February 12, 2024 at 5:30 PM - AMENDED_Regular Board Meeting (Executive Session to follow)

Background:  The following personnel are presented for the board’s consideration:

New Hire (Support Staff): Tyler Spencer, food service worker, Stagebarn Middle School, $14.25/hr, eff 1/30/2024; Kassidy Caspers, paraprofessional, Elm Springs Elementary, $14.00/hr, eff 1/15/224; Adam West, food service worker, Sturgis Brown High School, $14.25/hr, eff 1/22/2024;

Resignation (Certificated): Carolyn Schuldies, special services teacher, Sturgis Brown High School, eff. end of the 2023-24 school year; Sarah Scherer, .5 FTE principal, Rural Schools, eff. end of the 2023-24 school year; Kerry Schrader, teacher, Central Meade Co. School, eff. end of the 2023-24 school year; Taylor Buus, teacher, Sturgis Elementary, eff. end of the 2023-24 school year; Josie Brown, teacher, Piedmont Valley Elementary, eff. end of the 2023-24 school year.

Resignation (Support Staff): Kristin Horton, food service, Stagebarn Middle School, eff. 2/1/2024; Barb Voorhees, food service, Sturgis Brown High School, eff. 2/16/2024; Hailey Wilt, custodian, Sturgis Brown High School, eff. 2/7/2024.

Background:  Community members who have volunteered to work in schools throughout the district: Jordan Pauwels.

Background:  Extracurricular coaches and volunteer coaches will be updated monthly. Any changes will be highlighted in yellow.

Background:  Board members and school administrators/officials need to request a conflict of interest waiver before participating in or voting upon a decision concerning an application in which that member has a direct personal or financial interest.  

Background:  Open Forum is an opportunity for patrons to share their thoughts and concerns.  The school board will listen, but no discussion takes place and there will not be board action.  Board members may ask clarifying questions. The protocol established for open forum is to provide a time limit of three minutes to share concerns.  If a patron would like to have a two-way discussion, they are encouraged to schedule a meeting with the superintendent. 

Background:  The Character Education trait for the month of February is "Courtesy," which includes graciousness, politeness, consideration, and good manners.

Background:  Whitewood Elementary received the 2024 Dan Swets Robotics Materials Award! They will be receiving 10 new LEGO® Education BricQ Motion Essential sets. These kits engage grade K-5 students in the exploration of physical science within a sports context. Thank you to the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium for this wonderful award.

Background:  The Meade School District will join districts across the state to thank school board members for their leadership and service to our school district and community during South Dakota School Board Recognition Week from February 19-23, 2024. During School Board Recognition Week, the Meade School District invites students, staff, and community members to take part in thanking its school board members.

Background:  Bailey Zwahr, self-contained special services teacher at Sturgis Elementary, was nominated by a parent/guardian for the 2024 Special Education Department Staff of the Year Award. The SD Department of Education received 78 nominations statewide, and Bailey was chosen as one of the top five finalists for the award. Bailey and other finalists will be recognized at the 2024 SD SPED Conference awards luncheon in Sioux Falls on March 6. She was also awarded Sturgis Elementary Teacher of the Year for 2024-25.

Background:  The monthly financial reports for the board’s review.  Brett Burditt will answer any questions you might have regarding financials. 

Background:  Petitions for school board vacancies can start being circulated on March 1, for the June 7, 2024, election. The three 3-year terms that are ending are Charlie Wheeler, Terry Koontz, Aaron Odegaard and the one 2-year term is Brian Voight. The publication for the Notice of Vacancies will run in the newspaper on February 21 and February 28. The business office will have petitions available for the public to stop and pick up or obtain online at the SD Secretary of State website. Signed petitions are due back to the business office no later than March 26, at 5:00 p.m. 

Note:  Petitions must be printed on both sides of paper for signatures

Background:  There is an error on the 2024-25 academic school calendar and rural school calendar. Native American Day is on Monday, October 14, not as indicated on the calendars (Monday, October 7). 

Background:  The business office is requesting the Board to approve Change Order #1 and the Contingency Allocation Report #2 of the SBHS Cafeteria Project. The landscaping allowance was removed, and Meade 46-1 will work with Scull Construction to complete that work. Additional concrete was added around the trash enclosure, and the City of Sturgis waived the building permit fee for the project. The Contingency Allocation Report #2 includes an access panel and kitchen electrical panel.

Background:  The Business Office and Buildings and Grounds Department are requesting authorization to advertise for bids for engineering services for the design of the SBHS Parking Lot Improvement Project.

The cost estimate package of $313,476.44 is the proposed work to be advertised, sheet 1 is the layout and sheet 2 is the work to be done.
 
The timeline for advertising and receiving bids:
Advertise 2/14/2024 and 2/21/2024.
Site visit for contractors 2/23/2024 in the morning. FMG will set time.
Bids due in Business Office by 2:00 PM on 2/29/2024.
Successful bid presented to Board on 3/11/2024, authorized to issue contract.

Background:  The Business Office and Buildings & Grounds Department are requesting the Board to approve the bid from Rasmussen Mechanical Services in the amount of $386,674.00 for the Williams Administrative Building Boiler Replacement Project and authorize Business Manager, Brett Burditt to issue a service agreement with them.

Background:  The City of Sturgis has provided the district with a lease for joint use and cost sharing for Woodle Field. Approximately 7.85 acres are regularly used for school-sanctioned events and are maintained by the district. The cost of said maintenance shall be shared between the city and the district. The terms of the revised lease are outlined in the lease proposal presented by the City of Sturgis.

Background:  The Board granted approval to initiate advertising for the position of Technology Director during the Special Board Meeting held on January 29.  Mr. Wormstadt advises the Board to separate the job descriptions of the Technology Director and the Curriculum Director. He further recommends that the Board approve the job description for the Technology Director as presented.

Background:  The Business Office and the Buildings & Grounds Department are requesting the Board to approve the agreement with TruGreen Commercial in the amount of $13,945.22 for the application of fertilizer and weed killer for all Meade School District facilities.

Background:  This is the First Reading of School Board Policy GCDB: Criminal Background Checks.

Background:  This is the First Reading of School Board Policy JOB: Student Surveys.

Background:  Discussion if the Board wants to move forward for further exploration for next school year.  

Background:  Discussion if the Board wants to move forward for further exploration for next school year.

Background:  The City of Sturgis has provided the district with a preliminary boundary map of Woodle Field for the Board to review if the boundary is acceptable or if there are concerns.

 

Background:  February is typically when the district starts advertising for retirees, resignations and new positions. There are several teaching and administrative positions that will need to be filled. New positions require Board action to create the additional position. If there are any recommendations for new positions, those recommendations will be brought back to the March Board meeting.  Open enrollment may increase staffing.

Current Posted Positions within the District:

Maintenance/Custodial

• Assistant Buildings and Grounds Director
• Custodial (day and night)

Food Service

• Stagebarn

Paraprofessional

• Special education paraprofessional (district-wide)

Teacher

• Elm Springs K-8 Teacher
• SES SPED Teacher
• PVE SPED Teacher (new FTE)
• SBHS Social Studies
• SWMS 7th grade ELA
• SWMS 8th grade ELA

Administration

• Rural Principal
• Technology Director (change from Network Administrator)

Background:  Principal Pete Wilson has provided the Board with two quotes for a sound system and interactive TV for the cafeteria/commons area. The quote from Perfect Wave is a sound system in the cafeteria that can be utilized during presentations, end of the year banquets, and any other time the space is used. 

VitalSigns (Wall of Fame) quote is an interactive TV that will display the history of Sturgis Brown High School. Many schools use these displays. RC Central and STM are 2 area schools that have them through this company.

Background:  The Bear Butte Historical Society is requesting to lower their liability insurance from $2,000,000 to $1,000,000 due to their premium increase.

Mr. Burditt and Mr. Wormstadt will be meeting with Derek Linn to review property & liability insurance on February 22 to discuss coverage, increases, deductibles and other changes.  We will include this in our discussion.

Background:  The Board tabled the discussion of Item 6g - Open Forum Structure at the January 29 Special Board Meeting - Study Session. Board President Charlie Wheeler is requesting the Board to review the current structure of the Open Forum at school board meetings. The aim is to evaluate its effectiveness and identify any potential improvements, modifications, or aspects that should remain unchanged.

Background:  Business Manager, Brett Burditt will provide a brief overview of the 2024-25 general fund budget.

Background:  Board reports are enclosed in the Board packet.

Background:  Legislative Update on items affecting the school district, staff or students.
 

Background:  Feb 19: No School (Presidents Day)
Feb 19-23: ASBSD School Board Recognition Week
Feb 26-29: Parent/Teacher Conferences
Feb 26: B&G Committee Meeting
Feb 26: Policy Committee Meeting
Mar 1: Teacher In-Service (no students)