Workshop/GMS Update May 10, Watertown May 11, Sioux Falls May 16, Pierre May 18, Rapid City SD-STARS Webinar for STARS Account Managers May 11 Board of Education May 15, Rapid City SD-STARS Webinar for Data STARS May 25 Fundamentals of Using Data for Educators June 5, Vermillion June 6, Watertown June 9, Rapid City Advanced Data Use Skills for Educators (Prerequisite: Fundamentals of Using Data for Educators. Educators may sign up for both courses in the same summer.) June 26-Aug. 11, online MTSS Summer Education Conference June 28-29, Chamberlain (Note: This conference is on as scheduled. Any link indicating that it has been canceled is wrong.) South Dakota Education Conference July 11-12, Pierre School Library Boot Camp July 17-20, Pierre SD CTE Conference July 31-Aug. 1, Brookings 2017 SDASRO/SDDOA Safe Schools Summer Conference June 6-8, Pierre Schedule Registration form Save the Date! Indian Education Summit Sept. 24-26, Pierre
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