shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com August 13, 2019 • Page 11 Bringing in a New School Year By Governor Kristi Noem Can you believe the summer is almost over? The launch of the school year is a little different for my family this year. Booker is beginning his senior year of high school in a few days and will be starting football soon (Go Chargers!). Kassidy and Kennedy are done with college now, so school supply shopping is a much easier task… though I have to admit I miss the days of picking out boxes of crayons and spiral notebooks. With one in high school and two having gone all the way through our state’s public schools, I’ve been privileged to have a front-row ticket to the continuum of our education system. And from this perspective, one thing is abundantly clear: we do a lot of things right in our South Dakota schools. Earlier this year, I visited Todd County Middle School in Mission, South Dakota – a school that is doing a lot of things right. Their work has been bolstered in recent years by a state-funded Native American Achievement Grant, a 3-year project to jumpstart improvements in academic outcomes for Native American students and increase student success. The project requires schools to build cultural identities, encourage academic perseverance, and develop student leadership skills. Schools that received these funds are expected to integrate Native American culture and language throughout their curriculum. It’s truly a remarkable program. Because of this grant, Todd County Middle School has implemented several changes that are benefitting both the students and their community. They are incorporating Lakota language and culture into their school, addressing mental health, and meeting students where they are at for both behavior and academic needs. It is a student-centered environment. Each morning, teachers and students start the day with wellness activities to get kids in the mindset for school. They make sure every student has had something to eat. Teachers collaborate and work together to instruct and support students. In addition to traditional counseling services, they have implemented a recovery room where students can go to work through anxiety or take time to sort through a difficult situation. These rooms are staffed with counselors and have proven successful in curbing violence in the school and helping students be ready to learn in the classroom. And the results speak for themselves. The 8th grade class I talked with went from 78 acts of violence in their 5th grade year to only four incidents of violence as 8th graders. Academic gains are emerging as well. The students are articulate, confident, and optimistic – a reflection of the atmosphere throughout the school. Campus Academic Requests Approved PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Board of Regents this week approved academic program requests from public universities to meet workforce and community development needs across the state. The following actions, sorted by the university making the request, were approved: Northern State University • New undergraduate certificates in behavioral forensic sciences and quantitative analytics in science and a I was incredibly impressed by graduate certificate in Germans from Russia studies. Todd County Middle School, and I • The behavioral forensic certificate prepares people know that successes like this are to work in a variety of fields such as counseling, police or mirrored all over our state. Teachlaw enforcement, social work, and psychology. ers are working to inspire students • Students in the science fields often look for an opand prepare them for the workforce. I’m committed to further expanding portunity to acquire valuable quantitative skills. The opportunities in this arena, too. In a certificate in quantitative analytics provides a formal few months, we’ll launch our “South credential for employers to identify candidates with those skills. Dakota Week of Work,” which will • A graduate certificate in Germans from Russia studexpose students to high-demand ies complements the newly-opened South Dakota Gercareers and innovative businesses mans from Russia Cultural Center on the NSU campus. right here in South Dakota. So as another summer comes to The nine credit-hour certificate will focus on practical aspects of history, culture, and language, along with inan end, let me leave our students (and teachers too!) with this back-to- struction in the interpretation and translation of written documents. school encouragement: Find things South Dakota School of Mines & Technology you are passionate about and act • New minors in electrical engineering, electronics on them. Be bold. See the good in engineering and technology, mining engineering, and syspeople. Focus each day on leaving tems engineering will be available to SD Mines students this world a little better than you seeking to expand their knowledge base in engineering found it. specialties outside of their major fields. Study at the minor level also helps prepare students for graduate studies. South Dakota State University • A specialization in natural resource management will be available as part of two degrees in biological sciences offered at SDSU, the master of science degree and the Ph.D. degree. Students will receive advanced training in ecology, conservation, and management, making them more competitive for careers in state and federal agencies, non-government organizations, and private industry. 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