District proposes shifting volunteer metric to 'partners' tied to state college-and-career measure
Summary
District staff proposed moving the strategic plan's community pillar metric from counting volunteers to counting active community partners who provide capstone college‑and‑career experiences; presentation outlined three volunteer clearance levels and survey feedback from 17 principals.
Kit Vite, Director of Student Success, and Bobbie Jo Donovan, College & Career Manager, presented a review of the district’s volunteer and partnership work and a proposal to change the strategic metric from total volunteers to the number of active partners providing capstone experiences.
Vite explained the volunteer clearance tiers: “There are 3 levels of volunteers within Rapid City area schools.” Level 1 uses a Megan’s Law check for visitors under immediate supervision; Level 2 includes field‑trip chaperones and classroom helpers with more interaction; Level 3 requires FBI fingerprinting for mentors and overnight supervisors. Vite and Donovan said background checks are refreshed on multi‑year cycles and that principals identified three main volunteer needs: classroom support, event/activity support, and mentoring/community partnerships.
Donovan summarized college and career readiness changes the state plans for 2026 and why the district wants to measure partners: the state will align the report card’s college‑readiness measure around advanced endorsements and the career readiness measure around advanced career endorsements or capstone experiences. District staff reported 326 active partners today and proposed a goal of 333 partners by year‑end if the board adopts the measure.
Board questions focused on implementation: which school staff would manage volunteer placement, whether principals have bandwidth, and how district communications and a volunteer database would be used. Staff said most buildings already identify a point of contact who receives a weekly report of approved volunteers and that more training or communication can be provided to principals and teachers.
Next steps: Pillar champions will recommend the metric change at the board’s January strategic retreat; the board will have an opportunity for discussion and to request additional policy review if a formal policy change is required.
