March 11, 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 (Certificated): Joseph Fasso, teacher, Sturgis Brown High School, $15,750.00, eff. 2/12/2024; Corey Hyde, teacher, Sturgis Elementary, $48,000.00, eff. beginning of the 2024-25 school year; Brittainy Knuppe, teacher, Sturgis Elementary, $57,800.00, eff. beginning of the 2024-25 school year; Becky Kosters, special services teacher, Sturgis Williams Middle School, $57,000.000, eff. beginning of the 2024-25 school year; Jon Pierson, teacher, Sturgis Williams Middle School, $56,655.00, eff. beginning of the 2024-25 school year; Tiara Mauler, special services teacher, Sturgis Brown High School, $48,000.00, eff. beginning of the 2024-25; Shelly Mikkelson, .55 principal .45 teacher, rural schools, $68,241.00, eff. beginning of the 2024-25 school year; Laurie Rayhill, special services teacher, Stagebarn Middle School, $64,616.00, eff. beginning of the 2024-25 school year.

Resignation (Certificated): Skyler Massie, teacher, Sturgis Brown High School, eff. 2/9/2024; Casey Kieffer, teacher, Piedmont Valley Elementary, eff. end of the 2023-24 school year; Makenzie Skovlund, special services teacher, Piedmont Valley Elementary, eff. end of the 2023-24 school year.

Resignation (Support Staff): Kelsey Nilson, special services paraprofessional, Piedmont Valley Elementary, eff. 3/20/2024; Kathy Flaigg, food service worker, Sturgis Brown High School, eff. 2/29/2024.

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

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 word of the month for March is "Cooperation," which involves help, assistance, support, teamwork, and working together.

Background:  The Speech & Debate team attended the District Qualifying Tournament in Cheyenne on February 22-23, 2024. The team won the Small School Sweepstakes award and qualified five students for the National Tournament in Des Moines, IA in June.

Background:  Congratulations to the SBHS boys wrestling team for winning the team championship in Sioux Falls.

Background:  SBHS Band & Choir students attended the Region 8 Music contest in Rapid City. Every student that was taken received either a Superior Rating (I) or an Excellent Rating (II).

Background:  Congratulations to SBHS students that participated and placed in the State Swim meet in Watertown. Colt Frein, Hunter Johnson and Max Winseman.

Background:  Kurt Belawske, Post Commander for the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in Sturgis would like to present a Proclamation of Appreciation to the School Board in gratitude for the continuing support of the VFW programs.

Background:  District 1 Commander of the South Dakota American Legion, Mr. Brian Dean would like to present a Proclamation of Appreciation to the School Board in gratitude for the continuing support of the American Legion programs.

Background:  Presentation and discussion on property & liability insurance.

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

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 met with Derrick Linn and reviewed the property & liability insurance and decided not to accept their request to lower their liability insurance due to liability and the risks associated. 

Background:  Business Manager, Brett Burditt is requesting the Board approve the contracted services agreement as presented with the Newell School District for business office services.

Background:  Business Manager, Brett Burditt is requesting the Board amend the general fund budget by $36,000.00 for contracted services with the Newell School District.

Background:  Business Manager, Brett Burditt is requesting authorization from the Board to move $10,200.00 from the capital outlay contingency line item to cover the purchase of a conference table and chairs for the Special Services Department at SBHS. There is currently $16,500.00 of contingency funds available. 

Background:  The Meade School District is in phase two of the instructional technology refresh cycle. This refresh will replace 1:1 MacBooks for all teachers, 2:1 iPads for grades K-2, and 1:1 iPads for grades 3 and 4, as well as the appropriate protective cases for all. The proposal also includes a service fee for which we pay Apple to configure teacher devices. 

Curriculum/Technology Director, Beth Johnson is requesting the Board to approve the purchase in the amount of $554,242.00 to be payable after July 1, 2024. 

Background:  Principal, Pete Wilson provided the Board with two quotes for a sound system and interactive TV for the cafeteria/commons area at the February board meeting. Business Manager, Brett Burditt is requesting the Board's approval to amend the FY24 Capital Outlay Budget by $40,000.00 for the purchase of audio visual equipment in the SBHS cafeteria/commons area.
 

Background:  The Business Office and Buildings & Grounds Department are requesting the Board to accept the bid and alternate A from Dakota Asphalt in the amount of $230,384.00 and to authorize Business Manager Brett Burditt to work with Dakota Asphalt on a service agreement for the SBHS Parking Lot Improvement Project. 
 

Background:  Business Manager, Brett Burditt is requesting the Board approve the material testing agreement with FMG Engineering for the SBHS Parking Lot Improvements Project.

Background:  Business Manager, Brett Burditt is requesting authorization from the Board to secure the haying lease for 2024-25 to Nick Uherka at $55.00/ton.

Background:  SBHS is requesting the Board to approve a door be added through the West gym wall into the hallway of the new kitchen commons area. The funding will be through a Change Order to the contract where contingency is reduced by $7,519.22 and the contract with Scull Construction is increased by $7,519.22.

Background:  Business Manager Brett Burditt and the Buildings & Grounds Department request the Board's approval for the service agreement with Lowe Roofing in the amount of $98,990.00 concerning a section of the roof of Sturgis Elementary School. This agreement is part of the FY25 Capital Outlay budget. It is essential to secure approval in advance to allow sufficient lead time for material procurement and scheduling within their summer workload.

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

Background:  At the December board meeting, the Board approved a 5x3 trimester schedule change for Sturgis Brown High School beginning the 2024-25 school year. An administrative rule waiver application request will need to be submitted to the SD Department of Education for approval.

Background:  Recommendation to increase special education by 1.5 FTE due to increase in special education case load and disability assignments. 

Open enrollment may increase staffing in general fund.

Background:  The Business Office received a Zoning Amendment Application from the City of Sturgis for Bob Lippold Mako Enterprises, Inc regarding property at 12976 HWY-34 outside Sturgis for the construction of a mezzanine on a property line. The City of Sturgis requires formal notification be made to all property holders within 200' of the property, which makes the Meade School District one of those property owners within this area. Business Manager, Brett Burditt recommends the Board approve the request for zoning variance application as presented by the City of Sturgis.

Background:  The district received the 2024-25 contract agreement between Meade 46-1 and the Central Meade County Community Center. There is no change to the terms of the contract. 

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

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

Background:  We will be finalizing the purchase of a Jeep for our vehicle fleet for the FY25 budget of $44,000.00.  There is a 4-month lead time to receive the Jeep.  We will be asking the Board to approve at the April board meeting for purchase.

Background:  In the bid specifications, an oversight was made regarding the necessity for the successful bidder to secure a performance bond equivalent to the contract's value. As a result, Rasmussen Mechanical is obligated to obtain a performance bond, incurring a cost of $3,867.00. This amount will change the contract price to $390,541.00. This will be presented to the Board as an action item in April.

Background:  The third Monday of March is the time of year when local communities review with the Board of Equalization any contested property assessments.  The following board members represent the school district: Terry Koontz, Sturgis Board of Equalization; Aaron Odegaard, Piedmont Board of Equalization; Charlie Wheeler, Summerset Board of Equalization and Justin Jutting, Whitewood Board of Equalization. The schedules follow below:
City of Sturgis - 3/18 @ 5:00 pm @ City Hall
City of Summerset - 3/18 @ 6:00 pm @ City Hall
City of Piedmont - 3/18 @ 6:30 pm @ City Hall
City of Whitewood - 3/18 @ 5:15 pm @ City Hall
 

Background:  We will present an outline of the handbook and procedures at the meeting.

 

Background:  All requests for Meade School District bus route changes for the 2024-25 school year must be submitted to the office of the superintendent by Tuesday, April 2. Requests that are received by the April 2 deadline will be submitted to the Board at its April board meeting. Those requests will then be referred to the transportation committee for review. Action on the bus route change requests will be taken by the Board at the August board meeting. The following board members are on the Transportation Committee: Lee Spring, Darrell Vig, Aaron Odegaard and Terry Koontz.

Background:  Business Manager, Brett Burditt proposes that the hay lease agreement remain with Daniel Woodring, who has handled the lease agreement for the past couple of years. The finalized lease agreement will be presented to the Board for approval in April.

Background:  Board reports are enclosed in the Board packet.

Background:  Legislative update will be given.

Background:  March 1: First Day to Circulate School Board Nominating Petitions
March 11: School Board Meeting
March 18: Board of Equalization
March 25: B&G Committee Meeting
March 25: Policy Committee Meeting
March 26: Deadline to Submit School Board Nominating Petitions
March 29 - April 1: No School (Easter Break)