Spotlight: Conversations From the Sioux Falls School District

On today's episode of Teacher Talk, presented by South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Gina Benz and Jackie Wilber discuss some of the ways schools throughout South Dakota are recruiting teachers. Some new initiatives are referred to as "grow your own" programs, where prospective future teachers are exposed to the ins and outs of the profession well before they even begin the pursuit of...

It's more than just arguing. High school debate is a great way for students to use their voice and join a community. Washington High School head debate coach Angelica Mercado-Ford credits debate with helping her find her voice in high school, and she is now leading the next generation of speakers to follow their passions. In contrast to what we see in popular culture as "debate", the...

The South Dakota Department of Education plans to replace the current state exam with the ACT beginning in the 2025-26 school year. This is (mostly) seen as positive news, and in this episode of Teacher Talk, presented by South Dakota Public Broadcasting, our guests go over why this is a step in the right direction.

Learning how to read is one of the most fundamental things a person can do to start their journey of becoming a successful member of society. But did you know that according to a USA Today report, 79% of adults in the USA are literate, and 54% read at or below a 6th-grade level? The "science of reading" has become a hot-button issue among educators and legislators over the past few years...

Whether you are a parent, a student, or an advocate for community engagement, there is no denying that when we work together amazing things happen. The Sioux Falls School District is proud to partner with many gracious organizations throughout the area, and the Sioux Empire United Way (SEUW) has been one of those organizations giving back for many years. Our guests on this episode are Christina Ri...

Fictional teachers have delighted and inspired people for generations, and some can have a big influence on people who currently work in education. Fictional teachers show up in all forms of pop culture media from books to television, movies to comics, and they can give current teachers something to relate to (or commiserate with :) This week, we have a lighthearted conversation about some of our...

Today our hosts are talking about the ins and outs of teacher residencies - or what many know as "student teaching". This is where aspiring teachers spend time in the classroom of an experienced teacher while preparing to enter their chosen profession. Some students who go through a residency program state that it gives them more confidence of what to expect during the school year. There...

Have you ever thought about becoming a teacher? Then you need to listen to this very special episode of Teacher Talk! SDPB host Lori Walsh sits down with Dr. Jackie Wilbur from the USD School of Education and Roosevelt HS teacher Gena Benz to talk about what it takes to become a public school teacher.

Sue Bills has some stories to tell. She is the longest serving employee of the Sioux Falls School District right now, having worked at Whittier Middle School for 44 years! All those years she has served in the field of special education, and she has a passion and heart for her students that is an amazing thing to witness. Our conversation goes back to the start, to hear about what got Sue interest...

On this week's episode of Teacher Talk, brought to us by South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Dr. Jackie Wilber (School of Education, USD) and Gina Benz (Teacher, Roosevlet HS, Sioux Falls) sit down with host Lori Walsh to talk about a question every adult has asked themselves at one point in their professional careers: am I doing this right? It's easy to fall into the trap of feeling "i...

On this week's episode of Teacher Talk, brought to us by South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Dr. Jackie Wilber and Gina Benz discuss boundaries. Specifically as a teacher, what are boundaries? When and how should they be used? When should they NOT be used? This episode walks us through how teachers can use healthy boundary setting to get the most out of their teaching career.

If you've watched a Roosevelt High School football game recently, either through streaming or on KLRN, chances are you've heard the voices of Lucas Simonsen and Hunter Sieler. The two juniors at RHS have been calling games for a while now, and it's starting to get them quite the following. In this conversation, the boys sit down with Superintendent Stavem to talk about their love of sp...

On this week's episode of Teacher Talk, presented by South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Gina Benz (teacher at Roosevelt HS) and Dr. Jackie Wilber (USD School of Education) have a fascinating discussion about the role rewards play in education, and what tools come into play when measuring the growth of students and how we define success. This discussion is hosted by "In The Moment" hos...

We're doing something a little different for a batch of episodes! The fine folks at South Dakota Public Broadcasting have graciously allowed us to air their new mini-series "Teacher Talk" here on our podcast. These episodes are part of the SDPB program "In The Moment" and are hosted by Lori Walsh. "Teacher Talk" features a conversation with educators about the sta...

As summer comes to a close, students are beginning to shift gears to get back into the rhythm of the school year. While summer vacation looks different for each student, it is undeniable that staying active, both physically and mentally, is highly important. The Sioux Falls School District offers many options for keeping students engaged over the summer break, and one of the funnest options is CAM...

The end of the school year is upon us. For younger students, this means the anticipation of summer vacation. For high school seniors, this means the first step into a different reality. Different students choose different paths, and while those first steps seem insurmountably large at times, they're the most important, because they will set the pace for things to follow. On this episode of Spo...

We know that our teachers in the Sioux Falls School District do amazing things everyday inside their classrooms. In this mini-series 'By Day/By Night', we're taking a look at teachers who do amazing things outside of their roles as educators. Laura Wiebelhaus was recently a nominated finalist for the Teacher of the Year award, and was the recipient of the Distinguished Educator award....

We know that our teachers in the Sioux Falls School District do amazing things everyday inside their classrooms. In our new-mini series 'By Day/By Night', we're taking a look at teachers who do amazing things outside of their roles as educators. Today we're speaking with Amy Weber, who's love for plants has grown from a hobby into something she is able to integrate into her cla...

In the first new episode of 2023, Superintendent Jane Stavem sits down with recently hired Security Coordinator Dave Osterquist, who joined the Sioux Falls School District nearly six months ago. From humble beginnings, Osterquist’s passion for safety and security started as early as elementary school, where he served as a dedicated crossing guard. That passion followed him throughout his young-adu...

In the first Spotlight episode of the 2022-2023 school year, Superintendent Stavem talks with Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) and Chairperson for the Office of Indian Education, Anna Brokenleg. Anna has been with the Sioux Falls School District for over 13 years, where she started her career as a teacher at Hawthorne Elementary. She taught at Hawthorne for several years before transitioning t...

On June 30, three individuals with a combined total of 108 years of experience will retire from the Sioux Falls School District. Bev Chase, Bert Keiser, and Anita Wheelhouse are some of our legacy employees who have given most, if not all, their working life to the District. In this three-part series, listen as Dr. Stavem sits down with each of these retirees to talk about how they got their start...

On June 30, three individuals with a combined total of 108 years of experience will retire from the Sioux Falls School District. Bev Chase, Bert Keiser, and Anita Wheelhouse are some of our legacy employees who have given most, if not all, their working life to the District. In this three-part series, listen as Dr. Stavem sits down with each of these retirees to talk about how they got their start...

On June 30, three individuals with a combined total of 108 years of experience will retire from the Sioux Falls School District. Bev Chase, Bert Keiser, and Anita Wheelhouse are some of our legacy employees who have given most, if not all, their working life to the District. In this three-part series, listen as Dr. Stavem sits down with each of these retirees to talk about how they got their start...

The Sioux Falls School District provides specialty and individually designed instruction to eligible students with unique needs from birth to age 21. These services are embedded within our schools and serve nearly 4,000 students. Services are designed to meet each student’s unique educational needs as identified in their Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Individual Education Program (IEP).&...

This episode of Spotlight is especially special, as we welcome a Sioux Falls School District student onto the podcast for the first time ever! Taliyah Hayes is an insightful senior at Jefferson High School who is enrolled in our Teacher Pathway program. This unique pathway program exposes students to the education profession sooner. It provides high schoolers an opportunity to learn the ins and ou...