The Good News Bulletin Sharing the Good News of South Dakota’S Schools
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The Good News Bulletin Sharing the good news of South Dakota’s schools TABLE OF CONTENTS WADE’S WELCOME.....................................2 MADISON CENTRAL.................................34 ALCESTER-HUDSON...................................3 MCINTOSH......................................35 ANDES CENTRAL.........................................4 MILBANK..................................36 ARMOUR...................................................5 MITCHELL..................................................37 BALTIC...................................................6 MOBRIDGE-POLLOCK............................39 BON HOMME...............................................7 NEWELL......................................41 BRIDGEWATER-EMERY..............................8 PARKER.......................................42 BRITTON-HECLA.......................................9 PARKSTON.....................................43 CANISTOTA......................................10 PLATTE-GEDDES......................................44 CENTERVILLE...........................................11 RAPID CITY................................................47 CHAMBERLAIN.......................................12 RUTLAND.........................................49 CHESTER AREA.........................................13 SANBORN CENTRAL.................................50 THURS. AUGUST 7 THURS. AUGUST CHEYENNE-EAGLE BUTTE.......................14 SCOTLAND.....................................51 CLARK...........................................15 S.D. INNOVATION LAB.............................52 COLMAN-EGAN........................................16 SIOUX FALLS.............................................54 COLOME CONSOLIDATED........................17 STANLEY COUNTY....................................55 CUSTER..........................................18 TODD COUNTY..........................................56 DE SMET....................................................19 VERMILLION.....................................57 8 AUGUST FRIDAY, DEUBROOK...........................................20 VIBORG-HURLEY..................................58 DEUEL......................................23 WAGNER.....................................59 DOUGLAS...............................................24 WESSINGTON SPRINGS...........................61 ESTELLINE...............................................25 WILLOW LAKE...........................................62 AWARDS GROTON AREA..........................................26 WILMOT....................................63 HAAKON........................................28 WINNER...................................64 HARRISBURG.........................................29 WOLSEY-WESSINGTON..........................65 HOT SPRINGS............................................31 WOONSOCKET................................66 HURON.........................................32 YANKTON.......................................69 LEAD-DEADWOOD.................................33 EXHIBITORS The Good News Bulletin WADE’S WELCOME One of South Dakota’s best assets is our great education system. From Kindergarten through 12th grade our kids demonstrate suc- cess in many different ways. Some are honored for their academic achievement, some for athletic or fine arts talents, while others for their involvement in clubs and organizations in their schools. Our teachers, administrators and school support staff play a huge role in the success of our students, as do many community members in each school district. It’s important that we tell the stories of everyone who contributes to the education of our children, the future leaders of this great state. DR. WADE POGANY ASBSD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The Good News Bulletin is our way of highlighting some of the stories that illustrate the achievement of our schools and a way of life in South Dakota. The Good News Bulletin gives you a look at the many successes our schools produce. We received stories from schools across South THURS. AUGUST 7 THURS. AUGUST Dakota, highlighting student achievement, community involvement and significant accomplishments. It shines a spotlight on innovation, hardworking teachers and stu- dents who will someday continue their excellent work by leading our state. We want to thank the board members, administrators and teach- FRIDAY, AUGUST 8 AUGUST FRIDAY, ers from our school districts who submitted stories, as well as Mari Biehl and staff from the South Dakota Innovation Lab. ASBSD is proud of our state and our schools. After reading the Good News Bulletin, we hope you will agree, South Dakota’s educa- tion system is truly one of our greatest assets. AWARDS These are stories about our great South Dakota schools. The EXHIBITORS Good News Bulletin 2 The Good News Bulletin ALECESTER-HUDSON SCHOOL DISTRICT A-H FFA FIGHTS HUNGER The Alcester-Hudson FFA Chapter and National Honor Former Alcester-Hudson FFA Advisor Kelly Dunkelberger Society hosted an event in partnership with Yankton Kids against said each meal costs about 20 cents to make and a packing shift Hunger Program and Orphan lasts about 90 minutes and on Grain Train out of Norfolk NE. average each person helped Kids against Hunger is a national pack around 200 meals in their organization with a mission to help shifts. end hunger. Dunkelberger said com- To celebrate National Ag Day/ munity members donated Week, on March 24 the Alcester- items enough funds to host Hudson FFA Chapter helped four shifts on that day, which conduct a meal making activity for helped defray the cost of the the Kids against Hunger program. activity for the Kids against Throughout the day the entire Hunger Program and the AH student body had the opportunity FFA/NHS program. to help pack meals with the Yank- “There were over 150 ton Kids against Hunger and Orphan Grain Train organizations. people who helped pack over 41,000 meals in all,” Dunkelberger The students were then joined by over 25 community members and said. business organizations to finish the last shift of packing. ACADEMIC RIGORS AND SUCCESS The students of Alcester-Hudson have embraced the oppor- tunity afforded them through the dual credit courses being offered through the state universities and technical institutes. Eighteen of the 43 eligible juniors and seniors in the district are currently enrolled in 11 different courses from 5 different universi- ties and technical institutes. In addition, Alcester-Hudson has three seniors taking AP English in the district. Students are learning how to prioritize time and navigate the various on-line components in order to be successful in the classes. “It is our goal to have the majority of our juniors and seniors take at least one dual credit class in high school,” Junior High and High School President LeeAnn Haisch said. Along with the dual credit opportu- nities, Alcester-Hudson School District has also expanded rigorous coursework by adding Project Lead the Way – Biomedi- “It requires students to read and carefully follow each step or cal classes. procedure of the lab,” Sebern said. “The number of our students who Students enjoy the hands-on aspect of the class. enter medical-related post-secondary pro- “I like it because we are always doing something,” Alcester- grams has been steadily increasing over Hudson Senior Colin Walth said. “We see it happen rather than just the past decade, so the addition of PLTW reading about it and imagining how it is supposed to work.” seemed a logical decision,” Haisch said. The districts is celebrating many other good things this year, Jeff Sebern, the PLTW Biomedical but two note-worthy accomplishments are the fifth consecutive year class instructor, said he likes the meticu- of increasing composite ACT scores – now at 23.6 – and the Board lous problem solving required of students of Regents transition report for the district, which indicated former enrolled in the course. students enrolled in BOR colleges and technical schools earned an average GPA of 3.01 last year. The Good News Bulletin 3 ANDES CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS SOAK UP SUBJECTS IN SUMMER Summer for the last three years has been filled with fun and delighted to see all the animals at the Great Plains Zoo in meaningful experiences for the Andes Central School District Sioux Falls at the end of the week. students! • Read about Math: students polished their math skills by The 2014 Andes Central Summer Program had approximately learning strategies for solving real world math problems 60 students enrolled. The students have the choice of the weeks they and effect on everyday activities. They played math games want to participate in, although most students attended all weeks. and created their own math books and number snakes. A The program is available free of charge to all kindergarten trip to the Kirby Science Center at the Washington Pavil- through twelfth grade students, with breakfast and lunch served dai- ion in Sioux Falls capped the week. ly to the program participants, enrolled in Andes Central Schools. • Stars and Stripes: students researched Independence Day The program is funded the 21st Century Grant. and government and were intrigued with the history of Each week of the program carries a different theme with various our country. They learned about maps, crafted numerous hands on activities and outings Monday through Wednesday. patriotic items and visited the Akta Lakota Museum at St. Some of the activities that took place in the summer of 2014 Joseph’s Indian School and the South Dakota Hall of Fame were: in Chamberlain. • Animals and Ecosystems: