Superintendent Larson updated the Brandon Valley School District 49-2 board on construction, communications to families, calendar dates and a special-education review.

Larson said both construction projects continue to progress and the district is aiming to have them fully enclosed by late December or early January. He said the district is preparing parent communications about third-grade students who may choose to remain at their current attendance center; families must notify the district by a Jan. 31 deadline for that option. Larson clarified that the third-grade stay is not an open-enrollment transfer and that siblings who seek transfer would need to apply through open enrollment and are not guaranteed placement.

He noted that furniture for the new school will be bid next month with an anticipated budget near $1,000,000, and that early-childhood equipment may come from existing sites or be included in that spending. Larson also referenced transportation impacts from Minnehaha County’s tentative Highway 42 Bridge schedule — county documents, he said, project bidding in late 2026 and construction beginning in 2027 with a possible two-year closure that could affect east-west travel; the superintendent said the district drew boundary lines to avoid routing students across that closure when possible.

Larson reminded the board that free and reduced-price meal applications remain open throughout the school year and reviewed upcoming academic-calendar dates, including a two-hour early dismissal on Dec. 23 and winter break through Jan. 4, with school resuming Jan. 4. He said the administration will present an initial academic calendar for next year in January and may take action at the board’s second meeting that month.

On special education, Larson said the district recently completed an exit review during which reviewers "glowed about the quality of work" by district administrators, teachers and principals and described the overall review as very positive while acknowledging room for improvement.

Board members asked questions about the expected impact of the Highway 42 closure on elementary schools; Larson said he anticipated minimal impact for elementary routes and explained boundary-planning choices aimed at minimizing travel across the closure.

The board received the update and asked no formal follow-up motions during this portion of the meeting.