Spotlight: Conversations From the Sioux Falls School District

The Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation (SFPSEF) is the philanthropic partner of the Sioux Falls School District. Working collaboratively with generous individual donors, business partners, and charitable foundations, the Foundation provides innovative educational opportunities and fills funding gaps that impact every student and teacher. The Foundation started as an endowment with the...

The Sioux Falls School District's Child Nutrition Services welcomed a new director in January of the 2020-2021 school year. Gay Anderson is a seasoned vet in the area of nutrition services who has big hopes and dreams for her department. With over 23,000 students in our district, many of whom eat school breakfast and lunch every day, and nearly 700 individuals requiring special food diets, her job...

If you have ever wondered what it has been like to be a young adult during the COVID-19 pandemic, look no further. What started out as a young woman's painting of expression during a difficult time soon turned into a prize-winning, viral TikTok piece of artwork depicting the collective feeling of hurt, confusion, and hope among fellow high schoolers. Listen as Roosevelt High School Choir Director,...

What started as a podcast episode about podcasters quickly turned into a conversation about the importance of bringing people’s stories to life and preserving them through the podcasting medium. In this episode, Superintendent Jane Stavem talks with Washington High School educators Jeff Tobin and Grant Schouten. The duo discuss their motivation behind starting the Warrior Way podcast in the fall o...

The Sioux Falls School District is one of the largest organizations in Sioux Falls. It requires roughly 3,600 people to have school every day. Daily staffing needs include teachers, substitutes, custodial and maintenance staff, lunchroom workers, educational assistants, after-school professionals and so many more. It takes a village. In this episode of Spotlight, Superintendent Stavem is joined by...

The Sioux Falls School District's Senior Special Services Director for 27 years, Deb Muilenburg-Wilson, will be retiring at the end of the 2020-2021 school year. In her 27 years, Muilenburg-Wilson has certainly left her legacy on the Sioux Falls School District and the 4,000+ students in our District with disabilities. Most recently, Deb was named South Dakota's Special Services Director of the Ye...

The Sioux Falls School District will be holding an election on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, for two soon-to-be vacant seats on the Sioux Falls School Board. Current Board Members Kate Parker and Todd Thoelke’s terms expire in July.  In today's episode of Spotlight, Dr. Stavem welcomes current Sioux Falls School Board president, and her boss, Cynthia Mickelson! Together they discuss the important ro...

For months now, you've heard us talk about the construction process and progress of our two new schools, Jefferson High School and Ben Reifel Middle School, set to open next fall. However, there is so much more to opening a new school beyond the physical construction process. In today's episode, Superintendent Stavem sits down with Jefferson Principal Dan Conrad and Ben Reifel Principal Shane Hier...

The Sioux Falls School District is responsible for maintaining 46 facilities and over 4 million square feet. With constant use at all hours of the day, specialized knowledge and extreme care are necessary for keeping these buildings running daily. In this episode of Spotlight, Superintendent Stavem sits down with Senior Director of Operations for over 30 years, Jeff Kreiter, and Lincoln High Schoo...

Mentorships in our schools are crucial. Statistics show when a student is matched with an adult mentor, their attendance and school engagement go up, and their behavior issues go down. In this episode of the Spotlight podcast, Dr. Stavem sits down with long-time Lutheran Social Services Mentor Brian Bieber and new TeamMates mentor, Tina Blessen. They share their experiences, the impact mentoring h...

Superintendent of the Sioux Falls Public Schools, Dr. Jane Stavem, introduces the District's new podcast venture, Spotlight: Conversations with the Sioux Falls School District. The podcast will give listeners an audible look inside the SFSD, spotlighting the people, places, and practices of the largest school district in South Dakota - in just thirty minutes or less! 

In our third episode of Spotlight, listen as Superintendent Dr. Jane Stavem sits down with Senior Coordinator of Student Services, Patti Lake-Torbert to discuss the implications COVID-19 has had on our students and staff's mental health, and what our schools are doing to help combat it. 

Medical professionals across the world are dealing with the effects of COVID-19. This includes our school nurses. In this episode of Spotlight, Superintendent Dr. Jane Stavem sits down with Health Services Coordinator, Molly Satter, and Roosevelt High School Nurse, Patti Anderson to discuss how our school nurses are working around the clock to keep our students and staff safe. 

Superintendent, Dr. Jane Stavem sits down with Fine Arts Director, Dr. Boyd Perkins, and Physical Education and Athletics Director, Casey Meile to discuss the intricacies involved in putting on activities and sporting events amidst COVID-19.