South Dakota

$6 million dollars approved to improve literacy rates across South Dakota

Published

2 years ago

April 12, 2024

million dollars approved to improve literacy rates across South Dakota

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) – According to the South Dakota Report Card, English language arts proficiency was at 50% among all students in South Dakota, with some districts showing rates as low as 20%.

On March 5th, Governor Kristi Noem signed into law a bill appropriating $6 million to expand phonics-based reading curriculum and teacher training. That funding, which will be used over four years, will allow elementary students to learn to read with a more intensive approach that relies on using sounds within words rather than letters.

South Dakota Education Secretary Joseph Graves says the switch to phonics-based, learning is essential to improving literacy rates and says it will work as it has in other states.

“Education researchers have demonstrated very clearly that there is a science of reading and that it means that we need to return a very systematic instruction in phonics. That will get us our best results for our students. This program has been demonstrated that it will work and in fact, it has already been working in other states,” Graves said.

Mississippi is one of those states to see strides with phonics. However, Mississippi’s director of the Elementary Education and Reading Office Tenette Smith has said she believes it will take South Dakota much more than the four-year, $6 million plan to make this goal long-lasting. Graves, however, says with the progress the state has made with previous funds, four years will be plenty of time to reach the goal.

“This next four years what we believe we’ll be able to do is get everybody else trained beginning after next year to provide the training and create the modules such that they will not only train the people in the field right now but also have the wherewithal to train incoming teach candidates and that way we’ll cover everybody,” Graves said.

Graves emphasized that reading is the core of everything else and says this is a fundamental goal that the state needs to get right and he believes will happen.

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South Dakota

Special Olympics South Dakota Newsletter

Published

2 hours ago

November 26, 2025

Press Room

Thank You, Turner!

Dear Special Olympics South Dakota Family,

I have made the tough decision to move on from Special Olympics South Dakota (SOSD). I have accepted a position with HUB International in Sioux Falls, so I am not going far. It was an honor to be a part of an amazing organization and work alongside the great staff, athletes, and volunteers.

Thank you for the memories!

Turner Gaines

Please Join Us For The Unity Conference

The Unity Conference is open to the public on January 10th from 9 AM to Noon at the Unify Center in Sioux Falls, and you won’t want to miss it!

We are excited to announce that John Stiegelmeier, South Dakota State University’s winningest head football coach, will be joining us as the keynote speaker.

Plus, hear from our new President/CEO, Nick Moen, as he shares more about himself and the future of Special Olympics South Dakota.

Location	Date
Watertown	February 7
Lead	February 20
Spearfish	February 21
Rapid City	February 22

Special Olympics has teamed up with Little Words Project on a limited-edition Champion Bracelet!

25% of proceeds go directly to the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota!

Wear “Champion” proudly and show your support for our athletes’ journey to USA Games.

Newsworthy will not be published on December 2nd. In it’s place, look for messaging from SOSD celebrating the annual global day of generosity, Giving Tuesday.

Newsworthy will be back in your inboxes on Tuesday, December 9th.

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South Dakota

America’s Biggest Petrified Park Has Otherworldly Vibes Next To South Dakota’s Cowboy Capital – Islands

Published

21 hours ago

November 25, 2025

Press Room

America’s Biggest Petrified Park Has Otherworldly Vibes Next To South Dakota’s Cowboy Capital – Islands

On the prowl for the most unique roadside stops across America? Then buckle up and cruise on over to Lemmon — aka, the “cowboy capital” of South Dakota. There, right off U.S. Highway 12, you’ll find an otherworldly roadside oddity known as the Lemmon Petrified Wood Park & Museum. The peculiar park is the largest of its kind, taking up an entire block in the heart of the town’s downtown area. “It’s touted as the ‘Biggest Petrified Wood Park’ in the world which makes me wonder how many there are,” one past visitor wrote in a Tripadvisor review. “My guess is the Lemmon one is the only one and that it’s an inside joke. Go see it.”

This outdoor gem was the brainchild of a local amateur geologist named Ole Sever Quammen, Roadside America reports. As the park’s name suggests, it was created using thousands of tons of petrified wood, which is the fossilized remains of trees, as well as bits of boulders and dinosaur bones. “The petrified wood that was used in this park is just stunning,” another park-goer shared on Tripadvisor. “It all came from the fields surrounding the town and they put their creative genes to work. Plus, they have a display of rocks that have [dinosaur] claw marks in them. A very interesting park and worth a bit of your time to walk around.”

Opened in the early 1930s, the park was eventually donated to the town in the 1950s, where it still stands for all to enjoy today. You can freely stroll the grounds throughout the year. However, the on-site museum and gift shop are only open in the summer from Memorial Day to Labor Day during the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

See fossilized wood sculptures and more on display

Teeming with whimsy and wonder, this nook of the artsy, off-the-beaten-path town of Lemmon is definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area. Meander among the 100 or so unique petrified wood sculptures and other attractions scattered across the park. There’s certainly plenty to see, from a stunning waterfall fountain and wishing well to an imposing castle-like structure bedecked with dinosaur bones and lofty spires — some of which tower 20 feet above the ground.

If you visit in season, be sure to check out the indoor exhibits, too. The Petrified Wood Park & Museum doesn’t charge an admission fee, at the time of writing, making it one of the best free museums in America for a family day trip. “This is a great place to learn about the history of the area,” reads a Tripadvisor review. “The docents in the museum and gift shop are gems! There is a playground and public restrooms on the adjacent block, making this a nice place to stop for a break on a long drive.”

As if this place could get any cooler, you can even donate various artifacts and other historic relics to the park’s collection, though there’s no guarantee that your item will be put on display. If you want to take a gander at more dinosaur fossils, be sure to stop by the Grand River Museum before leaving town. It’s less than half a mile away and boasts an array of exhibits about the early ranching days, the history of Native peoples, and much more.

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