Flandreau teachers will get a 2.75 percent increase in pay next year, along with a 1.5 percent bonus for returning staff.
The wage increase as part of the teacher contract was approved by the Flandreau School Board at its most recent meeting on May 10 and has been approved by the Flandreau Education Association. The board and teachers negotiate the contract each year.
Other details of the agreement are a $20 monthly increase in how much the district will pay toward health insurance and a 3 percent increase in the activity stipend for coaches, directors and other advisors.
The district will receive a 2.4 percent increase in state aid for the coming school year, which goes into the general fund and is not specifically linked to salaries. In addition, because of the pandemic, schools received some other state money, which is not an ongoing funding source, said Superintendent Rick Weber.
“That is where the bonus comes into play,” he said.

In other action,
•The school board voted 5-2 to implement a policy that specifies that a chair and the class flower will be displayed at graduation, along with a moment of silence, for anyone who has attended the Flandreau district and died before graduating.
The decision, which was favored by board members Jamie Hemmer, Kelly Kontz, Kevin Christenson, Tom Stenger and Brian Johnson and was opposed by Tammy Lunday and Kari Burggraff, went into effect immediately for this year’s graduation on May 15.
Toby Taylor, who died in 2019, was a member of the Class of 2021.
Discussions about the action was at times divisive, as people spoke against the policy, saying that different cultures should be consulted on what is appropriate.
Board member Burggraff questioned whether a policy is needed and instead the school could just have procedures in place for how the inclusion of a deceased student would be handled, she said. The district couldn’t find examples of other schools who have policies in place.

Proponents of the policy implementation were concerned that graduation remain a time of celebration for seniors and their families and not a time of memorializing someone.
Parent Becky Cramer, mother of Taylor, said she too wants the event to be a celebration for all. That is why she isn’t interested in a moment of silence for her son. But she would like to place a star quilt, cap and eagle feather on the chair set aside for her son. Instead, under the new district policy, there will be a chair with a cactus on it, which is the class flower chosen by seniors.
She urged board members to come up with a better, more encompassing policy and include things such as how a student is remembered in the yearbook, for example.
Other’s spoke in favor of honoring cultures and thinking of what is best for the community in the process of implementing a policy.
There is a need for cultural sensitivity, said Kathie Erdman Becker, a community member. “We are a very diverse community,” she said. “I also encourage doing the same for the deceased as we do for the living students, in spirit.”
The policy was drafted and presented at two previous meetings by the school’s counseling and mental health staff. They said they followed national guidelines as to what is appropriate to place on a chair in remembering a deceased student at graduation.
Parent Cynthia Johanson said Taylor was a direct descendent of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe. “We are often forgotten,” she said.
“I appreciate all the mental health staff and all they’re doing. However, I feel this is a little bit of a power struggle,” she said.
Kontz said students she has talked to want the day to be peaceful and are anxious about what will happen.
“The kids don’t want to speak out against it because they don’t want to hurt any feelings,” she said in support of the policy. “No matter what happens, the students are going to remember their classmates. They’re going to remember them for the rest of their life.”
•Kindergarten will have three sections, in addition to one classroom of about 10 junior kindergarten students, under board approval. Board members wanted to keep numbers in each classroom lower.
So far, about 50 students will be coming to kindergarten, and the district typically gets a few more enrolled as it gets closer to fall.
Students in junior kindergarten this year, which was the first year it was offered, showed growth, said Natasha Luchtenburg, kindergarten teacher. “They are so ready for kindergarten now. We are so excited.”
Other anticipated class sizes are 49 in first grade, 58 in second grade, 53 in third grade and 44 in fourth grade. The district plans for three sections of each grade.
•The board approved the purchase of several technology items, including replacing some computers, in advance of approving the overall budget, in order than equipment will be received in time for school.
Those items improved included Chromebooks for third, fifth and sixth grades, teacher computers, promethean boards and servers that total about $244,000. The district replaces some of the student computers every other year and teacher laptops about every fourth year.
 This year, the district increased the number of promethean boards it will buy because they are key in online learning and are able to be used in livestreaming, said Stacey VanBeek, finance officer. Extra money coming into the district because of COVID-19 will be used to purchase them.
“We would really like to get that in the hands of all staff,” she said.
In addition, the school will replace its interior lighting with LED lights, which will lead to eventual cost savings and will be a brighter light.
•Summer school will need about four elementary and four middle/high school teachers, based on the number of students who have been identified as needing the extra help. So far, 19 elementary, 15 middle school and nine high school students are on the list to attend, said Kristi Fischer, coordinator. The high school number could grow if more students need to complete online classes.
“We have several students who are EL (English Language Learner) students and a few students who are special needs students that we may need some para (paraprofessional) support as well,”
•Under school policy changes, coaches and fine arts directors will be able to use school vehicles for summer camp transportation, rather than having to rely on private vehicles. The school will have a list of approved drivers, and the cost is expected to be about $5,000, with the school covering the cost of gas.
 •Teacher resignations included Adam Anderson, grades 7-8 English and head golf coach; Trisha Hess, 7th grade reading and 8th grade ELA, and Jenny LeBrun, 5th-6th ELA and reading.
The board approved the following new hires: Brooke Pierson, 7-8 English and head golf coach; Sam Baier, elementary title teacher and head wrestling; Stephanie Nelson, high school math; Matt Knippling, business and technology; Amy Carroll, K-2 at Pleasant Valley Colony, and Robert Lack, junior high football coach.
Openings yet to be filled include the junior kindergarten teaching position, fifth-sixth and seventh-eighth English Language Learner reading teachers and an elementary-middle school special education teacher.