Teacher chosen as new Flandreau elementary principal

School board gets first look at 2019-20 general budget

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The new elementary principal for next year comes from within the current teaching staff at the Flandreau school.
The school board on April 8 approved the hiring of Justin Kelm to replace Jay Swatek, who is leaving to become a principal at the Tea Area School District. Kelm teaches fifth and sixth grade social studies and is assistant boys’ basketball coach and assistant golf coach.
Kelm, who has been in the Flandreau School District for five years, said he has been given multiple opportunities to lead while with the district and that has helped with his goal of becoming a principal.
“I have always enjoyed teaching students to see their growth as a person, and I want to take the next step to lead my peers,” he said. “My wife and kids have been part of the school for the past two years, and this opportunity will allow us to stay in a school that has become part of us.” His wife is the Elementrary Music instructor.
The board also got its first look at next year’s general budget. The upcoming school year general budget is expected to be $5.12 million compared with this year’s $5.14 million. Taxes and state aid will increase slightly, but the district will spend less cash and will transfer less from its capital outlay fund.
The district also will spend less on its principal and business management positions, including a reduction for early retirement money paid out this year. More expenses are anticipated with an additional guidance counselor approved for the elementary. While all teachers have been given contracts, the negotiations over pay are not finalized.
In other school business,
•The board approved the hiring of an elementary counselor. In an expansion of the counseling staff this year by adding a behavior specialist/school psychologist, the time left to spend on elementary counseling is negligible, staff said. The elementary counselor was moved to the high school guidance position.
“I can’t even intervene with all of the behaviors that are happening,” said Kali Ahlers, behavior specialist and school psychologist. “If we could add that extra person, that would be huge for our students.”

The school identified these areas that are being neglected because of a lack of mental health staff.
--Five identified social skills group counseling needed at the elementary.
--Several students identified as needing individual counseling.
--Middle and high school behavior support and individual plans that aren’t getting enough attention by the behavior specialist.
--Lack of staff training to de-escalate and intervene with students in crisis.
--Five identified skills groups at the middle and high school that are needed.
--More than 30 high school students in need of attendance and tardy interventions.
--Counseling lessons at the middle school get cancelled when staff are pulled away for a crisis.
The board unanimously approved the position.
•Flandreau has 218 students this school year that count toward federal impact aid money, which replaces money lost in local property taxes when a school district has federal land in its area. The district gets money for children who live on tribal land, special education children who live on tribal land and students whose parents work for the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, the Royal River Casino or the Flandreau Indian School.
The student count is 31 percent of the district’s population, but that does not mean that Native American children make up 31 percent of the district because other races can be included if they meet the criteria. In addition, some Native children may not be counted if they live off reservation land and don’t have a parent who works for one of the qualifying employers.
While the amount if different each year, the district should get $303,000 for the current school year. Except for any money designated for special education, the money goes in the district’s general budget.
•No one has expressed interest in an open school board position being vacated by Darren Hamilton. The board will take letters of interest from district residents through April 26 so that a new board member could be potentially chosen at the May board meeting. Letters of interest can be sent to Weber.
The position is for one year.
•Students raised nearly $4,600 for Jump Rope for Heart. Elementary students participated through their physical education classes.
•The board accepted the resignations of Josh Christiansen as high school and middle school ag, FFA and assistant boys’ basketball coach; Brittany Hutt as a second-grade teacher and junior high volleyball coach; Jake Otkin as middle school science, golf coach and assistant football coach; and Cassandra Peterson as middle school language arts and reading.
New hires that were approved include Mazie Elrod as a third-grade teacher; Dalton Hannasch as high school Spanish and assistant football coach; Paula Wortham as a second-grade teacher; and Janet Jorgenson for high school chemistry and physics.