Moody County Sheriff Troy Wellman will recommend a Flandreau City police officer be hired as the new school resource officer for the county.
Wellman will recommend Moody County Commissioners approve Gabriel Frias for the position at the commission meeting Tuesday. Results were unavailable before deadline.
Frias, who is a city officer, is good with kids and bilingual, two assets that caused Wellman to recommend him for the job. “He’s just a very good fit, all the way around.” Wellman said.
The county and the Flandreau School District have an agreement for the county to provide the officer after a relationship with the city broke down after several years. The school district pays 75 percent of the cost, and the county will pay 25 percent. The officer is on duty at the school when classes are in session and will work for the county the rest of the year.
The county had two applicants for the job. The officer is expected to be in place Nov. 1.
Both the school and the county will evaluate the officer quarterly for his performance, something that wasn’t done under the city contract.
“My goal is to make this program work not only for the students first and foremost but for the school and the county,” Wellman said.

In other school district business,
•District patrons spoke about the Pride Flag that is in one classroom, continuing complaints started last month. It is legal for the flag to be present.
“The only flags that belongs on the wall of the public school are the American flag and the South Dakota flag,” said Susan Schmidt. Who will decide whether other flags should be allowed?, she asked.
People will pull their children out of the Flandreau school over the issue, Schmidt said.
Cynthia Sheppard said she’s concerned that students are transferring out because that costs the district money and talent that should stay in Flandreau. “We’re losing students who are great students,” she said.
Seven students have left the district since the beginning of the school year.
Parent Serena Pederson said students don’t care about the Pride Flag. “I taught my kids to be open minded,” she said. “They just want school back to normal.”
Teacher Megan Severtson said there are new issues in school all the time.
“We have a number of issues in front of us that we’ve never faced before. These things are going to continue to come up in our classrooms,” she said.
“I ask for the community’s trust. I hope for healing in our community and our school.”
•Amy Carroll resigned as the kindergarten-first grade teacher at Pleasant Valley Colony.
•The Flandreau School Board received the gold level award from Associated School Boards of South Dakota, the highest level a board can achieve. The award considers participation in workshops and learning sessions.