School CTE and GHDC enter partnership

By Crystal Pugsley of the Plainsman
Posted 1/14/25

Notes from January 13 Huron School Board meeting

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

School CTE and GHDC enter partnership

Posted

HURON — The Huron School District and Greater Huron Development Corporation are considering a partnership that would help secure housing in a new development just north of the postal sorting facility.

During Monday’s School Board meeting Ted Haeder, GHDC director, outlined a three-year partnership with the district’s CTE program to provide funding to build the homes and be responsible for selling the homes to buyers in the new housing development.

GHDC would give the district $6,000 for building materials as well as 10 percent of the profits from the sale of the home.

“This year’s house and last year’s house both left town,” Haeder said. “There’s nothing wrong with that, but it gave me a little heartburn knowing we were losing out.

“One of our areas is housing development,” he added. “Houses built by the CTE kids that stay within the city of Huron mean property taxes going on in perpetuity.”

“I see this as a win-win for the city and school district,” said School Board president Tim VanBerkum.

In report’s to the Board, senior FFA student Hannah Schoenfelder spoke about the leadership development events that have been held and career development events, which will begin in March.

Jolene Konechne, CTE director, talked about job shadowing experienced by students in their careers class.

VanBerkum gave a legislative report, saying several bills have already been filed for the session, which begins today. One bill, SB51, would require every classroom in the state to have a copy of the 10 Commandments posted, “at our expense,” he said. The bill is sponsored by a senator from Mead County.

Work continues on the high school addition, and architects and engineers are working to get the center scoreboard at the Arena in place yet this month. It will take about four days to hang the new scoreboard.

People can begin circulating nomination petitions for the school board election on Jan. 31, and the deadline for filing nominating petitions is 5 p.m. Feb. 8. The School Board election will be held during the city election on April 8.

Huron Destination Imagination is applying for grants from Heartland Region United Way ($3,000), HYLC ($750) and Huron Community Foundation ($3,000) for Youth “STEAM” based activities.

Konechne is applying for a grant from the S.D. Department of Education for up to $450,000 a year for four years, to elevate literacy across South Dakota.

Congratulations were extended to Ta Ha Saw and Aung Myit, who were selected to play in the Senior All-Star Soccer Game in Sioux Falls in February, and Ira Sarvis, eighth grader, who has been accepted to the South Dakota Middle School All State Jazz Band playing vibraphone. The concert will be Feb. 1 in Mitchell.

January is School Board Appreciation Month and board members were thanked for their service.

Thank you’s were extended to Gary Zell for providing oranges for the Washington 4-5 students snack time, Prairie Bible Church for monetary donation for warm winter gear for Washington 4-5 students, Teresa Nelson for her donation of winter coats, snow pants and hats for Buchanan K-1 Center, First Presbyterian Church for their donation of gloves to Buchanan K-1 Center and Washington 4-5 Center, and Barb Bublitz for the donation of snow boots to Buchanan K-1 Center.

There will be no school on Jan. 20 for the Martin Luther King holiday.

In other business the Board:

• Approved 16 new hires to the district
• Approved four resignations
• Approved three contracts
• Awarded the school bus bid to Harlow’s for $149,533
• Gave second reading to numerous policies
• Approved JLG Proposal for architectural services for scoreboards at the Arena and Tiger Stadium for $25,440
• Approved JLG Proposal for architectural services for the high school kitchen and CTE welding ventilation for $38,500