Latest news with #SouthDakotaBoardofEducationStandards
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
State board oks another suicide-prevention course
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — There will now be a half-dozen different ways that K-12 educators in South Dakota can get their required suicide-prevention training. The South Dakota Board of Education Standards on Tuesday approved a New Hampshire-developed program called 'CALM — Conversations on Access to Lethal Means.' Oglala Sioux Tribe sends measles alert after case in border county State law calls for educators to receive at least one hour of suicide training every five years. The CALM program joins five others already recognized and listed on the state Department of Education's website. Andrea Effling is the department's school counseling and student support administrator. She made the presentation during the state board's teleconference meeting. Effling said the CALM training can be taken in person or online and will always be in a live group format. The cost is $300 per school or district for the CALM instructor and materials, plus mileage for any location that is more than 20 miles outside Sioux Falls. 'It's just to add to the menu of options,' Effling said. The five other suicide-training programs are free if taken online or have a travel charge if the trainer visits the school. Among them is based within the University of South Dakota's School of Health Sciences. Board member Rich Meyer of Rapid City suggested another training program based in Arizona that's not on the list. Effling said the department has an official application process and offered to provide a form. 'It's another avenue to a big problem,' Meyer said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Governor names 2 to state's K-12 board
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — One of the men being replaced says he likes the governor's two new choices for the South Dakota Board of Education Standards because they have public school experience. One of Gov. Larry Rhoden's appointees is Tonia Warzecha. She currently is superintendent for Dakota Valley school district in North Sioux City, South Dakota, and will soon be joining the Tea school district as its new superintendent. 'Incredibly distasteful' says TenHaken to Trump's AI Pope photo The second new member is Greg Von Wald. He currently lives in Rapid City after serving seven years as president of Mitchell Technical Institute. Before that, he was CEO for Golden West Technologies in Rapid City. They succeed Terry Nebelsick, a retired superintendent for the Huron school district, and Justin Zajic, who is superintendent for the Chamberlain school district. Former Gov. Kristi Noem announced in March 2021 that she had appointed Nebelsick to the board, which oversees South Dakota's public K-12 schools. Nebelsick was elected as the board's president for 2023. But, in a secret ballot, he lost the presidency a year later to Steve Meyers of Sioux Falls, another Noem appointee. The two men had taken opposite sides during a bitter fight over new social studies standards that Noem supported but the major education groups opposed. Meyers voted yes, while Nebelsick said no. In 2024, Nebelsick was a candidate for a District 22 seat in the South Dakota House of Representatives, but he lost in the Republican primary. State law says board members can serve three consecutive four-year terms, but Nebelsick wasn't reappointed after his first term expired on Dec. 31. Contacted for comment about the new appointees, Nebelsick stated, 'I'm very glad to see that Governor Rhoden chose two professional education leaders to join the Board of Education Standards. I wish them the very best.' Noem announced Zajic's appointment last year, but he never attended a board meeting. He hasn't responded to a request for comment. With the appointments of Warzecha and Von Wald, the board is now back to a full seven members. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dakota Valley Superintendent appointed to S.D. Board of Education Standards
PIERRE, S.D. (KCAU) — A southeast South Dakota superintendent has been appointed to the South Dakota Board of Education Standards. Governor Larry Rhoden announced on April 30 that Dr. Tonia Warzecha and Greg Von Wald will join the standards group. 'Our students are the future of our state, and they deserve the very best education to get into the career of their dreams. Dr. Tonia Warzecha and Greg Von Wald will be tremendous additions to the Board of Education Standards, and they will continue to help set our students up for success,' said Governor Larry Rhoden (R) South Dakota. Dr. Warzecha is currently the 4th superintendent at Dakota Valley School District. She also serves on several education advisory boards in South Dakota and has been in a leadership role for the Area II Superintendents' Group. 30 people take oath to become U.S. citizens at Mary J. Treglia Community House The governor's office said Dr. Warzecha has been in the education field for more than 25 years and more than a decade in district and building-level leadership roles. 'I am deeply honored by Governor Rhoden's appointment to the South Dakota Board of Education Standards. This is a responsibility that I will approach with a commitment to high-quality education, fairness, and careful stewardship of our students' futures. I look forward to working collaboratively to uphold and strengthen South Dakota standards in a way that serves all learners and communities across our state,' said Dr. Tonia Warzecha, superintendent of Dakota Valley School District. Dr. Warzecha is set to resign from her position at Dakota Valley on June 30 to go back to Tea Area School District as the superintendent. She had different positions at the school district, including assistant principal and the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. Dr. Warzecha was recognized in 2021 as South Dakota's Curriculum Leader of the Year. She holds a Doctor of Education degree and Specialist in Educational Administration degree from the University of South Dakota. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
South Dakota Senate rejects effort to boost Native American history, culture lessons in schools
John HultSouth Dakota Searchlight PIERRE — A bill to move Native American culture and history from a permitted to a required part of South Dakota's curriculum was loosened by its sponsor in the state Senate on Tuesday, but still failed its floor vote. In its original form, Senate Bill 196 would have mandated the teaching of the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings. The phrase 'Oceti Sakowin' refers to the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota people. The set of standards and lessons was adopted seven years ago by the South Dakota Board of Education Standards with input from tribal leaders, educators and elders. A survey conducted by the state Department of Education indicated use of the Essential Understandings by 62 percent of teachers, but the survey was voluntary and hundreds of teachers did not respond. The bill from Sen. Tamara Grove, R-Lower Brule, passed the Senate Education Committee unanimously one week ago. On the Senate floor, Grove moved an amendment that tossed the requirement that the standards be taught in favor of a requirement that the state's Indian Education Advisory Council and heads of the education departments in the state's nine tribes be involved in the next rewrite of the understandings. 'This amendment addresses the concerns of the education department,' Grove said Tuesday. Education Secretary Joe Graves told the Education Committee last week that the state doesn't need additional mandates beyond math, science, social studies and English-language arts/reading. Grove said mandated deeper involvement by tribes and the advisory council would mean Native Americans would 'be at the table when the sausage is made.' Sen. John Carley, R-Piedmont, spoke against the amended bill. He called it 'a mandate of a mandate,' as portions of the understandings are already folded into the social studies standards created at the state level. The state's educators have more important things to worry about than Oceti Sakowin lessons, he argued. 'If we're going to remandate a mandate, I'd recommend we remandate math and reading,' Carley said. The Senate voted 28-7 to defeat the bill. Meanwhile, Gov. Larry Rhoden announced Tuesday that he signed related legislation into law that will require all certified teachers, rather than only new educators or those moving from out-of-state, to take a course in South Dakota Indian Studies.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
SD Senate rejects effort to boost Native American history, culture lessons in schools
State Sen. Tamara Grove, R-Lower Brule, testifies Feb. 18, 2025, on the South Dakota Senate floor at the state Capitol in Pierre. (John Hult/South Dakota) PIERRE — A bill to move Native American culture and history from a permitted to a required part of South Dakota's curriculum was loosened by its sponsor in the state Senate on Tuesday, but still failed its floor vote. In its original form, Senate Bill 196 would have mandated the teaching of the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings. The phrase 'Oceti Sakowin' refers to the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota people. The set of standards and lessons was adopted seven years ago by the South Dakota Board of Education Standards with input from tribal leaders, educators and elders. A survey conducted by the state Department of Education indicated use of the Essential Understandings by 62% of teachers, but the survey was voluntary and hundreds of teachers did not respond. Lawmakers advance bill requiring SD schools to teach Native American history, culture The bill from Sen. Tamara Grove, R-Lower Brule, passed the Senate Education Committee unanimously one week ago. On the Senate floor, Grove moved an amendment that tossed the requirement that the standards be taught in favor of a requirement that the state's Indian Education Advisory Council and heads of the education departments in the state's nine tribes be involved in the next rewrite of the understandings. 'This amendment addresses the concerns of the education department,' Grove said Tuesday. Education Secretary Joe Graves told the Education Committee last week that the state doesn't need additional mandates beyond math, science, social studies and English-language arts/reading. Grove said mandated deeper involvement by tribes and the advisory council would mean Native Americans would 'be at the table when the sausage is made.' Sen. John Carley, R-Piedmont, spoke against the amended bill. He called it 'a mandate of a mandate,' as portions of the understandings are already folded into the social studies standards created at the state level. The state's educators have more important things to worry about than Oceti Sakowin lessons, he argued. 'If we're going to remandate a mandate, I'd recommend we remandate math and reading,' Carley said. The Senate voted 28-7 to defeat the bill. Meanwhile, Gov. Larry Rhoden announced Tuesday that he signed related legislation into law that will require all certified teachers, rather than only new educators or those moving from out-of-state, to take a course in South Dakota Indian Studies. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
