S C H O O L O F F I C E : 2 2 3 - 7 7 4 1

Proud to be S CM A R C H 2 0 1 4

S T U D E N T S O F T H E

M O N T H

Senior: Herman F.

Junior: Tyler R.

Sophomore: Slater P.

Freshman: Tori J.

8th: Jennifer S.

7th: Micah H.

6th: Liz D.

March 5: HS Music Contest,

Presho

March 7: FFA, Redfield

March 10: Board Meeting,

5:30, Parkview

March 11: Blood Drive, MS/HS

Gym, 1:00-6:30

March 13: End of Quarter

March 18: MS Vocal Festival,

White River

March 18: FFA, Miller

March 24: FFA, Bowdle

March 26: MS Quiz Bowl,

White River

March 27: All State Band,

Pierre

March 28: Enrichment Friday

March 28: FFA , Brookings

April 6-8: State FFA

April 9: Keya Paha Art Show

April 11: Enrichment Friday

April 14-17: Smarter Balance

Testing

April 18-21: Easter Break

U P C O M I N G E V E N T S

Stanley County's One Act Play, The Staggering Heart-break of Jasmine Merriwether, earned a superior ratingat the state one act competition February 6-8 in Bran-don. The group also claimed six outstanding actorawards, with Hailey N. and Kevin B. receiving thehonor for actress and actor, and Michael S., Kaycee C.,Angel G., and Tori J. for dance ensemble. The castand crew enjoyed several days of watching otherteams perform. Play directors Miss Milliken and Mrs.Swanson were very pleased with the outcome of thecompetition, and were extremely impressed with thebehavior of the group. They represented Stanley

County in a manner we can all be proud of!

Back row: Louis B., Dan E., Cade L., Seth V.,Michael S., Tori J., Angel G., Slater P.. Frontrow: Kevin B., Amelia N., Hailey N., Kaycee C.,

Martee L., Hunter C.

One Act Earns Superior RatingNate C. KOH

Two Stanley County students,Slater T. and Cormac D., earnedthe right to represent StanleyCounty at the Knights of Colum-bus District FreeThrow Contest.

Slater T. went on to claim thetitle of District Champion! Wecongratulate both young men.

Knights of Columbus FreeThrow Contest

Congratulationsto Stanley CountyHigh School sen-ior Nate C. forbeing named Kingof Hearts at the66th annual Kingof Hearts dance.

Nate was one often candidates

nominated for the honor. He is the son ofChanda Schoenhard & Rick Cronin.

Nate is a member of Fort Pierre Fire Depart-ment as a volunteer cadet, is a teen court volun-teer and a board member, and is on the SC golfteam.

Nate strives to be a great mentor and continuesto teach younger kids the dangers of texting anddriving, underage drinking and not to use drugs.He also enjoys volunteering on various commu-nity projects. Nate has enlisted in the UnitedStates Marine Corps.

T. F. Riggs student Kimberly Grambihler, theJob’s Daughters past Honored Queen, crownedNate Cronin as the 66th King. Organizers say 630high school students attended the event.

To help celebrate FFA week,elementary students were in-vited to participate in a coloringcontest. The winners weregiven FFA pig key chains, and allstudents were given an FFAsticker. Winners were: MickyHallock, Kaysen Magee, LunaGarcia, Abigail Huebner, TrevorPeterson, and Trey Frost.

FFA Week Activities

P A G E 2

RICHARD HAGEN-MINERVA HARVEY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP: For enrolled tribal members. Annual scholarshipwith awards including a minimum of $1000 for first 2 years of attendance, $1500 for third year of attendance and $2500 for thefourth year of attendance at a South Dakota college or technical institute. Application available at https://doe.sd.gov/secretary/scholarships.aspx#HagenHarvey or you may see Mrs. Gill for application. Deadline is MARCH 7th

B J PEO CHAPTER SCHOLARSHIP – approximately $500 for a Stanley County or Riggs senior girl who has a cumulativegrade point average between 3.4 and 3.8. See Mrs. Gill for application. Deadline is MARCH 13th.

PIERRE-FORT PIERRE BRANCH AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN High School Science,Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM) Scholarship $500

Be A female senior at Stanley County High School (Ft. Pierre) or Riggs High School (Pierre)Plans to enroll in a two- or four-year institution of higher educationGPA of 3.00 or higher on a 4.00 scaleMust be planning to pursue major in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math fields.See Mrs. Gill for application. Deadline is MARCH 13th

CHS FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS: Graduating high school seniors pursuing an agricultural-related major at any two- orfour-year college throughout the nation are encouraged to apply for one of 50, $1,000 scholarships. Applications at http://www.midwestcooperatives.com/college-students Deadline is MARCH 15th

GOLDEN WEST- $1000- Student’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) must be a Golden West customer and reside in a GoldenWest service area. Applicants must have taken the ACT or SAT test. The recipient of the award must begin attending a post-secondary institution and taking 12 or more classroom credits the fall semester immediately following graduation from high schoolin order to be eligible for the scholarship. See Mrs. Gill for application. Deadline to return to Mrs. Gill is MARCH 15th

SOUTH DAKOTA ENGINEERING SOCIETY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM ---$800 to a local student that intends topursue an engineering career at either SDSU or SD School of Mines and Technology in the fall of 2013. Must live in the CentralChapter area (Pierre, Onida, and Ft. Pierre). See Mrs. Gill for application. Deadline is MARCH 15th.

CURTIS MARVIN HOHN SCHOLARSHIP -- $1,000 AWARDED TO SENIORS GRADUATIING FROM SD High Schoolattending any South Dakota college and pursuing studies in history, political science, or water resources studies. See Mrs. Gill forapplication. Deadline is MARCH 15th

CHARLES E. THORNE V.F.W. Post #2038 Scholarship $500 - to a Riggs or Stanley County high school senior. The stu-dent must be related to a veteran who has served in any branch of the military. See Mrs. Gill for application. Deadline to submit toMrs. Gill by MARCH 18th

PIERRE/FT. PIERRE EXCHANGE CLUB SCHOLARSHIP --$1,000 to a Stanley County High School or Riggs High Schoolsenior. You must write an essay and show proof of school and community activities. The winner of the local club’s Youth of theYear Award will be then eligible for a district award and if they win the district award they will be eligible for the National Youth ofthe Year Award where a $10,000 scholarship will be awarded. See Mrs. Gill for application. Deadline to submit to Mrs. Gill isMARCH 20th

KIWANIS MEL WALL SCHOLARSHIP - $1000- A resume and essay of 500 words or less answering one of the followingquestions must be included with the application. What is one thing that you have learned that will enable you to be successful in life? ORKiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. What does this state-ment mean to you? See Mrs. Gill for application. Due back to Mrs. Gill by MARCH 28th

KIWANIS PERKINS UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP- $500- Student must plan to attend a FOUR-YEAR University/College.Resume and essay of 500 words or less responding to either of the following questions must be included. What strengths do youhave for this career choice? OR How has high school helped you prepare for post-secondary education/training? See Mrs. Gill for applica-tion. Due back to Mrs. Gill by MARCH 28th

KIWANIS VOCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP - $350- Resume and essay of 500 words or less responding to either of the fol-lowing questions must be included. What strengths do you have for this career choice? OR How has high school helped you prepare forpost-secondary education/training? See Mrs. Gill for application. Due back to Mrs. Gill by MARCH 28th

P A G E 3

KIWANIS UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP - $350- Resume and essay of 500 words or less responding to either of the follow-ing questions must be included. What strengths do you have for this career choice? OR How has high school helped you prepare for post-secondary education/training? See Mrs. Gill for application. Due back to Mrs. Gill by MARCH 28th

KIWANIS FCA SCHOLARSHIP - $150 Must be a current member of Stanley County FCA. See Mrs. Gill for application. Dueback to Mrs. Gill by MARCH 28

SC BOOSTER CLUB SCHOLARSHIP (2) $500 scholarships available for Stanley County graduating seniors. Selection will bemade on basis of need, school participation, and character. See Mrs. Gill for application. IMPORTANT NEW REQUIRE-MENT—A parent/guardian must have worked in the concession stand twice during each school year the student isenrolled in Stanley County. Since this is the first year of this requirement, graduating seniors are still eligible ifyour parent/guardian works 2 times THIS school year even if they have not served in the concession stand anyyears prior to this 2013-2014 school year. The tracking of this requirement begins now for classes graduating in 2014, 2015,and 2016. Deadline- postmarked by MARCH 28th (Applications must be mailed. No hand-delivered applications willbe accepted)

The following Junior Achievement scholarship opportunities are available for South Dakota seniors who have had Junior Achieve-ment at some point in their K-12 education: Junior Achievement of South Dakota $500 Scholarship http://www.jasd.org/Programs/scholarships.html Deadline is: MARCH 30, 2014

IHELP – Student Loan Finance Corporation – 5 scholarships for SD high school seniors. These $1,000 scholarships will beawarded to SD high school seniors attending a college, university or technical institute for the 2014/2015 years. Every scholarshipapplication will be automatically entered into a drawing for a free iPad. Scholarships are chosen at random. Applications are avail-able online at http://www.slfc.com/iHELP_Scholarship-South%20Dakota.pdf?utm_source=iHELP+Scholarship++-+We%27re+doing+it+again%21+%28HS+Counselors%29&utm_campaign=iHELP+Scholarship+-+We%27re+doing+it+again%21+%28HS+Counselors%29&utm_medium=email. Deadline is MARCH 31st

PIERRE PLAYERS COMMUNITY THEATRE SCHOLARSHIP—(3) $500 scholarships available for graduating seniors-may reapply each year of post-secondary education. Application 150 to 200 word essay on how participation in the fine arts pro-grams have impacted your life. See Mrs. Gill for application. Deadline is MARCH 31st

ROBERT L SCOTT SCHOLARSHIP - $1,000 per year (renewable for a 2nd year provided student has minimum of 3.0GPA). To be eligible, you must meet all of the following criteria.

Be a high school senior in one of the qualifying counties Lyman, Stanley or Hyde OR a previous Robert L Scott Scholarship awardwinner applying for a renewal and enrolled in a vocational school within the state of South Dakota.

Have a current High School GPA of 2.0 (based on a 4.0 grading system) or higher OR a minimum of a 3.0 GPA at a vocationalschool if reapplying for the scholarship.

Be enrolled in a vocational school within the state of South Dakota for the upcoming academic yearFor legal reasons, applicant must not be a relative of Robert L. Scott or Velta Kindopp Scott. Deadline is APRIL 1st

DAKOTA STATE BANK SCHOLARSHIP- Offering (4) $250 scholarships for area students who are continuing educationsbeyond high school. Must attend a South Dakota university, technical school or community college on a full-time basis. See Mrs.Gill for application. Deadline is APRIL 2nd

PIERRE/FORT PIERRE ADULT PROM SCHOLARSHIP – Amount of the scholarship will be contingent on funds raisedduring the Adult Prom. Applicants must:

* be accepted into an in-state technical school or college* not have any drug or alcohol infractions* 2.0 GPA or above* demonstrate financial need* not be the recipient of any other major academic or athletic scholarship* have a heart for the community in which they live by either volunteer work or paid employment*All recipients will be required to participate in a short interview with the selection committee*Must obtain 2 letters of reference from teachers / school counselor, employer, or member of the community

Direct any questions to Krystal Simons (605)222-3581 Return applications to Mrs. Gill by APRIL 10th

FORT PIERRE SENIOR CITIZEN’S SCHOLARSHIP $200 available for one Stanley County High School graduating seniorgirl and one graduating senior boy. Must be attending college starting in Fall of 2013. Scholarship is awarded at start of secondsemester. See Mrs. Gill for application. Deadline is APRIL 14th

US BANK SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Available to high school seniors and college undergraduates. See on-line applicationfor more information. www.usbank.com/scholarship

CATCHING THE DREAM SCHOLARSHIPS AND SCHOLARSHIP HELP: www.catchingthedream.org Visit this linkto find scholarships available for Native American students. There is also PERSONAL help available for scholarship questions,essay help, etc. Be sure to visit if you are a member of a federally recognized tribe.

“INSURING A BRIGHTER TOMORROW” Scholarship Farmers Union Insurance/South Dakota Farmers UnionFoundation/SDHSAA: (25) $1000 scholarships- Open to graduating seniors planning to attend post-secondary education at aSouth Dakota college, university, or technical school. Open to Farmers Union Insurance Policyholders, South Dakota FarmersUnion Members, Friends of the SDFU foundation, or a participant in any South Dakota High School Activities Association(SDHSAA) sanctioned activity. Award based on academic records, community, school, and volunteer involvement, financial need,and essay about “How do you hope to impact a brighter tomorrow in South Dakota?” See Mrs. Gill for application. Deadline isAPRIL 15th

GA and PEARL ANN JOHNSON SCHOLARSHIP: (Scholarship amount will vary) Applicants will be judged by GPA, fi-nancial need, school and community involvement, and planned major. Preference given for students who plan to attend trade ortechnical institutions within South Dakota, but other colleges and universities are not excluded. Everyone apply! See Mrs. Gill forapplication. Deadline is APRIL 24th

RICHARD “BUD” GOULD SCHOLARSHIP: (2) $250 scholarships available for Stanley County graduating seniors. Can beused at any college, university, or vo-tech school- in or out of state. See Mrs. Gill for application. Deadline is APRIL 30th

CHS MIDWEST COOPERATIVES SCHOLARSHIPS: up to three $2,500 scholarships to students entering their firstyear at an approved South Dakota vocational or technical institute. The goal of our scholarship program is to assist agri-businessstudents in furthering their education. Being a scholarship recipient can also open doors to future career opportunities with CHSInc. Application available at http://www.midwestcooperatives.com/college-students Deadline is JULY 1st (BUT APPLY ASSOON AS POSSIBLE)

American Legion Scholarship Programs-: The American Legion offers a number of scholarships and other resources toassist young people in their pursuit of higher education. There are opportunities for everyone, including kin of wartime veteransand participants in Legion programs. Visit http://www.legion.org/scholarships to view the various available scholarships. VariousDeadlines- Visit website ASAP

Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation Scholarships: more than 50 scholarships are online at www.sfacf.org

Association on American Indian Affairs Scholarships: Various scholarships for members of federally recognized tribes.http://www.indian-affairs.org/scholarships/aaia_scholarships.htm

South Dakota Board Of Regents Scholarships Website: South Dakota provides a variety of scholarships for residents ofthe state to assist with the financial burden that students and families incur when attending colleges/universities/technical insti-tutes within the state. The SD Scholarships website is designed to provide a common portal for students interested in applyingfor these scholarships. Review eligibility criteria provided under the scholarships link for each of these programs and then com-plete the appropriate forms. Once you log into the portal, demographic information you enter will be carried over onto each ofthe corresponding application forms. If you have questions at any point during the process, please feel free to contact the Boardof Regents office. http://www.sdbor.edu/students/scholarships.htm

Wells Fargo College STEPS Program: If you’re a high school or college student and you sign up to receive college planningand money management information from Wells Fargo, you’ll be automatically entered in the CollegeSTEPSSM Sweepstakes for achance to win $1,000. There’s no purchase required. Go to https://www.wellsfargo.com/student/sweepstakes/ or contact AmyChilson, (605) 945-3004, at the local Wells Fargo for more information.

SAE International Engineering Scholarships: See website for various scholarship qualifications and deadlines. http://students.sae.org/awdscholar/scholarships/hsengineering.htm

P A G E 4

P A G E 5

United Blood Services Blood Drive Tuesday, March 11, SC High School Gym, 1:00–6:45

Stanley County Elementary is currently accepting

kindergarten registration for the 2014-2015 school

year. Both traditional kindergarten and junior kin-dergarten will be available. If you have a child who

will be 5 years old prior to September 1, 2014,

contact Krista at 223-7745 ext. 301 to begin theregistration process. Early registration is encour-

aged.

Kindergarten RegistrationSC Students Design Bags

Daylight Savings Time: Sunday March 9, Clocks “Spring Ahead” One Hour

Have you moved? Has your phone number changed?

Having the most up-to-date contact information on file at the school is thebest way to ensure the school can reach you in the event of an emergency.If you have moved, changed jobs, or changed phone numbers since schoolbegan, you need to update the contact information for your child in theschool office. You can do this by simply calling the elementary office at223-7745 ext. 301 or the middle/high school office at 223-7745 ex. 120.

Contact Information

Prom will be held on May 2nd, 2014

Stanley County art studentsparticipated in the StudentCapitol Art show. This is aprogram sponsored bySouth Dakotans for theArts Day, which highlightsart education. More than120 pieces of art createdby students from everylegislative district werechosen to adorn tote bags.

Our legislative district,which includes four coun-ties, chose three composi-tions that would be placedon separate canvas bags,and given to the appropri-ate Senators and Represen-

tatives.

SC students were chosen for all three of these compositions. Chance M.,Hailey N., and Megan A. had the privilege of going to the Capitol and givingthe tote bag as a gift to Representative Mary Duvall, Senator Jeff Monroe,and Representative Tim Rounds. The public may also purchase these bags

at: http://www.cafepress.com/sdarts/11009948.

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Hegge, who wereblessed with a healthy baby boy on February 22. Momand baby are doing well.

Congratulations!

On February 19,2014, Mr. Latham’sfifth grade com-puter class had aMystery Skype Callwith another 5th

grade class. Theydidn’t know wherethe other classlived and the goal was to ask yes/no questions untilthey were able to discover their state and home-town. Each student in Mr. Latham’s class had aspecial job during the call. They were pleased thatthey won with only 13 questions asked, and foundthat the other class lived in Cookstown, New Jer-sey.

After discoveringwhere they lived,there was timeto ask questionsto learn moreabout them.They learnedthat the class of18 students is inSpring Lake

Heights Elementary, their school colors are blueand gold, and their mascot is a lion. They told theSC students about Hurricane Sandy hitting themtwo years ago. Our students enjoyed telling themabout our school and state and learning a fewthings about them. This activity was educational,and also fun and exciting.

Mr. Latham’s Class Wins

P A G E 6ACT Test Dates/Registration DeadlinesSC School Code 420 455 Pierre Test Center Code 184530

Test Date Registration Deadline

April 12, 2014 March 7, 2014

June 14, 2014 May 9, 2014

Register online at www.actstudent.org (you will need tocreate a free ACT Web account to register and you will also havethe option to receive email updates as well as view your scoresonline). You will need a credit card to pay for the test you wish totake.

Seniors that have not taken the ACT and are planning togo on to college or technical education schools, be sure to sign-upfor the December test date. If you are unsure if you will need totake the ACT, please see Mrs. Gill to find out for sure. Some of thetechnical schools still require ACT scores, while others have analternate assessment that they offer. Again, check with Mrs. Gill tofind out for sure what the schools you’re interested in require.

Juniors should look at taking the ACT for the first time byFebruary or April. Mrs. Gill will be leading Juniors in a practice ACTtest before the February deadline. Look online or see Mrs. Gill for

the many available ACT preparatory resources.

Senior To Do List Turn in senior picture to Miss Vietor Check deadlines for college admissions applications and

get them in early

Attend Financial Aid Information Night Encourage parents to complete taxes early Once taxes are done, complete the FAFSA. This must

be done as soon as possible! Do campus visits Request letters of recommendations

Complete scholarship applications Be sure to keep copies of every document. This will

save you time, money, and aggravation if an applicationis lost.

In Jan/Feb, check with the college registrar to see ifyour application is complete and they have all the nec-essary data.

Watch for Mrs. Gill’s scholarship website

Decide on announcements, and get them ordered Keep working hard, as every grade counts!

AAU WrestlingThank you for your continued support. Look for upcoming fundrais-ers to help the building of the Stanley County Wrestling Room.Upcoming AAU Events: March 8, Districts at Fort Pierre; March 15,Regions at Mobridge; March 22, Nationals at Spearfish; March 29-30, State at Rapid City.Back: Chase, Keegan, Mason, Slade, Quade, Tyler, Trey, Cor-mac, Levi, Devonte, Taten. 2nd Row: Owen, Cash, Amara, Cay-cee, Taggen, River, Witt. 3rd Row: Chase, Colton, Calvin, Dan,

Chance, Auston,Hayden, Ethan, Coy.4th Row: Case, Pax-ton, Shayden, Bran-don, Weston, Justin,Brendon, Maddix,Charles. Coaches:Craig Heller, RyanKnight, Brian Brady,Derek Dell, TravisFrost, and many par-ents and volunteers.

SC 6th Grade RecordGettysburg Address

SDPB joined forces with Stanley County sixth graders thismonth to record The Gettysburg Address at Stanley CountySchool.

The Address, one of the most famous speeches of all time,was delivered by President Abraham Lincoln 150 years ago,on Nov. 19, 1863, at the site of one of the deadliest battlesof the Civil War.

The students were taped at the school library in Fort Pierreon February 13 as they recited the speech. The project willbe submitted to a national website and will air on SDPBTelevision. You can see it on SDPB’s YouTube channel:http://www.youtube.com/SDPBdotORG under recent up-loads.

“The students, while very nervous about the filming, wereextremely proud to be able to take part in such a produc-tion,” said their teacher, Shirley Swanson. “They now have abetter understanding about the importance of the Gettys-burg Address, and are excited to see the finished project.”

SDPB is partnering with acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns andWETA Television in Washington, D.C., to encourage peo-ple, especially students, to record their versions of The Get-tysburg Address. Recitations from South Dakota and acrossthe country are being featured on PBS.org/TheAddress, thenational website for “The Address,” a Ken Burns PBS pro-ject.

The winner of the star buffaloquilt raffle donated by Cody andLila Briggs was Melanie Moen,and the winner of the chili/soupcook-off was Deuces Wild.

The next booster club meetingwill be March 12th at 6:00 pm inthe Parkview conference room.

Booster Club NewsYou are invited to a welcomehome/recognition for crosscountry, wrestling, gymnastics,state one act, all state chorus,FFA and FCCLA held March 2nd

at 3:30 in Parkview. The BoosterClub will be serving brownies,ice cream and lemonade.

P A G E 7

Help Us Win a New Playground

National Honor Society members served at the SoutheastCommunity Banquet this month, with the NHS students pro-viding cookies and helping the ladies of the church serve theweekly meal. This year the NHS students helped serve be-tween 150 - 200 meals.

On March 11 the NHS will be hosting their second blooddrive of the school year. The blood drive will run from 1:00until 6:45 in the middle school gym. If you are interested indonating please call Mrs. Doherty at 223-7743, extension 136.

National Honor Society Busy

These StanleyCounty kindergartenstudents celebrated100 days ofschool. The studentspictured dressed inperiod attire.

Back row: MissBaker, Charles F.,Brandon C., TessaR., and Quent B.Front row:Mickey H., Justin T., and Paxton D..

SC Kindergarten Celebrates 100 Days

Coca-Cola is conducting a Healthy Playground Makeover Sweep-stakes. Stanley County Elementary is asking you to help us win byentering the sweepstakes. It only takes about one minute to doso, and you can enter once per day until March 20, 2014. Ourodds of winning are also increased because we are a SchoolwideTitle I school. Thank you for your help and support of all ourefforts to make our new playground a reality.Directions to Enter the Sweepstakes:

Go to: http://www.togethercounts.com/at-school/win-for-your-school/sweepstakes

Select “Enter Now”.Complete the form – The first time you enter you will

need to complete the full form.Once you enter the zip code you will be given a

selection of schools in this area. Select“Stanley County Elementary School”.

After the first day you enter, you will only need to enter youremail address and select “Enter Again!”

Mrs. Gloe and Mr. Latham’s

classes visited Maryhouse on

February 10. Everyone wasexcited to play BINGO!

Bingo!

The Stanley County wrestling team qualified eleven team mem-bers for the state meet to be held in Aberdeen the last weekendin February. Those who will seek state championship titles are:

106 Luke H.120 Jack W.126 Chad W.132 Daniel S.138 Michael S.152 Cooper C.160 Lukas C.170 Casey H.195 Herman F.220 Tyson O.285 Cade L.

Coach Latham said, “ Our team wrestled very well and repre-sented Stanley County with integrity.” We congratulate them ontheir accomplishments!

State Bound!

Star Base has been in Mr.Latham’s room. Lastweek the studentslaunched rockets. Airpressure was used tolaunch rockets at targets(moons) of varying dis-tances. Mrs. Johnson’sstudents from Cheyennejoined the fifth graders inthis project.

Star Base

The Smarter Balanced Field TestThe Smarter Balanced assessment system is a key part of implementing the CommonCore State Standards and preparing all students for success in college and careers.The Smarter Balanced Field Test is a practice run of the assessment system that helpsensure the assessments are accurate and fair for all students. It also gives teachersand schools a chance to gauge their readiness in advance of the first operational as-sessments in spring 2015.

South Dakota is one of 22 Governing States that will participate in the Field Test.The Smarter Balanced Field Test will take place at Stanley County from March 18 –May 16, 2014.

FIELD TEST FAQ

Why is my child taking new assessments this year?

The South Dakota Department of Education is committed to ensuring that all of our

students are prepared for success.

The Smarter Balanced Assessment System that we are helping to develop is a keypart of implementing the Common Core Standards and preparing all students for

success in college and careers.Smarter Balanced assessments are being “field tested” this year and will be fully op-

erational in the 2014–15 school year.

The Smarter Balanced assessments provide an academic checkup for students bymeasuring real-world skills like critical thinking and problem solving. In addition, they provide real-time information during the

year to give teachers and parents a better picture of where students are succeeding and where they need help.

These assessments will replace existing tests, and offer significant improvements over tests of the past, including new types of ques-tions and performance tasks that require students to apply a variety of skills to complete complex tasks that will prepare them

for college and the workplace.Colleges in South Dakota are participating in the development of these assessments, with the goal of recognizing student scores on

the grade 11 assessments as evidence that students are ready for introductory college courses and can be exempted from

non-credit remedial courses.

What will the assessments cover?

The Smarter Balanced assessments will measure real-world skills in English and math, such as analytical reading, persuasive writing,

and problem solving.

Beginning in 2015, in addition to providing composite scores in those two subjects, score reports will provide information on stu-

dent performance in the following areas:English: reading, writing, listening, and research

Math: concepts and procedures; problem solving and modeling/data analysis, and communicating reasoning

How long will the assessments take?

The math and English assessments each have two components:Computer-adaptive assessments: A set of assessment questions in a variety of formats that—beginning in spring 2015—will be

customized to each student based on answers to previous questions. In this way, the assessments can most accuratelymeasure each student’s knowledge and skills.

Performance tasks: Collections of questions and activities that are coherently connected to a single theme or scenario. These

activities are meant to measure capacities such as depth of understanding, writing and research skills, and complex analy-sis, which cannot be adequately assessed with traditional test questions. The performance tasks will be taken on a com-

puter (but will not be computer-adaptive) and will take one to two class periods to complete.

These tests are not timed, but we estimate that the English assessment will take 3.5 (for elementary students) to 4 hours (for highschool students) and the math assessment will take 2.5 hours (for elementary students) to 3.5 hours (for high school stu-

dents). In addition, students will have a brief classroom activity to introduce the topic of the performance task. Testing willoccur in multiple sessions, so students will typically spend 1 to 2 hours per day on the assessments over several days.

Student and School ParticipationStudents in grade 3–8 and 11 along with

small sample in grades 9 and 10

Each subject area (Math and English) is

expected to take 2.5 to 4 hours to com-

plete

Assessments will be administered over mul-

tiple days

Because questions may be revised or

dropped after the Field Test, students

will not receive scores

Member states determined how schools

and students were selected to participate

In some states, only a representative sam-

ple of students will participate—10 per-

cent of students for each subject area. In

South Dakota, the Field Test will be ad-

ministered more broadly

For additional information about Smarter Bal-anced in your state, contact your state educa-tion agency.

P A G E 8

Parents/Guardians:

During the month of March, we are celebrating the gift of reading. Read Across America Day falls on Sunday, March 2, but we feelthat this is too important of a skill and gift to just set aside one day.

On Monday, March 3, many of the classrooms will be having activities centered around Dr. Suess and the wonderful books he gaveus. From there we move to Monday, March 10, when Miss South Dakota will be visiting to reinforce the importance of reading inour lives.

Our month will end with the big celebration. On Monday, March 31, we will be having a “Spring into Learning” family night. Thisnight will be filled with many fun, engaging family activities that build on reading and math skills. The staff have been putting inmany hours to plan for this event, and it is going to be a great evening. There will be storybook characters lurking around, fun kits totake home to continue the games, exciting door prizes, and much more. This is a FREE FAMILY event, and we would like nothingmore for the whole family to be here and enjoy the experience together.

We hope you will support our events and our reading cause during the month of March. The best teacher a child can have is you.Reading with your child or even modeling your own enjoyment of reading can spark more excitement than you know.

Thank you for the opportunity to share our love of learning with your children, and we hope to see you on the evening of March 31!

Sincerely,Michelle GlodtElementary Principal

P A G E 9

Time to Celebrate!

For the spring 2014 Field Test, Stanley County students in grades 3-8 and 10-11 will take English and math assessments. Beginning

in 2014-15, when the Smarter Balanced assessments replace existing state tests, students will take both the English and math

assessments.

What is the “Field Test” and what will my child get out of participating in it?

This practice run will help ensure that the assessments are accurate and fair for all students. It also gives teachers and schools achance to practice assessment administration procedures, and students the opportunity to experience the new assessments.

Smarter Balanced will use information from the Field Test to improve the assessments and plan for their roll-out in the 2014-15school year.

Through this practice run, we expect to discover challenges. Working together with teachers and school administrators, states in

the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium will address any issues identified prior to the launch of the assessment systemin the 2014–15 school year.

In South Dakota, students participate in the Field Test and will take both English and math assessments.

How will my child’s privacy be protected?

South Dakota retains control of all student information, including assessment results.

In order to make sure the assessments are accurate and fair for all students, Smarter Balanced will collect the following student

information:Student identifier number so that only the state can link back to a student’s official education record);

Race/ethnicity, gender, grade level, school attended;Student eligibility for English language development services or special education services provided to the student;

Student eligibility for Title I compensatory programs;

Smarter Balanced assessment scores, achievement levels, and responses to assessment questions.Smarter Balanced collects information such as student first names, dates of birth, addresses, etc. that can be used to identify indi-

vidual students. No parent information will be collected.

Smarter Balanced, South Dakota, and districts cannot and will not sell student information as prohibited by federal laws like theFamily Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Smarter Balanced (continued)

P A G E 1 0

Senior SpotlightJenny G.

College Plans: Attend Mitchell

Tech and study to be a medical

assistant

Favorite Class: Anatomy

Favorite School Memory:

When I was in 8th grade Trevor

Swanson was messing around and

I fell to the ground. When I

looked up, I saw a bunch of sen-

iors looking down at me.

Favorite Non-School Activity:

Long boarding with friends

Advice to freshmen: Live every

moment. Don’t hold back on

anything because before you

know it, high school is over.

Jordain R.

College Plans: Work for a

year, then attend Century Col-

lege in White Bear Lake, Min-

nesota

Favorite Class: Senior English

Favorite Non-School Activ-

ity: Working at Jakes

Advice to freshmen: Behave,

don’t talk back, do your home-

work. School is far to short to

mess it up.

Samantha H.

College Plans: Work, and

attend college to be a vet tech

Favorite Class: Creative Writ-

ing

Favorite School Memory:

Dressing up for homecoming

Favorite Non-School Activ-

ity: Playing softball, hanging out

with friends

Advice to Freshmen: Don’t

be

scared...just

do your

best and

enjoy it.

“The journey homeis never a direct

route; it is in fact,always circuitous,and somewhere

along the way, wediscover that thejourney is more

significant than thedestination, and thatthe people we meet

along the way will bethe traveling

companions of ourmemory forever.”

Nelson DeMille

SC School Carnival April 3, 7-9 pm.Tickets 50 cents each.

Contact Mrs. Peterson at 223-7741 ext. 319 if you wish to have a booth.

Graduation will be held Sunday, May 18th, in Parkview Gym.

On Monday, March 10, the elementary students will be having a"royal" visitor. Tessa Dee, Miss South Dakota, will be here inthe morning of that day to share with the various elementarygrade levels the importance of literacy and the role of MissSouth Dakota. She will also be reading a short children's storyto them as part of our Read Across America activities. ReadAcross America Day falls on Sunday, March 2; however, we will

be celebrating the whole month with various events.

Miss South DakotaThe Stanley County gymnastics team finished 9th as a team andsenior Hailey N. ended her career with the Lady Buffs placing infive events at the state gymnastics meet. On the individual dayof the tournament, Hailey N. placed in the top ten in the beam,vault, and floor events. Hailey finished 11th in the all-around and20th on the beam.

On team day of the state gymnastics meet, our girls placed 9thwith a team score of 124.85. Madison won the state champion-ship with a score of 141. Congratulations to our Lady Buffs!

SC Gymnasts Place at State

Senior/parent party is April 5th at the Youth Center 6-10pm

Stanley County Elementary continues to collect Box Topsfor Education and Labels for Education, The money fromthe box tops goes into our playground fund and the pointsfrom Campbell’s are used to purchase school items fromtheir catalog.

We appreciate all the support parents and communitymembers give us in this area. If you have any of theseitems you may send them to school with your child ordrop them off at the elementary office.

Box Tops for Education

Campbell’s Labels for Education

Please Save These

We areSC!

Stanley County’s head wrestling coach,John Latham, was named Region 4B coachof the year by his peers at the regionalwrestling tournament.

The coaches of the seventeen teamswithin our region voted on the one coachthey felt has done the best job during thecurrent season. We congratulate Mr.Latham on being selected!

Latham RecognizedP A G E 1 1

SPRING INTO LEARNINGMARCH 31, 2014 – 6:30-8:00

Mark your calendars! Please join us for an evening of fun! Learn andplay interactive math and reading activities with your family, friends,and community. This is a great opportunity for families to participate inwhat your child is learning at school. Each student will leave with a bagfull of activities to play at home. The night will include a book show-case, a book walk, estimation station, DOOR PRIZES, and many morefun-filled games. The Scholastic Book Fair will also be here. We hopeto see you there! Stay tuned for more information as the date ap-proaches.