School board recognizes Pick, swears in two members

The Tea Area School Board met July 8 with board member Conrad Pick wrapping up 12 years serving on the board.

Superintendent Jennifer Lowery and the board thanked him for his years of service.

Jason Bennett and Tara Johanneson were sworn in as board members for the 2024-25 school year. Student council rep Meredith Decker also joined the board. The board elected Bennett as board president and Kristen Daggett as vice president.

The board changed their meeting time to 5:30 p.m. Most meetings are the second Monday of the month with a handful of exceptions. The full school board meeting schedule can be found on the school website.

Board committee appointments include Chad Meyer to the TASK board, Jay Ryan and Bennett to the policy committee, Bennett and Daggett to equalization, Ryan to Sprouts board, Johanneson to library board, Daggett and Ryan to finance committee, Johanneson as the legislative representative, Daggett and Johanneson to continuous school improvement committee, Daggett and Meyer to the hall of fame committee and Bennett and Meyer, plus Pick to the facility/construction committee.

The board’s salary will remain at $60 per meeting.

They approved the school lunch rates at the same rate as last year. Elementary lunch rate is $2.85, middle school lunch at $3.05 and high school lunch at $3.15.Admission prices increased for the first time in many years from $3 to $4 for students in grades 6-12 and from $5 to $6 for adults.  

Senior citizens 65-years-old and older and students in K-5 who are accompanied by an adult get into activities free. Season passes for adults will be $80, students $40, adults 55-65 years old $40 and family passes are $150.

The board approved an increase of 4 percent for substitute pay. However, Lowery said the board might need to revisit the pay rate after they see what surrounding districts are doing.

They approved the resignations of Nik Andrews as custodian and Adam Schorzmann as high school social studies and head girls basketball.

The board approved the new hires of Jennifer Bertsch for seventh grade assistant volleyball, Taraina Brough for Ready to Start paraprofessional, Melinda Franklin for transportation, Kristy Kaiser for special education paraprofessional, Terri Knight as a  nurse, Katie Krieger as half-time special education teacher, Kara March for foodservice, Christina Svennes as assistant middle school track, Jolie Tostenson as high school special education paraprofessional and Matt Wagener as assistant seventh grade boys basketball.

Operations manager Wayne Larsen reported that the structural crew was putting up the structural steel for the balcony in the performing arts center. The roofer was to be back last week to work on two-story classroom section. The office area has walls going up. They are replacing the sidewalk on the south end of the project. They are working on an in and out approach in the southwest corner of the parking lot. He noted that there will be two entrances on the south side of the high school parking lot. Buses will not be going in front of the high school but will go around on the east and north side of the building.

The board approved the consolidated application that is part of the district’s annual plan for Title and federal funding. They also approved the special education comprehensive plan that is also available for review on the school website. The board also approved the emergency plan. This is a protected document that the board reviews annually in executive session.

They approved the Head Start lease at $9,010 for the year for two classrooms in the District Education Center. 

The board approved an increase of the musical instrument rental fee from $40 to $80 per year. The increase was needed to pay for annual cleanings and repairs.

Since the South Dakota High School Activities Association election ended in a tie, they need to hold a runoff election. The board approved casting a vote for Mark Naugle.

The board held the first reading of the following policies due to various laws going into effect July 1: Policy KG (changes the beverage sponsor to be generic), Policy IIBG (some law changes on computers and networks), Policy IIA (instructional materials), Policy IIAC (library materials), Policy GCB (adding the word qualifications for professional staff), Policy JFCJ (delete and replace with Policy AF), Policy AF (adopt the exact policy for ASBSD on not allowing enhanced concealed carriers to have firearms on campus), Policy DK (payment procedure), Policy GCDB (criminal background checks), Policy DN and Policy DLC. The updates to the policies align with recommendations from ASBSD.

The board approved the second reading of Policy AE, the wellness policy. Lowery did not hear any feedback on the policy.

They approved the conflicts of interest for Jason Bennett, whose daughter works for TASK, and Chad Meyer, whose wife substitutes for the district and works for Pride Neon for which he will not vote on anything regarding the company.

The board approved their annual list of designations.

They adjourned at 6:17 p.m.