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Central High principal outlines shift to ACT, in-house GED and student supports
Summary
Aberdeen Central High School administrators told the school board they're switching to the ACT as the state assessment, will run a combined 'Testapalooza' day with pre-ACTs for underclassmen, launched an in-house GED program and secured a literacy grant while expanding internships and wellness efforts.
Aberdeen Central High School principal Dr. Ottermark told the Aberdeen School District 06-1 board on Oct. 14 that the district is switching from a South Dakota-specific assessment to the ACT as the state assessment and will concentrate resources to prepare students.
"I'm all in on this," Dr. Ottermark said, urging the board that the shift allows the district to "put all our eggs in one basket" and direct budget support to ACT preparation. He said the district will hold a "Testapalooza" day when juniors take the ACT and freshmen and sophomores take the pre-ACT at no cost to families, noting staff and students have shown buy-in.
The principal also announced the district's ability to run an in-house GED program after recent legislation changed how GED services are provided. Dr. Ottermark said the program will aid "super seniors" and students who have been enrolled more than four years, and credited Deb Henderson and the independent learning center in supporting those students. He clarified that GED recipients receive an equivalency but, per existing board policy, do not receive a traditional diploma or participate in the graduation ceremony.
Dr. Ottermark described several other initiatives: a new literacy grant that will form a literacy committee; a math curriculum review tied to forthcoming state assessment data; and expanded internships and community partnerships. He estimated roughly "50 or 60" internships per quarter, or about 200'to'250 internships annually, and said almost all seniors participate in some internship experience.
Safety, wellness and school culture were also central to the presentation. Ottermark described annual, team-based safety audits, realistic fire/tornado/intruder drills, and ongoing mental-health first-aid training for staff. He highlighted the SOAR program for daily student recognition and an "Eagle Squad" peer-mentoring group for freshmen that aims to improve transitions into high school.
On extracurriculars, he noted theater sound-system upgrades funded by district taxpayers and praised the debate team, which he said was ranked 16th nationally out of about 3,000 participating schools.
Board members asked about the long-term value of the ACT, citing some universities' temporary suspension of testing requirements after COVID. Dr. Ottermark replied some institutions have reinstated testing; he emphasized the ACT still plays a role for scholarship benchmarks and recommended continuing preparation. He also said the pre-ACT is not a state requirement and that families could opt out.
The board had no formal vote tied to these items at the meeting; the presentation was provided for information and to invite future discussion and implementation planning.
