The Harrisburg Times H om e of the Tig er s
N ove m b er 20 18
Gratitude Reframes our Past, Present, & Future
ADRIENNE MCKEOWN, PRESIDENT, HARRISBURG ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Author Melody Beattie says that “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” In a month devoted to giving thanks, I couldn’t say it any better myself. So instead, I’ll apply her words of wisdom to our local community. Gratitude makes sense of our past. You may remember that I took some time earlier this year to visit with a group of longtime Harrisburg residents. They told me stories of the glory days of the past—when Harrisburg had multiple grocery stores, entertainment options galore, and was a thriving small town. And then it all went away. Being on the front lines of our fast-paced growth today, it’s easy to forget about the struggles Harrisburg faced just a couple of decades ago. Nevertheless, I am grateful for those lessons from the past because they help us to remember that we have to support our local businesses or run the risk of losing them again. As the height of the retail year approaches, I encourage you to participate in Small Business Saturday by shopping our local Harrisburg businesses. Gratitude brings peace for today. It certainly does. I’ve recently found that my days go so much smoother if I start by giving thanks to God for my many blessings instead of focusing on all of the work that the day brings. Maybe it’s really about that “one day at a time” mentality. It’s easy to look at all of the development opportunity here in Harrisburg and get bogged down by what could or should be done. If we step back and give thanks for what we currently have, it helps reset our frame of mind. I am so thankful for the 120+ Chamber members we currently have. (They are listed in this issue and on our website.) These businesses and organizations are building an amazing community here in Harrisburg, and they are committed to giving back to our
residents and being good corporate citizens as well. I am grateful for the board of directors who are taking on additional work and responsibility and stepping out in faith, believing that by taking some calculated risks now, we can continue to grow and develop beyond what we thought possible even just three years ago. Thank you to Adam Walsh, Courtney Lens, Lucas Lorenzen, Codi Nincehelser, Amber Steinberg, and Derick Wenck for the numerous hours and the heart you put into serving on the HEDC board. (And of course, I am abundantly grateful to our volunteer extraordinaire, Dale Thorpe, who is willing to lend a hand wherever he can.) Gratitude creates a vision for tomorrow. I am so grateful to be living in a community that is facing growth “problems” rather than trying to figure out how to deal with population decline. As we celebrate the 125th year of the Harrisburg School District, we now have a vision for the future that includes our citizens supporting the need for additional schools to educate our young people. We continue to watch dirt move from one corner to another in preparation for new homes and retail spaces that will appear in 2019. And this year, we “cut the ribbon” and celebrated 12 businesses that were brand new, in new locations, or celebrating major milestones. (Look inside for photos from these ribbon cuttings.) Being thankful for the blessings we have today certainly helps us to look forward to our vision of tomorrow with optimism. At the risk of sounding cliché or repeating myself from past columns, we really are blessed to live in Harrisburg. Yes, we have and will continue to experience some growing pains, but if we look at our past, present, and future with grateful hearts, we can see that Harrisburg truly is a great place to call home.
Presorted Standard ECRWSS US Postage Paid Permit #1 Harrisburg, SD 57032 To Current Resident
TONYA HOVALDT
Fantastic Finish for Harrisburg High School Marching Band HARRISBURG, SD -- The Harrisburg High School Marching Band wrapped up their competition season with their best finish of the year, placing second in a field of nine Class A schools at the Youth in Music (YIM) Marching Competition at the U.S. Band Stadium in Minneapolis, MN. They also received the award for best wind section in their division. Braden Culp (Senior, Alto Saxophone) was also recognized with a YIM scholarship. He was one of nine recipients from just over 90 applicants. This is the second year a Harrisburg student has been the recipient of this scholarship (Megan Yee was last
year’s recipient).
This year’s show concept was based on the Irish folklore, The Children of Lir: The story begins with a widowed husband and his children as they celebrate his new marriage. Shortly after the wedding, the father’s new bride reveals her magical powers and an evil intent. In a display of jealousy and greed, she casts a spell on the children, turning them into swans. The father then confronts his new wife and after emerging victorious, the spell is broken and he is reunited with his children. The Youth in Music competition includes almost 30 bands from
There’s an App for That. We're excited to announce the launch of our new website and app! These two systems work in conjunction with one another and most of what is provided on the website is easily accessible on the app. The website and app will provide many more ways to get information out the community. The app can be downloaded on both iOS and Android devices. Search for "Harrisburg, SD" (not Harrisburg School District - the old app). While you are able to download the app now, the website will be launched near the Labor Day holiday weekend. What can you do with the app? All of the latest news, Live Feed (Twitter-type posts) can all be found on both the app and the website.
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and South Dakota in four divisions and approximately 4000 student participants. This was their final competition of the season which also included performances at Pursuit of Excellence in Marshall, MN; Starfest in Sioux City, IA; and Festival of Bands in Sioux Falls, SD. Additionally, the band has performed at every home football game. The Harrisburg Marching Band is under the direction of Jason Groon, Tim Stockman, Elizabeth Ennenga, Lora Egan, and Ellie Rohlck.
Any sort of documents normally created as a link on the website will now be housed in the Documents folder of your school's website. Our goal was to clean up the clutter and streamline finding information. Another neat feature is that parents can subscribe to their children's particular buildings and the district to receive notifications about upcoming events and other important information. Students at the high school and middle schools can subscribe to HS Students, NMS Students, and SMS Students. Those notifications are geared more towards the student-related events and information. Although we are working to build content into our website, we are excited for this new opportunity to share information with parents and the community in a variety of ways. Download the App today!
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THE HARRISBURG TIMES
Upcoming Events SUN NOV 4, 2018
Daylight Saving Time ends
City Contact
Information Mayor:
Julie Burke-Van Luvanee
MON NOV 5, 2018 6pm City Council Meeting Harrisburg Liberty School Community Room
605-767-5012
THU, NOV 8, 2018
Public Safety
The City of Harrisburg contracts with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department. In case of an emergency, dial 911. For non-emergency calls, dial 605-764-2664 for dispatch. Keep your garage doors closed at night and when not at home. If you keep your vehicle outside, keep it locked. Speed limits in residential areas are 20 mph, please remember to SLOW DOWN.
7pm - Volleyball State Qualifying Match - Location TBD MayorJulie@Harrisburgsd.gov
Reminder: Any chance of two inches of snow or blowing snow may trigger a snow alert, all vehicles should be removed from city streets to avoid ticketing and towing!!
MON NOV 12, 2018
Ward I Alderperson:
Veterans Day observed
Ryan Berg
HELP!Line Center is available 24 hrs. a day/7 days a week for any personal or family crisis. Dial 211
SUN NOV 11, 2018 Veterans Day
9am Veterans Day Program, HHS
605-767-5006
TUE NOV 13, 2018 6pm Planning and Zoning Meeting WED NOV 14, 2018
ryan.berg@Harrisburgsd.gov
6pm Park Board Meeting MON NOV 19, 2018
Vacant Seat
6pm City Council Meeting , Liberty School Community Room Ward II Alderperson:
THU NOV 22, 2018 THANKSGIVING DAY - No School All City Offices and Community Library Closed FRI NOV 23, 2018 All City Offices and Community Library Closed
Joe Stonesifer 605-767-5007 joe.stonesifer@Harrisburgsd.gov Ryan Olson
Black Friday
605-767-5034
TUE NOV 27, 2018 5:30pm Gymnastics: Girls Varsity Dual vs O’Gorman (Home) Wings Gymnastics Academy
Harrisburg Community Library ROBIN ANDERSON
Please join us for Storytime with Santa at the Harrisburg Community Library on December 7th from 6:30-8:30 pm. The HCL Book Club will meet the last Tuesday of every month at 7 pm. The meetings take place in the community room across from the library
and are open for anyone to join. The library will have copies of each book available for checkout. November’s book is “The Wife” by Abfair Burke. The book for December is “Luckiest Girl Alive” by Jessica Knoll.
When the Snow Flies, Prepare to Move Your Car The City of Harrisburg will declare a “Snow Alert” when an accumulation of 2” is either forecast for the city or should the city have no prior forecast warning, when the snow plows are dispatched. This could also include blowing or drifting snow that would require plowing.
All on-street parking shall be prohibited on both sides of the streets. Vehicles, trailers and other appurtenances left on the street are subject to ticketing during the entire duration of the snow alert. Parking may resume after the snow alert has ended, not after it has been plowed. The City publishes the beginning time and ending time of the snow alert on both our
city website and Facebook page. Per city ordinance no person shall deposit any snow or ice on to any street, alley, right of way or sidewalk. This means it is against the law and you could be ticketed for blowing or shoveling any snow or ice on to the street during or after a snow event. If you haven’t had a chance to sign up to receive CodeRED announcements, please do so. CodeRED will notify you via telephone call, text message or email, your choice at no cost to you when a snow alert is in effect. Check out our city website at www.harrisburgsd.gov to sign up NOW!
ryan.olson@Harrisburgsd.gov Council Meetings:
CodeRED is a FREE emergency notification service provided to all residents within City of Harrisburg that will notify you of emergency information through phone calls, text messages, emails, social media and the CodeRED Mobile Alert app. The system will be used to keep you informed of local events that may immediately impact your safety. As a local resident, the City of Harrisburg encourages you to take action and register your cell phone for this service and verify your home location during the enrollment process so we may target notifications that directly impact your home or business.
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Snow Alerts
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Water Main Breaks
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Emergency Evacuation Notices
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Non - Emergency Notices
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Water Restrictions
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Extreme Weather Announcements
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Law Enforcement Announcements
Enroll Today! Visit harrisburgsd. gov and click the CodeRED icon on the front page of the city’s website.
City Council meetings are held the first and third Monday of each month at 6:00 pm in the Liberty School Board Room unless announced otherwise. If a meeting falls on a City holiday, typically the meeting will be rescheduled for another date. City Website: harrisburgsd.gov @HarrisburgSoDak City/Finance Office: 301 E Willow Street 605-743-5872 Monday – Thursday – 7am – 5pm Fridays – 8am – 12pm City Maintenance: 801 S Prairie Street Monday – Friday – 8am – 5pm Police - Lincoln County Sheriff Dispatch (Non Emergency): 7642664 Code Enforcement: Geoff Fillingsness 605-360-4727 gfillingsness@hotmail.com Emergency – 911 HELP!Line – 211 SD One Call – 811 Post Office: 43-2791 Community Library: 767-7910
The Harrisburg Times 1300 W Willow St. • Harrisburg, SD 57032 605.743.2567 x 6143 JoAnne VerMulm, Editor tigertimes@harrisburg.k12.sd.us TigerTimes.HarrisburgDistrict41-2.org The Harrisburg Times is made possible with the generous support of the following entities: The Harrisburg School District The Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce The Harrisburg Economic Development Corp. DISCLAIMER: Publicly submitted ads and articles do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or beliefs of the Harrisburg School District. The Harrisburg School District has the right to decline publication of advertisements and/or articles that are deemed inappropriate for publication in the Times. Images submitted with articles credit the article author unless otherwise noted.
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THE HARRISBURG TIMES
Church Directory
Harrisburg Food Pantry NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS 203 Prairie St in Harrisburg
3803 S Western Ave. Sioux Falls
6101 S Charger Circle Sioux Falls
204 Grand Avenue Harrisburg
Sundays, 10AM
Sunday Services: 8:30AM, 10:00AM and 11:30AM.
Sundays: 9AM Traditional, 10:20AM Contemporary
220 S. Cliff Avenue, Suite #126 Harrisburg
Daily Mass: Tuesday & Wednesday 5:30 p.m. Thursday & Friday 8:30 a.m. Saturday 4:30pm Shalom Lutheran Church 1000 E Maple. St. Sunday 9:30am @ HHS PAC
1st and 3rd Thursday from 10:00 AM – noon Contact: Lanette Schmidt (605) 929-0599 harrisburgareafoodpantry@yahoo.com Thank you to everyone who helped with the Cub Scout food drive. This is such a boost to stocking our shelves!
Chapel/Office:
Sunday Mass: Harrisburg High School, 1300 W Willow Street
Hours of operation: Tuesday from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Visit our website for times and location: www.thetableofgrace.org
1000 E Maple Street Harrisburg Sunday 9AM Sunday School 10:10AM
Small Town, Big Business 2018 Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cuttings
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Fareway
December 6, 2017
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EAPC Architects Engineers
February 8, 2018
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Glamour Defined
April 5, 2018
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EightyOne
April 12, 2018
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The Resort by SDK
May 16, 2018
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Air Madness
May 22, 2018
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Harrisburg Ace Hardware
June 1, 2018
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PULSE Dance Studio
June 5, 2018
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NSN Revenue Resources
August 9, 2018
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J&M Transmission
August 30, 2018
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Sawyer Pointe Apartments
September 11, 2018
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Neighborhood Dental
October 11, 2018
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Harrisburg Eye Care
October 11, 2018
Needs at the pantry are canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, cereal, fresh produce, paper products, and coffee. Donations can be dropped at the pantry during normal hours of operation, left in the donation box in front of the building or dropped at Meraki Salon on Willow Street in Harrisburg. The Fareway
Store in Harrisburg has a donation box located in the entry. Monetary donations are a wonderful resource for the Pantry. It enables us to stock items that are in short supply. Donations can be mailed to the Harrisburg Area Food Pantry, PO Box 456, Harrisburg, SD 57032. Special arrangements can be made by calling (605) 929-0599. Thank you for supporting the Harrisburg Area Food Pantry!
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THE HARRISBURG TIMES
Fall Vehicle Maintenance Makes Driving Easier
2018 Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce Members
Gold Level Members
All Seasons Property Maintenance City of Harrisburg Codi Realty Group Dakota Entertainment ELBO Computing Resources, Inc. Fareway First National Bank Frontier Bank Graham Tire Harrisburg Ace Hardware Hy-Vee J&M Transmission Neighborhood Dental Clinic Novak Sanitary Service NSN Revenue Resources Stockwell Engineers Table of Grace Church The Meadow Barn The Resort by SDK
Silver Level Members
Amber Ellingson Realty - Keller Williams Realty Sioux Falls Avera Medical Group— Harrisburg B.J. Construction, LLC Big J’s Roadhouse Boys & Girls Club of the Sioux Empire CK Kennels Country Apple Orchard Dauby’s Sports Center Digger’s Taxidermy EAPC Architects Engineers Glamour Defined Grains & Grapes Liquor House Harrisburg Eye Care, PC Harrisburg Family Chiropractic Harrisburgers Highest Health Chiropractic J. Wahl Home Inspection KMWF & Associates, PC NorthWestern Energy Noteboom RV Sam’s BP Sawyer Pointe Apartments Schoeneman’s Building Materials Center Scooter’s Coffee Drive Thru Showplace Cabinetry Sisson Printing, Inc. The Ransom Church VAST Broadband Wermerson Orthondontics Xcel Energy
Bronze Level Members
Air Madness Albers Electric Ambush Apparel American Legion Post 45 & Auxiliary American National Insurance— Amber Steinberg Agency Anderson-Jones-Corcoran Funeral Home Arise Church BHI Construction Black Hills Federal Credit Union Bounce Around Inflatables Carolan Rental Casey VanBeek, Independent
Agent with Innovative Employer Solutions Casey’s Champion Fitness Christmas Tree Acres/CTA Reefer Rentals CMAC Production Coffee News Comfort Inn & Suites - Sioux Falls CorTrust Bank Dakota Garage Doors, Inc. Dakota Large Animal Clinic Edward Jones Financial - Bruce Aldrich EightyOne EmBe Emer-genZ Eats & Treats Empowered Commitment First Bank & Trust Fresh Horses Saloon GA Johnson Construction, Inc. Grounded Coffee Hai Plumbing LLC Harrisburg Area Food Pantry Harrisburg Community Foundation Harrisburg Community Library Harrisburg Optimist Club Harrisburg School District Harrisburg United Methodist Church Health Source Chiropractic of Sioux Falls South Janus Home Solutions Kaylee Van Middendorp KN Construction Lava’s Javas Lynn Marie Photography Meraki Salon MetaBank Monsanto/Bayer Numbers & Such Prof. LLC One Hour Heating & Air Prairie Rehabilitation PULSE Dance Studio Qualified Presort Service, LLC Riverview Insurance & Investments Roos Sanitation Saint John Paul II Catholic Church Security National Bank Shalom Lutheran Church Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce Spring Creek Country Club Subway The Amy Stockberger Team The Robin’s Nest The Rose Meadow Tim Allex Realty Group TSP Usbourne Books & More Valvoline Instant Oil Change Van Buskirk Companies White Glove Cleaning Services, LLC Wireless World/Verizon Zumba
Fall brings a whole new set of demands on your vehicle, from leaf or snow covered roads to colder temperatures. To meet these demands have your vehicle serviced to help ensure you’re ready for fall and the up-coming winter. A convenient time to have this maintenance completed is when you’re getting your oil changed. Washer Fluid Below freezing temps mean your washer fluid reservoir needs a winter blend. Winter blends contain methanol to guard against freezing. The summer blend you most likely have in your reservoir right now will freeze at 32 degrees. This can be aggravating when you need washer fluid but it doesn’t come out. It can also rupture your wash fluid reservoir. It’s a quick, easy, and inexpensive process to add winter blend now.
Valvoline Instant Oil Change Quick, Easy, Trusted. Monday - Friday 8 am - 7 pm Saturday 7:30 am - 7 pm Sunday 8 am - 5 pm
No Appointment? No problem.
7550 South Minnesota Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57108 605-271-4491
Wiper Blades Fall brings rain, sleet, and snow. Are your wipers ready? The summer heat can damage your wipers. Signs of wear to windshield wiper blades include visible tearing and cracking or streaking on your windshield after use. Battery Now is the time to have your battery tested. You don’t want to have a dead battery when the first cold snap comes. Batteries typically last 5 years, having it tested will give you a good idea if it’s going to make it through the winter. Battery tests are normally free and take just a few minutes. Tires Have the tread depth on your tires measured, again, normally a free service. You’ll know what kind of traction your tires will have this winter. A tire rotation can also be a good and inexpensive way to make sure you have the least worn tires where you need them. Have your tire inflation checked, the colder temps can cause your tire to deflate. Radiator Have the coolant in the radiator tested to ensure it won’t freeze, again, normally a free service. Your automotive service center will be able to determine what your vehicle manufacturer recommends regarding replacing the coolant. Having your vehicle checked out and serviced now will make fall and winter driving a little easier.
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THE HARRISBURG TIMES
Students Giving Back EMMA ALLISON
Competition vs. Memories: It’s Debatable CASSIDY HERDING
When many people think about debate, they tend to only see the competitive side, but fail to notice the family and community this extracurricular activity creates. This activity also impacts and helps each of the members grow as people. Last season the debate team accomplished numerous successes and are looking forward to many more this season. Debate helps each person in many ways, from building confidence, to growing as a person and a speaker; this includes their team president this year, Julia Hopes . She concluded, “Overall, I think that the activity has helped me get out of my shell and most importantly taught me a lot about myself.” Debate gives students a platform and a way to grow withoutthe risk of facing judgment.
remembering those little moments here and there are by far the greatest memories.” Of course, the group experienced multiple successes, such as winning state AA debate last year, sending ten of their varsity debatersto nationals, and getting first, second, and third at Novice Nationals. Everyone is definitely looking forward to this season with thirty-six new team members and eighteen varsity debaters. As the debate coach, Dr. Kip McKee, eloquently explains, “Every year is its own unique entity. We have so many kids that have a chance to be involved this year, and what I am really looking for is to see who steps up, really takes charge, and is leads the team . Who does the practice rounds, works with the new kids, and goes to each tournament.”
Every member of the team anxiously awaits this year’s qualifying tournament to take on nationals this summer in Dallas, Although debate is indeed Texas; before then,the members quite competitive , at the end of await their first national circuit the day, what everyone really competition in Apple Valley, cares about are the memories Minnesota, during the first week they have made along the way. of November. This debate season Braden Culp, a senior debater, everyone is excited for many memorieswith each new says, “Spending time with great new teammate, and they all h opefor a friends at tournaments where season as successful as the last. you find yourself stressing over little things is a great feeling, and
The HHS Volunteer Club consists of a group of high school students that volunteer together each month. The group was started this school year by Ava Serfling Bennett and Grace Anderson, sophomores at Harrisburg High School. They started this club because they felt that a lot of high schoolers wanted to volunteer, but they didn’t know where to go. Their first project took place on September 1st, 2018. The group members went to the St. Francis House and helped pack lunches, wipe off tables, and prepare meals. The St. Francis House is a place for homeless people to go when they are trying to get their life back on track. In the future, the group hopes to volunteer at Feeding South Dakota, a nursing home, the Harrisburg Food Pantry, and other locations, as well. The Volunteer Club meets at the high school at 7:30 AM every other week on Thursdays. Monthly fundraisers are held for different necessities the community needs; if you are interested, the group will always take donations! This club gives students the opportunity to give back to their community while also having enjoying time with their friends; therefore, this club is both fun and helpful. The volunteer club is a great way to meet new people, share positive experiences, and help those in need. Thank you for your supporting the HHS Volunteer cClub!
FCCLA Members Enhance Leadership Skills at Leadership Weekend in Huron MRS. TRACY KERN & SOUTH DAKOTA FCCLA
Members who attended Power Training included: Ella Bergsmith, Ruby Mannes, Katherine Johns, Zoey Mager, Haylie Zieske, Alexis Burley, Cooper Smith, and Calvin Corbine. Members who attended National Program Training included Kiana Sauer and Isabel Roth. Ten students from Harrisburg High FCCLA joined over 300 FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) student members on September 30th and October 1st, at the 2018 South Dakota FCCLA Fall Leadership Conference held at the Crossroads Convention Center in Huron. Students were motivated to follow this year’s theme, “Believe in Yourself.” The theme inspires members to be confident in themselves while developing leadership skills. Members are challenged to reach new heights and are encouraged to lead others, develop new skills, explore career opportunities, build strong families, and make a difference in local communities. FCCLA members learn more about themselves as they help others make the right choices, and commit themselves to making a positive impact within the family, school, and community. By believing, members can accomplish any goal, make a difference and be themselves. Members attended one of four training tracks offered: Rookie Training, Power Training, National Program Training, or State Leadership Team Training. At Rookie Training, members developed leadership and communication skills while learning more about the organization and the opportunities
that FCCLA has to offer. Power Training offered members the opportunity to identify and build their personal leadership skills. Power Training attendees can use the skills gained to grow the leadership and knowledge among their chapter officers and members. National program training offered members an in-depth look into the Student Body National Program. Members will share the knowledge gained with their local schools and communities. State Leadership Team Training provided State Leadership Team members the opportunity to plan the 2018-2019 program of work and state projects. FCCLA stands for Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America and was first established in 1945. FCCLA was chartered in South Dakota in 1946. FCCLA is the only youth-led organization with the family as its central focus. This career-technical student organization prepares youth to assume adult roles in society as wage earners, community leaders, and caring family members by giving them important life skills needed to thrive in their families, careers, and communities. Members learn how to be active community leaders, caring family members, and prepare for life beyond high school. Check out www.sdfccla.org for more information.
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THE HARRISBURG TIMES
Chance of a Lifetime
CAITLIN MURPHY
At Harrisburg High School, HOSA is a great way for students to decide what career path they want to explore. HOSA-Future Health Professionals stands for Health Occupations Students of America, an organization that includes students from all around the United States who are interested in pursuing a career in the medical field. Each year the HHS HOSA team has a range of 80 to 100 members and is the largest chapter in the state of South Dakota. Students involved can learn various health carerelated careers and the practices and organization strategies of various hospitals. According to Kaitlin Gross, the president-elect of the Harrisburg High School HOSA team, “I chose to join HOSA when I was a freshman because I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the health science field, but I wasn’t sure exactly what that would be.” Kaitlin was able to shadow different health care professionals that included a dentist and a radiologist. Given the opportunities from HOSA to learn about different health care professions and develop important leadership skills, Kaitlin now knows that she wishes to become a Physician Assistant.
HOSA is able to participate in many activities and events including the following: tours of Sanford and Avera hospitals, visits to cadaver labs at SDSU, Science Saturdays where members perform science experiments with young children, and the annual Sate Leadership Conference that is held in spring. In HOSA, there are no levels of membership; however, there are different officer positions that are run by students. These positions include the president, presidentelect, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, reporter, and historian/ social media. In order to hold one of these positions, a student must be a part of HOSA for a minimum of one year, and then they can apply for an officer role. In all, HOSA is a great opportunity for students to discover what they are good at; students can decide what they wish to pursue for their long-term career by participating in this fun, interactive group. “The whole idea of HOSA is to inform students of their options within the medical field and widen their scope of career options,” explains Lisa Cardillo, one of the HOSA advisors. Any student from Harrisburg High School can join HOSA. All it takes is an email sent to one of the HHS HOSA advisors: Lisa Cardillo (Lisa.Cardillo@ k12.sd.us) or Sarah Brink (Sarah.K.Brink@ k12.sd.us)
Any student who does want to join
Education design for student-centered learning. We design better learning and working environments for schools so staff and students can achieve their goals and excel.
“With EAPC as my architect, I felt as though I was walking with a friend through the process of expanding our existing facility.” Leslie McDonald, Superintendent, Alexander Public Schools, Alexander, ND
www.eapc.net | 605.444.1600 | Sioux Falls
From the Land of the Sphinx to the Land of the Sioux JULEIGH WILSON
Harrisburg High Schoolis privileged to welcome foreign exchange student Yasmen Elrefai from Egypt. She is lives in Alexandria, Egypt, located on the coast with mild weather. This city is home to a beautiful library, Yasmen’sfavorite place to go.
Behind the Scenes of Tiger Nation BROOKLYN TERVEEN
Our school recently hosted its annual Tiger Bowl event. This busy day was filled with the following activities: boys football camp, Yasmen’s everyday routine in girls cheer camp, soccer games, Egypt starts with breakfast. volleyball games, tail gaiting, Breakfast in Egypt is not like inflatables, and the football our American breakfasts; for game. “The purpose of the instance,in her country breakfast Tiger Bowl is to bring the Tiger is the most popular meal to eat Community together, to support as a family. The food Egyptians our students while raising money, commonly eat is Fol,which is a and to encourage Harrisburg kind of seed,and falafel, which High School’s extra-curricular is a vegetarian food made from activities,” states Jay Ugofsky, chickpeas. When Yasmen goes to president of Tiger Nation. As school,it is not like school here the leader of the Tiger Nation in America. School in Egypt has HHS exchange student Booster Club, Ugofsky takes part a lot less moving around. The Yasmen Elrefai visits the only people who move around are Great Pyramids in Egypt, her in planning and executing the Tiger Bowl each year. The Tiger the teachers; the kids get to stay home country. Bowl event is important to our in the same classroom all day. determines what university each school; it is one of the biggest Upon returning home at the end student will go to. Yasmen plans to ways Harrisburg extra-curriculars of the day, Yasmen hangs out with focus on math for her third year. receive funding. Tiger Nation friends or does one of her hobbies, including sports, reading, singing, There are many different kinds of benefits the kids in our district dancing, etc. In Egypt, soccer is a schools in Egypt, each run by the financially, in both creative and major sport, similar to football in government. While some schools fun ways. Before Tiger Bowl America. teach in English, others teach in took place, there was much to be done. Since it is such an important Yasmen is a senior in America, but Arabic and require English as part of raising money for school in Egypt, the school system only a subject. There are also a few funding, loads of planning goes has three years, not four. In Egypt, that teach in German and French. into this event. Ugofsky explains she would be in her third year Yasmen’s school taught all subjects that planning for the Tiger Bowl ; however, this year abroad does in English. A few differences from is a six-month project. Rather than not count toward graduation for just how Egyptian schools operate board members wrestling with Yasmen. In the first year of high compared to American schools the endless tasks that need to be school in Egypt, students study includes a lot more memorization done to prepare, they efficiently a variety of subjects including and essay tests in Egypt. Another break up the tasks into steps, math, science, history of Egypt, difference from America to Egypt “Checklists are the Board’s best geography, and philosophy. is taking final tests, which uses friend when it comes to this type Aerobic, English, and math are a score to determine if one is of activity,” Ugofsky proclaims. mandatory for all students. The able to get into a university. This Roxanne Phipps, board member second year, the students can important score also determines of Tiger Nation, explains, though choose which career skill set which university students can get Tiger Bowl is a major part of they want to focus on: eitherthey into. In America, there are more Tiger Nation, there are many other choose more of a science direction classes that students can take, yet exciting events: “Tiger Nation or more of a history direction with content of classes is similar in both raises money at different events their education. The third year countries. throughout the school year. We is the most important because it have a kickoff banquet in August, Tiger Bowl, Prairie Christmas, a track meet, and a golf event.” Phipps states that last year Tiger Nation raised over $39,000 to put towards extracurriculars. Planning for any Tiger Nation event seems to be a very meticulous and thoughtful process that, thanks to Jay, Roxanne, and many of the other Tiger Nation booster club members, has helped out Harrisburg extra-curricular activities tremendously.
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THE HARRISBURG TIMES
Young, But Determined MARA MCELROY
Last year, during the 2017-2018 season, the Harrisburg High School competitive cheer and dance programs initially took flight and landed with great success. This fall marked the second year of the programs in the district. Although the programs are new to the high school, they provided a broad area for achievement. The directors of the two programs, Melissa Fikse and Eve Langerock, notedthat they both have young teamsthis season. The coaches explained their goals for improvement by building a competitive spirit, improving individual ability, and creating independent leaders. Eve Langerock, the competitive cheer coach , explained that the cheer team has influenced the community by involving female athletes in an extracurricular, allowing the chance to build selfesteem, and providing durable leadership skills. Both teams hoped to accomplish a successful year by setting goals. F or the cheer team, their goals this year included winning ESD, the Eastern South Dakota conference meet, and showing improvement at each competition. The dance team’s main goal involved “...to build them up for their dance future and the rest of their high school careers,” said Leah Hallstrom, the assistant dance coach, and Melissa Fikse, who are the dance instructors. The two added that their team is thrilled to experience the opportunity of performing at football games; the team is also delighted to work with local dance teachers from studios including Pulse and Balleraena. When asking Hallstrom and Fikse
about the encouraging advice for their athletes, they mentioned they would tell their athletes to never stop dancing, stretching, and performing. At the first competition of the season, the dance team earned an overall score of 242.50; therefore, they won the title of grand champ runners up. The cheer team received a score of 195.50, meaning they tied for fourth place. At the ESD championship competition hosted by Harrisburg, the dance team strived for success,
and they won third place overall. The cheer team accomplished their goal for the season and won the ESD championship. Shelby Specht, the sole senior cheerleader , voiced that the cheer team’s integrity, drive, and motivation is what gave hope to a successful team. Both the cheer and the dance teams plan to continue their hard work in seasons to come.
Fore!
HHS Golf Wraps Up Season JORDAN BROWN
The Harrisburg High School Boy’s Golf team experienced another successful season as a result of the goals they set for themselves. Jackson Schroeppel, senior golfer, commented, “My goal was to be on varsity and help our team place in competitions. I just try to play my best, and if my score is able to help the team, I’m satisfied.” In fact, Jackson scored a birdie on the 11th hole, a par 4, in the AA Boys Championship. Another member of the golf team, Will Allen, a sophomore golfer, explained, “I set my goals on the standards of myself, not what other people look at, such as winning, but just how I feel like I should play. If someone shoots
better than me, there is nothing I can do to control that. I can only control myself and my game. That's the beauty of the sport.” At the AA Boys Championship, Will scored a birdie on the 5th hole, a par 5, tying for 29th place out of 105 golfers. Another Harrisburg golfer, sophomore Gavin Hatch, also found success at the Championship, finishing with a tie for 10th place overall. The golf team placed 11th out of the 17 AA schools at the State Tournament, which took place at the Brookings Country Club on October 1-2. Many of their achievements came from the hard work and time commitment these golfers have put in over the years. Jackson commented, “I started golfing seriously in 6th grade, and I have been on the golf team since 7th grade.” Jackson explained
The 2018 Boys Varsity Golf Team that his favorite part of the season was going out on the golf course and enjoying the time with his friends. His practice has paid off as he assumed a leadership role during his senior year in golf. Will
said that he has been practicing since he was 6 or 7 years old. He enjoys how the sport challenges him mentally. Will says that his favorite part of the season was when he placed second in the
ESD Conference Tournament at the Huron-Broadland Creek Golf Course. The Harrisburg golf team has earned many accomplishments this season and have many more to come in the future.
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THE HARRISBURG TIMES
Kick It Into Overdrive ADDISON JENSEN
The Harrisburg High School soccer teams kicked off their seasons in the summer with practices beginning in early August. At Harrisburg High School,there is a boys’ Varsity and Junior Varsity and a girls’ Varsity and Junior Varsity. As the seasons concluded , the coaches shared some of their insight and goals. Desiree Parmenter, the girls’ head coach remarked that her goal for the season was to make it to playoffs; Brendan Shultz, the boys’ head coach, expressed that his goals were “to keep building on our defense while trying to increase our offense... A big team goal for this year was to get a win. The goal every season is always to develop players and make them better.” Both teams practiced tirelessly to improve . Both the boys’ and girls’ seasons, which finished its 14 matches, was enjoyable for all involved.
HHS CC Wraps Up Season On the Right Foot The Harrisburg Cross Country teams wrapped up their season at the state meet on Saturday. The boys finished 6th and
made the podium with Parker Fitzgerald and Josh Krull receiving top 25 honors. The girls were led by Josie Boyd in
19:58 with a new personal best time followed by a plethora of young, talented middle school racers.
The future is Harrisburg XC!
bright
As mentioned, the team could not be the same without their coaches. Parmenter has been the head coach for HHS girls’ soccer for three years and assistant for one. She said her favorite part of coaching “is teaching the connections between sports and real-life skills.” Since Parmenter intended to put focus on personal connections, the girls’ team has started recognizing a ‘Player of the Game’ before each home game. She describes it as “a player within our soccer district that gets recognized with the team. The player receives a customized jersey and a soccer ball signed by the team.” This practice, designed to both unite the team and acknowledge specific members, has been a great way to help the team bond. The girls in the HHS teamare close and work together well. Their season finished 3-9-2. Shultz explained that his favorite part of coaching includes “the journey of developing players to come together as a team to reach their goals and win soccer matches.” It is Shultz’s second season w ith the boys’ teams, which is a very young team in the conference. They finished their season 1-13-0. ccording to all accounts A , the teams are strong, united groups who plan to improve every year. Anyone who wishes to learn more about the soccer teams next year can follow the teams on Twitter (@hhsgirlsoccer) (@ hbergboyssoccer) and Instagram (@hhsgirlsoccer).
CROSS COUNTRY
On the Run
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A Tiger Gone Too Soon In Tragedy, HHS Family Gives Back to Honor Daughter
Karlie Westall was a 2015 graduate from Harrisburg High School. After graduation she went into the United States Air Force and rose to the rank of E5. She was serving in Idaho where her life was tragically taken in a disastrous motor vehicle accident. The Westall Family donated the memorials they received from Karlie’s funeral to two of Karlie’s joys from high school - FFA and the marching band. The money will go towards two scholarships, one for each of those organizations. While in FFA she loved helping out with Old McDonald’s Farm during the Sioux Empire Fair, and was also the historian for two years in a row and also attended three FFA national conventions. In band, Karlie started out playing the flute, but when Mr. Groon asked Karlie to play percussion,
she stepped up to help out where needed and would march with five drums. During pep band, she loved playing the cow bell. And on her graduation day from HHS, she played a piece with her flute and piccalo. Karlie had drive and goals and was a force in anything she put her
Exceptional Students at Harrisburg SOPHIA SCHMALTZ
For the students who strive to be active leaders, powerful role models, and successful learners, an bright opportunity for them involves taking part in a program that gives recognition for their progress. National Honors Society, also known as NHS, is an organization that honors students who excel in four pillars: Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Character. To take part in this program, students need to be in eleventh or twelfth grade, earn at least a 3.76 GPA, receive five character references, write two essays, and complete ten service hours throughout the year. Once a student fulfills these requirements, a board anonymously reviews the essays and references; after scoring all the students, a cut score is determined to see which students
make it in and those who do not. If a student wants to take part in this program, he or she should begin as early as their freshman year working on leadership and service hours and making sure to keep their GPA above 3.76. Beyond this, Tiffany Knecht, an NHS senior, recommends to “… just be yourself. The faculty that reads the applications want to know what type of person you are, so just be open and tell about yourself.” Also, one of the NHS advisors, Mrs. Cardillo, suggests to “start a journal because all the service activities starting freshman year can count!” Participating in this program allows students to grow as people and gain in academic achievement. On October 22, NHS held their induction ceremony for all its new members, which was open to the public.
mind to. These scholarships are to be awarded to two seniors who show such qualities in FFA and marching band. Karlie’s family, including her parents, brother, and sister presented the scholarships to Mr. Marks representing the FFA and Mr. Groon, representing the band at a recent football game.
HHS 2015 Graduate, Karlie Westall, and her parents.
A New Year of Tiger Tones ELLYSIA MCELROY
2018 marks the third year of Harrisburg High School show choir, Tiger Tones. While competitions won’t begin until January, the team is already off to a strong start with the dances choreographed and memorized since July, seven months before any events and four months before now. The thirty students practice for five hours a week, according to the director of the group, Mrs. Gould. She explains, “Tuesday and Thursday mornings are strictly for vocals, while Wednesday rehearsals
2018 HHS Show Choir
concentrate on choreography. It is our hope to put these two aspects together by the end of October.” Prepping for competitions, while jam packed with a variety of exercises for both the voice and the body, tends to be quite upbeat, with casual encouragements between members. Tiger Tones continues to grow and to develop, both in size and in details. Maddie McElroy, the dance captain who has been part of the group from the beginning, states, “We have added new elements, like costume changes, so that might challenge us in the beginning since it’s something we haven’t done before and don’t
really have experience with.” Despite these new obstacles, McElroy remains excited for the season and all that it holds. Mrs. Gould holds a similar attitude; she affirms, “Our show is very different from what other schools have seen us perform the last two years. The choreography is vastly different, and this will be a bit of a “wow” moment for the other schools watching our progress.” With so much changing within the show choir, improvement and trophies are surely on their way. Be sure to check the group out on Saturday, February 9th at Harrisburg High School for their Stars On Stage competition.
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THE HARRISBURG TIMES
HHS Welcomes New Hires
MILANIA SHOWERS
There are many new teachers here at Harrisburg High, ranging from fresh out of college to veteran teachers. When asked why he chose to teach here, Geoff Place, a history teacher, responded, “Several reasons, we live here, my wife teaches at Freedom, my son just started Kindergarten this year, and most importantly, I believe that no district in the state is doing more for its learners than Harrisburg.” Next, Chase Lettau, a world geography teacher, was asked about his favorite part of teaching at Harrisburg so far. He concluded, “So far, my favorite part about teaching at Harrisburg has been the support we get as a staff. I think kids are great everywhere but feeling supported by your administrators makes it even more enjoyable.”
The next person interviewed was Samantha Hettinger, a new English teacher; she was asked what extracurricular activities she is involved in. Hettinger said, “I volunteer as secretary for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – SD Chapter; I do not advise or coach this year in Harrisburg, but I was a middle school student council advisor in Tea for 3 years.” Julie Ollerich, a math teacher, was asked about her favorite hobbies. She said, “Being outdoors (four-wheeling, camping, boating, golfing, running.)” The next person interviewed was Lisa Brandt, an English teacher. She was asked about the most challenging part of coming to Harrisburg High: “The most challenging part has been getting to know so many new faces and getting used to the schedule!”
Next to be interviewed was Brian Plahn, the high school’s new technology integrationist. In his response about his favorite activities, he explained that he enjoys “weightlifting, playing beach volleyball, and traveling/ hiking.” Taro Fujimoto, a Wellness teacher, commented on his favorite part of teaching at Harrisburg High: “My favorite part of teaching in Harrisburg is the combination of a larger sized high school that sits in the heart of a small town community. I know that Harrisburg is growing on a daily basis…but it still has that small town feel to it.”
Finally, in response to a few questions just for fun, Abby Roskam, a Geometry teacher, was asked if she would rather live in the future or the past. She replied, “I think that I would rather live in the past. Grease is one of my favorite movies and the style then was so fun. I would love to wear poodle skirts every day!” The last person to be interviewed was Kit Rodgers, an English teacher. She was asked why she chose to teach at Harrisburg. She replied, “It is more like the school I taught at
in New Hampshire. The values are the same – to meet students where they are and help them get where they need to go.” There are many new teachers here at Harrisburg High School who range in experience and specialties. If you see these individuals in the halls or at extra-curricular events, make sure to give them a hand and welcome them to the Harrisburg community.
Top of The Charts Technology ELLA CHRISTIANSON
Technology in the Harrisburg School District is quickly advancing. The technology education staff member, Heather Allmendinger, has been at Harrisburg High School for six years, and she has played a major role in the growth of technology in the Harrisburg schools. When Allmendinger started at the high school, there was not a lot of technology in the district: “There was not as much variety, just a few Macs and only two types of interactive boards for the district.” Since then, she, along with other tech-savvy staff members, has taken technology to a new level. To achieve these new advancements, it took Allmendinger, “a lot of learning and testing.” Allmendinger had known from the beginning that the Harrisburg School District could take technology to the next level;
however, it took diligent work keeping up with vendors and the “newest trends.” To keep up with the advancements, Allmendinger and the technology crew have equipped the district with Promethean interactive boards, iPad management systems, and Apple Classroom for the iPad. These features are the newest and most fresh-off-the-market tools. In the Harrisburg School District, there are plans for new schools; therefore, these new facilities with be fulfilled with all of the latest technology. With new schools going up, the tech staff is growing, which leads to more progress and advancements. Allmendinger believes that in the next three years, Harrisburg schools will be nearly paperless. This is due to the fact that printers and paper are very costly. The tech department’s love for technology has and will continue to boost the growth throughout the Harrisburg School District.
Alluring Advantages SABER DIMEMMO
Video games are one of the most valuable forms of entertainment, as they contain replay value, and they have a huge variety of genres that can be so diverse from one another. While video games do contain many benefits, they vary depending on the genre. Contrary to popular belief, video games actually provide cognitive benefits for people. Let’s start with the basics: hand-eye coordination, which is well known and important, is the skill of doing a hands-on action based on what someone would see. Video games play a major role in this, as users would have specific actions in a game bound by their controller (keyboard or otherwise). The benefit can even differ via genre, where a 3rd person action-adventure would help with response speed, compared to an RPG (Role-Playing Game), which can help with working memory, according to Elizabeth M. Zelinski and Ricardo Reyes in their article published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information. E-sports have also been trending lately, as competitive games like Super Smash Bros, Overwatch, and Dota II have been played in tournaments at South Dakota Schools of Mines and Technology, which has the largest E-Sports community in South Dakota as of Fall 2018, per their university’s homepage. In fact, Harrisburg High School even held a subsection activity for video games during Homecoming Friday. Hopefully this knowledge will leave everyone open-minded when considering whether or not to give video games a try. As always, it is important for gamers to maintain a healthy balance between their video games and other forms of entertainment, as well.
THE HARRISBURG TIMES
Tiger Tough
All’s Well(ness) That Ends Well(ness) TAYLOR ENERSON
MOLLY PARSONS
The athletes have other opportunities to stay in shape and maintain their muscle mass when they are out of season. During the summer, Harrisburg has another strength and conditioning program called Champions; this program is offered for athletes ranging from 6th to 12th grade, and it works with them to maintain their strength over the summer. In the future, Lubovich hopes that the younger athletes from the middle schools will have the opportunity to be a part of the strength and conditioning program to prepare them for high school and to allow them to get experience. Additionally, Smook wants to help capitalize on the success the program has already brought to Harrisburg; he also wants to advance all sports up to the next level. The program will continue to grow and build strong athletes in all different sports.
Bringing Out the Best in Youth, Our Community and Ourselves!
If one were to walk down the wellness wing at 3:10 in the afternoon, he or she would not only see athletes going to their designated sports, but also would witness athletes going to the weight room as well. Harrisburg High currently has a strength and conditioning program after school, but this year, the program is advancing to benefit athletes even more than it has in the past. Longtime coach of twenty years, Joel Lubovich, continues to train the athletes. Lubovich’s goals in the program include growing relationships with the athletes. For example, he stated, “We want them to know that we care not only about working with their athletic ability and performance but also the person that they are and what drives them.” Lubovich isn’t the only strength and conditioning coach at HHS. The new trainer from Sanford Power, Charley Smook, also shares a strong vision for our athletes; these plans include, “those [athletes] in season are at lighter loads but higher intensity. Out of season athletes will be focused on higher loads and more volume to start gaining some muscle mass and strength.”
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For Membership Inquiries and Volunteer Opportunities contact:
HarrisburgSDOptimist@gmail.com FB: HarrisburgSDOptimist C: 605-520-4158
Be part of a growing number of Harrisburg and southern Sioux Falls businesses who support the Harrisburg community newspaper and promote their businesses at the same time. Contact JoAnne VerMulm 743-2567 x 6143 tigertimes@harrisburg.k12.sd.us
The wellness program here at Harrisburg High School works very differently than a traditional wellness program. Within this program, students have to take more responsibility to motivate themselves to participate and use their class time. One of the wellness instructors, Mr. Scott Langerock, states, “Our Wellness department’s #1 goal is to provide students the opportunity to find and develop their own personal passion for exercise.” Since students are given different pathways to follow, they are able to choose the type of exercise they want to do from a variety of workouts such as cardio, strength development, circuit training, and body awareness areas. Attendance and grading are imperfections within this program since students are given freedom to make
choices for themselves that will affect their development within the class. Regarding the flaws within this program, Mr. Langerock says, “With instruction being so individualized, grading must also then be based on individual growth.” It may be a struggle to keep track of the hundreds of HHS students; however, the benefits of the individualization are certainly worth it. If students put in the effort, this program benefits them since it contains the potential to inspire a lifelong passion for exercise. Mr. Langerock explains, “With three instructors, we can now offer specific classes with more individualized attention instead of the role of supervision and redirection.” In our wellness program, students are able to find the type of exercise that is the most enjoyable for them, which will hopefully inspire those individuals to enjoy exercise throughout their lives.
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What Are You Grateful For? Exploring with VICTORIA BORGES – ENDEAVOR KITCHEN SUPERVISOR
“Gratitude is the healthiest of all the human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.” -Zig Ziglar
The field of Psychology has an extensive number of studies researching the benefits of gratitude. Results reveal that a grateful heart has a positive effect on our Emotional, Physical, and Social Health. Furthermore, gratitude improves our Personality and even boosts our Career. An attitude of gratitude essentially profits every aspect of our wellbeing.
Gratitude is a state of mind that we choose to practice. So, how do we practice being grateful? Let’s stop and smell the roses, take delight in the little things, really pay attention and notice the good all around us. Consider keeping a gratitude journal and write 5 things in it a day. Lastly, express your gratitude, say thank-you verbally and with acts of kindness. Start now and take a moment to ponder what you are grateful for.
Hands-On Activities Promote Fine Motor Skills
Kindergarteners at Explorer Elementary are keeping their hands busy this year with Fine Motor tubs. Thanks to the PTO, the kindergarten teachers were able to buy several new manipulatives. Some of these include: mini erasers, tweezers, pegboards, letter and number locks and playdoh stamps. The kindergarteners are enjoying a wide variety of hands on activities with the implementation of these tubs.
Johnny Appleseed To kick off fall, Explorer Kindergarten had two weeks of apple activities to celebrate Johnny Appleseed’s birthday. Some of the activities included: taste testing different kinds of apples and graphing our results, making caramel apples and applesauce, and sampling apple juice and apple cider. Kindergarten
classes created apple and leaf art using fall colored syrup as paint. On Johnny Appleseed’s birthday, September 26, the kindergarten classes made hats resembling pans to wear throughout the day.
THE HARRISBURG TIMES
Liberty’s New Faces Liberty Laps BRAD YERDON, NICHOLE DREXLER & ANGI CABLE Living in a growing district, each year is bound to bring new faces to our Harrisburg schools. How fortunate we are to have such great additions for our learners and our community. Let’s meet some of Liberty’s new faces!!! ___________________________ Mrs. Kelli Semmler isn’t new to our district, but is new to Liberty this year. This is her eleventh year in the Harrisburg School District. She taught ELA at South Middle School for eight years and was also the school counselor at Horizon Elementary for two years. This year, she is Liberty’s school counselor. Mrs. Semmler is originally from Castlewood, SD and attended SDSU. Prior to coming to Harrisburg, she taught high school English for one year in Pierre and three years in Hamlin, SD. Her and her husband, Matt have two children, Ember (4th grade) and Ryker (1st grade). Kelli enjoys reading and also coaches 8th grade volleyball at SMS. She enjoys watching and playing sports with her family. ___________________________ Kelley Tietjen is a new teacher 2nd grade teacher at Liberty. She previously taught in the Tea Area School District for 12 years. She was born in California and her family moved to South Dakota when she was 9 years old. She graduated from Milbank High School in 2000 and went on to graduate from Dakota State University. Her and her husband Shane have been married for 12 years and they have two children, Ava (6th grade) and John (kindergarten). She loves to spend time with her family, traveling, reading, and doing crafty projects. ___________________________ Christina Berger is not new to teaching, but is a new face in the hallways at Liberty teaching 3rd grade this year. Mrs. Berger is originally from Herman, MN and attended college at MSU in Moorhead, MN. She grew up on a farm, and now lives in Harrisburg with her husband of fourteen years, her two children and her dog, Hammer. Mrs. Berger has taught for thirteen years in 2nd grade as well as 3rd grade. She loves to read, bake cookies and garden. ___________________________
Dawn Hansen is the new Kindergarten teacher at Liberty. Prior to coming to Liberty, Dawn taught preschool, reading recovery, and literacy in Rapid City. She has served as an instructional support teacher. Dawn grew up in Sioux Falls and graduated from the University of South Dakota. She married her high school sweetheart, Brad. They have been married for 25 years and have three children, Brock (21 years old), Megan (20 years old) and Alex (18 years old). She likes to garden, hike, golf, paint, and decorate. ___________________________ Hallie Ruden is Liberty’s new 1st grade teacher. Hallie taught six years in the Tea Area School District in the 1st and 2nd grades, before coming to Liberty. She grew up in Bookings and graduated from Dakota State University. Hallie and her husband Jesse have two children, Grace(5 years old) and Griffin (1 year old). Hallie likes to spend time with her family, read, and create things for her classroom. ___________________________ Mrs. Amanda Baumann currently is part of our 5th grade team at Liberty. She is originally from Forest City, IA. She went to Waldorf University, Forest City, IA . Prior to coming to Harrisburg, she taught in the Tea School District. Her husband, Jared, teaches 8th grade science in Sioux Falls and they have two boys, Jackson (5th grade) and Easton (2nd Grade). Their family also has two dogs, Chloe and Kinzi. Mrs. Baumann loves sports and spending time outside with her family. ___________________________ Emma Haberman is the new 4 / 5 Resource teacher at Liberty. This is Emma’s first year of teaching! She grew up in Pierre and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Emma enjoys many outside activities, such as, riding bike, fishing, swimming and hiking. She also likes to read, knit and spending time with her family and friends. Welcome to Liberty!
to Victory!
On Friday, October 12, Liberty elementary students and staff participated in a Fun Run event. The PTO hosted the event with the purpose of raising money for the school. Each family had 10 days to raise pledges for the laps they were to run. There was no selling anything, no catalogs and no delivering. It was the first fundraiser we had ever done like this. The event kicked off with an assembly on October 2. Principal Weaver promised to be a human ice-cream sundae, if we made our goal of $10,000. When all was said and done, we had 36 out of the 50 states represented and even had the countries of Japan and Canada pledging Liberty learners. Incentives were part of the program along with 7 days of character building videos. Each grade level had a Pledge O’ Meter and as classes worked their way up, they earned rewards like pajama parties, lunch in the classroom, etc. We even had one teacher dress up like a Christmas tree. The weather did not allow the event to be held outside, so the gym was used. The sheer volume coming from the gym all day was deafening as students cheered on their peers. The number of parents who volunteered to help was a huge blessing. The perseverance to keep running was witnessed by many. With the help of our community, we took in $24,000! PTO president, Sherry Stapleton, said “Over all a lot of us felt the same... Emotional, Overjoyed, Thankful, and Proud!” The generosity of Liberty families warms all of our hearts. It feels good to be a TIGER!
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Stats: Laps Ran: 13,779 Lap Average: 33.69 Highest Earning Grade Level: 3rd Grade States: 36 out of 50 Countries: 2
Call JoAnne VerMulm at 605 | 743 | 2567 X 6143 or Visit Our Website TigerTimes. HarrisburgDistrict41-2.org
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THE HARRISBURG TIMES
(from left to right) Harrisburg School Board Members Jay Hutton and Amber Ellingsen and Pogany (not pictured: Board Members Mike Christopherson, Mike Knudson and Linda Heerde).
Harrisburg School Board Recognized by Associated School Boards of South Dakota October 12, 2018 - Recently, members of the Harrisburg School Board were presented their Bronze Level award for their participation in the Associated School Boards of South Dakota’s board recognition program: ALL, which stands for Act, Learn, Lead. ASBSD Executive Director Dr. Wade Pogany presented members of the Harrisburg School Board their award. Attached is a picture of
the board with their award, which they earned for their dedicated participation in activities, board development and training and demonstrated leadership at various areas and levels throughout the 2017-18 school year. In the second year of the program, more than one-third of the total number of public school boards in South Dakota earned an ALL award through the variety
of training, development and leadership opportunities. “The Harrisburg School Board put forth a great deal of their time and effort to enhance their knowledge of board work,” ASBSD Executive Director Wade Pogany said. “That commitment will no doubt benefit the students and staff of their district, as well as their community, and we were pleased to be able to honor them.”
ASBSD is a private, non-profit association representing more than 850 South Dakota school board members, the 149 school districts they govern and the students they serve.
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THE HARRISBURG TIMES
Presents
YOUR HARRISBURG
The Tiger Team of the Month
e v ti ti e p m o C e c n a D & Cheer Special of the Month
PHOTO CREDIT; JON KLEMME
Free Cookie with Any Sub or Salad Purchase Expires 12/18
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Is Your Learner Prepared? JIM HOLBECK, SUPERINTENDENT Since we already have seen that snow can come in October, I guess it is time to talk about winter preparedness. In the event of a need to either call off school, to start late, or to release school early, we will utilize our parent notification system called Bright Arrow. We will also post on our official Harrisburg School District Facebook and Twitter pages as well as the district website and app. One thing we have learned with this, as well as our previous notification system, is that due to the magnitude of calls being sent out, compounded when many area schools are making the same decisions, some calls get jammed up and aren’t delivered immediately. Make sure that you don’t only rely on the parent notification system to be your only method to track school closing. Also, please rely on watching or listening to major TV and radio stations from Sioux Falls.
See Your Tiger Tuesday Folder for Details!
Infinite Campus Releases New Apps
First and foremost, please plan ahead. It is extremely important for you as parents to discuss with your children what to do for adequate apparel and emergency plans. Warm winter clothes, which includes gloves, hats, and footwear, is extremely important
DAVID KAMPMANN, TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR As you may know, Infinite Campus is the main source of information on your student(s) with the Harrisburg School District. It is the place you go to check their attendance, grades, and registration information. We are excited to inform you
At school registration you were asked to update home or cell number information. If you have had changes since then, please contact Jean Hudson at 743-2567, ext. 3001, or email her at jean. hudson@k12.sd.us to give us your new number(s). Every year we get calls from people out of our district wondering why we are calling them. This is due to when we aren’t aware your numbers have changed.
Infinite Campus has two new and improved mobile apps: Campus Student (for students) and Campus Parent (for parents). Download your free app for real-time access to grades, assignments, attendance, schedules, announcements and more.
If you are using the old Infinite Campus app, you are encouraged to download the new app to use. The old app will continue to be supported through the 2018-2019 school year.
attire to wear to and from school, as well as on school bus trips in case a bus becomes stranded. If your child drives to school, please emphasize the importance of taking their time and to drive slowly in the event of fog, ice, or snow. If weather causes them to be late, they will not be counted tardy. Better to be safe.
In case we would need to call off school during school hours, please rehearse with your child the plans they should have in the event you may not be home. Letting them know where you have a key to get into the house is also a good idea in case they come home to a locked house during the winter. Lining up an alternate location for your child to go to in case you are not home is also a necessary plan to make at this time.
The decision to call off school is not easy and is made after gathering a lot of information. We do not call off school unless the conditions certainly warrant it. Compared to other areas of the state, we are very populated and also have a good road system. With both parents working in most households, we find that calling off school usually creates a hardship for parents, too. Sometimes the safest place for a child is in the school building. It is policy, however, that if we are having school, and you feel that it is unsafe for your child to attend school due to the weather; you can call the office of the school which your child attends to inform them that you are keeping your child home. Your child will not be counted absent on that day.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact my office.