HURON — Huron High School Educator’s Rising group was awarded the Gold Level Outstanding Chapter at the state conference, the highest award showing the group is representing the pillars of Educators Rising: teaching, recreation, appreciation, fundraising and learning.

Huron was one of only eight schools in South Dakota to receive the honor, Supt. Kraig Steinhoff told Huron School Board members during Monday night’s meeting.

Congratulations were also extended to senior Green Ta Bah and sophomore Madalyne Bock, who received second place for their children’s literature book, “Teddy’s First Doctor Visit.” Bock wrote the book and Green did the illustrations.

Qualifying as alternates for the national speech and debate tournament are senior Lily Halter and sophomore Henry Van Scharrel, who placed third and are first alternates, and sophomore Izzy Schafer and junior Landon Pomerico placed fourth and are second alternates. Halter also placed fourth in POI and is the second alternate.

Students in the boys’ and girls’ wrestling program who qualified for the state tournament in February in Rapid City included Chalie Sah and Reva McGaugh, and Moses Gross, Brady Meyer, Lucas Chaparro and Carter Nelson. Gross earned ESD All-Conference team for wrestling and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler at the state tournament, an award voted on by the wrestling coaches association.

Members of the boys’ basketball team qualified for the state AA tournament in Rapid City. Junior Hylton Heinz was selected to the First Team ESD All Conference girls basketball and junior Blake Ellwein was selected to the First Team ESD All Conference boys basketball.

The Board also heard a report from senior Emma DeJong on student council activities.

The Classified Employee of the Month award for April was presented to Sarah Owen, administrative assistant at Huron Middle School. The award was presented by Laura Willemssen and Lyndi Hudson.

Board member Tim Van Berkum talked about bills before the House and Senate as the final days of legislation count down. House Bill 1239, which would impose jail time on librarians, did pass the Senate, although it was amended and must go back to the House. The governor’s property tax limitation bill failed in the House, but was reconsidered and passed with an amendment.

Business Manager Kelly Christopherson reported that dirt work and foundations are in place at the high school, and the walls are scheduled to go up on March 24. The scoreboard project in Huron Arena is completed, and they will work to put up a new scoreboard at Tiger Stadium this spring.

In his report, Steinhoff said the administrative team has completed level 2 of the CSTAG — Comprehensive School Threat Assessment guidelines training with the S.D. Safety Center. The training gradually increases the complexity of scenarios to analyze and establish a plan to address the threats. They will utilize CSTAG to establish threat assessment teams at each attendance center.

Kindergarten registration was held Wednesday, March 5, with 137 registered in both junior kindergarten and junior kindergarten. This number compares to 156 registered last year, 99 in 2023, and 122 in 2022.

The Board approved 10 grant requests, which will benefit HOSA funding for the national conference, the prom, speech therapy, Educator’s Rising, counseling and classroom materials, and a $2,000 grant from Huron School District Foundation to refurbish a Steinway grand piano.

The Board approved 12 new hires, two contracts, and permission to bid for two school buses to be paid with the 2025-26 capital outlay budget.

They also approved an advertising agreement through 2029 for the Career Technical Education Center with Dakota Provisions.