School news of the week: Superintendent-turned parade marshal, pumpkins, projects

Amazing things happen in our schools every day — if you know where to look! Do you know some school news others would love? Let us know at [email protected].

She’s not just leader of the Sioux Falls School District — this year Jane Stavem served as parade marshal for Festival of Bands. Stavem is an accomplished pianist, vocalist, trumpet player, French horn player, percussionist, xylophone player … and she even plays harmonica!

Pumpkins for College, which is a group of cousins that grows pumpkins and gourds to sell with profits going into the kids’ college funds brought some of their harvest to Oscar Howe Elementary, where kindergartners through third graders got to pick out a pumpkin to bring home during parent-teacher conferences.

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary continued its celebration of becoming a Blue Ribbon school with blue themed treats for the staff.

Fourth grade students at Fred Assam Elementary have been learning about Native American shelters and got to select what type of shelter they wanted to build. The results were impressive!

Third graders at St. Lambert Elementary had fun observing how magnets and paper clips interact with one another.

Kids at George McGovern Middle School showed their “northwest spirit” wearing their school colors or Jefferson High School’s.

What a great partnership. Seventh graders at Ben Reifel Middle School made seasonal decorations for residents at Stoney Brooke Assisted Living. In addition, they wrote letters to start a pen pal program.

A couple of lucky students at Terry Redlin Elementary got to do some reading with their school resource officer.

And some other lucky students at Garfield Elementary got to have lunch with their school resource officer and some Sioux Falls firefighters.

It was a successful block party at Rosa Parks Elementary!

And finally, congratulations to the first inductees of the Tea Area School District’s Hall of Fame!