• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- Four more South Dakota teachers have earned National Board Certification, a designation the state Education Department calls the teaching profession's top honor.
• The South Dakota teachers who received the certification in 2013 are Anne Moege of the Mitchell School District, Rebecca Kline of the Rapid City Area School District, Ruth Conway of the Rapid City Area School District, and Kelly Assman of the Winner School District.
• So far, 103 South Dakota teachers have achieved National Board Certification.
• Officials say that while licensing standards set basic requirements to teach in a state, National Board Certification demonstrates that teachers have advanced knowledge, skills and practices similar to certifications earned by experts in law and medicine.
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• WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK, S.D. (AP) -- Wind Cave National Park is offering programs this winter to encourage children ages 3 to 13 to explore the natural world around them.
• The Adventures in Nature sessions are free and are held at the visitor center on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. They begin Jan. 14 and run through April 8.
• Park Superintendent Vidal Davila says the program is a fun and interactive way for children to experience nature and play in an active learning environment.
• Davila says each session features a different theme and includes activities, songs, crafts and a hike, with educational objectives appropriate for the age level of the student.
• The year's first program is themed around the night sky.
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