Board talks cell phones

The Hill City School Board  (HCSB) discussed  the student handbook at its June 10 meeting. There was no action taken on the matter.  Superintendent Blake Gardner tasked principals and teachers with reviewing the handbook policy regarding cell phones specifically.

Staff can direct students to use cell phones if “there is an academic component to its use.” Otherwise phones are to be powered off and not visible during the academic school day.

“That discretion maybe reigns in cell phone use not primary to academics,” Gardner said.

President Carmen Ronish asked about enforcement of the policy and Gardner was unsure of the consequences. He referred to a “three strike rule” in place when he was middle school principal, with a warning, phone confiscated for the day and ultimately having a parent picking it up. 

Both member Rob Timm and Vice President Angie Ross felt that a separate letter to parents explaining the cell phone policy would be helpful. 

“This needs to be a little more clarified,” says Timm.

Ronish wanted to know how to handle parents who want their children to have their phones. Ross said, “they can argue all they want. If they signed the handbook, that’s what the rules are.”

The board recognized the track and golf team as part of the good news of the evening.

“We had a very good spring season,” said Gardner, who felt like “our student athletes represented our school and our community in a really positive way. Our 4x800 was the state champs. It was awesome.”

Gardner praised the Hill City Ranger golf team for its 6th place title at state. 

“Those older boys Adolf (Tyler) and Leo (Daiss)  will be seniors,” said Coach Josh Daiss. “They brought that golf team a long way from where it was when they were in middle school and they were the only two boys on the golf team.” Daiss was in person at the meeting to share his pride in “the way we represented Hill City.” He said the boys were all working and could not attend the meeting but were the “ones that deserve the recognition.”

“Quite a process,” said Hill City School District business Manager Cassandra Ott about the preliminary budget.

Ott explained the district is going to dip into its savings for special education and is overspending the  food service fund “by design.”

There is also “a lot of spending that’s gonna happen from insurance money.” 

Roof money, for example, was received this year, but a good portion of it will be spent next year.

“This is her first go around with the school budget. I think she did a wonderful job,” said Gardner praising Ott.

Member Todd Grabow says educating the public more about the budget still needs to be done. 

“I think some community members think we’re leaving  state money on the table by not taking, per se, our maximum amount, which is not the case,” grabow said. “We’re actually leaving some money probably in taxpayers’ pockets.”

The roofing project is moving along and “may be even slightly ahead” of schedule according to Gardner who spoke with the representative from Black Hills Roofing.  

“The turf looks great next to the Gins [Gym],” Gardner says and is hopeful “by the end of summer we will knock off two pieces of turf,” referring to a “slice” near Railroad Ave.

The Board approved a 60-month copier lease with Century Business Products for $1,438.81.

“They’ve had our lease for the past eight years. I think they gave us a heck of a deal,” said Ott about the contract which has gone up very little over that time. 

The district will get new copy machines that are expected to last five years.

 The special education comprehensive plan was approved with no discussion. No substantial changes were made from last year.

The board gave Gardner permission to submit the Consolidated Application to the Department of Education. The application awards the district money, including Rural Education Academic Programming (REAP) funds. The money is a reimbursement for funds already spent.

“It is a really good chunk of money,” says Gardner, who says the amount has gone down slightly but is still “pretty consistent.”

The board awarded the 23-24 audit to Ketel-Thorstenson. Member Eric Lind says he was contacted by a Ketel representative and called them proactive.

The board also approved Arch Inc’s proposal to complete the facility master plan.

Timm says, “I think this is a great idea,” getting a third party to give a true analysis critical to any future decisions.

Arch Inc. is very aggressive; they called this their “dream job,”  said Gardner.

Discussion about several legislative bills took place. SB203 permits an individual 21 and older who has an enhanced concealed carry permit to possess a weapon on school grounds. 

Gardner wants the district to follow the advice of Association of School Boards of South Dakota (ASBSD) lawyers and not grant permission for enhanced concealed carry permit holders to possess firearms on school grounds. 

Gardner explains the way the law is written the burden as to who had final say of who can carry would fall on the principal, saying, “Even law enforcement said they didn’t like this law.”

SB212 allows payment of goods/services by a district between meetings. Ott explained this is usually referring to utility bills.

Gardner says he likes that this is in writing and “now our practice reflects our policy,” he said.

These policy updates will be action items next month.

The HCSB meets again July 1 at 6 pm. Note this is the first Monday of the month and is a change for this month only.