In Touch A quarterly publication of Meade School District November-December 2012 January 2013 Volume 9, Issue 2 www.meade.k12.sd.us Bad weather protocols ...Page 2 This Old School House ...Page 4 Winter music programs ...Page 5 No hunting near high school Hunting will no longer be allowed on the land surrounding Sturgis Scooper yard signs for sale Brown High School as a result of recent action by the Meade School ...Page 9 Board. “Evidently hunting has taken place for a long time on our property at the high school campus,” said Superintendent Don ‘Fools’ to be presented Kirkegaard, who is beginning his second year as superintendent. “It ...Page 10 is my understanding that the majority is archery hunting, but there is also shotgun hunting of deer. All school lands must be a weapons free zone according to federal law,” he said. Dakota STEP results School Business Manager Brett Burditt pointed out that the land ...Pages 16-17 surrounding the high school is Meade School District property, not School and Public Lands property. The 495.2 acres of land was FFA fruit sale deeded to the school district in 1968 by the U.S. Department of ...Page 19 Health, Education and Welfare. “Our insurance company said we probably never should have been allowing it in the first place, and that we need to change it 2012-13 school calendar immediately,” Kirkegaard said. “This is not a reaction based on inap- ...Page 19 propriate action by the bow hunters; it just isn’t prudent to have a hunting facility adjacent to the high school.” “To Build Knowledge and Skills for Success Today and Tomorrow” School closings and inclement weather Any closure of district schools, list, delivering a short recorded reminded that because the school altering of bus routes or early dis- message from the superintendent. district encompasses more than missals due to hazardous weather When weather conditions are 3,100 square miles, weather con- or other emergencies that threat- threatening or marginal, the ditions may vary from school to en the health or safety of students superintendent and bus contractor school. Because of the intercon- and district staff will be decided by are in constant communication. nected nature of the Meade Meade Superintendent Don School District bus routes, it is Kirkegaard. Parents and Guardians impossible to cancel or dismiss Notification of this action will classes on a school-by-school be submitted to radio stations Call your child’s school to make basis; rather, this must be done on KBHB (810 AM), KOTA (1380 sure your contact information a district basis. AM), KAT (98.7 FM), FOX (100.3 including phone number and Technology allows the moni- FM), KIMM (1150 AM), KKMK email is up-to-date. toring of weather conditions and (93.9 FM), KKLS (920 AM), KRCS the gathering of current data (93.1 FM), KSQY (95.1 FM), KIQK regarding forecasts. But no (104.1 FM) KTOQ (1340 AM), If school is closed during the amount of technology or weather KDDX (101.1 FM), KZZI (95.9 day and buses can't run, parents condition analysis applied to the FM), KDSJ (980 AM); and televi- are responsible for arranging to district at large can take the place sion stations KOTA, KEVN, KNBN get their children home. Meade of parents who wish to exercise and KELO. District officials suggest that par- their own judgment at these Cancellation and closure infor- ents make prior arrangements for times. mation will be posted on the bad weather days, which includes If parents wish to keep a child Meade School District website. To discussing the arrangement in home or to have a child dismissed access that, click on the link: advance with their children and early, it is within their right to do www.meade.k12.sd.us/parent/cancellations.htm the school. so. Under those circumstances, This information will also be Parents and patrons are the absence would be excused. disseminated to parents through the parent notification phone serv- ice SchoolReach. This service will Annual report is now available simultaneously call all the phone The sixth issue of the Meade School District Annual Report is numbers in the district's contact now available. This report to the public is a compilation of informa- tion from the 2011-2012 school year, and represents a comprehen- sive look at the district from the many perspectives that represent the In Touch educational process in the Meade School District. Kristine Hubbard, editor Contents range from activities, achievement and attendance Meade School District 46-1 information to finances, facilities and food service facts. Included are 1230 Douglas Street the Dakota STEP results and accountability report. Sturgis, S.D. 57785 The annual report is available at libraries in Piedmont, Sturgis, Phone: 605.347.2523 Whitewood and Union Center, and at the Meade County Toll-free: 1.877.522.6251 Courthouse, all district schools and area real estate offices, to list just a few locations. Questions or comments about the contents of this newsletter The annual report can also be found on the district website. To should be directed to the editor. access that, click on the following link. www.meade.k12.sd.us/offices/communications.htm 2 In Touch November-December 2012, January 2013 District enrollment up by more than 120 For the second year in a row, year and because of the increase Sturgis Williams Middle School Meade School District enrollment at Sturgis Elementary and for a total of 485 in grades six, is up. This year's official count is Piedmont Valley Elementary, an seven and eight. 2583 - 122 more students than additional kindergarten teacher The official enrollment for the last year. was hired at each site. rural schools is 89, an increase of "This increase is very positive The largest increase in enroll- 10, while Whitewood's enrollment information," said Superintendent ment is at Sturgis Elementary where of 114 in kindergarten through Don Kirkegaard. "We couldn't there are 57 more students than last sixth grade is six more than last ask for anything better." At a per- year for an enrollment of 718 in year. student allocation of $4,491, this kindergarten through fifth grade. Sturgis Brown High School increase equates into almost Piedmont Valley Elementary has 20 fewer students for an $550,000 more in state aid. has 35 more students for an enrollment of 672. Kirkegaard pointed out that enrollment of 493 in kindergarten The official enrollment also the kindergarten numbers are up through sixth grade. Twenty-two includes 12 out-of-district stu- significantly from the previous more students are enrolled at dents. TDaP booster shot clinic is Nov. 15 at SWMS A TDap booster shot clinic for to wane at 11-12 years of age, a infants. "Because whooping cough Sturgis Williams Middle School booster dose is recommended. is highly contagious and spreads students will be held from 2-4 Colleen Winter, director of easily in the school setting,” Winter p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, at the health and medical services for said, “immunizing the older age school. TDap stands for tetanus, the South Dakota Department of group also helps decrease the diphtheria and pertussis (whoop- Health, said the booster does pro- likelihood of outbreaks." ing cough). The booster is provid- tect middle school students from The consent forms are locat- ed free from the South Dakota the disease and increases the ring ed on the Meade School District Department of Health. of protection around vulnerable website www.meade.k12.sd.us. According to health officials, whooping cough cases are on the rise. In South Dakota, reported Holiday soup supper is Dec. 9 cases are up 87 percent over the five-year median, with 56 cases The 20th annual Music Booster Club-sponsored Holiday Soup reported as of Oct. 3. Pertussis Supper and Music Festival will be held from 4-7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, causes uncontrollable coughing, at Grunwald Auditorium in Sturgis. rib fractures, pneumonia, loss of Menu items include choice of three difference soups served in a consciousness and even death. warm bread bowl, fresh vegetables, beverage and dessert. Musical The Department of Health entertainment will be provided by members of the choirs and bands also provides free pertussis vac- at the high school and middle school as well as the drum line and jazz cine for children, with doses rec- band from the high school ommended at 2 months, 4 Tickets are $7 each and may be purchased at the door, from any months, 6 months, 15-18 months, middle or high school music student, or by calling Sturgis Williams and 4-6 years. Children need the Middle School at 347-5232 or Sturgis Brown High School at 347-2686. complete series to be fully pro- Proceeds go toward music education, trips and scholarships for tected. Because immunity begins students in Meade School District. November-December 2012, January 2013 In Touch 3 This Old School House June 10, 2002, property that will be offered for sale. would include a specific measure- meeting of the The administration and Old ment. The original motion carried. Meade School Piedmont School Committee mem- District 46-1: bers will consider adding covenants Nov. 12, 2002 meeting: Piedmont to the condition of the sale. The business manager report- School Committee: Chairperson Motion by [Rod] Martens, sec- ed that the auction of the Old [Dennis] Thuringer reported that onded by [Carl] Wahl, and carried Piedmont School and property the platting of the Old Piedmont to declare the Old Piedmont was successful. Phillip Anderson School property has been com- School building and one acre of of Piedmont was the successful pleted and that it will be presented land as surplus.