Cell silencing approved

On July 1 the Hill City School District Board  of Education (HCSB) approved all the handbook changes it had discussed at its June meeting. 

These included the cell phone policy which now reads, “Cellular phones, telecommunication devices, and portable digital media devices are: 1. To remain powered-off and inoperable during the academic school day or when their use is otherwise prohibited by school personnel. 2. Not to be visible during the academic day. 3. Staff may direct students to use cell phones/electronic devices if there is an academic component to its use.

The district will use its discipline matrix to address infractions of the policy. This gives administration the right to issue in-school suspension for infractions. Superintendent Blake Gardner says he had “really good conversations” with principal Todd Satter and coach Joe Noyes. 

“We probably don’t wanna keep cell phones overnight,” Gardner said, adding administration may take the phone for the day and then give it back at the end of the day. Gardner thinks acknowledgement and consent to the handbook and policy is a “hold harmless” for phones that are in administration possession.

Member Carmen Ronish asked about smart phone connectivity to watches and Gardner says it’s an issue the district is seeing at the elementary school level. He noted that students are “smart enough to get around” almost any policy created. Member Rob Timm wondered if the policy now sets teachers up as the “phone police.” He is also concerned the issue will keep coming up. Gardner, though, says that teachers are “excited” to have a policy and sees cell phones  as “another distraction.”

The district will work on educating parents and students about the policy and will send out a separate mailer to students’ homes.

Member Tim Grabow says that “parents need to be involved so we can enforce every rule in our handbook” with HCSB’s new president Eric Lind saying, “we’ll do our part.” 

Lind was unanimously voted the new board president with Ronish voted in as vice president. Gardner honored outgoing member Angie Ross for her nine years of service on the board calling Ross loyal to the district.

“It was appreciated that I knew exactly where Angie stood on issues,” Gardner said.

Ross took the friend of education award Gardner presented her with and said “it’s been an honor. This is the  best district in South Dakota and I let people know that, period.”

New member Jake Rapp was sworn onto the board.

The district received only one bid for propane for the 2024-25 school year. That bid came from Nelson’s which offered  $1.94/ gallon at  the time of delivery. Timm asked what the district options were noting that the bid was about double what the district paid last year and over what he paid for his personal tank fill recently. 

Gardner said August is the last month the district can accept bids and was also concerned that the bid, which was sealed, was now disclosed.  

“Now the cat is out of the bag as  to what that bid was. Is that an unfair advantage?” he asked. 

Ronish wanted to know why other companies didn’t bid the fuel, while other members wanted to know if the district could solicit bids. Business manager Cassandra Ott suggested the board reject the bid versus tabling the matter, which they ultimately agreed to. 

The district will again ask for bids from propane suppliers.

The board approved a request to hire another paraprofessional based on special education enrollment numbers.

It also approved an  EMC insurance bid for property, casualty and liability and a workers compensation proposal from Western Dakota Insurors.

“Our rates are really good for the workers comp here,” Gardner said.

Gardner said the roofing project is ahead of schedule and that “our facilities look fantastic.”

“Mr. Schmidt and his team have really done a good job,” he said.

He said the middle school got new tread on its concrete stairs.

“They basically had to custom cut every stair,” he said.

The board spent the rest of the meeting assigning members to committees and discussing its 37-point annual business list which includes various pay rates, student meal prices and faculty travel reimbursements.

Gardner asked the board to make decisions in the best interest of the children.

“You never know when the decisions you make will impact kids down the road,” Gardner said.

The HCSB meets again Aug 12. at 6 p.m.