The Elk Point-Jefferson 6th-12th grade Life Skills Special Education class recently participated in an Inclusion Field Trip in Vermillion. They weren’t the only school to attend, however, Beresford’s High School class also participated on May 4.

The Dakota Valley Panthers Baseball team had three players named to the Class B All-State 1st Team. The list was recently released from the South Dakota High School Baseball Association. Players included, seniors Isaac Bruns, Jake Pruchniak and Jaxon Hennies.

The inaugural regular season of high school softball in South Dakota has come to a close, but Dakota Valley still has games to play as qualifiers for state. For the first time ever, as a sanctioned sport, the South Dakota state softball tournament will take place in Aberdeen. Class A and Class B schools will be at Players Softball Complex and Class AA teams play games on Koehler Hall of Fame Field.

Four Dakota Valley golfers will compete at the South Dakota girls state Class A golf tournament in Rapid City on June 5 and 6. The Panthers will play on the Meadowbrook Golf Course. The site location for Class AA is Hillsview Golf Course in Pierre and for Class B it is Cattail Crossing Golf Course in Watertown. Dakota Valley will putt, chip and drive against some of the best high school golfers from across all of South Dakota.

The DAK-XII conference golf meet took place on Monday, May 22 at The Bluffs Golf Course in Vermillion. Dakota Valley represented well as a team to bring home a 4th place finish, they also had 2 individuals finish in the top 20.

Union County now has 30 days to travel to Laredo, TX and pick up murder suspect Alfredo Castellanos-Rosales. Castellanos-Rosales was charged with first- and second-degree murder of 23-year-old Jordan Beardshear who was found inside her Dakota Dunes apartment April 26.

The South Dakota Department of Education has made available an application for its new Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway. The department, and its partners, will pilot the program beginning in the 2023-24 school year.

With very few items for discussion, the Dakota Dunes Community Improvement District Board of Supervisors met for just over an hour on May 15. Two items were approved during the meeting.

The Dakota Valley School Board received an update from all of the school’s administrators on happenings in their respective buildings and departments at their meeting May 9. Kristi Maloney • Elementary Principal The elementary building partnered with local colleges and universities to provide experience for those pursuing a degree in education.

The Elk Point-Jefferson graduating class of 2023 crossed the stage and received their diplomas Saturday, May 20 at 2 p.m. The 54 graduates walked into the high school gymnasium welcomed by the EPJ Concert Band.