After initial plans came in $20M high, Mitchell Board of Education to get look at revised high school plans

Erik Kaufman, The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
·4 min read

Aug. 7—MITCHELL — The Mitchell Board of Education will get a look at a second round of plans for the proposed new high school building when it convenes for its next meeting Monday evening, Aug. 8.

The meeting, which is open to the public, will be held in Room 10 at the Mitchell Career & Technical Education Academy. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

The board is expected to hear from Robin Miller, manager architect for Schemmer — an Omaha, Nebraska-based architecture firm with offices in Sioux Falls that is working on the design for the proposed Mitchell High School Building. Miller also presented the first plans for the new building

at a June board meeting, where the estimated cost for design came in about $20 million higher than the district has budgeted for the project.

Board members at the time requested Miller return with lower-cost alternatives at a later meeting.

The board has been

pondering replacing the current Mitchell High School building, which was built in 1962,

for some time, citing its age and a need for a more modern structure. The district has been putting away funds in recent years to the tune of about $42 million that can be put toward the effort.

Deb Olson, president of the Mitchell Board of Education and a member of the building design committee, said at the time she was hopeful that suitable alternative plans that fit within the project budget could be drawn up.

The board will consider three conflict of interest declarations at the meeting.

Joe Graves, superintendent for the Mitchell School District, said in his agenda notes that it was unclear if the three instances actually constitute conflicts of interest, but that there is sufficient ambiguity to bring them before the board for the sake of transparency and review.

The three waivers are for Terry Aslesen, whose spouse is employed by the district, Joe Childs, whose spouse is employed by Dakota Wesleyan University and Matt Chistiansen, who is employed by Avera Health and Dakota Wesleyan.

Graves is expected to recommend approval of the waivers without restrictions.

Also at the meeting, the board is expected to consider the following personnel moves:

* The new classified hires of Dawn Conrad, general food service worker at Longfellow Elementary, $14 per hour, effective Aug. 1; Carla schuldt, paraeducator at Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary, $14.25 per hour, effective Aug. 10; Trystan McMath, computer network technician, $29,120, effective July 1; Ann Berg, paraeducator at L.B. Williams Elementary, $13.75 per hour, 7 hours daily, effective Aug. 1; Lori Renken, paraeducator at Mitchell Middle School, $13.75 per hour, 7.25 hours daily, effective Aug. 17; Clay Loneman, Title VII tutor, ISS supervisor, $15 per hour, 8 hours daily, effective Aug. 11; Gloria Morales Gomez, custodian, $15 per hour, 8 hours daily, effective Aug. 1; Danica Miller, paraeducator at Mitchell Middle School, $13.75 per hour, 7.25 hours daily, effective Aug. 17 and Angela Thompson, paraeducator at Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary, $14.12 per hour, effective Aug. 17.

* The transfers of Linda Mayer, kitchen worker at Longfellow Elementary to head cook at Longfellow Elementary, effective Aug. 1; Ashley Sand to 4th/5th teacher 0.5 FTE teacher at Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary, effective 2022-23 school year; Bridget Huber, 1.0 FTE to 0.5 FTE teacher at Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary, effective 2022-23 school year; Lacey Baker, paraeducator at Mitchell Middle School to paraeducator at L.B. Williams Elementary, effective 2022-23 school year; Dara Milekovich, Gertie Belle Rogers kitchen manager to paraeducator at Mitchell Middle School, effective 2022-23 school year.

* The resignations of Tristan Konechne, food service, effective Aug. 16 and Patti Brown, paraeducator, effective 2022-23 school year.

* The Mitchell Technical College hires of Michael Plooster, power line construction and maintenance instructor, $72,000, effective Aug. 1; Wendy Royston, public relations and social media specialist, $49,204.45 (pro-rated from July 1, 2022, effective Aug. 8; Sara Delaney, speech language pathology adjunct lab instructor, $3,000, effective Aug. 1; Karl Gosmire, speech language pathology adjunct lab instructor, $3,000, affective Aug. 1; Angie Hanson, speech language pathology adjunct lab instructor, $3,000, effective Aug. 1; Rebecca Harvey, speech language pathology adjunct lab instructor, $3,000, effective Aug. 1; Sarah Raml, registered nursing adjunct clinical instructor, $35 per hour, effective Aug. 15 and Jenna Vavra, radiologic technology adjunct instructor, $4,000, effective Aug. 22.

* The Mitchell Technical College resignation of Kassie Marek, registered nursing instructor, effective Aug. 12.

* The contracted services of Crazy Lady Consulting, consultation for Farm and Ranch Management Program, $3,200 per month and reimbursement for mileage, effective Aug. 1.

Also at the meeting, the board is expected to:

* Hear board member reports and review board committee assignments by the board president.

* Hear the superintendent report.

* Hear public commentary.

The meeting will be livestreamed by the Mitchell Republic.