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January 23, 2023

Staff Anniversaries

Thank you to these staff who are celebrating their work anniversary, their dedication to the service of families in South Dakota is invaluable!

Barb Avery-Sterud, Navigator Coordinator

1 Year

"I love having an opportunity to meet with parents, and my background in special education allows me to assist them in understanding the Special Education Process. My experience has given me perspective--historically, traveling through times when children with disabilities did not have the opportunity to receive a free and appropriate education (pre PL 94-142) to families now who struggle in different ways, but are still in positions of advocacy for their children."

Betsy Drew, Outreach Specialist

3 Years

"Working cooperatively with our wide variety of families is the best part of my job. Supporting families through phases of panic, frustration, confusion and guiding them to understanding, confidence and advocacy meets our end goal, for children to receive the services necessary to experience success in school."

Jennifer Wentzel, Program Support Specialist

1 Year

"I truly love working at South Dakota Parent Connection! It is such a great privilege to be in a position where I can reach back to help parents and professionals who are working to ensure the best for the children with disabilities. It is even more special when to work with such talented and dedicated coworkers who care just as much as I do."

Ken Randall, Operations Manager

3 Years

"Working here at South Dakota Parent Connection is truly an honor. Everyone here is dedicated to fulfilling our mission of connecting families who care for individuals birth to age 26 with disabilities or special health care needs to information, training, and resources in an environment of support, hope and respect. I am delighted to help contribute towards the success of fulfilling their mission."

Get Involved

Have time and talent to help others in South Dakota?


You can help support families and professionals across the state who care for children with disabilities. We are looking for a few talented individuals to help enhance our Board of Directors. There are a variety of ways that our Board supports our mission in helping children with disabilities achieve their full potential. If you are interested, please contact us today to learn more about how you can help.


Call: (800) 640.4553 or Email: sdpc@sdparent.org

Updated Website


South Dakota Parent Connection is a trusted source for valuable information and resources to families across the state. Last year more than 15,000 users accessed our website to learn more about events taking place across the state, download resources, and connect with our staff to develop an individualized support plan.


We are in the process of updating the functionality of our website and will be launching it very soon. Visit our site anytime at www.sdparent.org.

Hand-Picked Resources


Here are just a few resources hand-picked by South Dakota Parent Connection staff:



Office Hours: 9:00 - 5:00 CT

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Friday by Appointment


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Email Us: sdpc@sdparent.org

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This e-publication was developed under grants from the U.S. Department of Education Project Grant H328M2000666 and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Grant H328M140021, Family to Family Health Information Center, $93,175; and approximately 5% financed with non-governmental resources. The contents should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by US Department of Education, HRSA, HHS or the Federal Government.