School board approves land purchase

The Tea Area School Board met Nov. 10 and approved the land purchase for a future middle school.

Operations manager Wayne Larsen updated the board on the land purchase of 21.5 acres for a future middle school. Leading up to the board meeting, they worked with First Dakota Title and the owner’s realtor, met with the city of Sioux Falls to find out that they feel they can provide services within the next 6-10 years and worked with Koch Hazard to make sure they have enough ground. The property is situated on a paved county road. The environmental study revealed no issues that would preclude them from building on the property. The board approved the purchase and authorized writing the check that includes the closing costs for up to $250,000.

Larsen also noted they received the final inspection and permanent occupancy for the high school. They found out the emergency lighting wasn’t working when the town experienced a power outage the first weekend in November. The operations/bus barn also got final inspection and permanent occupancy. The Legacy gym AC installation was completed this month. The trees at the bus dropoff at Frontier have been planted.

Curriculum director Samantha Walder reported on the district’s state report card. She highlighted that eighth grade showed a 17 percent growth in proficiency for science and 11th grade showed an 11 percent growth in proficiency. Third grade math scores have seen a proficiency increase every year for the past four school years. Frontier, eighth grade and 11th grade ELA scores grew over the past two years.

Walder also noted that the 11th grade assessment will move to using the ACT test as the assessment in 2027. In the future, it can be split into testing over two days instead of all in one.

Board president Jason Bennett proposed creating two new committees for arts and athletics. He suggested those committees meeting once or twice a year. Larsen expressed concern over jumping the chain of command with the formation of these committees.

Bennett and board member Chad Meyer, along with student representatives Meredith Decker and Jaxon Johanneson will serve on the calendar committee.

Business manager Chris Esping said they surveyed all of the advisers about their fundraisers and what they plan to spend money. She also listed eight items to surplus from leftover miscellaneous construction items that could not be returned from the high school expansion project. They approved the surplus.

Esping noted their capital outlay certificate manager reached out about combining the 2014, 2015 and 2018 certificates to receive a savings of $432,318.75 and combining the 2015 and 2019 items for a savings of $229,930. The board approved combining these certificates.

The board discussed updating their purpose statement and reviewed a number of options. Superintendent Tonia Warzecha will bring back some reworked suggestions to the December board meeting.

Warzecha reported that the official student count was 2,536, which was about one less than last year. She noted that building has slowed down and biggest change was the incoming kindergarten and junior kindergarten have smaller numbers.

She also said the virtual snow days policy will be the same from the 2024-25 school year.

The board approved one more student for early graduation.

The board went into executive session at 6:35 p.m.

-30-