Washington High’s Bruce Rekstad named Sioux Falls School District’s Teacher of the Year

Bruce Rekstad, an Očéti Šakówiŋ Owáuŋspe teacher at Washington High School, has been named the 36th Annual Dr. John W. Harris Teacher of the Year for the Sioux Falls School District.

Rekstad, 74, has taught for 33 years, first at a tribal school in Crow Creek and then at Flandreau Indian School. He began at WHS in 2002, making this his 23rd year in the district.

The OSO class he teaches is a newer course and curriculum that covers Indigenous history and culture specific to the Oceti Sakowin people of this area, and an updated name for the former Native American Connections courses at the district’s schools.

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Superintendent Jane Stavem said Rekstad was described as passionate and empowering; a collaborative leader, mentor and lifelong supporter of students; a friend long after graduation; and, someone who makes students of all backgrounds feel respected and valued.

“Interactions with this teacher have been described as life-changing and transformative due to the generational impact this teacher has had on Sioux Falls school students,” Stavem said.

Rekstad won a $4,000 check from Vern Eide, which has provided a financial award to the winner each year since 1989.

Last year’s winner: Sioux Falls School District names Susan Thies as Teacher of the Year for 2024

Other finalists for Teacher of the Year included Jennifer Aerts, a second grade teacher at Horace Mann; Scott Amundson, a learning center teacher at Lincoln High School; Bryan Aukerman, an English teacher at Washington High School; and Jessica Foley, a fifth grade teacher at Terry Redlin Elementary School.

“All we do is appreciate the students,” Rekstad said of himself and the other finalists. “I’m just honored to be in the presence of the other four.”

Each of those four finalists received $1,000 awards from the Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation, an increase from the $100 awards the Foundation has given to finalists in years past.

There were 83 teachers nominated before judges selected the five finalists, and each of the nominees were recognized at the Teacher of the Year event at Ben Reifel Middle School on Monday night. There have been more than 1,100 nominees and finalists over the years since the district started offering the award.

Judges for the award program included a school board member, a former Teacher of the Year winner, a retired principal, a community member and a representative from Vern Eide.

Rekstad ‘digs to look for the goodness in every kid’

Rekstad said as a teacher, he looks for the good in every student.

“It’s like that little piece of gold, it’s in there somewhere; you’ve got to move a lot of dirt sometimes with students, but it’s still there, and that’s what we’ve got to find each and every day,” he said in his acceptance speech.

WHS senior Rosalia Szameit celebrated Rekstad’s win on Monday night. She said Rekstad is “basically my grandpa” and one of her best friends at WHS after she took his OSO class as a freshman and took his Indigenous Studies class last semester. Rekstad also oversees WHS’ Okichiyapi Club, which Szameit is the president of. She said Rekstad motivates his students and is always supportive of them.

“He’s always cheering up my day. He always makes me laugh and makes me smile, and no matter the situation, he’s always going to be there,” she said. “He’s always the light in any situation. He’s always fantastic, and always trying to encourage everyone to be involved.”

More: Some Sioux Falls Indigenous students used their day off to celebrate Native American Day

Heather Goodface-Ferguson, an Indian education liaison for the district, has worked with Rekstad for five years in the district, including helping him offer a Lakota language course for a semester when there was no teacher for one. Now, Rekstad is teaching Goodface-Ferguson’s freshman son, Chael Ferguson. She said Rekstad does a “great job” making sure Chael gets good grades, and still stays in touch with her.

Assistant superintendent Jamie Nold, who worked with Rekstad during his time as principal at WHS, said Rekstad has been an “incredible teacher” for so many students over the years.

“He truly does dig to look for the goodness in every kid,” Nold said.

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Samantha Swier said both she and her daughter were “lucky enough” to have Rekstad as a teacher, noting not many parents get to “pass off their favorite teacher to their child,” adding that he was “amazing.” Swier was in Rekstad’s first class of students when he started at WHS.

“He takes on the responsibility of guiding a student population that is often left behind, has high dropout rates, systemic barriers, and a cultural disconnection in the school system, and he takes them and he challenges them, and lets them know that they are capable, they are worthy, and that they are destined for success,” Swier said.

Rekstad tracks each of his students’ progress in school, stays on top of their grades and encourages them “to push past their limitations” and becomes a lifelong supporter of each student, Swier said.

In the OSO class, Rekstad’s culturally responsive teaching methods make an “immense impact,” Swier said, as he ensures Native American history and traditions are represented correctly in his curriculum and gives students a “strong sense of identity and pride in their heritage.”

“His legacy is one of hope, empowerment and unwavering belief in his students,” Swier said, adding that Rekstad’s work is “crucial to South Dakota.”

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Bruce Rekstad named Sioux Falls School District’s Teacher of the Year

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