HURON — Huron School Board held its regular meeting Monday evening.

School Board President Garret Bischoff gave an update on the Huron School District Foundation, noting that close to $50,000 donated so far to the foundation. Bischoff’s personal goal is to raise $100,000.

Future plans are for a golf tournament to be held Sept. 16 during homecoming week, and to connect with reunion staff to make sure they all have information on the foundation. School Board members will visit businesses about the foundation, as well.

Supt. Dr. Kraig Steinhoff congratulated Tim Hedblom (fifth grade teacher at the Washington 4-5 Center and head boys’ tennis coach) for being named the South Dakota High School Tennis Coach of the Year by the SDHS Coaches Association.  

He also thanked the staff, students, interns and community partners for a successful ESL Summer School.

Steinhoff presented the annual report on bulling in the district.  “We encountered 33 alleged incidents in the 2022-2023 school year, with 10 of those allegations being founded,” Steinhoff said. “The previous school year there were 56 allegations, with 38 of those founded, and the 20-21 school year held 20 allegations with nine of those founded.”

Steinhoff added the average number of allegations in the last five years was 51 and the average number of founded bullying incidents was 16.

“The District will continue its commitment to maintaining a constructive, safe and bullying-free school climate that is conducive to all students’ educational opportunities and which fosters an environment in which all students are treated with respect and dignity,” said Steinhoff.

HHS Principal Mike Radke said over the last year he has been asked why music classes are not included in the GPA, and he wants to eliminate any controversy with kids that aren’t able to attend the concerts. Radke said it would be best to bring them back in line with ESD going forward.

Business Manager Kelly Christopherson said there is an $88,117.20, increase in the track contract, and detailed the changes made.

“The high jump pads on each end of the field behind the goal post were excluded from the project because they were completed in 2016 and are not the same age as the track, which was built in 2006,” Christopherson said.

Instead of replacing these high jump pads, they are planning an in-between fix, utilizing a structural spray that will look brand new and last as long as the new rubber going on the track.

The front area of Tiger Stadium, where there is pink granite rock, will be replaced with concrete.

Those two changed portions of the project will cost $43,000 combined.

“Once they brought the road grader and scrapped off all the rubber surface of the existing track, you could see exactly what damage we had,” Christopherson said. “There were more cracks and more damage than we thought, so they have to adjust the contract another $41,000 to get all the repairs made, and to waterproof around the track for $3,800, which was not in the contract.”

Christopherson said the district is saving money on the tennis court project change order of $122,644.

“With the tennis courts, they are saving money,” he said. “What they thought were cast iron water mains were PVC. If it was cast iron they would have to relocate it, but since they don’t have to, it saves more money.”

In other action, the Board:
• Set its annual on-line surplus auction for July 31-Aug. 15, through Meyer Auction Service.
• Approved two new hires.
• Approved one resignation
• Approved a request by the Chamber & Visitors Bureau to use a school bus for city-wide transportation during the S.D. State Fair Aug. 31-Sept. 4. The Chamber will provide proof of insurance as well as driver’s fee and fuel.
• Approved the 2023-24 budget as submitted.