Roosevelt High School -

Last week, Roosevelt Theatre competed in the SD State One-Act Festival at South Dakota State University in the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center. If you do not know what the One- Act Festival is , it's a 3-day festival from 8am-10pm each day amongst 49 SD schools.  Over the three days their were in Brookings, the Theatre team had a combine of 16 awards! 8 ensemble awards 6 outstanding individual acting awards Technical Superior Overall Superior We are so proud of you! Congratulations on your accomplishments and way to represent Roosevelt Rough Riders ! #WeareOne #WeareRoosevelt

TEACHER OF THE YEAR NOMINATION SPOTLIGHT: Mrs. Susan Bussa! Here is more information about Mrs. Bussa and all that she does for Roosevelt. Why did you become teacher? Honestly, I did not pursue teaching, but somehow life happened. I went to Augustana University to be a nurse, but unfortunately I had a very close friend commit suicide. My world was shattered, so I started taking Psychology and Adolescent Development classes to try and understand mental health better. Long story short, after graduation I started working at group homes, the juvenile detention center, School for the Deaf, and eventually found my dream job as the first Behavior Facilitator at Roosevelt! Years later, I decided to pursue my teaching certification and haven't looked back-- I definitely love my role of "teacher." What is your favorite part about Roosie? My favorite part about being at Roosevelt is the WE ARE ONE philosophy and the great relationships I've built over the years with our incredible staff and students. I'm even trying to convince my own daughter to open enroll because we truly are a great community! GO RIDERS! ❤️ She is out last teacher of the year spotlight nomination! We are extremely proud of you and the lives you change at Roosevelt. Thank you again! #WeareOne #WeareRoosevelt

TEACHER OF THE YEAR NOMINATION SPOTLIGHT: Mr. Michael Mitchell!! Here is a little information about why Mr. Mitchell chose teaching and what he loves the most about Roosevelt High! Why you decided to become a teacher? Growing up in Dell Rapids, both of my parents were teachers, and I think that had something to do with it. As a student, my preferred way to study was by helping my peers. In college, I took the first step towards teaching as a senior when I taught a few sections of Chemistry, and this eventually led to my career as a teacher. Teaching as a means of interacting with people has always been something that has resonated with me. Tell me your favorite thing about teaching or being at Roosie Being an educator represents an opportunity to be the catalyst that encourages students to continually change into the best version of themselves. Whether the growth that ensues is academic, social, personal, or in another area of their lives, it brings me joy to experience it alongside them. Roosevelt has been an incredible place to carry out this mission, and I am thankful to be fortunate enough to work with such an amazing group of students and teachers. We are so proud of you! Keep doing what you are doing! It truly is amazing! #WeareOne #WeareRoosevelt

WEDNESDAY COUNSELOR SPOTLIGHT: Mrs. Kara Spieler! Here is a little more information about Mrs. Spieler and why she chose counseling! Here is a little bit about Mrs. Spieler! She has been a school counselor for 14 years, the last 6 years at Roosevelt. She is married with three sons. One in college, one in the workforce and the youngest still in high school. She is a first-generation college graduate. She has both her bachelors and master degree from SDSU in Brookings! What made you want to become a counselor? I was working at Western Iowa Tech in the College Now Program and worked with School Counselors enrolling students in dual credit courses. I really wanted to be the person working with the students so I applied and went back to college. What do you love most about counseling? The aspect of counseling that I love the most is helping students find their path and to let them know anything is possible with a little hard work. There’s always a Plan B, if Plan A doesn’t work.

February 3-7 is National School Counseling Week. We are going to be spotlight each counselor at Roosevelt and what they love about our school! Be on the lookout this week for the awesome counseling team! First Counselor Spotlight is.... Mrs. Sue Kooima! A little bit about Mrs. Kooima is that she has been at Roosevelt for 9 years. She had 3 children graduate from RHS. She was previously the Success Coordinator before coming over to Counseling. her husband was an Assistant Principal here before moving to Washington HS, where he works now. She also enjoys playing and watching sports, and any kind of games... she is very competitive. She loves hanging out with friends and family. Her best gift has been her soon to be 1 year old grandson, Calvin. What made you want to become a counselor? "After a few years of teaching, I started working with at risk students and thoroughly enjoyed that opportunity. I ended up going back to school for my Masters in Counseling and have no regrets!" What do you love most about counseling? "I love counseling because every day is different. I get to meet the best students! I get to help problem solve, care for, advocate, listen, guide, support. I also get to work with some of the best faculty and staff - again, trying to help our students be the best they can be so when they fly the coup, they are ready for what is to come!" Thank you for all the you do this school and our students! We appreciate you so much! #WeareOne #WeareRoosevelt

A BIG happy retirement to our Custodial Manager, Dave Vandenberg! We can’t say enough about the incredible effort you’ve put in over all your time with our school. We all know you've been an incredible leader, and we wish you all the best as you embark on this new chapter in your life as you celebrate your retirement! We will miss seeing you every day, but we hope you feel the continuous love and happiness during your retirement. This place just won't be the same without you. Miss you already! #WeareOne #WeareRoosevelt

Teacher of the Year Nomination SPOTLIGHT: Mrs. Julia Blashack! Here is a little more information about Mrs.Blashack and all she does for RHS! I initially went to college for musical theatre performing arts; however, in New York I found my love of teaching. I have since taught preschool and K-12 theatre in various theatre companies. I found high school is where I can make the most impact, and I have never looked back. My favorite things about Roosevelt are the students I get to work with each day, and how we can truly showcase We are Roosevelt. We are one. Thank you for all that you do not only your students but also the RHS community! We are so honored to have you as part of our wonderful staff! Again, congratulations on being nominated! #WeareOne #WeareRoosevelt

TEACHER OF THE YEAR NOMINATION SPOTLIGHT: Mrs. Nicole Fette! Here is a little bit of information about Mrs. Fette and why she chose to go in the field of teaching! "I am a mom, an avid reader, and a traveler. My dream is to one day become a librarian! I became a teacher because I love people. I value the work teachers do and the opportunity we have to make an impact in the lives of others." Tell me your favorite thing about teaching or being at Roosevelt High! "My favorite thing about teaching is getting to know my students. I have been fortunate over my 20 years in education to have worked and taught in a lot of different settings, and the students I have gotten to work with have always made my job the best there is! I loved teaching Spanish (long ago!), but teaching JAG here at RHS is truly the best job ever! I love being at Roosevelt because of the amazing colleagues and friends I've met here. I count myself lucky to be part of the RHS community! " A big congratulations to an amazing teacher! We are so proud of you! #WeareOne #WeareRoosevelt

ANNOUNCEMENT!! There will be NO SCHOOL on Monday, February 3rd, due to a Teacher Inservice Day. Enjoy the long weekend, and we will see you back in class on Tuesday! #WeareOne #WeareRoosevelt

TEACHER OF THE YEAR NOMINATION SPOTLIGHT: Mr. Victor Naranjo! Here is a little bit of information about Mr. Naranjo and why he choose teaching as his career! "I’m from Barcelona, where I studied at Universitat Ramón Llull. After graduating, I participated in an exchange program for educators that brought me to Sioux Falls nearly ten years ago. I began my teaching journey at Robert Frost, and a year later, I continued at Sonia Sotomayor Elementary as a Kindergarten teacher. Teaching kindergartners for 8 years was an incredible experience—they truly shaped the teacher I am today! Two years ago, I started coaching the boys' soccer team at Roosevelt. This school year, I officially became part of the Rough Riders family full-time as a Spanish teacher. It has been an amazing journey so far!" What is your favorite thing about Roosevelt High? The best part of teaching is seeing students grow, both academically and personally, while learning Spanish. Becoming bilingual opens so many doors and helps them understand different people and cultures. It’s an incredible opportunity for them, and I feel truly fulfilled being part of that process. My favorite thing about Roosevelt is the people. The students and staff are awesome—it’s a great place to be! We are so lucky to have you here and teaching our wonderful students! Again, a big congratulations on being nominated for teacher of the year! #WeareRoosevelt #WeareOne

ATTENTION SENIORS!!!! This year, the yearbook is doing senior quotes! If you do not know what a senior quote is, it is a short phrase or sentence chosen by graduating students to represent their personal perspective! Fill out this google form to get your senior quote printed in the yearbook! Make sure your quotes are school appropriate! #WeareOne #WeareRoosevelt

This past Sunday, the Unified Basketball had their first scrimmage against the other Sioux Falls Public Unified Teams! Check out these photos of all of the fun that the Roosevelt Rough Riders had! Thank you to everyone that showed up to cheer on our basketball players and cheerleaders! Their next game is February 10, 7:00pm, at Roosevelt High Gym against Lincoln ! Show up and Show out Roosevelt community!! #WeareOne #WeareRoosevelt

Here is our very first Teacher of the Year Spotlight: Mr. Spencer Flakus! Here is a little bit of information about Mr. Flakus and what he does for Roosevelt High! "I was born and raised in Aberdeen, SD, and attended Northern State University after high school. My mother was a small business owner, and my father was a teacher and coach at my high school. I have a younger sister and a brother (Brynn & Mason). My sister is a nurse in Sioux Falls, and my brother is an accountant in Dallas, TX. I have two nephews, who are the best! " Why did you chose to get into teaching? " I chose to get into teaching because I have always wanted to help people. I enjoy working with young adults and helping them understand who they are and how they can be successful with patience and purpose-driven persistence." Why do you love Roosevelt? "I love Roosevelt because of our school culture and diversity. The way we embodied inclusion as staff and students makes this place a welcoming community for all."

We are exceptionally proud of our SIX riders on the list! Our biggest congratulations for Teacher of the Year nominations go out to the following: Susan Bussa, Nicole Fette, Michael Mitchell, Victor Naranjo, Spencer Flakus, and Julia Blashack! Be on the lookout this week for a little bit about each teacher! If you see these teachers in the hallways at school or shopping at Walmart, please say a BIG congratulations! #WearOne #WeareRoosevelt

Cadets of the month for December are Cadet Abbigail Stapleton, Cadet Logan Moore, and Cadet Amara Formey. These three have continually stepped up and worked outside their leadership roles to the betterment of our program! Congratulations! We are so proud of you! #WeareOne #WeareRoosevelt

Today, we had a presentation during Ad Room regarding Boys State and Girls State.! The panel provided information about their experience and what benefits come from being involved. Special thank you to Connor Iwen, Laila Sumic, Michael Devlin, Nathan Lewis, David Yusten and Preston Spaans! Interested in Boys/Girls State, stop by the counseling center or check your school email! Have a great Wednesday Rough Riders!

Don't forget about Winter Formal that is taking place this Saturday!!! Here are some important details for you to know! Date: Saturday, January 25th Time: 8-11pm Location: RHS Price: $15 ahead of time, $20 at the door. Tickets will be sold through BOUND and with cash during lunch periods the week of (January 21-24) Guests: Non-RHS guests must be accompanied by an RHS student AND PRE REGISTERED at lunch the week prior Extra details: EVERY person (RHS student or not) must bring a valid ID to enter dance, beverages, snacks, DJ, photo booth, game room, and karaoke will be available

Don't miss an awesome celebration of your high school journey!! SENIORS GET SIGNED UP TODAY!! Go Rough Riders!

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ✨ Today, we pause to reflect on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His words and actions continue to inspire us to lead with kindness, stand up for justice, and work together to build a brighter future. As we celebrate this day, may we all strive to make a difference in our schools, our community, and beyond. #MLKDay #DreamBig #WeareOne #WeareRoosevelt

Reminder: No school on Monday, January 20, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Enjoy your day off as we reflect on the legacy of Dr. King