Sleepless In South Dakota: Rest Easy With A Facilities Assessment

Presenters: CMBA Architects Education Specialist Jerry Rasmussen, Principal Architect Lee Beukelman and Director of Construction Services Dan Munch

Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. in Room 1

School facilities play a critical role in learning, safety, and community trust. This session highlights common challenges facing schools—including aging infrastructure, limited budgets, safety requirements, space utilization, and sustainability—and demonstrates how a comprehensive facility assessment provides leaders with the data and clarity needed for effective planning. Learn how data-driven insights help prioritize needs, reduce expensive facilities surprises, and support conversations with your board and community, leading to informed decisions about your district’s future.

To the Moon: Master Planning for Future-Ready Schools

Presenter: Co-Op Architecture Representatives Tom Oster, Ed. S., Tom Hurlbert, AIA, Kyle Raph, AIA and Justin Kautz, ALEP

Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. in Room 1

School buildings age and change. Generations of families walk the same halls. Enrollment grows, shrinks, and grows again. Budgets ebb and flow. With so much uncertainty, how can school board members be confident they’re making the right decisions for the future of their district and community? By considering the whole picture — including physical, financial, and strategic goals and constraints — a facilities master plan can help a school district avoid the guesswork, identifying what they have today, what the community and building users think is needed for the future, and the most efficient and responsible way to get there. Led by experts in educational environments, this session will outline CO-OP Architecture’s master planning process and share lessons learned from delivering dozens of district master plans. Attendees can expect to gain insight into the purpose and value of long-range facility planning, including how it has helped various school districts – big and small – throughout the state.”

Growing Great Educators: Why South Dakota Schools Partner with the University of Sioux Falls

Presenter: USF Assistant Professor of Special Education Dr. Jamie Juhl

Thursday, 4:00 p.m. to 4:50 p.m. in Room 1

Description: Teachers and school leaders need high-quality professional learning that is flexible, practical, and immediately applicable in today’s classrooms. Discover how the University of Sioux Falls partners with South Dakota school districts to support educators through graduate degrees, licensure pathways, continuing education credits, and customized professional development. Learn how districts can invest in their staff while building leadership capacity and improving student outcomes through this session.

Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF) Overview

Presenter: Fox Blocks & True Grid Western U.S. Commercial Advisor Randy Daniels

Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. in Room 1

Fox Blocks, America’s Leading Manufacturer of Insulated Concrete Forms, Demonstrates ICF Product & Industry Overview with time for questions.

DISC and CliftonStrengths for Stronger Team Culture

Presenters: Erin Bauer, Desi Keller and Dr. Peg Diekhoff

Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. in Room 2

Schools are asking the same big questions: How do we build a stronger staff culture? Reduce turnover? Create shared understanding and trust across roles? This interactive session introduces two practical tools schools can use to support those goals: DISC (communication and behavioral tendencies) and CliftonStrengths (talent themes and contribution patterns). Participants will learn what each tool is best for, when to choose one over the other, both or a combination of the two, and how to use either tool to strengthen collaboration, especially in meetings, decision-making, and everyday team interactions. Examples will include use with leadership teams, building teams, and school boards.

Choosing the Right Construction Delivery Method

Presenter: Hausmann Construction Representatives Pierce Koch & Seth Lukonen

Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. in Room 1

Selecting the right construction delivery method is crucial for your school project’s success. This session explores Hard Bid, Construction Manager as Advisor, Construction Manager at Risk, and Design-Build—how each impacts cost, schedule, and collaboration. Using real-world examples, we’ll highlight lessons learned, common pitfalls, and key decision factors. Whether planning a renovation or new build, you’ll gain the insights needed to choose the best method and confidently navigate the construction process.

Beyond the Math Wars: What Students Actually Need

Presenter: Lauren Moore

Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. in Room 1

What is THE right way to teach math? Is a problem-based curriculum the answer? How about drilling students on basic facts? Join this session to learn how Eureka Math2 sits in the “Dynamic Middle”, balancing time spent on procedural fluency, conceptual understanding, and application to produce powerful math learning experiences.