By Kayla Charles
Moody County Enterprise
The focus of the regular monthly meeting of the Flandreau School board on May 13 was the 2024-25 budget.
During the open forum members heard from middle and high school counselor Kari Lena-Helling of the need to replace the Academic Advisor position. The position currently will not be filled when Josh Cleveland moves to the Business Manager position.
The board made the motion to approve the Technology budget and Capital Outlay requests to allow time for ordering and delivery. As well as carpet for the first grade rooms and new lunch tables for the high school and middle school. The old tables and some chairs will be put up for auction at the end of July.
Superintendent Rick Weber shared with the board that the school will receive a larger amount in Impact Aid than expected. Previously the school budgeted $350,000 to be received in Impact Aid. That number increased to $470,000. This increase will now take the school out of its budget deficit for next year and cause a surplus of $88,000. With the surplus Weber asked the board to make the motion to open a new position as an Instructional Coach for teachers.
The new position will allow Principals within the schools to focus on students and the Instructional Coach to work with teachers developing a more fluid education plan and mentoring new teachers to the district and to the teaching field.
Current Academic Advisor Cleveland presented to the board the Critical Needs Assessment, himself and other members of the district have been working on. The Flandreau School is a Title I school and a target school for its Elementary and High School Attendance and Hispanic graduation rate.
Over the past months Cleveland and members have been gathering data through surveys, attendance data, and test scores. That information has been analyzed and the school now can create a plan of attack to improve these areas.
The school also qualifies for a 10-03 grant up to $100,000. This grant can be used for teacher and student development but cannot be used for a program already in place. Members are completing the initial grant application that is due May 31st and should know the results of the application by the end of June.
Should the school district be approved for the grant, the monies will most likely be used to open the Student Advisor position. The 10-03 grant is a four-year grant, and the amount can change over the four years, based on the needs of the school district.
The board also approved the resignation of Alison Logue, 7/8th Math; Kimberly DeKruif; Ariann VanBockern, Ag Education/FFA; Elian Frick, Elem. Para; and Cassidy Hof- SLPA.
Regina Hardin, Elem. ELL; Quinn Fargo, 7/8 Math & All-School Play Co-Director; and Megan Van Heerde, Occupational Therapy and Transitions were approved as new hires for the district.
Under the advisement of Weber, the board also voted on the SDHSAA ballots as: Chris Long, West River AT-Large; Chuck Wilson, Native American At-Large; and yes on Amendment #1 pertaining to NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) rules.
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