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Huron School District board adopts agenda, approves consent agenda and library and wellness policies; schedules executive session
Summary
The Huron School District 02-2 Board of Education adopted the meeting agenda and approved a consent agenda that included personnel actions, construction and advertising agreements and the designation of a new official newspaper.
The Huron School District 02-2 Board of Education adopted the meeting agenda and approved a consent agenda that included personnel actions, facility and advertising agreements and the district’s recommended vendor for official legal notices.
Chairman Van Birkham opened the meeting by noting the agenda was adopted. “The agenda is adopted,” he said.
The consent agenda, approved by a single motion and second, covered routine minutes and financial items, staff changes, and several district contracts. The personnel items listed in the packet included new hires and substitutes (for example, Bin Pham, on-call interpreter and substitute teacher; Steven Martin and Bill Fisher, substitute route drivers; Nacrina Alden, food service staff) and four resignations. The consent package also included contracts and revised plus-15 hour agreements for a set of staff (Corey Weeks; Andrea Olsen; Megan Kaufman; Cameron Romig; Carissa Von Ai; Sierra Cheddar; Brittney McClanahan; Claire Gilbert; Samantha Blum). The board approved multiple multi-year advertising agreements for the Huron Arena and Tiger Stadium (Agtegra; American Family Insurance; Huron Regional Medical Center; Ace Realty; South Dakota Unclaimed Property) covering 2025–2030, and a construction agreement between Huron School District and the Greater Huron Development Corporation. The board also approved a consulting services agreement with Pawlowski Speech Therapy LLC.
Because the Huron Plainsman ceased publication the prior week, the board designated the Sanborn Weekly Journal as the district’s official newspaper for legal notices and district advertising.
On policy business the board took a bundled vote to adopt nine library-related policies (IIAB; IIAB-1; IIAB-2; IIAB-3; IIAB-4; IIAB-5; IIAB-6; IIAB-7; IIAB-8) on second reading. The board also approved an updated district wellness policy (Policy AE) on second reading and final approval. Several other personnel- and administration-related policies were introduced for first reading and will return at a future meeting.
The board approved resolutions setting district bus pickup points for outlying schools (Iroquois and Wolsey/Washington) for the 2025–26 school year.
Superintendent Dr. Steinhoff acknowledged community concern about the Plainsman closure and updated the board on federal funding. “It was shocking and disheartening,” Dr. Steinhoff said of the newspaper’s shutdown, and he reported that funds that had been frozen at the federal level have been unfrozen after engagement by South Dakota’s congressional delegation.
At the meeting’s close, board members voted to enter executive session under South Dakota Codified Law 1-25-2(4) to prepare for contract negotiations with employees or employee representatives; the board recessed to a private session and announced no further public action would occur immediately afterward.
Votes at a glance - Adopt agenda — motion moved and seconded; outcome: adopted. - Approve consent agenda (personnel actions, contracts, advertising agreements, designation of Sanborn Weekly Journal, consulting agreement with Pawlowski Speech Therapy LLC) — motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved. - Adopt library-related policies IIAB series (IIAB; IIAB-1; IIAB-2; IIAB-3; IIAB-4; IIAB-5; IIAB-6; IIAB-7; IIAB-8) — motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved (second reading). - Adopt Policy AE (district wellness policy) — motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved (second reading). - Approve bus pickup point resolutions (Iroquois and Wolsey/Washington) for 2025–26 school year — motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved. - Enter executive session under SDCL 1-25-2(4) (preparing for contract negotiations) — motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved (executive session).
Ending Board members said the approvals were routine and intended to keep the district’s operations on schedule for the school year. The board recessed into executive session on contract negotiations; no additional public actions were announced after the recess.
