Rapid City schools propose junior kindergarten, virtual elementary and new behavior programs at Kibben-Custer; board gives interim support

Rapid City Area School District 51-4 administrators on Tuesday presented a package of elementary initiatives — expanding junior kindergarten, launching a blended virtual elementary school, and creating two district-run behavior-focused classrooms (a TEACH program for students on the autism spectrum and a behavior-reset classroom) — and proposed using the empty Kibben‑Custer facility to house the options.

District administrators said the presentation was informational; trustees voted to support the administration in further developing the proposals and to return to the board with detailed costs and staffing requests for formal approval.

Why it matters: District leaders said the programs respond to rising developmental and behavioral needs among young children after the pandemic, capacity limits at existing elementary sites, and demand from families seeking alternatives to a traditional classroom. If adopted, the district would add staff and retrofit Kibben‑Custer to serve preschool, junior kindergarten and small, specialized classrooms.

What administrators presented - Junior kindergarten: The district is piloting junior kindergarten this year at General Beadle, South Park and Valley View. Presenters said junior kindergarten serves children who meet kindergarten age criteria but need more time to develop academic and social skills; classes are taught to kindergarten-ready outcomes and require a state waiver so the extra year does not count against district graduation-year student‑count rules. Principals reported midyear gains in letter knowledge, number identification and social‑emotional skills for students in the pilot. At General Beadle, a principal said 12 students remained in the class and several showed substantial gains in letters and numbers; South Park reported 18 students and similar midyear improvements; Valley View reported 16 students with many meeting end‑of‑year junior‑k benchmarks.

- Kibben‑Custer facility use: Administrators proposed moving two preschool sections (currently at Rapid Valley and Pinedale) into classrooms 10 and 11 at Kibben‑Custer and operating the virtual elementary school, a behavior‑reset classroom and a TEACH classroom for autistic learners in other rooms. The district plans enclosed small playgrounds adjacent to classroom groupings and some minor facility upgrades because the building is currently unused.

- Staffing and costs: The administration’s preliminary staffing estimate for the suite of proposals included four general‑education elementary teachers, two special‑education teachers, an assistant principal (to work under Meadowbrook’s administrator), clerical support and related‑services staff. Administrators said they are working with Mr. Sasse on budget scoping and will present specific numbers to finance and then the full board. A license for the district’s chosen online learning system (the elementary variant of Edgenuity) was estimated at roughly $40,000 for an initial cohort of up to 40 students; administrators said final per‑student costs would scale with enrollment.

- Virtual elementary school: Presenters described a blended model combining online curriculum and regular, scheduled face‑to‑face instruction. Initial staffing would include two certified teachers with multi‑grade classes (roughly 20 students per teacher), administrative support and clerical coverage. The program would enroll Meadowbrook students initially and open to district families via general open‑enrollment procedures; families will be required to meet attendance expectations and some in‑building sessions will be mandatory for early‑grade reading and state testing. Administrators said virtual students would use the district’s online learning platform and district devices; families without reliable home internet may be considered for district hot‑spots or other supports.

- TEACH classroom and behavior‑reset classroom: The district proposed a TEACH structured‑teaching classroom for students with more significant autism spectrum needs — a small, highly visual program with low staff‑to‑student ratios (one teacher plus multiple paraprofessionals) designed to teach communication and self‑care skills. Separately, administrators proposed a behavior‑reset (sometimes called a “reset” or positive behavior classroom) for students with persistent disruptive behaviors; models under consideration included Boys Town and Safe & Civil Schools. Administrators said both models include staff training components and are intended as Tier‑3 supports (beyond universal and targeted interventions) with the goal of teaching skills, then returning students to their home classrooms when appropriate.

Board action and next steps: After the presentations, a trustee moved that the board “support the administration in the programming that they presented tonight” and directed staff to return with detailed staffing and cost estimates. The motion passed in a unanimous roll call vote (5–0).

Quotes from the meeting: Florence Thompson, a public commenter, introduced herself as “president of South Dakota Parents Involved in Education” and urged attention to kindergarten readiness. Dr. Strasser, the district presenter, described the Kibben‑Custer plan: “So the preschool programs are existing. … The virtual elementary school is for any student. It can be students within our district. It can be students not currently in our district.” Beth Duwache and Meadowbrook administrator Miss Hogancamp described the virtual school vision: “We envision our virtual elementary school being a blended model, which just means that students will have a combination of face‑to‑face instruction as well as online learning.”

What was not decided tonight: The board’s vote was limited to supporting continued development and directing staff to return with budget numbers and formal proposals. No contracts, budget appropriations or final facility authorization were approved; administrators said those decisions would return to the board for formal votes after finance committee review.

Community context and next milestones: Administrators said the district must secure or rely on an existing junior‑k waiver from the South Dakota Department of Education that allows a district to count students under the state’s student‑count rules. They also said staffing availability (teachers and paraprofessionals) and final budget approval are the principal constraints. The district expects to advertise programs and begin open registration in spring, with staffing and orientation steps through summer if the board approves final budgets.

Votes at a glance - Motion: “Support the administration in the programming that they presented tonight and bring back detailed staffing and budget information for formal approval.” Outcome: approved, roll call vote 5–0 (Troy Carr: yes; Jamie Clapham: yes; Christine Stephenson: yes; Donna Moore: yes; Katie Urban: yes).

Ending note: Administrators characterized the package as a multi‑year effort that could be phased in by need and capacity; trustees asked staff to return with more detailed budget and implementation plans before any committed spending or facility projects proceed.