Education Online, March 2019

March 2019

HOT TOPICS
Apply by March 29 for Workforce Education Grants The South Dakota Department of Education is accepting applications for the 2019 Workforce Education Grants. This is your chance to dream big and make transformative changes to your district’s career and technical education programs.

	Final public hearing for content standards March 18 The final of four public hearings related to the adoption of content standards in certain subject areas will be held at the Board of Education Standards meeting March 18 in Rapid City. World languages and school library standards are up for review. View the proposed standards and submit public comment.

	SBAC testing window open March 6 - May 3 The Smarter Balanced testing window is open March 6 - May 3 for all tested grade levels (grades 3-8 and 11). Find more information on the Department of Education's Office of Assessment website. Check announcements on the Smarter Balanced portal for updates or contact Joe Moran to receive email alerts.

Seeking presentation proposals for 2019 Indian Education Summit
The South Dakota Indian Education Summit targets educators of all content areas and grade levels, as well as administrators and school board members. The goal of the summit is to provide training on best practices in the field of Indian education. Have an idea for a presentation to share with your colleagues? Submit a proposal today! The 2019 summit is scheduled for Sept. 22-24 in Pierre.

Early learning report now available
Late last year, the South Dakota Department of Education partnered with School Administrators of South Dakota to develop and disseminate a survey aimed at learning more about the landscape of preschool programming efforts in South Dakota as they currently exist. The results of that survey are now available online.

How can I showcase my district’s emerging teacher leaders?
Deadline: March 15
The South Dakota Department of Education maintains a list of Emerging Classroom Leaders, which consists of distinguished teachers and principals from across the state. These educators are considered for membership on advisory boards and task forces, and as candidates for special recognition programs.

Encourage your experienced teachers to become mentors
The statewide mentoring program provides a first-year teacher access to a mentor teacher for a period of two years. Applications for new mentors are due May 1, and applications for new teachers are due June 15. Late hires will also have an opportunity to participate.

Dept. of Health seeks educator input by March 30

Middle and high school teachers, school nurses, school counselors and school resource officers are invited to complete a survey to assist the South Dakota Department of Health Tobacco Control Program in developing resources for educators to use to help students learn about the health risks related to e-cigarette use.

Attend upcoming forums to discuss future of library services in SD

School administrators, teachers, city leaders, librarians and library trustees are invited to open forums scheduled statewide this month to discuss the future of library services in South Dakota. This summer, the State Library will be writing its next five-year strategic plan which will extend through 2023.

Educators invited to see English learner content instruction in action March 25

School administrators, K-12 classroom teachers, content teachers and ESL teachers are invited to site visits in Huron middle and high schools and a Sioux Falls elementary school on March 25. Attendees will learn about how to engage English learners in the classroom for content and language instruction. This event is sponsored by the SD State-Wide Title III & Migrant Consortia. Choose from three locations and grade levels. Learn more and register on the Consortia website.

U.S. Ed. offers resource on school safety and FERPA

The U.S. Department of Education has issued a comprehensive set of FAQs on schools’ responsibilities under FERPA related to school safety. "School Resource Officers, School Law Enforcement Units, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act" consolidates previously issued guidance and technical assistance into a single resource. Understanding the provisions of FERPA relative to circumstances that threaten the health or safety of individuals can empower school officials to act more quickly and decisively when challenges arise.

Upcoming Events

A complete listing of events is available at GoSignMeUp.

Conducting Functional Behavior Assessments and Writing Behavior Plans
March 8, Rapid City

Title Programs Wednesday Café
March 13

STARS Account Manager online training
March 13

Board of Education Standards
March 18, Rapid City

2019 South Dakota Special Education Conference
March 19-20, Deadwood

Understanding Trauma/Successful Engagement with Families Today
March 23, Rapid City

School Finance Accountability Board
March 25, teleconference

Spring DOE/Infinite Campus user groups
April 2-5, various locations statewide
(For more information, contact Judy Merriman or Teri Jung)

Special Education Advisory Panel
April 3

SD Early Childhood Education Conference
April 4-6, Pierre

SD School Library EdCamp
April 6, Rapid City and Sioux Falls

TIE Conference
April 7-9, Rapid City

SD-STARS topical webinar
April 24

State Historical Society History Conference
April 26-27, Pierre

SD Dept. of Education Annual Conference
May 29-30, Pierre

Save the Date! MTSS Summer Conference
June 11-12, Chamberlain

Save the Date! Indian Education Summit
Sept. 22-24, Pierre

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