001order. 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. Brad Olsen, >> present. >> Mr. Brian Sharp, >> present. >> Mr. Eron Schultz, >> here. >> Mr. Darren Beckus, >> present. >> Dr. Gail Bortnham, >> here. >> Mr. Kevin Burkhart. >> Mr. Mark Murphy >> here. >> All right, we have the agenda in front of us. I'd ask for a motion for approval. >> So moved. >> Motion by Bortnham, second by Sharpen. >> Or was it Olson? I'm sorry. Doesn't >> matter. My glasses. I can't see them. All right. Uh, all those in favor signify by saying I. I. >>
002Same. >> Persons wishing to address the board. >> Nobody. Board remarks. Any remarks from the board tonight. All right. Uh, moving on. We have approval of minutes from January 12th and 26, 2026. So move. >> Motion on the floor by Sharp. Second. Second by Beckus. Any further discussion related to those minutes? See none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. I. >> Same sign. >> We have a consent agenda. Does anyone wish to have anything pulled from the tonight's consent agenda for further discussion? Seeing none, I'd ask for a motion for approval. So moved. >> Motion by Olsson, second by Beckus. Any further discussion related to the consent agenda? Just want to make a note here that uh there's a number of retirees that are listed here. um hundred of years, well
003over hundreds of years of service uh to the Aberdine School District. So, we want to say thank you uh to them and it's always a bittersweet uh uh day with the school board when we see this going, but uh it also brings opportunities for new uh staff in our system. So, thank you very much for your service to the Aberine public school district. All those in favor of tonight's consent agenda signify by saying I. >> I sign. >> Thank you. report to superintendent Dr. >> Thank you. The first item on the agenda tonight is our district counselor's report. We have two of our esteemed counselors with us this evening. We have Simmons Middle School counselor Angel Samson and CC Lee counselor or guest counselor Anita Nielsen. Looks like Anita's going to start. >> Welcome. >>
004My partner left me. >> Join me. >> Your choice. It's all about choice. >> Yeah. We are here today to to let you know a little bit about what's been happening and going on uh with our program going up. Uh we greatly appreciate working with uh DSS, our school resource officers, uh Marine Star, Olsen, Klein, and Kernan uh Northeast Mental Health Center, LSS Mentoring, along with many of our private practice clinicians, Salvation Army. Uh thank you to you for your continued support and help with our students. Uh we also want to thank local businesses who donate many items for our students uh for such as food, our winter gear and just general donations and time for different student activities and events. Um the addition of the special ed counselors has greatly helped with case loads
005I think at at every great level. So we're very appreciative of their support and their help along the way. And all of these collaborations are part of what makes our team here in Aberdine effective. And we continue to support each other and the community of Aberdine. At the elementary level, we continue to focus on the mental health of our students. Uh we support them in any way that we can inside and outside of school. Whether that's weekly classroom lessons with topics such as kindness, conflict resolution, bullying, school safety, personal safety, and career exploration. Short-term individual services to students either in a one-on-one setting or small group settings. Communication between other outside counselors, uh, teachers and administrators has benefited us in keeping connected with each other, uh, for the best interest of our students. Uh we
006enjoy supporting schoolwide activities um such as the Red Ribbon Week, our homecoming festivities um and just last week the National School Counseling Week. Uh the elementary students are excited when Central High School and older students also come down to us and present lessons or help us out with activities. Um and it's also a way for us to engage with other organizations and ask for speakers and presenters to come in um as well. We continue to work on family engagement, getting our families involved with their school uh pretty soon here, which I can't believe is already coming. Uh but middle school transition activities starting in April will be in full swing. Uh getting our fifth grade ready to move either to Simmons or Holgate. Uh Lutheran Social Services has provided some mentoring um adults for students
007um within our community. Uh we continue to be active participants in our student assistance teams locating and finding out what needs of students there might be as well as our student needs team. Uh and we connect with students with a weekly backsax too provided by the Salvation Army and at the middle level. So, a lot of the things that the school counselors provide are provided in the at the elementary level, at the middle school level, and at the high school level. Um, so some of this stuff will be a little repetitive. Um, so of course we continue to work with the classroom teachers, with our administrators, with all the other faculty to try to put together plans that will best benefit the students and get them closer to their goals. Um, just supporting them however
008we can. at the at both middle schools, we do our web leader training, the welcome everybody at the beginning of the year. So, we train a large group of our eighth graders to um kind of lead the day. Um and then the sixth graders come in before school starts and they provide an orientation day for them. Uh the at SMS we are in our fourth year of um a group called the golden crew which kind of builds off of the golden hour principle that the high school adopted a few years back. Um just trying to kind of give back to the school community and increase that positive climate for all students so all students feel included. Um doing different activities with our achieve classroom. Um, the Golden Member crew, the Golden Crew has really enjoyed
009that. We work with our elementary counselors to do our fifth grade visit days at both middle schools. And both middle schools do go to the various elementary schools and do um Q&A programs and different things to aid in that transition when kids are moving from one building to the next. We are gearing up for some NAPE testing. We are gearing up for our state testing coming up soon as well. And along with National School Counseling Week at Simmons, we held what we call dream big week where we start to get students thinking about their post-secary options and just kind of developing those soft skills that are necessary as like primarily our eighth graders are moving into getting their first part-time jobs. So, we do a variety a variety of activities with them to prep them
010for um getting those jobs. We had some universities come in and visit with the students. We had Lake Area. We had the National Guard. So, kind of just showing them what's out there so they can start kind of getting into that mindset of like, I have this goal going into high school and I'm working to achieve something that I'm interested in. So, and then the grant funds that we get from the foundation and various organizations to restock our student needs closet and um food items and things that the students have that need for. So again at Holgate the web leaders they volunteered with some community service projects like sleep in heavenly peace where they took a small group out and they helped to build beds for um needy families in the community. The atolgate they
011um did some red ribbon week activities and visited some of the elementary schools and then they do work for those eighth grade transitions to the high school in the spring. In April, they will be hosting some mock interviews with a variety of different community members and community members will come in and um deliver information related to specific careers and things like that and then do those interviews with the kids. There is a practicum student at Holgate. Actually, I think she was there in the fall and she's wrapped up now. But we continue to use those partnerships with NSU um and kind of give back advocating for the counseling profession and helping to train those students going through that graduate program. At Wholegate, there were some sixth grade minute meetings just to make sure that each
012sixth grader um is seen and knows where the counselor's office is and visit has a time to visit with the counselor. and then some monthly C counselor class time in the sixth grade. And they did some presentations regarding mental health. There was an ending the silence presentation with the eighth graders. And um Nor Eastern Mental Health Center spent a day presenting to the seventh graders on similar topics in the fall. Up at the high school, they are continuing to partner with the National Honor Society group to get those snack bags delivered on Fridays. Most of the schools take advantage of that program that's offered by the Salvation Army. Um, so some of the students help with that up at the high school. The GenEd school counselors are leading the Eagle Squad program, which provides that
013freshman piece to the orientation, getting that transition done up to the high school from the middle school. And those students provide ongoing leadership through the advocacy time during the day that those students have. So those those students continue to meet with the incoming freshmen throughout the year. The high school counselors came to the middle schools in November and presented the eighth grade students with all of the registration information for next fall. They took them through that process, coordinated a parent night for eighth grade parents and had them come so they had a good good firm grasp on the info. And they include teachers in each subject area to be there for the for the parents and families as well. And so course registration for the 2627 school year um has been done so that they
014can help gauge the staffing needs at the high school. kind of learning what the students are interested in as far as the electives and and core classes that the students are registering for. And um at the middle school and the high school, we um partner with the Aberdine Exchange Club for their youth of the month um program. And a couple of uh high school students, Alex Tarver and Grace Stagger, were recently given the ACE award and the youth of the year award. They just found out about that. So that's pretty cool. A lot of fun things going on through the exchange club at the middle school and the high school. The high school in the fall has the South Dakota free college application campaign. So, the high school counselors work with a variety of admissions
015representatives and they kind of gather some fun swag and stuff for the students. Um, I know they have like northern go up one day and um kind of make it fun and those application fees are waved. So students who apply for college during that time then are registered for some fun prizes. The senior meetings are held along with early graduation meetings during that first couple of terms. And this year they have the most early graduates ever with 83 seniors completing their high school career at the end of first semester and seven more planning to graduate at the end of term three. They are now holding the junior one-on-one conferences just to kind of get that post high planning piece in um so they can solidify their senior course requests and share resources with the advocates
016too. So during that advocacy time, the students are able to touch base with somebody who kind of knows what their plan is. Also, the high school puts out a student services newsletter each term full of great info what's going on in student services for that particular term. And then the website has all of the information available for families and students too as far as post high planning goes. And then they also did some activities for National School Counseling Week this last week for the staff and faculty to thank them. their support. And at the middle school, Alyssa helped us um kind of revamp our middle school counseling website, too. So, that's very nice to have. And then that takes us to our ending moment where we just want to say thank you once again for
017everybody's support of the school counselors and seems like we usually end up getting everything we need and it's really helpful for the students and their families to support from everybody. >> Thank you, Dr. Guffin and Mrs. Call for all the things that you do for us and help us out. So, >> we appreciate you. >> Questions from the board. >> I just think of the counselors when I went to high school. I don't remember them. I mean, they were just, you know, they were I don't know where. Maybe it's cuz I didn't need them. I don't know, but it seemed like they were only there for college prep or tests and we never really saw them very much. And this is a long time ago, but when you see how many things you're doing every
018day and with the kids, it's just I'm so glad we have you. >> I mean, really, it's >> Thank you. >> very appreciated what you do for our kids and staff, too. Other questions or comments? >> I do remember my counselor. >> I needed a little more help. I think >> I hope none of mine are around anymore. >> But my elementary school uh counselor was Mrs. UM >> begins with >> Yes. It just slipped out of my mind. I was thinking of her and but she uh uh was always a safe place to go to and I know that Mrs. Neielsson, you've been a safe place for my children to go to and talk with and we certainly appreciate that. It's not that counseling is an extension of Mrs. Walpool >> Walpool. She was
019great. and uh bother me all the way. The counselors are not the an extension of the the classroom. You guys are an integral part of that and you have uh built that and so uh students are not saying I have no idea who my counselor is now or anything like that because you're integrated on every level. So thank you so much for what you've done. We do appreciate that. Thank you for your time tonight for having us. >> Do you want this back? >> Okay. An evening of thank yous. The next item on the agenda is schoolboard recognition and uh next week. So, we're in between schoolboard meetings. Next week is schoolboard recognition week. Attached to the agenda is a proclamation from Governor Rhoden uh thanking all schoolboard members for their service to the children
020uh in school districts all across our state. Uh you know I am not shy about telling people but this is uh we have the most outstanding school board ever. Uh you challenge uh me and you provide wonderful opportunities for our staff and our students and your support is second to none. So thank you very much. Uh and happy school board recognition week next week. So >> thank you. >> Yes. You're welcome. All right. Right. The next item on the agenda is the approval of the first reading and uh revision of two public policy policy GBB and GBB-R. This is a policy regarding criminal background checks and Mrs. Bane has done some research on this with a couple of recommend recommended changes. >> Hello. Good evening. >> GBB and GBBR. It's the same purpose to modify
021both of them is to remove language about the employee contractors and volunteers. Um you'll see the redaction on GBB. It's to remove an employee by an entity provides a district with student services. So that would be removing the LSI people from this group is essentially what we're doing. Um, and volunteers, which it doesn't say that in here, but we do background check our volunteers, but we're doing them under a separate policy now, which is GBBV that you will see tonight. >> I want to just back up there. There was an audit from the DCI. So, they were recommending that there's really two. Do you want to explain the two different processes? Okay. So, the FBI began doing audits of South Dakota schools and their fingerprint fingerprint background check policies and procedures. Um, they interpreted that
022South Dakota codified law 131012. We are only authorized to background check employees over age 18, student teachers, and instructors employed by a tech school. Um, so that essentially removed our ability to background check employees of contractors, which would be LSI people, and then volunteers, which commonly for us would be volunteer coaches that we would put in that group. Um, so the amendment to this policy is to remove those folks from that policy and move them to their to their new policy. And to get that, we had to apply for a second ORI number, which then background checks them under the volunteer and employee criminal history system. So, it's a little bit different. We still use our live scan in our office and it still goes to the FBI, but just under a different act. >>
023Mr. >> You're still running the same type of background check. It's just a different just handling them differently. So we so we aren't changing how we're doing it. We just >> all the process is the same. It's just all down to this OI number that we have to use. >> And then on GBBR, there is one addition on there under number four. We can no longer share with non-public schools or co-ops. So, if you were dually employed with us in a non-public and a co-op and you wanted to share a background, we cannot do that. >> Does it cost the same with the two? >> So, if you're the GBB or GBBR, you're paying for your background check to work for us. >> If you're a volunteer, we pay that. >> Okay? >> If you
024work with LSI, they pay that. Okay. >> Other questions or comments? >> I'd move first reading of GBB and GBB-R. >> Motion on the floor by Sharp. Is there a second? >> Second by Dr. Borton. Any further discussion this point to clarify this isn't the the DCI FBI was not an audit of I mean public school. It was statewide. So it was it affects all the schools. >> Yes. And just their interpretation of South Dakota codified law said that we should only be background checking those three groups of people, not volunteers and not employees of contractors. So they thought that we should remove that from our language. >> All right. Any other discussion? See none. All those in favor of the first reading of GBB and GBB-R signify by saying I. >> I. Thank you.
025>> The next one then is the approval of the first policy revision policy GBBV. And that's Suzanne sort of explained that, but there any additional comments you want to make? >> No, it's it's essentially the same. It's just we're signifying in here that we're going to use that new ORI number and then it goes under the National Protection Child Protection Act or the Volunteer Child Protection Act is how we are applying for your background check. I move first reading and then I have a question. Okay, >> I have a motion on the floor for uh is there a second? >> Second by Olsen. Uh further discussion. Mr. Sharp, >> you do list the other state laws on GBB. Is the FBI saying those do apply or don't apply? It doesn't list 12, but it lists
02613, 16. I mean, I assume there's a state law that allows us to also do volunteers. It just wasn't. Well, >> yes, the other state laws are talking about what kinds of convictions are defined, you know, like the moral turpitude and things that you can and can't do. Those are those laws that are same for both. Is there any state law that says that we can I mean the federal law will s will supersede but is there any state law that says we can we can uh uh back on check volunteers >> since they said that 12 doesn't apply to volunteers. >> I'm not sure about that the answer to that but that's how we're getting to the volunteer >> okay >> protection act that's how they pushed us to that where we had to
027apply for a waiver to be able to do that. Perfect. >> But I can get more information about that for you if you'd like. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> I'm not aware of a state law either, but we'll definitely check on that. But it was all around this whole discussion. >> Right. Agreed. I just since we're since we're negating the state law that's that says we can do it now. Shouldn't there be a one that says, "Yeah, we can do that." Which I don't want more laws, but yes. >> Mr. Were these were this audit by the FBI and their recommendations? Are they recommendations or they requirements? >> They're not requirements, but the as Dr. Guff a couple meetings ago, the ASBSD keeps us updated on policy alerts came through them. >> We're not
028required by the audit to do this. We just decided >> not required, but the FBI told me that they would no longer process >> background checks for volunteers or LSI employees under our Ori number that we were using. So >> saying that you need to do this >> ths it up. >> Yeah, it does. >> Any further discussion? Seeing none, uh, all those in favor of first reading of GBB signify by saying I. >> I. Same sign. >> We do have need for executive >> executive session under SDCL1-25-21. Ask for a motion to move into executive session. >> Move. Move by. >> I'll second. >> Second byum. All those in favor.