Reporter The
Elementary Holiday Music Programs
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December 2014
What’s Up for December? Take a Look Inside...
Central Senior Gets First Set of Wheels his friends. Parents and teachers nominate a special needs child for the Strider Gives Back program, and for Kieffer, that nomination came from special education teacher Amy Heuston who had been helping teach Kieffer how to ride a Strider since mid-September. When Kieffer found out he was receiving a bike, that’s all he could talk about, Heuston said.
A2: • Pennies for Puppies, Dollars for Dogs • No Shave November
“He really responded to it. He really lit up,” she said. “He talked about it all the time and even said he was going to have his senior pictures taken with the bike.”
A3: • Lakota Ledger Art
Strider Bikes Founder Ryan McFarland said the response to the campaign has been overwhelming.
A4: • Iditarod Musher
A5: • AmeriCorps
A6 & A7: • Feature Photo Pages
A8 & A10: • Holiday Program Photo Pages
Logan Kieffer showed off how to do a wheelie on his new Strider Bike. Amanda Rombough Information Services Officer There’s a special bond between a man and his set of wheels. For one blind Central High School senior, that dream came true in an unusual way this month. Senior Logan Kieffer received his first Strider Bike as a part of the Strider Gives Back program. “It’s not every day a blind man gets to ride,” Kieffer said upon receiving his Strider. “I’m feeling pretty excited about getting my own set of wheels.” From mid-October to mid-December, Strider Bikes gave away not only one Strider Biker every day, but seven bikes, as part of the Strider Gives Back program. Along with the bike Kieffer received, he was also given six more bikes to give to his friends. Of those six bikes, one will go home with his friend, and the remainder will stay at the school so he can ride with
“Kids with special needs get told they can’t ride,” he said. “If they can walk, they can ride the bike. A lot of these kids, they wanted to learn to ride, but they haven’t been able to. That desire is finally coming true. It’s been the coolest thing.” For Kieffer, whose brother participates in dirt biking, it’s a whole new feeling for him. A feeling of freedom. “My favorite part is that I get to get on one and ride it by myself,” he said. “I feel like I’m flying.” For more information on the Strider Gives Back program, visit www.StriderBikes.com/StriderGivesBack.
December 2014
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Students Raise Money for Man’s Best Friend Amanda Rombough Information Services Officer A dog is not only man’s best friend, but it’s also Robbinsdale Elementary School’s best friend. The students at Robbinsdale were able to raise $1,330 for the animals at the Black Hills Humane Society during their Pennies for Puppies, Dollars for Dogs fundraiser, spearheaded by Lynell Campbell’s third grade classroom. For the past seven to eight years, Campbell’s classroom has been holding the Pennies for Puppies fundraiser and each year they have increased the amount of money they raised. It start-
The school keeps the students going by announcing at the end of each day how much money was raised that day and on Thursdays, students can wear a hat if they donate $1.
ed when the class had to collect 1,000 of something for their math curriculum and so they started with pennies. The first year, they were able to raise $50 and it has grown each year. Each year the goal is to reach $1,000 and this is the fourth year they have been able to reach that goal.
“It’s real life,” Campbell said. “They enjoy doing it. It’s something for the community.”
“I think it’s very helpful and it’s a lot of fun because we get to count all of the money,” third grader Trystian Greenfield said. “It’s exciting because we want to know how much money we raised and it was fun to get the school together to do this and raise the money.”
It has grown so much that the class has been able to include other businesses, such as the technology department of the Rapid City Area School District. Petco, Kirk Funeral Home, and Costello Porter Attorneys at Law all also donate materials for the fundraiser.
Members from the RCAS Technology Department visited Lynn Campbell’s classroom to help them count the money raised.
Students Get in No Shave November Spirit Amanda Rombough Information Services Officer No Shave November offers not only the chance to raise money for the American Cancer Society, but also the chance for men to show just how manly they are by showing off the amount of facial hair they can grow in a month. The men at Canyon Lake Elementary School decided to take it to the next level, however. During the month of November, while third grade teacher Jason Bierle, second grade teacher Jamie Goehring, fifth grade teacher Soren Sturlaugson, and principal David Swank grew out their beards, students donated money. For each dollar they donated, students got entered into a drawing. At the end
of the month, four students’ names were drawn and those four students were allowed to determine the fate of each male’s beard and the style in which it would be cut. “The option chosen for me is my wife’s worst nightmare,” Swank said prior to shaving his beard. “I’m most nervous for the reaction of my 10 month old and three year old because they haven’t seen my chin. My wife has never seen my chin.” Despite being nervous prior to the shaving,
Swank and the others went through with their commitments, shaving their beards in various styles, including various styles of mutton chops. Swank said they sent out letters to parents so Jump to A3: Shaved
December 2014
A3 Grant Brings Lakota Culture Alive for Students www.rcas.org
Amanda Rombough Information Services Officer
“It gives the kids the chance to meet together and talk,” Information Media Specialist at Black Hawk Melissa Frein said. “They can learn about Rapid City’s culture and be creative and learn something at the same time while working together.”
The chance to have a book published and sold in book fairs around the nation is a possibility for students at Black Hawk Elementary thanks to a Civil DisContinued from A2: Shaved This month, course Act they would know why they looked “so awarded to each class in unkempt.” Posters of mustache and the school got a the school. beard styles were hung around the lesson in Lakota Students got school, giving students an idea of what a lesson in ledger art with they wanted to see. local artists and Lakota ledger members from “From day one there were comments art and those the Journey muinterested about handlebars,” Swank said. “It seum. beyond that brought awareness to what we were will have raising money for.” According to the chance Conor Mcmahon All in all, over $150 was raised. About to write and Conor Mcmahon from the from the Journey $47 was raised in Sturlaugson’s class, illustrate a book to Museum, Lakota ledger which was celebrated dollar by dollar, submit in the Kids or Journey Museum shares with art is an illustration of the students items used to create he said. Authors Scholastic events from everyday life Lakota ledger art. Book Contest. and recycled materials “We tried to make a big deal out of it,” that are available at the time are what he said. “There was definitely a buzz The Civil Discourse Act focuses on in the air. Everyone cheered when a discussion skills and teaching students is used to draw on. donation was made.” how to talk with people. The $500 “It’s been a really positive reaction so grant will go towards art supplies to far,” Mcmahon said. “They’ve been Swank said they plan on doing it again help write the book. Students will get really excited to create their own next year and make a bigger deal out together after school and come up ledger art. We’re hoping they’ll learn of it. with the story idea for the book and a bit about Lakota culture and art and will use Lakota ledger art to illustrate inspire them to create their own art.” and tell the story with the help of members from the Journey Museum. If Black Hawk Elementary’s book is the winning book, the school will receive $5,000 for the library and the book will be published and sent to all of the book fairs in the country to sell.
Want to see yourself, class or activity in The Reporter?
Email your photo or idea to: Students were able to create their own Lakota ledger art.
RapidCityDistrictCommunications@ k12.sd.us
A4 Mushing From the Banks of Alaska to the Schools of South Dakota December 2014
Amanda Rombough Information Services Officer From the snow covered hills of Alaska to Grandview Elementary School’s classrooms, Iditarod musher Hugh Neff brought a message of developing a good work ethic, working hard for your dreams, and the importance of reading. For the fifth year, Neff spoke to the fourth graders at Grandview Elementary about what he does as a musher as well as how they can apply a good work ethic to their daily lives. “They’re my biggest fan base,” he said. “Seeing how psyched up they are gets me invigorated for the race. I try to do well not only for the dogs but for the kids.” But the lesson doesn’t stop there. After the presentation with Neff, the student are tasked with the job of picking their own musher and following that musher along in the Iditarod. At the end of February, they research the mushers in the Iditarod, and do an information paper on that musher. Throughout the
Teachers: Have a student who wrote something awesome, took a great photo, or made an amazing art project? Share it with the rest of us by emailing it to RapidCityDistrictCommunications@ k12.sd.us
and it could be featured in an upcoming issue of The Reporter!
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race, they must compare the weather between Rapid City and Nome Anchorage, and they must think about, mathematically, how far the musher has gone each day and how much farther they have to go. After a couple of days of tracking, students much figure out about how many miles per hour they’re going and figure out when the musher will reach the finish line in Nome, taking into account terrain, weather, and mandatory stops. On top of that, they must research the history of the Iditarod and the culture. “Having met Hugh, they’re that much more excited,” fourth grade teacher Amanda Price said. “For them to have that background knowledge and for them to have actually met him, it excites them and gets them into the lessons. We don’t have to tell them to log on and research, they just do it. they come in the morning and they’re excited.” Neff has 40 dogs back home in Tok, Alaska, which he calls his dog community. He first got his dog team after
Iditarod Musher Hugh Neff spoke to the fourth graders at Grandview.
moving to Alaska in 1995 and working in an Indian Village who taught him how to mush. They gave him a dog every month as payment for his work and he slowly built his team. “I teach the kids about living their dreams and developing a good work ethic,” Neff said. “I think sweating is good for the brain. I’m too busy to be stressed out.” The Iditarod begins on March 7, 2015 and covers 975 miles of Alaska terrain from Anchorage to Nome.
School Calendar Change The Rapid City School Board amended the 20142015 Student and Teacher Calendar for Friday, January 16, 2015 as a full teacher work day. No students. Monday, August 24, 2015 will be the student start date for the 2015-2016 school year.
December 2014
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AmeriCorps Makes Difference in Rapid City Schools Amanda Rombough Information Services Officer Thanks to a grant awarded to Rapid City Area Schools and in cooperation with Black Hills Special Services, AmeriCorps can now be present in Rapid City classrooms, specifically north Rapid City schools, encouraging students to stay in school and improve their schoolwork. AmeriCorps members, unlike Peace Corps who focus on overseas missions, focus on helping locally, in their town. Currently there are three full time and two part time AmeriCorps members helping in north Rapid City schools. Members are focusing on attendance issues, as well as helping students get their reading and math skills level with where they should be academically. They are also helping with family engagement, assisting families with giving them the tools and knowledge to know how to help their students.
AmeriCorps members are identifying students who may not qualify for extra services, but are still falling through the cracks and need some extra one-on-one time. “We can see it’s already making a difference with the kids,” Morgan VonHaden, North Rapid Community Coordinator with Black Hills Special Services, said. “We can see second graders who are already at their text reading levels after just two months.”
dents may not have had that before. “These kids have a safe place to talk so they want to come to school,” VonHaden said. “Good things are happening.”
“You can see the impact, they want to go play, they want to go do math,” VonHaden said.
AmeriCorps members started in classrooms on Sept. 25, mainly in north Rapid City schools. Members receive a generous living allowance and education award at the end of their year of service. Those interested in becoming members must be 18 years old or older, have a G.E.D. or high school diploma, and be able to make a time commitment. VonHaden said they are hoping to hire more members next year to help with not only attendance concerns and math and reading levels, but also early learning and summer loss, keeping students sharp during the summer months.
Not only are AmeriCorps members helping students succeed academically, but they are also helping them have a safe place to go, where some stu-
For more information about how to become an AmeriCorps member, contact VonHaden at Morgan.Vonhaden@k12.sd.us.
Approximately 17 students were identified as having attendance concerns, however, after just two months, 15 of them are now coming on a regular basis.
State Partners with Denny Sanford to Establish Tech School Scholarships South Dakota Office of the Governor Press Release Gov. Dennis Daugaard today announced that the state of South Dakota will partner with South Dakota businessman and philanthropist T. Denny Sanford to establish a full scholarship program for students entering highneed workforce programs at in-state technical institutes. “The establishment of this scholarship will mean that each year hundreds of our young people will have the opportunity to enter high-demand fields without incurring debt,” Gov. Daugaard said. “The impact of this will be huge, not only for the students who receive the scholarship, but for our entire state which has been faced with workforce challenges.” T. Denny Sanford, owner of First PREMIER Bank/PREMIER Bankcard, is a well-known philanthropist and South
Dakota business owner. Denny purchased United National Corporation, the parent company for the PREMIER organizations in 1986. Since that time, he has created more than 2,300 jobs within the state of South Dakota. To date, Sanford has donated over $1 billion to organizations across the nation. “I am extremely grateful for Denny’s generous contribution and can’t thank him enough for the investment he’s willing to make in our young people,” said Gov. Daugaard. “Denny, who has already contributed so much to South Dakota by creating thousands of jobs and giving so much of his own money to a number of organizations, is once again stepping up to making our state a better place.” The Governor has committed to match Sanford’s donation of $25 million with Future Funds for the Build Dakota Scholarship Program. The $50 million
is expected to provide 300 scholarships annually in each of the first five years. From 2020 on, an endowment will continue to award approximately 50 scholarships per year. “The Build Dakota Scholarship is amazing news for students, WDT, and our workforce partners,” said Steve Buchholz, Dean of Accreditation and Advancement of WDT. “This scholarship program will allow more students to prepare for in-demand careers, and we look forward to making these awards available.” Those who are awarded with the scholarship will be required to stay in South Dakota to work in their field of study for three years. A board appointed by the Governor will be established to determine specific requirements and how the scholarship will be administered.
December 2014
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Check out the great things our staff & students are doing! (Left, right, below) Members of the Rapid City Rush and Santa Claus visited students at Canyon Lake Elementary and each student in the school recieved a gift, purchased by Linda & Don Rydstrom.
(Above) Students in Ms. Kuno’s civics class at Rapid City Stevens Raiders received a Bill of Rights lesson from special guest Christopher Christianson from Costello Porter Law this week. Thanks for the lesson Christopher!
(Right) Band members at East Middle School, directed by Kandy Hastings, raised $136.94 to donate to United Way by selling candy canes during their holiday concerts. Way to go EMS band members!
(Left) Staff at General Beadle Elementary purchased and wrapped gifts for each student in the school thanks to donations from Black Hills Power and Black Hills Corp through the Character Counts Angel Tree. Student council and staff gathered, wrapped, and delivered gifts to all 520 students.
December 2014
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Check out the great things our staff & students are doing! (Left, right) Fourth graders at Horace Mann Elementary got to spend some time this holiday season building gingerbread houses. Frosting was donating by Colonial House and the gingerbread pieces were baked by Family Thrift Centers.
(Right) Each student at Horace Mann Elementary received a Christmas gift. Money for gifts was donated by local businesses and gifts were purchased by fourth grade teacher Cyndi Lundgren.
(Left) Jason Reub, the STEM Teacher at Stevens High School won the $500 1 + 1 Award money from NewsCenter1 & First Interstate Bank! The funds will go towards programs such as robotics, cabinet making, and 3D printing.
(Above) General Beadle Special Education teacher Alyssa Boeding was selected as Sam’s Club District teacher of the month for the month of December. (Above) Knollwood Elementary students raised over $560 to help purchase blankets and pajamas for WAVI. The students were able to donate 20 blankets and 60 pairs of pajamas. First grade raised the most money. Way to go Knollwood!
December 2014
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2014 Elementary Holiday Music Programs
CANYON LAKE
CANYON LAKE
KNOLLWOOD
ROBBINSDALE
ROBBINSDALE
Get online with us at all of our web and social media sites! Watch for school postings on Facebook, Twitter & Nixle; browse photos on Instagram; watch quick videos on Vine and longer videos on Vimeo!
December 2014
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2014 Elementary Holiday Music Programs
MEADOWBROOK
MEADOWBROOK
SOUTH CANYON
SOUTH CANYON
BLACK HAWK
December 2014
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2014 Elementary Holiday Music Programs SOUTH PARK
SOUTH PARK
VALLEY VIEW
VALLEY VIEW
HORACE MANN
HORACE MANN
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