BROOKINGS – The Brookings School Board recognized staff and teachers at its May 9 meeting and started planning for future work in the classroom and on school buildings.
B.E.S.T. Award
Superintendent Klint Willert presented a Bobcats Exhibiting Success and Triumph (B.E.S.T.) Award to the special education staff members from Dakota Prairie Elementary.
“March 7-11 was Disability Awareness Week, and during that week, Josie Sauer and her crew gave opportunities for learners to experience what it might feel like to have a visual, hearing, physical or learning disability by setting up six different stations,” Willert said. “Some of the comments overheard from learners were, ‘I can’t do it,’ ‘this is hard,’ ‘I am frustrated.’ Opportunity was given to feel empathy and experience situations that mirror some of their peers. These stations took planning, time, energy and heart along with coordination and support from the entire school as well as volunteers from the community.”
Members of the special education staff include Sauer, Tonya Gaalswyk, Ashley Krogmann, Lana Longville, Lynsey Magnus, Rhona Mullen, Jennifer Volkers and Kendra Pearson.
DeBates honored
School board member Deb DeBates was honored by the South Dakota State University College of Education and Human Sciences. Willert was invited to the outstanding alumni luncheon where DeBates was recognized for her contributions to SDSU.
“It was great to be able to support Deb as she was recognized for her work and contributions in the community, including the Brookings School District, by SDSU,” Willert wrote in his board report.
Competency-based education
The district is a planning a move to competency-based education in the coming years. In light of this, the district has secured Richard DeLorenzo, author and an internationally known leader in education, to present to staff on personalized competency-based education during the last week of school. DeLorenzo will present information to staff and answer any questions or concerns related to competency-based education.
“We are hoping to use this time to provide information, answer questions and share perspectives about personalized competency-based education,” Willert wrote. “This should be a good launching point for our efforts.”
DeLorenzo was the superintendent of Alaska’s Chugach School District when they became the first K-12 school in the U.S. to move from a time-based system to a performance-based system “in which student must meet performance targets rather than earn credits to graduate.”
His work in Alaska helped the district win the National Malcom Baldrige Award for education in 2001. The award is the greatest recognition of quality in the U.S. DeLorenzo subsequently wrote a book about his experiences.
McDonald’s McTeacher of the Month
Medary’s special education teacher, Mackenzie Siegling, was recognized as this month’s McDonald’s McTeacher of the Month. With her award, Siegling will receive a check for $100 and a certificate for free coffee once a week for an entire year.
“We couldn’t agree more with the Merriam family on their submission to recognize Mrs. Siegling for all the work and support she provides for the learners in her room,” wrote Medary Principal Chris Gruenhagen in his board report.
New principals
In “the Personnel Report” attached to the school board agenda, the board was notified that Shannon Smith had been offered a contract to replace current Hillcrest Principal Brad Olinger, who is leaving his position.
Also in the report, it was noted that Kevin Lein, principal at Camelot Intermediate School, has posted notice of resignation, effective at the end of this school year. The district will now have to undergo another search for a new principal.
Workforce grant
The district was successful in obtaining a $150,000 Workforce Education Grant, Brookings High School Principal Paul von Fischer announced in his board report. The grant will be used to improve the health science programs at the high school and middle school. With the grant, the district will purchase several, lifelike manikins and will modernize many of the tools and larger pieces of medical equipment, like beds and lifts, needed for classes.
“We were informed of our successful 2022 Workforce Ed Grant in mid-April. Once again, having solid relationships with CTE connected community partners is the key to writing a successful grant,” von Fischer wrote. “Special thanks to those who wrote letters of support for this year’s Workforce Ed Grant: Brookings Health System, Lake Area Technical College, United Living Community, Avera Medical Group and Edgewood Healthcare.”
Hillcrest and Medary project
Architecture Incorporated, the firm that was responsible for the feasibility study and building analysis for the Hillcrest and Medary Elementary School projects, has been contracted for the preliminary phase services for the same project.
The contract states the firm will be paid $18,000 for its services, which includes conducting meetings with “stakeholders to include school staff, school administration, the school board facility committee and school board members to gather pre-design information. Architects will also attend up to four public meetings to explain the scope of the projects and gather public information.”
The firm was payed $50,000 for its services with the feasibility study and building analysis.
The district is currently in the process of choosing a construction manager at-risk for the projects. Willert announced the district will hold a special school board meeting on May 31 to conduct interviews.
The bond election, in which Brookings School District voters will get to decide if they want to fund the project, is scheduled for June 7.
“I have been actively communicating information about the upcoming bond election on June 7. I have presented at all schools, and I am slated to attend a number of community groups and civic organizations along with some community members to answer questions and inform voters about the upcoming election,” Willert wrote in his report. “The district has prepared an information newsletter we are planning to send out to postal patrons to inform them about the election.”
The next school board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at the Brookings Country Club, but that meeting is scheduled as a workshop. The next regular school board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. June 21 in the Dakota Prairie Community Room.
Contact Addison DeHaven at adehaven@brookingsregister.com.
