Superintendent reports: audit, state report card, enrollment and calendar timelines

Superintendent Larson told the board the FY25 audit was conducted Sept. 16–17 and characterized the result as a “good clean audit,” noting district finance staff prepared the reports and that finalization awaits pending federal guidance. Larson also said the district’s annual report to the South Dakota Department of Education has been filed and accepted.

Larson said the state will publicly release the South Dakota report cards on Oct. 24 and that the district plans a state-of-the-schools address in November after the data are released. Current enrollment is 5,213 students in junior kindergarten through 12th grade, an increase of 82 students compared with the previous year; Larson noted enrollment has fluctuated slightly with about 10 fewer students than a couple of weeks earlier.

On the academic calendar, Larson said parent–teacher conferences are scheduled for Oct. 6 (elementary and high school) and Oct. 7 (intermediate and middle school). The district will observe a comp day on Oct. 10 and Native American Day as an in-service day on Oct. 13. Veterans Day will be observed Nov. 11. The district is developing the 2026–27 calendar and expects to present an initial draft at the board’s first meeting in January with formal adoption at the second meeting.

Larson also said she, President Olam and Vice President Odie will work in a small group on election-law matters but that they are awaiting additional guidance from the state and from professional organizations before bringing recommendations to the board.

Board members did not record questions that changed the substance of these updates; the superintendent said staffing and budget projections are expected to be manageable given the enrollment figures.