The Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation celebrated 65 educators during the period of remote learning due to COVID-19. With a $25 donation to the Education Foundation, individuals could nominate any Sioux Falls School District staff member for the Above and Beyond Award or Teacher Appreciation Week. This recognition highlighted teachers, custodians, administrators, Kids Inc. staff, and others who put in the extra effort to keep students engaged, focused, and connected.
Each nominee was entered to win a $25 gift card to a local business. Winners were drawn at random, and the Education Foundation awarded 16 gift cards to Grille 26, Lewis, and Scooter’s. All three businesses have supported the Education Foundation’s Public School Proud: Student Showcase event.
Donors had an opportunity to share a note about the person they nominated, and then Education Foundation staff posted those messages on social media. Tammy Sweeter, school counselor at Jane Addams Elementary, was nominated. The parents who wanted to recognize her wrote, “Mrs. Sweeter continues to go to great lengths for the mental health of her students by sending messages to the families, calling the students individually, and hosting Google Meetings with students to help them process these unprecedented changes in their lives. We are so grateful for the work of Mrs. Sweeter! Thank you for all that you do!”
Below is a list of nominees from 24 sites. Some educators were nominated more than once.
CTE Academy—Penny Brunken
Lincoln High School—Sue Bull; Kristy Pesicka; Heidi Dykstra; Mary Alexander
Roosevelt High School—David Maxwell; Brittany Hamann; John Parezo
Washington High School—Wade Kippley; Laura Brandt; Bethany (Larson) Schaefers
Edison Middle School—Tyler Beisch; Jason Rygg; Stacy Sip; Erica Bell; Jeremy Iversen
McGovern Middle School—Marian Beck; Christian Gruschin
Memorial Middle School—Jill Benker
Patrick Henry Middle School—Laura Cooper; Michael Long
All City Elementary—Heidi Williams; Kayleen Lundquist; Eliza Leloux; Tanya Rausis; Marci Cabrera; Sheila Pike; Shelby Bertram
Anne Sullivan Elementary—Patsy Andersen
Cleveland Elementary—Julie Millar
Eugene Field A+ Elementary—Marissa Schlup; Kate Marchand; Laura Preheim; Jess Hubert
Garfield Elementary—Kristin Skogstad; Brooke Weigand; Karissa Fischer
Harvey Dunn Elementary—Cindy Heyden; Molly Rost; Kamber Brockel
IPC—Harlen VanMaanen; Dr. Brian Maher
Jane Addams Elementary—Jane Hannemann; Tammy Sweeter; Jenna Anderson; Brandon Mohr
Laura Wilder Elementary—Jennifer Scheff
Lowell Elementary—Diane Kennedy
Pettigrew Elementary—Rhonda Begley
Robert Frost Elementary—Alisha Bell; Jessica Knigge
Rosa Parks Elementary—Kiersta Machacek
Sonia Sotomayor Elementary—Bobbi Greenfield; Yenny Ruiz Pineda; Amanda Valbuena
Susan B. Anthony Elementary—Becky Davis; Lindsey Hinsch; Erica English; Jaime Rockvam; Krista Brost
Terry Redlin Elementary—Becca Frahm
Educators who received gift cards include: Molly Rost; Lindsey Hinsch; Heidi Dykstra; Bobbi Greenfield; Kiersta Machacek; Stacy Sip; Laura Preheim; Tammy Sweeter; Erica English; Laura Cooper; Brooke Weigand; Jason Rygg; Laura Brandt; Shelby Bertram; Marian Beck; Marissa Schlup