001and call the March 9th Aberian School Board meeting to order. We will begin with the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Aaron Schultz here. >> Mr. Brad Wilson. >> Mr. Brian Short >> presum Murphy >> here. >> All right. Next is good news items. >> Yes, we do have a lot of good news tonight. Here's our first one. Uh our educator rising group, as you know, uh are individuals who are interested in going into the teaching profession. Uh they recently had their state conference and we have some national qualifiers here to talk about their experience at state and what's next for
002them. >> Yeah. So uh Macy, go first. >> Okay. I'm Macy. I went to the state for the lesson plan and delivery for kindergarten class. And uh it was my first year competing, so I was really nervous. I didn't really know what I was doing. But it turns out apparently I did really good at qualify for nationals. So, I'm going to do some extra critiques for my lesson plan to get a better score than I did at state. >> All right. Um, I'm Shaye and I went to state with a lesson plan delivery, a bulletin board, >> and also one other thing, >> educators moment. Um, I placed with all three of my competitions. The one I'm going to nationals for is my lesson plan and delivery. Um, and it was my first year, so
003I was kind of surprised that I got something with all three of my things, but I am also going to do some critiques to it since I did forgive some things and make it better. >> What was your lesson plan about? >> Um, my lesson plan was over like math in second grade. So, I've shadowed Miss Ericson's class at OMC and then we did some bingo and all that kind of stuff and then like some review games and all that. >> Did you say you did a lesson plan, too? Um, I did like counting and sorting with the kindergarten. I went to a kindergarten class with Mrs. Becca at Mayo May Overby. So, I had them like do some guessing. Like I got plastic cups and gummy bears and I put like a handful in
004there and then I had them guess how many were in there. Then I had them count and then put them in 10 frames and then I added some more. So, they're working on their 10 frames and then they're adding and adding and subtracting. Put the gummy bears and then they got to eat them. Um, my name is Brick and I did a book for prek to or kinder I think it was prek to kindergarten age and it was basically a book about how like there's no such thing as boy and girl colors and like if girls want to play with boys then like and if boys want to play with girls then it shouldn't be frowned upon basically. And then I also like incorporated that um that you can like play with any kind of
005toys you want. Just kind of like that there's really no such thing as boy and girl toys. And I guess yeah, and I guess I did good enough to qualify for nationals, but I had to like draw all the pictures in it. And that was definitely very hard. >> My name is Emily and I competed with my partner Callie. She's not here today, but we competed with an interactive bulletin board and it was intended for third graders learning their times tables and it was Wizard of Oz themed. So, paying homage to Aberdine and I'm in show choir, too. And I'm sure some of you know that show choir is doing Wizard of Oz, so it's kind of fun. And yeah. >> Have you been to Simmons Elementary this year? >> Um, I have not. >>
006The whole school is themed Wizard of Oz this year, so you'll have to take your activity over there and interact. >> That would be a great idea. Connect with the third grade. Uh we have one more. Olivia Arinold um is not able to be here because of other commitments. She qualified in job interview. So she had to make a resume and a cover letter and then interview like she was getting her first teaching job and so she also qualified for nationals in that. >> Where where is nationals this year? Can you kind of just walk us through what that looks like? >> Portland, Oregon. So they will fly out of um Aberdeene and head to Portland. Um the first day is typically a travel day just because there are about 10,000 students that end up
007going there. Um conventionwise we are at a convention center. They have breakout sessions and um the competitions going simultaneously so that way students who aren't going to a competition can go and get um early professional development. They have presenters from all over the nation present on all different topics of education. Um there is also a college fair there. So they have a whole bunch of colleges that come and set up booths and you can pick up all their goodies and talk to people um um about re being recruited, what they offer um instate, out of state tuition differences. And so they really get the professional development that we as educators are expected to do um kind of already instilled into what their conferences are looking like. So this is an expectation then they know that
008it's part of um we have there's two keynote speakers and one of them is the US teacher of the year um and typically someone from the DOE um that had to shift this year so they haven't really announced that second speaker uh so um one of the nights they do a lip-sync battle and so last year we actually had members part of the lipsync battle um they do a karaoke after that So they are en enjoying each other's company, schools against schools, states against states. They do a pin trading. So the girls can buy pins for in South Dakota pins and then they'll trade them with other states. Um and so by the time their lanyards are just heavy with these really cool pins, the best one I think last year was a Tabasco pin.
009Um and then um on the last day we have breakfast and they announce all the awards of the nationals. So they'll list like the top 10 in no particular order and then they'll flash on the screen the national winner. Um, it's a very high energy because everyone is so excited. And if you've ever been somewhere that everyone believes in the same thing, it's just super powerful for the the students that go, I mean, we're only taking girls this year, but um, it's super powerful just because all of these people all have the same goal is to work with kids in one shape or another, and they get to see all these other people that have that same passion for them. Um, typically there is one day like from noon on they have to tabulate the
010results. So they let them go then tour the city and do something um as on your own type of deal. So it'll be a really exciting experience and they will get um a wealth of information, a lot of great connections and they will start their teaching journey. Understanding professional development is a really positive powerful thing. >> End of June. Is that when you go? >> Yes. Uh middle of June. middle of June this year. It usually is at the end, but it was shifted. >> Um, how many students do you have in Educators Rising now? >> Um, I think the last time I checked my roster was 25. >> Wow. >> Yeah, we've grown a lot this year. >> It's only been two or three years, right? >> Um, this will be our fourth year
011going to nationals. Our first year we only sent one person um competing and one with us. Um, the next year we had 10. Um, I don't remember how many we took last year. It was >> five. Yeah, five. Five or seven, I was going to say. And then this year we have the five qualifier or the six qualifiers. Yeah. So, our program's really growing. I'm so I'm so proud of these girls because um with this I literally was like, "Here are the requirements." And they did it all. Um, I think I proof read Rayley's book and I laminated some stuff for Emily, but otherwise like they took it and ran with it like a true teacher would in the classroom. >> That's great. I love how you're going into the classrooms, you know, to see
012real kids and kind of see if it works or not. Yeah. >> Yeah. We have I um I always have our educators rising students have one shadow day, so it doesn't matter. um they can shadow for a full day or they could do like two part days um and then they they have to have some expectations to be able to go into that but just by being in the club I want to make sure that they do get those in the classroom experiences. >> That's good. >> I do believe that becoming a teacher is a calling >> and you have experienced already by your enthusiasm with this that there's a calling for you to come this direction. You get to make a momentary difference in a student's life that will impact them forever. And like
013I said, 60% of our teachers come from a 60 mile radius of our community. I hope you will come back and consider it when you get your degree. >> That's true. >> Congratulations on all the success. Keep it up. Let us know how you did. distracting traffic, I think. >> Hello. >> Hi there. How are you? >> Good. >> Is this where you want me to stand? >> Yes. This is our next good >> Pretty formal for me. >> Yeah. Wrestling champion and coach Bowden tonight. >> Yeah. I'm Donnie Bowen, the head wrestling coach of this Owen Ward, state champion for 190 for us this year. And he's a good kid, great student, works really hard. Um, if you watch the match, that's kind of explains Owen to a T. He just keeps after it,
014keeps after it, keeps after it. Even when it looks like it's not going to be there, then eventually it works out for him. So, I mean, he he's a kid. Once he puts his mind to something, he's going to get it done. He's going to find a way. Awesome. >> Owen, I would love to hear your version of how it played out. Um, I just knew I had to get some points. Just one. >> Yeah. Like a lot of them. >> Start with a few and then just work from there. And then all of a sudden I'm tied up. So every time I just had to just had to go first. Just had to go get it. >> Did you have a go-to move in overtime to win it? >> Uh, yeah. I got a
015shot that I practice a lot, you know, just kind of my bread and butter, something I've hit a thousand times. So, that's just where I went. >> What did coach Bowden say to you at the end of the second period? I'd like to know that conversation. >> It was good. He looked at me and I looked at him and we knew what we had to do. So, I got dinner. >> I really felt too out of it. So, just kind of knew I had to start start somewhere and go get some. >> You could see the other kid fading. I mean, wrestling, it's kind of hard if you're not a wrestling person to see that body language and that kind of stuff. And we knew if we made it gritty that he was going to
016have a chance. So, we did. >> You were down seven points. Largest gap. Was that it? >> 10 to one. Nine points. >> Is that the largest deficit you've ever come back from? >> I think so. Yeah. Good one to do it on. It's a good time. >> Did you feel the excitement of the crowd when you started to come back? >> Uh yeah. As soon as I had him on his back, I heard the whole place get pretty loud. So had him in trouble. >> The superintendent was fading as well. You almost gave me a heart attack. Thank you. I was um watching intently at home and I thought, "What are we going to do here?" And then we go to overtime and it didn't take very long. So >> that got quite a
017few. >> I bet. >> Can you tell us a little about about your time in the the wrestling program and any suggestions you'd give for some of the younger kids? >> Uh it's been awesome. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Uh just that we're so close the group and whatnot. All wrestling since we've been just young, stuck together. And then coming up through high school, it's been good. Uh, all the teammates I've had. It's a really good room. Good coaches, good everything. Support system. So, yeah, it's been awesome. >> When did you start wrestling? How old were you, do you think? >> I think I was four. >> So, you were really little. >> Yeah. >> Oh gosh. >> Yeah. I've been wrestling for a long time. >> You got plans for next year
018then? >> Win another one. THERE YOU GO. I LIKE the >> Well, congratulations and exciting match and help continue to put uh central wrestling on the map. So, >> also congratulations to your team. >> Oh, nice. >> Yep. Thank you. Nice. Another good year. So, good. >> OKAY. >> CONGRATULATIONS. THE NEXT GOOD NEWS ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS one that we've announced previously, but just wanted to acknowledge. Uh Nicole Olsen was named the South Dakota Special Education Director of the Year last Wednesday at their state conference. Uh I just really can't say enough great things about Nicole. Um it was a pleasure to put this together. I think I had 10 recommendation letters from staff and probably could have collected many many many more. But uh all the individuals that um made statements about Nicole
019talked about her passion for kids uh her ability um to be in classrooms and to be very authentic in what she does. Uh I will tell you from my perspective, she is the absolute best plan B person I've ever worked with. Uh she has a problem and a solution always at the same time that it's ever easy. She is a fantastic problem solver. So, thank you very much. Uh, but can Nicole, >> um, I it was quite a surprise to be nominated for that and last week was a pretty exciting week. I had um very important plans coming home on Wednesday from the conference because my first grandchild was supposed to be born and he decided to show up on Monday instead. So, I had to wait until Wednesday to go see him. A little
020bit of a difficult couple of days for that, but he's great. Um, it was really a nice surprise to have uh the staff and Dr. Goffin and whoever else. There were lots of people that I read um letters for. I'm glad that they didn't read all of the the nice things that were said about me. I don't really like to be in front of people anyway, and I really didn't want them, but it was very nice. Um, I love working for the district. I've always loved the kids, and I don't think that special uh special education often gets enough recognition because we're always thinking about how to solve little problems. But the kids that I work for have as many good things that they can do as well. They just don't always get awards for
021it. So, I'm glad that that I can represent them and hopefully they can find more positive things to that come from their education. >> Awesome. Congratulations. >> YES. >> All right. Good stuff. Uh we have the agenda in front of us. I'd ask for a motion for approval. >> I'll second. them. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Same sign. >> Persons wishing to address the board. >> Board remarks. Seeing none, we'll move on to the approval of the minutes from February 9th and 23rd. >> Motion by Burkard. Second by Murphy. Any further discussion related to the minutes? See? None. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> Post. Same sign. Uh we do have the consent agenda. Would anyone wish to have anything pull from the consent agenda?
022Seeing not ask for a motion for approval. I'll >> move to motion by Dr. Bortnham. Second by Beckus. Any further discussion related to the consent agenda? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> Oppos. Same sign. >> Thank you. Reports of the superintendent. Dr. Guffin. >> Thank you. The first item on the agenda tonight is the Simmons Elementary report. Principal Almond is working with Josh. >> I brought a whole crew with me. >> I see that. And she has a whole crew with her. So, here they come. >> Now, you'd much rather listen to them than me. That's right. Come on, guys. Good evening. I'm Kim. I'm the principal of Simmons Elementary. And tonight, we're going to talk about three programs that we have implemented this year that are going very
023well for us. We wanted to share them with the board. Uh the first is sore to read. Last year um Mrs. Call took a group of us to another school district to look at their walk to read program and this was an intervention program to help children with their phonetic skills. We were very impressed. So we brought it back and we implemented it in several schools this year. It's a daily 30-minute intervention group. We we are doing a kindergarten through 2 grade but next year we are moving up to kindergarten through third grade because it's gone so well for us. It addresses skill gaps or it provides practice and it also is an upper group for our students who are excelling to give them a little bit of a challenge. We use our NWA maps
024assessment a phonics survey that the district developed and classroom data. Students are placed in their appropriate group. Uh we are very fortunate with what the the scheduling that we did. We have seven different groups that they can go into from from very basic skills to the advanced. And then we meet as groups every six weeks, meet as a team every six weeks to discuss where the students are at, who we think needs to move up, who we think may need a little more help in another area. And uh that has proved to be very successful for us. Our students are doing skills at this point in the year that they haven't made in the past. So it's working very well. We're using the UFly curriculum for this and and it is very well liked by
025our staff. Very easy to use since we're using we are also using educational assistance for some of our groups and we are very excited to continue it next year and expand it. Then the next thing that I would like to talk about is we started a Spanish club this year. I had staff come to me and ask if they could start a Spanish club. So I said well I need a proposal. They went back came up with a very professional looking proposal. the permission slips, everything that was needed sent it home and we very surprisingly had 80 students sign up. We didn't we expected maybe um 10 80 was a lot. So four staff members are volunteering their time. Two times a month they stay after for an hour and do basic Spanish with the
026kids. I've been able to help a couple times. It's a lot of fun. Students are very excited to get to go to Spanish club. And we have some Spanish club members with us tonight that would like to speak with you. These two young gentlemen, this is Odin Lamberts and Fletcher Howard. They are both first graders. This is um Izzy Brick. She is one of the the teachers who volunteers her time to do the lesson planning, set up all the activities for them. So there's something that they would like to say to the group, right? Come here. Come here. They have been practicing diligently. Ready, Odin? Do you want to tell them something that you like about Spanish club? Go for it. >> Espanol. I mean, >> I'll put in there. Um, espanol and Simmons >>
027and then Fletcher. Do you want to go ahead? E >> very nice. >> What's one thing you like about Spanish club? >> Um games and like the like speaking Spanish. >> Yeah. What what do you like about Spanish club? >> The games. Um I if you're ever free on a Tuesday afternoon, come on over and see it. It's a lot of fun. It's very loud. I can sometimes hear it in the office. The games and the songs and all the things that they are doing, but they are learning a lot. Uh the other program that we implemented this year was number ninjas. Last year it was implemented at home. Tiffany was a big success. So we wanted to try it. We opened it to third, fourth, and fifth graders. They meet three times a month
028working on several different math skills. Two competitions. We still have one coming up. They love their first competition. And then as far as the math challenge, I'm going to let them talk about. I also have some people from number ninjas. We have uh Taylor Weiser who's one of our number ninja teachers and Amanda Hudson. And then we have two students, Dominic Bulman and Eden Vorhees that they are going to present you with a math challenge tonight. We're going to see how well your brains are going to work for us tonight. Uh, do you want to talk about the pictures that you put on? Just maybe explain some of them. >> So, every week when we meet, um, we take a picture of them getting their new belts. So, they get to test for a new
029belt every week. They'll talk a little bit more about that. I don't want to take your guys' stuff away. Um, and then some of the other pictures are from um some different games that we play in the classroom. We try to teach a little bit of a lesson and then they play a game to help have fun with it. and third, fourth, and fifth graders work together to with their skills. So, it's just kind of fun to see how different grade levels can work together on advanced skills. Um, and then some of these other pictures are from when they are at their competitions and they have individual competitions and group competitions and they just have a little bit fun. I'll let you guys finish. Go for it. Number ninjas is a place where students meet
030after school and we talk about math. Um, how you get your belts is you get like a 30 to 25 questions multiplication problems in like 2 minutes and if you get them all right then you get an award. Uh, so we do scavenger hunts in number ninjas. We also learn about pendas and algebra and decimals. Um what the competition looks like is you get to get out of school and go to um a school and compete like on iPads and you get asked certain questions. >> There's also individual testing and group testing. Um, what I like about number ninjas is getting out of school and going to the competitions. Uh, I like the feeling when I rank up in my belt. >> Now you guys are going to do math. >> Yeah, you can. Yeah.
031Okay. So, here, just to give you a little preview of what you are getting on the paper, this is the problem that we're going to have you work. >> Okay. Hey, Dominic, come sit by me. >> After you do it, then they're going to give you their answer and then they will walk you through it. Not that you would need help. I'm sure you wouldn't. >> Okay, we're supposed to start now. Yes. Go right ahead. Okay. We won't make anyone share out loud. Eyes on your own PAPER flipped his over. >> You didn't even write mental math. I destroyed you. >> Remember the or the teachers. It look like they're all done. Shoot. >> Murphy. YEAH. >> You're the one. >> There's no history answers here. History teacher. Is that right? E M >> first
032you mind the parentheses. >> Yes, it is >> that problem first. >> Then you do your exponents. >> Then uh you do >> I transposed it >> vision. Then do your final addition. >> Okay. >> Then uh did you get 93 as your answer? >> Close. >> Should we still? >> I didn't even get to the end. >> They wanted to make you guys honorary number ninjas. So they have >> What's the bottom? Um you know Oh, where's your band? >> I don't know if you're IN YOUR BAND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU so much. >> It's going to be fun. Oh, that's so sweet. >> I've helped with the Spanish club. I've not helped with number ninja. >> That's really great. Any questions for any of these programs or any of these awesome teachers we
033brought with us? >> I just keep thinking of the teachers that are get volunteering to stay after school and there's kids that want to stay to learn. Well, Spanish would be kind of cool. >> They were very excited. But math. >> Everyone has their fortune. >> We b them with snacks. >> And I've heard they get snacks. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> That's an important component. >> Yes. I >> I would like to hear more about the games that they play. Like what kind of games can I play to learn Spanish? >> I actually made them. So I just I just edited um a board game. So when we we the first meeting we talked about numbers. So we practiced like 0 through 20 and then I just put different numbers in Spanish words and they
034got a little cheat sheet so that it could help them kind of do it independently and there were some spots that it said the instruction in English. So it would say like go back spaces. So then they had to figure out what was set to be able to go back and then like jump. There was one that they had to sing oo. So then they you just hear random oo. They're all just edited ones that I've just created myself off of like using templates from Canva. So, I have copies if YOU WANT TO SEE. >> THE night that u Mrs. Howard and I taught the class, we played head, shoulders, knees, and toes, the Spanish version, and then we played Mrs. Almond says instead of Simon says, touching different parts of your body. So, we
035had a lot of fun. >> Yeah. >> You speak Spanish at home and then your family doesn't know what you're saying. Would be would be a fun game. Oh my gosh. >> Thank you so much for sharing your time and all your talents. It's pretty incredible. >> For sure. >> You did a great job. Thank you very much. >> Thank you so much. >> We are collecting our answers. >> You take that problem home and quiz yourself. >> All right. Seeing no further business in front of this board, I'd ask for a motion for adjournment. Move by Sharp, second by Beccas. All those in favor?