High school staff at a Todd County School District 66-1 board meeting reported enrollment and program updates, improved student behavior and security changes intended to reduce incidents and boost attendance.

The high school presenter said the high school had 438 students and 76 staff members and reported student attendance near 79 percent as the first quarter ended. "Our members of the high school for students are 438. Our staff, we have 76 staff members, including administration, counselors, and security, custodians, and teachers," the presenter said. The presenter described homecoming as well attended and said more than 50 floats participated in the parade.

District officials said behavior referrals are down significantly compared with the same point last year after a summer behavior audit and targeted interventions. The presenter said referrals have fallen from 94 at this point last year to 52 this year, a 44.7 percent reduction. "We did a behavior audit ... we met with the students by grade level at the beginning of the school year, presented the data and said, we need this to change," the presenter said, describing monthly monitoring by a newly created behavior threat assessment team.

The school described security changes coming from a 36-page building threat assessment carried out in July by Brett Garland, the state school safety director. Staff said the report recommended low-cost fixes — for example, consolidating visitor entry points — and that the district has implemented one-point entry, locked some gates, and routed visitors through the front with metal detection. "He came in in July. He did what's called a building threat assessment. He walked through our building, and he listed everything that he thought needed improvement on the safety end," the presenter said.

Administrators also highlighted career-technical programs: work with Black Hills State University to offer three dual-credit classes, contacts with SGU (an earlier dual-credit partner) to restore credits at semester end, expansion of welding opportunities with SGU instructor Jay Herman, and an ongoing student-built electric car project. The presenter said five students were enrolled in welding and that the electric vehicle construction was progressing. "We went to Black Hill State, and we've got 3 classes for Black Hill State," the presenter said.

School leaders linked improvements in student behavior to increased staff visibility, more after-school clubs and student engagement efforts. They said greater safety and belonging have a positive effect on attendance and classroom climate.

Board members asked follow-up questions about how the attendance percentage was calculated and whether enrollment had changed; staff said final attendance numbers for the quarter would be correlated with grades and that current enrollment was about the same as last year.

The district did not provide a timetable or cost estimates for larger security projects mentioned in the threat assessment. School officials said some recommended changes were low-cost and already implemented; others may require further planning.

The board heard the report during the schools section of the meeting; no formal action or vote was taken on these items.