Venture selected as name for new elementary school

At the September board meeting, the Tea Area board of education voted on a name for the district’s new elementary school.

When Frontier Elementary was built, a community committee came up with six names for elementary buildings. At that time they chose Legacy and Frontier. At the Sept. 11 meeting, they voted from the remaining names — Heritage, Pioneer, Venture and Voyager. The board settled on Venture Elementary for the elementary that will be constructed on the south end of town.

Tom Grimmond from Dougherty & Company provided recommendations on debt insurance for the district’s construction of the new elementary school. His plan would save interest and in the end around $400,000. The board decided to move forward with his plan.

The board also approved the minutes from the Aug. 14 work session and the Aug. 14 regular board meeting. The also approved the receipt of financials and the bills, with Todd Irvine abstaining on the pay for Jans Corp.

Business manager Chris Esping went through the budget. The general fund was more than $10 million. The budget was created based on 1,778 students. The official student count day is Sept. 29, however as of the board meeting they were up to 1,790 students. The board approved the budget.

Esping also went through the capital outlay budget. The average amount per student in South Dakota is $2,200. The Tea Area district receives $756 per student with the state’s new formula. Superintendent Jennifer Lowery said some of the larger districts are talking about crafting some legislation to change the capital outlay levy.

Esping said the district received a Homeland Security grant for more than $18,000 for keyless entry at the District Education Center. Once that is done, all of the district buildings will be the same.