School news of the week: Teacher of the Year nominees, celebrating community

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].

Congratulations to the 69 Sioux Falls School District teachers nominated for the annual Dr. John W. Harris Teacher of the Year award. A judging committee that includes a school board member, former award recipient and community members will determine the finalists. Those finalists will be notified, and the 2021-22 Teacher of the Year will be announced Feb. 28.

John Harris Elementary celebrated students with a PBIS, or Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, reward. Students earn Hurricane HERO slips for being Helpful, showing Excellence, having Respect and taking Ownership. To celebrate, students participated in a Sip and Sketch. Students painted, drew and created art while enjoying hot chocolate or chocolate milk.

Rosa Parks Elementary student Rachel brought a special gift for several staff members: red and pink envelopes with a $2 bill inside to wish them good luck in honor of the Lunar New Year.

Cleveland Elementary kicked off a schoolwide kindness challenge for February with tutus, ties and tennis shoes.

This might be the cutest way we’ve seen to mark Catholic Schools Week. Students at St. Katharine Drexel Elementary dressed up as different types of community helpers and wrote thank-you cards to show their appreciation to them.

And finally, a reminder our community is filled with incredible people. Meet Mr. Joel, a volunteer who reached out to Rosa Parks Elementary one day and said he wanted to come work with second or third graders in reading. He has been there every Thursday since then.