Board passes school budget

Brenda Wade Schmidt
Enterprise

The Flandreau school board approved its 2019-20 budget, moved to ban smoking on school property and turned down a group of parents concerned about math scores at its most recent meeting.
The board passed a $5.41 million general fund budget for the upcoming school year compared with a $5.14 budget this past year. Some of the increases come in additional counseling services for students, an increase of $89,285. The district decided this past year that counseling services needed to expand to better serve students and the district.
The school’s capital outlay budget is $1.5 million compared with $1.49 million last year.

No smoking
The board also made its policy addressing adult smoking ban on school property stricter, banning smoking and any smoking-like products, such as vaping, on school grounds. The previous policy only banned smoking from buildings and vehicles.

If adults don’t want to adhere to the policy, they can leave an activity or walk across the street and smoke there, said Darren Hamilton, board member. Other members agreed that school grounds should be tobacco free.

Math scores
The board chose to take no action at the request of a group of parents who wanted the board to consider an advanced seventh grade math class or allow for online math classes for students who are interested in challenging themselves more.
The parent group, led by Kathy and Jason Heinemann, presented additional statistics that show that a high percentage of Flandreau students who attend South Dakota state universities end up taking remedial math classes because they are not prepared for entry level college math. Offering advanced math for seventh graders would help students get an earlier start on working toward higher level math classes, parents said.
“Our students going on to college are our best and brightest, but they need remedial work there,” Kathy Heinemann said. “More needs to be done sooner so they have more time to gain all the skills that we need. We need to be prepared when they leave here for whatever they want to do.”
Hamilton said he was hearing a lot of reasons why the district can’t change what it does to deliver math instruction. This was the second meeting in which the parents offered information on math scores and said they were willing to help work on the issue.
“We have a potential solution for a problem that a lot of people in this room don’t see as existing. I’m not sure all of us agree that our student math scores need improving. Do we have a problem?” Hamilton asked. “We think as a group of seven people who sit around this table that math and science scores aren’t where they should be.” He suggested that the district go to work and figure out how to improve.
But the idea for an advance math class or online classes failed for lack of a motion, and no alternative ideas were brought forward.
Board member Jamie Hemmer said she also thinks there is room for improvement but doesn’t like suggestions of adding advanced math instruction. She defers to teachers who say that instruction is differentiated within the classroom so that advanced students are pushed more and those who need additional help to learn important concepts are given that opportunity, too.
“When our teachers are saying differentiated instruction is best practice … they’re in there doing the work, not us,” she said. “They’re telling us their expertise; are we listening? I don’t think they’re not doing their job. Is there room for improvement? I’m not arguing that.”
In other business,
•The price of school breakfasts and lunches increased by a nickel. The price of breakfast will be $1.75 for students and $2.25 for adults. Lunch prices area $2.85 for students in grades K-5, $2.95 for grades 6-12, $3.70 for adults and $1.80 for an extra entre. Reduced lunch prices remain the same at $.40
•The board honored Hamilton for 12 years of service to the district. July 8 was his last meeting. Tammy Lunday and Kari Burggraff were sworn in as board members. This is Lunday’s first term on the board.
Tom Stenger was reelected board president, and Burggraff was elected vice president.
•The board approved the hire of Julie Haggar as the teacher for grades 4-8 at Pleasant Valley Colony. Interviews will start soon for the open middle school secretary position, and the district has yet to hire three paraprofessionals.
•Board members approved an increase in the meal reimbursements for students participating in state activity contests. They will receive $6 for breakfast and $10 for both lunch and dinner. This is an increase from $5 for each meal. Staff who accompany the students will receive $6 for breakfast, $14 for lunch and $20 for dinner.