RAPID CITY, S.D. (KELO) –School is back in session for people all across KELOLAND this week.

Rapid City held a district-wide orientation for teachers at the Monument today.

This event was a refresher on the district’s newest education plan.

Rapid City Area Schools are looking to move in a different direction this year, and teachers appear to be ready.

“With school starting tomorrow I’m excited to have an official first day that starts with the calendar. It’s my second year and I am feeling more comfortable,” 2nd year teacher Nicole Sandven said.

This district orientation was a way for them to spread their brand new game plan message. All the way from top to bottom, from experienced teachers all the way down to bus drivers and paras. And this new plan with the Superintendent fully in is getting ready to take off on its five-year destination.

“I’m trying to get the point across that we all are embedded in that work. It happens everyday in the whole district, it’s not just something that we just drag out and parade around at the beginning of school,” RCAS Superintendent Nicole Swigart said.

Bringing in a new plan to keep things fresh while also making the school district feel more together and to run efficiently. 

“I think it’s good to update, it’s a new superintendent so we should have a new plan. And I really like that it ties, you know everyone, like all of the staff. And students are at the top because they are the number one reason for why we do what we do,” Sandven said.

“So we made this plan with everybody in mind. It is not just focusing on people coming into the district, and it’s not just focusing on the people that have been here for a really long time. But it’s focusing on every employee in the district. It includes our bus drivers, it includes our paraprofessionals in this work, it includes our custodians,” Swigart said.

As Rapid City heads into a new school year, it will be about the same district, with a new direction.