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 interested in education, to the changes in technology she's seen and what keeps her going, day in and day out.

SFSD is lucky to have someone like Sue Bills. She is a shinning example of what a "legacy employee" looks like. Thank you for everything you do, Sue!

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 "imposter syndrome." The challenges teachers face can make this reality even more burdensome, but throughout the course of this conversation we learn that as long as we put the emphasis on what really matters (in this case, the growth and learning of the student) then the outcomes will often exceed even our own expectations.

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 sports and how it sparks a drive to succeed, both on, and especially off the field. Sometimes stepping outside of our comfort zones and trying new things can open up doors we never even knew existed. Congrats to Hunter and Lucas on the success so far, and we look forward to hearing your voices throughout the fall football season!

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" host Lori Walsh, and broadcast here on our podcast with the permission of SDPB.

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 state of public education in a variety of contexts. The mainstay guests are Dr. Jackie Wilber with the University of South Dakota, and Gina Benz, a high school english teacher from right here in the Sioux Falls School District.

A big THANK YOU to SDPB for letting us air these conversations on our podcast. These conversations are very important and the more we can get them out to the public, the better.

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 CAMP! Camps offer a great opportunity for students to keep exercising their brains and bodies, with the added benefit of exposing them to possible future career options.

No one knows this better than Ahlyvia Folden. She spent her summer enrolled in many different camps, from construction camp to theater camp. She has many thoughtful insights on the importance of camp from a student's perspective. Listen in as she tells us about her experiences and all the things that make camp great!

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 Spotlight, Superintendent Stavem sits down with Michael Grismer, a high school senior from Roosevelt HS and a member of the class of 2023. Michael is an exceptionally bright student with high academic achievements and a passion for learning. This conversation covers a little bit of everything, from Michael's success as a student, to how school districts can cultivate a passion for learning, to the future of AI and it's role in education.

Join Dr. Stavem and Michael in this fascinating conversation that offers up a look at the Sioux Falls School District from the viewpoint of a student. As we close the book on another school year completed, the topics we cover here give us a moment to reflect on the past and look towards the future. *AND* Congratulations to Michael Grismer on a remarkable K12 student career! We look forward to seeing all of your future success!

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. She teachers kindergarten at Eugene Field A+ Elementary by day, and after her class is dismissed, she is up to....well, a lot!

Laura speaks about her involvement in basketball and volleyball, darts, gardening, summer camps, and GOATS! (Lots of goats).

Being an educator at any level is a demanding profession, and being a kindergarten teacher comes with its own set of challenges. It's important for teachers to recharge their batteries both physically, mentally and emotionally, and that looks different for everybody. This series offers a glimpse into what some teachers do to recenter themselves so they show up ready to provide the best education possible to the students of the Sioux Falls School District.

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 classroom. She started a 'plant corner' at a particularly well-lit hallway section at her school, Eugene Field A+ Elementary. She discusses how she is able to make this a learning experience for her students and the benefits of bringing some green space into the halls of a school. We'll also learn about how her daughter's seemingly innocuous letter to a postal service worker during the height of the Covid pandemic has turned into a nationally covered story involving book publishers and Taylor Swift.

*Editor's note*

This episode was previously recorded. Since that time, Amy's husband Hugh passed away unexpectedly. Our thoughts go out to the Weber family.