Mitchell Board of Education gives go-ahead to hire attendance liaison

Nov. 13—MITCHELL — The Mitchell Board of Education on Monday night agreed to seek out a social worker and attendance liaison in an effort to combat chronic absenteeism in the Mitchell School District.

The board approved the move by 5-0 vote at its most recent meeting at Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary School.

Joe Childs, superintendent for the Mitchell School District, told the board that he had placed an advertisement to fill a new position at the district, listed as a social worker and attendance liaison in the board meeting agenda, after the district received a grant from the South Dakota Department of Education last week to address absenteeism in the district.

"I've posted an opening for a 1.0 full-time equivalent, but would like the board's approval to hire somebody in the next four to six weeks to employ in this position," Childs told the board at the meeting.

The salary of the position would be paid out of the aforementioned grant, which was awarded to the district last week. The amount of the grant is $407,000 and extends over the course of three years and can be put toward a number of improvement projects, including looking at ways to lower the frequency of absenteeism within the district. Funding for the grant is expected to begin in December, Childs said.

The most recent district report card for the Mitchell School District showed absenteeism at a rate of 18%, which is below the 21% average seen in districts across the state.

"The position salary would be paid out of the grant that was awarded to the Mitchell School District to address ending the chronic absenteeism rates that we've seen in the Mitchell School District, which is at 18%," Childs said. "I'd like to do everything we can to combat that. This position is an attendance liaison and would help address those needs and hopefully give the district some momentum in correcting some of the high absenteeism we've been seeing."

The social worker aspect of the position refers to the work the new hire could perform in helping address attendance issues, Childs said.

"We know that we need that social worker (part of the job) to advocate for families to help remove barriers that may prevent students from getting to school," Childs said.

Other ways the district is looking at reducing absenteeism is the potential expansion of the Kernel Klub activities. He said most of those activities are associated with athletics, but he would like to see it expand into other activities such as the fine and performing arts. Active students are students who tend to miss less school, he said.

"We know the students who are involved in extracurricular and co-curricular activities have a stronger sense of belonging at school, so we're hopeful that leads to better attendance rates, as well," Childs said.

Deb Everson, a member of the board, asked if there were any specific degree qualifications that Childs was looking for in the position. Childs said he was looking for at least a bachelor's or master's degree, but the hire will likely hinge on which applicant comes across as the best fit for the district.

Childs did say that he had seen interest already in the position.

"There has been a little buzz and I've been in contact with several people who seem otherwise to be suitable candidates, so I hope we'll turn out with some good, qualified individuals who are ready to do the job," Childs said.

Andy Everson, who recently resigned as head wrestling coach for the Mitchell School District, used the public commentary portion of the meeting to implore school leaders and the community at large to reserve judgment against two teachers who were put on administrative leave by the district. The teachers also act as coaches in the school district.

"Part of me is very angry at the situation that we find ourselves in and the treatment that I feel was inappropriate toward a couple of the coaches that were placed on administrative leave recently," Everson told the board. "I feel everybody should be afforded the grace of innocence until proven guilty."

Although Everson did not identify the coaches by name during the meeting, he had

previously penned a letter addressed to parents of Mitchell High School wrestling

explaining his decision to resign as head coach. In the letter, he referred to events "surrounding our local Legion baseball team, as well as the more recent charging of two fellow coaches in the matter" that resulted in him taking "a hard look at my future as it pertains to coaching."

Everson's mention of the Mitchell Post 18 Legion team and two fellow coaches refers to Legion coach Luke Norden and Mitchell Baseball Association board member Jeremy Borgan, who were each charged with various misdemeanors in October for allegedly failing to report the abuse or neglect of a child and misprision of a felony. The charges against Norden and Borgan stem from the rape investigation against numerous Mitchell Legion baseball players, including six who have been accused of second-degree rape in criminal court in Pennington County.

Norden and Borgan were active teachers in the school district, but administrators have confirmed they are no longer teaching.

Everson said he had thought for a long time what he would say during the Monday night meeting, but he focused on supporting people who he said had been upstanding coaches and school employees who have been marginalized due to action taken against them before proof of guilt.

"It would have been really easy to stand up here and be angry and yell some words and take my anger out on somebody, but I'm trying real hard not to do that," Everson said. "Instead, I think we need to have these conversations and propose some ideas on ways we can take steps to better protect our teachers and coaches, in a sense. They put themselves out there every day for the betterment of every person in this community and for our kids and for future generations."

He said the moves against the coaches set a bad precedent.

"I don't want my kids to grow up in a society where they're guilty until proven innocent, and there's going to be action taken against them for simple accusations. For simple charges that aren't proven yet," Everson said. "That's a scary thought, because where does it stop? Where's the line?"

Everson, who spoke for several minutes and stressed that he respected the board members and members of the administration, concluded with a request for school leadership to rethink how it has approached the situation.

"It breaks my heart that they're not coaching anymore. But we need some leadership that's going to stand up for what's right and not just what the loudest people are screaming," Everson said.

The board had no comment following the comments from Everson, who was the only person to use the public commentary portion of the meeting to speak.

The board approved the following personnel moves at the meeting:

* The new classified hires of Brynn Hartie, paraeducator at Longfellow Elementary, $16 per hour, 7 hours daily, effective Oct. 27 and Abigail McDaniel, paraeducator at Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary, $16.75 per hour at 7.25 hours daily, effective Nov. 20.

* The new certified hires of Baker Haar, head wrestling coach, $6,290; Aubrey Dehaai, 7th grade assistant girls basketball coach, $6,290; Jessica Phillips, 8th grade assistant girls basketball coach, $1,874; Trevor Krugman, head 7th grade girls basketball coach, $2,207; Wes Morgan, freshman girls basketball coach, $3,726; Anthony De La Torre, head 7th grade boys basketball coach, $2,207; Kailee Hanglefelt, assistant gymnastics, $1 and Gracie Kattner, assistant gymnastics, $3,323. All hires effective for the 2023-24 school year.

* The transfers of Demetrius Wells, paraeducator at Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary to special education paraeducator at L.B. Williams Elementary, effective Oct. 27, and Patti Brown, paraeducator at Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary 7.5 hours to paraeducator at Mitchell Middle School 7.25 hours daily, effective Nov. 20.

* The resignations of Shannon Dolezal, paraeducator at Mitchell Middle School, effective Oct. 23; Andrew Everson, head wrestling coach and Tom Starr, wrestling coach, both effective for the 2023-24 school year.

* A change of hours for Taramee Paulson, paraeducator, 7 hours to 7.25 hours, effective Oct. 23.

* The new Mitchell Technical College hires of Madison O'Connor, admissions representative, $31,301 ($50,000 prorated to 154 days), effective Nov. 14 and Ashley Alacron, Rad Tech adjunct, $3,600, effective fall 2023 semester.

Also at the meeting, the board:

* Approved a bid of $23,250 from Iverson Auto in Mitchell for a Dodge Ram one-ton truck.

* Approved Mitchell Technical College surplus items.

* Approved the purchase of a John Deere 3039R utility tractor from C&B Operations at a price of $68,250.25.

* Approved Policy 222 on second reading.

* Approved district goals.

* Approved of the "4 to 1 Student Teaching Opportunity."

* Entered into executive session for the purpose of "preparing for contract negotiations or negotiating with employees or employee representatives."

* Entered into executive session for the purpose of "discussing the expulsion, suspension, discipline, assignment of or the education program of a student."

* Unanimous denied student appeal 012023.

* Heard board member reports.

* Heard the superintendent report.

* Heard public commentary.

The next meeting of the Mitchell Board of Education is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 11 at L.B. Williams Elementary School.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to technical difficulties, the livestream recording of the Nov. 13 meeting of the Mitchell Board of Education is unavailable.