Board discusses home school bill

A discussion on the impacts Senate Bill 177 would have on the district took center stage at the most recent Hill City School board meeting.

School board member Rob Timm explained the bill as follows, “It’s going to create havoc with regard to allowing home school students to participate in all extracurricular activities without local district oversight. Also creates inequities between the public school students and the home school students as all testing requirements and instructional oversight are removed. It permits home school students to be eligible for activities without any local academic standards. It simply allows any parent or guardian to declare ‘hey, this student is a home school student’ and they are eligible to participate, period, end of story.”

While the bill aims to level the playing field, so to speak, fears are that it will actually have the opposite effect.

Board member Angie Ross echoed Timm’s concerns from the viewpoint of the ASBSD (Associated School Boards of South Dakota).

“Out of the bills the home school one was the one that they had the biggest problems with because it takes away local control. …The worst part about it is that the kids who go to school have to meet our standards and our standards are quite high. That’s why we have the test scores that we do, but this bill is basically opening it up for other bills to come down the line saying they (home school) can come in and have free access which is dangerous,” she said.

District superintendent Blake Gardner explained that currently different districts require different parameters for home school students to be eligible for after school activities. “We’ve said we require two academic classes because if you’re wearing our name across your jersey we want you to have some accountability,” he said.

Other towns, like Custer, do not have this requirement so this bill aims to offer consistency “across the board.” Gardner made it clear he has no problem with home school education but felt the bill opens “a major can of worms” for individuals who may try to circumnavigate academic ineligibility by claiming they are home schooled for a period of time.

“We already have issues with attendance and people who, when they reach that mark of missing days, they magically home school,” said Ross who called the bill “ pro parent.”

Board members wondered if the district has a right to create more stringent policies than the state requires, as it does for certain things like graduation requirements.

The board also expressed concern for the large number of participants in two of its spring sports, track and golf. Preliminary numbers show 55 track students.

Nine high school and eight middle school students are interested in golf. In the past the district hasn’t let middle schoolers golf. Ross wanted to make sure the district gets to a place where they are “straight across the board” in terms of  “if we’re gonna offer it then we offer it.”

Ross made clear she was not dictating policy but rather offering activities director Wade Ginsbach the opportunity to figure things out. Ross also expressed concerns over the number of coaches for track.

“Fifty-five kids, that’s a lot of kids for three coaches,” she said.

School resource officer Marcus Isakson aired concerns that “quite a few things happen to our students at track meets due to lack of supervision” including incidents with drugs and alcohol.

The board reiterated its commitment to allow administrators to do their job and not dictate policy on this matter.

The district is working on reducing electrical including conducting a lighting survey. A long-term plan to get new football stadium LED lights has been discussed with Black Hills Energy.

Members of the wrestling team were present at the meeting to be recognized by the board for their winning season.

This was the most wrestlers Hill City has ever had at the state tournament. It was also the most wins the school has ever had. The wrestlers and coaching staff thanked the board for their support and for administration coming to meets.

“Sitting down with the kids. That shows a lot of support right there. Just for them to know there are a lot of big guys watching that supporting them,” said coach Nick Ferguson.

Two food service management companies have contacted Gardner about serving meals for the 2021 school year.  Gardner is optimistic the district will get a proposal by the March 16 deadline at which time a committee will be formed to review options.

Gardner also reported only one current COVID-19 case in the district and expressed his gratitude to the board for their support of in-person learning.

Elementary school principal Samantha Weaver applauded the Literacy Walk, in which 56 families were directed to various businesses throughout town via clues.

Many of the same dual credit courses at the high school will be offered by Western Dakota Tech next year. While books will be free to students for the 2021-22 school year that may change in future years.

The district may qualify for as much as $250,000 in SR2 money due to COVID-19 relief.

Facility use agreements for both the Run for the Rangers and the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church were approved by the board.

The board approved the hiring of Lisa Starr for the 2021 school year. Starr has 16 years teaching experience and is certified to teach multiple subjects including AP calculus and AP literature.

The next Hill City School Board meeting is April 12 at 6 p.m.