School board discusses solar panels

The Tea Area School Board met June 8 and spent the majority of the meeting discussing solar panels.

Operations manager Wayne Larsen provided some maps to put solar panels on the roof of Venture Elementary. When they built Venture, they talked about putting panels up there eventually. The area of the building that serves as the storm shelter is the strongest area of the school and has the reflective surface on that portion that would be a good location for solar panels. They could get a 30 percent rebate if they could complete a project by the end of this year. The average cost is 7.5 cents per kilowatt hour at about $3,000 a month. 

Larsen has visited with about nine solar installers. Some did not want to work on the project due to its size. The solar panels could make up 25-30 percent of our electrical usage and shave about $750 to $1,000 off of our electric bill. He estimates the cost to install the solar panels would be $201,000. 

The board expressed some concerns about some other HVAC projects and capital outlay projects in the district and the time it would take to get the rebate for the solar panels.

With Jay Ryan absent, board president Jason Bennett would like all board members present to see all of the numbers before making a decision. The board will discuss the solar panel topic again at the next meeting all are present for.

Business manager Chris Esping presented information on insurance. The deductibles have increased. She noted that they do not have a choice in those increases. They also looked at cyber liability of $50,000. She noted that cyber crime is a growing concern.

The board approved the resignations of Amanda Brinkman as Sprouts preschool teacher, MaryBeth Sutton for middle school band, Terri Knight as middle school and high school nurse and Cheryl Norris as special education paraprofessional.

They approved the new hires of Jolie Tostenson as high school life skills teacher, Hannah Tarrell as middle school special education TLR counselor, Caitlin Oeltjensbruns for middle school ag, Kaylee Munson as a teacher for Title-funded Bridges program, Summer Simon as eighth grade assistant volleyball coach, Tyler Duffy as ninth grade boys soccer coach, Shawn Kennedy as head eighth grade boys basketball coach, Tiffany Svennes for middle school oral interp, Janice Gilbert for head middle school drama and Ellie Whitehead for assistant middle school drama. Kasey Kuiken is transferring to third grade at Frontier Elementary.

Superintendent Tonia Warzecha provided updates to Policy DJFA: Foodservice Procurement Policy and Written Standards of Conduct. The updates changed the thresholds for making purchases to increase the upper threshold of each category listed in the policy. The board approved the policy updates.

Warzecha and Esping want to offer a school board training through Associated School Boards of South Dakota to tailer it to the district. A trainer would come from Pierre. The board approved scheduling a board training with Warzecha lining it up.

The board will have a special board meeting to accept the bid for boilers on June 22 at 6 p.m. They will also have a meeting June 15 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss solar panels.

In her report, Warzecha shared her strategic target as they wrap up the 2025-26 school year.