HURON — It was reported at Monday’s School Board meeting that 977 Grab & Go Meals were packed and distributed last Tuesday, a new high total for the summer meal program.

Grab & Go meals are distributed each Tuesday and Friday at Huron Middle School for children ages 1 through 18.

Community members helping pack Grab & Go Meals are Amanda Haeder, Kathryn Aymar, Wanda Barthelman, Stephanie Bennett, Linda Skorheim, Kristin Cronin, Kerri Hjellum, Jamee Kattner and student Natalie Kinsley.

Supt. Kraig Steinhoff said he and several staff members joined 1,200 educators at the South Dakota Department of Education’s Literacy Conference called “Elevate. Educate. Empower. Moving Literacy Forward Across South Dakota.” The conference was held June 1-3 in Sioux Falls.

“I found the conference to be authentic, empowering and inspiring,” Steinhoff said.

According to the Reading League, the science of reading is a vast, interdisciplinary body of scientifically-based research about reading and issues related to reading and writing. This research has been conducted over the last five decades across the world.

“The science of reading has culminated in a evidence to inform how proficient reading and writing develop, why some have difficulty, and how we can most effectively assess and each, and therefore, improve student outcomes through prevention of an intervention for reading difficulties,” Steinhoff said.

Steinhoff said the district submitted its Elevating Literacy Across South Dakota (ELA-SD) grant on Thursday, June 5. The application deadline was June 6. The Department of Education will review applications in June and July and notify those awarded the grant in August.

Year 1 funding starts on Oct. 1 and continues for four years.

“Forty-five school districts in South Dakota were eligible for the grant,” Steinhoff said. “I am very thankful to the administrators who worked on this application.”

Those who worked on the application were Scott DeBoer, Heather Rozell, Kari Hinker, Lyndi Hudson, Laura Willemssen, James Cutshaw, Rodney Mittelstedt, Linda Pietz, Ralyna Abelseth and Jolene Konechne.

Congratulations were extended to student athletes who placed at the State Track & Field held recently in Sioux Falls. They include junior Aly Davis, who placed second in javelin and set a new school record of 126-feet, 7-inches; junior Hylton Heinz who placed seventh in javelin; and sophomore Isabelle Kremer, who placed fourth in discus.

The board also approved eight new hires and three new contracts.