How can we help?

SDMyLife is a free career exploration and academic planning resource for all South Dakota 6-12 grade students and educators. SDMyLife is powered by an online software program called, Xello. With the support of teachers, counselors, parents, and community members, SDMyLife powered by Xello can assist students in better understanding themselves and how their interests, skills, and knowledge relate to real-world academic and career opportunities.

Career exploration, college exploration, career interest and aptitude assessments, learning styles and personality style assessments, interactive lessons, and ACT prep are among a variety of features available for students in SDMyLife powered by Xello. Get a full list of features and short descriptions at https://sdmylife.com/images/Xello-Features-09.11.23-A.pdf.

Student access is based on Infinite Campus enrollment. If a student is correctly enrolled in Infinite Campus, they should appear in SDMyLife powered by Xello within two days.

Each year, starting in August and ending in May, SDMyLife performs a daily student file update. The Department of Education creates a data file based on Infinite Campus enrollment. The file is sent to Xello in the evenings and accounts are updated overnight.

3a. Our school doesn’t use Infinite Campus for our daily student management. How do our students get access?

Districts that do not use Infinite Campus are still required to submit data to the state through Infinite Campus per Administrative Rule: 24:17:03 and this is how ALL students are ensured access to SDMyLife. Check the School Directory on the Department of Education website to see who works with student data at your district.

3b. How does a homeschool student get access?

Parents/guardians who choose to provide alternative instruction pursuant to SDCL 13-27-3 are required to file an Alternative Instruction Notification. If the correct paperwork is complete, the Department of Education is able to manually enroll the student into the data file that is used to update students’ access information. To have a homeschool student added to SDMyLife powered by Xello, please contact Kara.Schweitzer@state.sd.us with the student’s first and last name and date of birth.

Students can access SDMyLife powered by Xello in two ways.

1. Student accounts are defaulted to 
Username: “SD–” followed by their student information system (SIMS) number. (Example: SD–123456789)

Password: The first time a student logs in, their password will be their date of birth: MMDDYYYY. Immediately after their initial login, they will be prompted to create a personalized password.

2. If your district uses the @k12.sd.us email system, students can use their k12 email credentials to access SDMyLife powered by Xello. Students will use their k12 email address as their username and their k12 email password as their password. They will need to login from the SDMyLife.com login button.

Please note: 1) Students with a k12 email address can use either method to access their accounts. 2) The option educators have to create a temporary password for students within Xello only applies to their SD-SIMS number credentials. The temporary password will not work with their k12 email address as their SDMyLife username.

An educator at your district should have administrator level access to your school’s SDMyLife powered by Xello educator account. They are able to make additional educator accounts by logging in and clicking the educator tab on the left and then selecting ‘Add Educator’. To find out which educators at your district can create an account for you, contact kara.schweitzer@state.sd.us or janeen.outka@teachwell.org. Note: Each educator account comes equipped with a student demo account.

Educators can search for student accounts by using the search bar at the top of any Xello educator account page or by clicking the students and student list tabs from the left-hand menu and using the various filters to search for students. Check out the first how-to video at https://sdmylife.com/educators/how-to-resources.

6a. I can’t find a student. What should I do?
Students’ access is based on Infinite Campus enrollment. Start by checking the student’s Infinite Campus enrollment to make sure they are correctly enrolled at your school. If a student transferred from another South Dakota school, it is important to make sure the previous school ended the student’s enrollment in Infinite Campus. If a student is enrolled equally at two schools in Infinite Campus, the student will appear at the school indicated as “Primary” in Infinite Campus. If you have checked these scenarios and are still unable to access a student, please contact kara.schweitzer@state.sd.us.

Each individual school or district can decide how to utilize SDMyLife for career exploration and academic planning. It is recommended that schools use SDMyLife powered by Xello to meet a few administrative rules, but not required.

SDMyLife is a free tool to meet the following Administrative Rules (https://sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative)

Email kara.schweitzer@state.sd.us with questions.

Educators can view student work in two ways. 

To view individual student work:

1. Find a student by clicking students, then student lists from the navigation or by using the search bar.
2. Clicking the name of the student will allow the educator to view individual student work

 To view reports for a group of students,

1. Click reports from the navigation and click student work. This will allow educators to view a group of students’ work feature by feature.

2. Helpful documents: How to Review Matchmaker Completion. How to Review Skills Lab Completion.

Methodize ACT Prep is a free online learning platform that offers a self-paced course covering ACT preparation. It is available to all 9-12 grade students in South Dakota through their SDMyLife powered by Xello accounts. The program includes practice tests, quizzes, full-length exams, vocabulary builder, resource guides, and more. Student and educators can access Methodize from their Xello dashboards. Visit the Methodize ACT Prep page for more information.