October 28, 2025 at 5:30 PM - Special Board Meeting

Background:  Business Manager Brett Burditt recommends the Board approve the Lease, Maintenance, and Use Agreement with the South Dakota Army National Guard as presented. The existing agreement expires November 1, 2025, and is now due for renewal consideration.

Background:  Business Manager Brett Burditt will present a brief overview of school finances and how funds are utilized.

Background:  Superintendent, Mr. Wormstadt will present to the board the previous years reductions through attrition.

Background:  Tonight we will host an Open Forum on each proposed budget correction. We ask anyone who wishes to speak, to address each item individually as it is presented. You are welcome to speak on multiple items, but only when each specific topic comes up.

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 two 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. 

Appropriate and respectful public decorum is expected. Any complaints about school employees should refer to school board Policy KL: Complaint Against School Employee.

Background:  This recommendation was approved by the board at the October 14, 2025, school board meeting. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed, and implementation is now underway in the Human Resources Department.

Background: 

Rationale: Increase revenue to reduce number of staff reductions and additional school closures for FY27.

• Revenue increase of $350,000 increase in Capital Outlay and transfer to the General Fund for three years.

Timeline

• Proposed in preliminary budget prepared for June board meeting/hearing

• Action by current school board at July 2026 meeting

Effects

• Tax Increase and may put us at or close to the maximum request for Capital Outlay

Background: 

Rationale: Elimination of this program will not increase class sizes across any building and does not change core instruction for all students.

• Savings of $64,000

Timeline

• March board meeting

Effects

• Eliminates the program for 124 students in grades 1–8. 

Background: 

Rationale: Addition of 2.0 counseling was added with ESSER fund from Covid to support students and funding has since lapsed since 2020. 

• Savings of $68,600

Timeline

• March board meeting

Effects

• Direct impact on access to support for students (counseling, mental health, guidance, etc.)

Background: 

Rationale: The Meade County Sheriff Deputy that serves Piedmont Valley Elementary split time with Stagebarn Middle School.  This will be the same coverage we have with Sturgis Elementary and Sturgis Williams Middle School. In 2020, our costs for SRO’s was $83,000 and now is over $200,000.  This increase in cost is due to grant funds that are no longer available.

• Savings of $28,500

Timeline 

• March board meeting

Effects

• Response time to safety situations with shared buildings (PVE and Stagebarn)

• Relationship building between law enforcement and students with lack of visibility

Background: 

Rationale: Reduction of 2.0 FTE positions will be identified and either absorbed through early retirement incentive or through RIF procedures.   

• Savings of $128,000

Timeline

• March board meeting

Effects

• Will increase class sizes and will reduce personnel

Background: 

Rationale: Reduction of supply items.  Evaluate our professional development to reduce need of subs, supervise activities, student supports with minimum impact to student opportunities.

• Savings of $50,000 minimum

Timeline

• April preliminary budget

Effects

• May reduce afterschool supports 

• May require reduction but will require flexibility in where we assign activity staff.

• May require calendar revisions to alleviate need for substitutes. (early release, late start, modified four (4) day school week)

Background: 

Rationale: Some buildings are not under our primary insurance carrier due to age.  We purchase secondary coverage that is more than three (3) times the rate we pay for the rest of our buildings.

• Savings up to $68,000 depending on buildings selected to omit from coverage

Timeline 

• May board meeting

Effects

• Requires a Capital Outlay reserve $500,000 dedicated to coverages for wind, hail, etc. 

Background: 

Rationale: Review of student enrollment, cost and proximity to CMCS, the same educational opportunities and continued low student-to-teacher ratio can be offered at CMCS to serve the eleven (11) students displaced. 

• Savings of $126,000 through reduction of:

• 1 teacher

• 2 paraprofessionals

• Operating costs

Timeline

• Must be completed by board resolutions prior to December 1

Effects 

• Students assigned to CMCS

• Increase of class size with current staffing

• If all students attend, may need to keep one teacher for grade-level splits, reducing the savings by $64,000

• Increase in travel costs either through mileage or transportation provided

Background: 

Rationale: Review of student enrollment, cost and proximity to CMCS, the same educational opportunities and continued low student-to-teacher ratio can be offered at CMCS to serve the nine (9) students displaced. 

• Savings of $126,000 through reduction of:

• 1 teacher

• 2 paraprofessionals

• Operating costs

Timeline

• Must be completed by board resolutions prior to December 1

Effects 

• Students assigned to CMCS

• Increase of class size with current staffing

• If all students attend, may need to keep one teacher for grade level splits reducing the savings by $64,000

• Increase travel costs either through mileage or transportation provided

Background: 

Rationale: In order to serve two area school closings with consistent transportation to CMCS.  The district will be quoting for a new bus service contract this winter and allows for the district to take responsibility for this routing area with non CDL drivers.

• Estimated general fund savings $20,000 vs. General Fund cost through Harlow contract.

Timeline

• Decision at January board meeting

Effects

• Purchase of vans or small buses through Capital Outlay

• Need for rural drivers to fill 3–4 positions

Background:  Rationale: This position was split for the 2022-23 school year and was previously one position.  Combining will lower administration by 0.15 FTE and reduce a teaching position of 0.45 FTE.  This would be a return to previous practice when the district was under 3000 students.

• Savings of $57,461.65

Timeline

• Board decision on or before February board meeting

Effects

• Increased travel between sites with less time at locations

Background: 

Rationale: We can offer the same education opportunities with class sizes similar to other middle school classrooms and align all elementaries along the I-90 corridor as K-4 settings.

• Savings of $64,000 through reduction of one (1) teacher

Timeline

• Prior to December 1 is preferred to work through retirements and transfers to maintain staff

Effects

• Increase of class size of estimate from 22.8 to 25.8

Background: 

1. K-8 reduction of teachers increasing class sizes OR
2. K-8 program elimination, causing reduction of teachers OR
3. Combination of numbers 1 and 2

Background:  At this time, we welcome any other input community members would like to share. If you have alternative ideas or solutions, please feel free to present them now.

Background:  The school board will review and discuss the feedback and input received from the public.