Jay M. Swatek

Venture Elementary School
Tea Area School District
Tea, South Dakota
jay.swatek@k12.sd.us

As the first principal of Venture Elementary School, Jay Swatek faced the difficult task of guiding students, staff, and families from disparate schools to teach and learn together under one roof. In the six years since, Swatek has cultivated a supportive school culture with a multidimensional approach to measuring student success. To enhance individualized math instruction, Swatek partnered with the district’s technology coordinator in launching a data dashboard conducive to real-time reflection and collaboration. The tool has been so effective that it will soon be expanded to include ELA proficiency data. But at Venture, data is only part of the story of student success. The school also embraces improvement science tools like Plan-Do-Study-Act to build students’ intrinsic motivation with independent goal-setting and self-assessment. This approach is a hallmark of the school’s SEL program, which serves as a hub for the entire district alongside two specialized autism programs, one for younger students, and another for school-aged learners. Each program has a dedicated lead teacher who provides an enriching environment in which to build foundational skills to maximize time spent with their peers. Swatek also established the Watch D.O.G.S. Program at Venture, encouraging the participation of fathers and other adult male role models in the learning process. Swatek holds an M.Ed. from the University of Sioux Falls, an Education Certificate from Dakota Wesleyan University, and a B.S. from South Dakota State University.