Summary of July 14 Meade School Board meeting (By Kris Hubbard) The Meade School Board unanimously approved the $25.1 million budget for 2014-15 during its annual meeting Monday. For further information about the four funds that makeup that budget, click on this link: meade.k12.sd.us/schoolboard/Summaries%20of%20board%20meetings/Explanation%20of%20funds%20for%20meeting%20summary%20July%202014.pdf Meade School District’s tax request for the budget, in dollars per thousand, will be: General Fund: Ag $1.782, down from $2.090, Owner-occupied $4.252, down from $4.296, Other $9.106, down from $9.200; Special Education Fund: $1.35, down from $1.476; Capital Outlay Fund: $3, same as the previous year; Pension Fund: $0.30, same as the previous year. The entire budget can be viewed by clicking on this link: meade.k12.sd.us/offices/pdf_files/Budget%202014-15%20adopted.pdf Following a bell presentation to outgoing board member Juanita Harrington for her three years of service, the old board adjourned and the oath of office was administered to new board member Joe Urbaniak from Union Center, and incumbents Dennis Chowen and Courtney Mack, both of Sturgis. Acting as the new school board for 2014-15, a number of organizational items including election of officers were decided. Bob Burns of Piedmont, who is beginning his sixth year on the board, was re-elected president while Mack was re-elected vice president. Three changes were made to the previously adopted 2014-15 school calendar, as follows: •The dates of the February parent teacher conferences for the elementary schools are now Feb. 17 and 19, which now aligns with the end of the second trimester. •April 20 has been added as an additional inservice so that staff can attend the TIE Conference that day in Rapid City. There will be no school for students that day. •Make-up days for inclement weather will commence following the second snow day. Previously, make-up days were initiated following the third snow day. The updated calendar can be viewed here: meade.k12.sd.us/calendar/2014-2015%20School%20Calendar%20final%20version.pdf The board accepted an additional $100,000 grant from the state through its Future Fund to use for the high school’s career and technical education program. This money was added to $89,967 the district earlier received from the state for the purpose of expanding its manufacturing cluster classes at the high school by expanding the welding program and adding a machining course. The $100,000 money will help with the construction costs associated with building a facility in the Sturgis Industrial Park, which is where the high school machining class will be taught. Superintendent Don Kirkegaard told the board that he is working with the state to transfer that $100,000 to the Sturgis Economic Development Corporation. “Giving us the money makes things a little muddy since we are not building the facility,” said Kirkegaard. “We just need to figure out the best way to get that money to SEDC.” In other action, the board: •Met the owners of Harlow’s Bus Service to whom Einar and Gale Mortenson have sold the Sturgis Bus Company. •Set its salary at $75 per meeting plus mileage for committee meetings not held on regular board meeting nights. •Approved the hiring of teachers Tamera Miyasato, Sturgis Brown High School, and Dorothy Novak, Sturgis Williams Middle School, both effective the 2014-15 school year. •Approved the extra-curricular contracts of Haley Davenport, assistant middle school 7B volleyball coach, and Scott Lensegrav, assistant high school football coach. •Approved the hiring of Kimberly Smith, library paraprofessional, Sturgis Brown High School and Sturgis Williams Middle School, effective the 2014-15 school year; and Karen Bielefeldt, administrative assistant, Sturgis Brown High School, and Glenda Hildebrand, food service worker, Sturgis Williams Middle School, both effective Aug. 18. •Approved the resignations of Jennifer Linn, SWMS teacher, effective June 17 with liquidated damages of $200, and Jenna Blakeman, head administrative assistant, Special Services Department, effective July 7. •Contracted with Bruce Hubbard as school attorney, a position he has held since 1985. •Set Wednesday, Aug. 27, as a special school board meeting for the purposes of meeting with Dr. Rick Melmer, who will present an overview for the district’s strategic plan, and Toby Morris from the financial services firm of Dougherty Dawkins, who will present an overview of the district’s indebtedness. This meeting will be held at 4 p.m. in the board room of the Williams Administrative Building, Sturgis. •Heard a presentation from Sturgis City Manager Daniel Ainslie regarding the city’s request for land surrounding the high school. This included relocating the rodeo grounds from Ball Park Road to an area located east of the high school, and for land west of the high school for, in the long term, a housing development, and, in the short term, motor cross racing. The school board will take public comment about the city’s request at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12, in the lecture hall at Sturgis Brown High School. To learn more about the city’s land use study and development plans click here: sturgis-sd.gov/index.aspx?NID=631&ART=1868&ADMIN=1
Posted on: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 12:42:56 +0000
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