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South Dakota Children Have Opportunity to Use Waterford UPSTART

June 26, 2020 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Children in Dell Rapids and across South Dakota have an opportunity to take part in the Waterford UPSTART program. South Dakota has been awarded more licenses to use the Waterford UPSTART program according to Dell Rapids Superintendent Dr. Summer Schultz. The registration link for the program is https://www.waterfordupstart.org/.

Dr. Schultz mentioned that the state of South Dakota doesn’t fund preschool, and the state has been awarded a federal EIR grant. With this grant preschool-aged kids have the ability to take part in this program for free.

“Dell Rapids has already gotten a good chunk of individuals signed up,” said Dr Schultz. “If you have a preschool-aged child, and that would be if their birthday was between September 2015 and September 2016, they would qualify for this free UPSTART program. The family would be able to get the device, so they would get an iPad to utilize the program on, they would get that subscription to the program, and then they would also get access to an instructional coach thatt would check in, that sort of thing.”

Families would have to commit to doing five sessions a week, with sessions being 50 minutes long.

“Even if kids are planning to go to a preschool in town should the health situation should allow it, they can do this to go along with that. And if for some reason a child is not able to get into preschool, the Waterford UPSTART program in other states where preschool hasn’t been as available has really shown to help students be prepared for kindergarten. We really want people to look into it,” said Dr. Schultz.

The program begins in August and runs through May.

“It is completely separate of the school. I’ve just worked very closely with this company and know that the results they have with these preschool kids and the UPSTART program is phenomenal,” Dr. Schultz added.

For the entire conversation with Dr. Schultz on the Waterford program, the interview is posted below. The conversation starts at the 2:52 mark and goes to the 6:45 mark in the video.

Dell Rapids School District Preparing for Different Fall Scenarios

June 14, 2020 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Dr. Summer Schultz, the Dell Rapids School District Superintendent, along with a “Return to Learn” committee and her administrative team are helping make plans for three different scenarios to the starts of the 2020-2021 school year.

“We’re planning three different re-entries. We’re classifying different categories of our school day, say operations, staff, attendance, calendar, busing, food service, cafeteria. We’re creating different levels for each of those categories. We know that even if we were fortunate enough to start school at a real low restrictive category, we call that a level one, meaning it’s as back to normal as we can get for any child who can. We also know that in a moment’s time, or with a quick exposure burst in our community with community spread, we could have to go from a level one of less restrictive to a level three of virtual depending on just how our community moves through this transition time. So we are creating options for all three levels,” said Dr. Schultz.

She mentioned that the plan right now is to hopefully bring kids to the school in a normal setting. However, she mentioned there are some guidelines that will have to be followed from the Center of Disease Control (CDC).

The level two portion is a hybrid of level one and three. Staff is going to be embedding a virtual component of learning for this coming fall.

“We also know that in every classroom, we have to embed a virtual component, because either we will have those medically fragile students who need to be at home and receive their instruction, or worst-case scenario is we have another virtual instruction for everyone, and we need to plan for some where in between all of that, knowing we could switch back and forth. So we have been doing some research on what that looks like, some devices that maybe can help kids who are receiving instructions at home be more part of a classroom setting. We’ve done a lot of work, and this committee will try to kind of fine tune that, bring it all in, and help me communicate it to the public once we get a little farther down the road,” said Schultz.

With all of the planning for the different scenarios for the start of the new school, Dr. Schultz at this time didn’t anticipate any major changes to the 2020-2021 school calendar that has already been approved. However, she did mention that if circumstances change as they did in the spring, the calendar could also change.

Dell Rapids and St Mary Schools Have Staff/Student Parades

April 10, 2020 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

In a growing trend among communities across the state, the Dell Rapids and Dell Rapids St Mary schools both held parades for staff and students this past week.

The Dell Rapids staff drove through the community the evening of Monday, April 6th.

Dr. Summer Schultz, Dell Rapids High School Superintendent, said in a school update interview, “For students to see their teachers, to see Mr. Bunkers, and to see Rocky our mascot, I’ve heard nothing but positive feedback on that. I think that was just so important for our students and on the flip side, our staff. Staff needed that as much as our students did. It just reminded me how passionate my staff is for the kids to see their excitement in doing it.”

Photo taken and submitted for use by Joni Smith

The Dell Rapids St Mary staff lined up in front of their elementary school as students were able to drive by the evening of Wednesday, April 8th.

“All the teachers and staff enjoyed waving to the students and parents as they drove by the school. It was great to see the signs that the students and parents made and to see all of their smiles. It was also fun to see the seniors drive by and notice that their senior banners had been hung in the windows of the grade school! We can’t wait until we can open the doors to the school again and see everyone’s face everyday!!!” said Dell Rapids St Mary music and band teacher Joni Smith.

2020-2021 Dell Rapids School Calendar Approved

February 23, 2020 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids School District school calendar for the 2020-2021 year was recently approved at the last Dell Rapids School Board meeting.

The calendar will include built-in snow days again, but only two instead of three. The two built-in snow days are February 15th and April 5th. The first day of school will be on Wednesday, August 26th. Christmas break will start on Wednesday, December 23rd with school resuming on Monday, January 4th. The final day of school is scheduled for Friday, May 21st, 2021. Graduation will be held on Saturday, May 15th, 2021.

If there is a need to make up more than two snow days, those days will be made up after the May 21st date.

Dell Rapids School Gets Permission for Parking Update

February 14, 2020 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Dell Rapids school board member Jeff Traill and Dell Rapids Superintendent Dr. Summer Schultz presented a parking update plan to the Dell Rapids City Council during the council’s regular meeting on Monday, February 3rd. The plan will give the school approximately 70 new parking spots over by the high school and middle school.

“I would term this a shorter term fix for some parking issues. Those of you that have been members of the community for a long time have heard it. We are short on parking at the middle school and high school. We agree 100 percent. Unfortunately it’s kind of a land-locked facility,” said Traill.

Traill said that this plan is more of a five-to-ten year short term fix or enhancement to the existing parking by the schools. The approximately 70 additional spots equates to an average of about one class enrollment every year to the high school. He said that the plan may not be ideal, but it does add spots by a combination of using existing school parking lots and areas as well as encroachments up to or within the city right of way. Because the plan does involve city right of way, this plan had to be approved by the Dell Rapids City Council.

The update will add 20 new spots to the staff parking long on the east side of Garfield Ave, but the majority of the updates will be done over by the middle school and football field area on 13th St. The north and south side of 13th St between Garfield Ave. and Harrison Ave. will remain parallel parking spots as they are today. The northeast parking lot and bus barn area will remain unchanged as of now.

The Dell Rapids City Council approved the plan which will allow the school to be able to add the parking lot updates to the already scheduled school renovations that will begin this spring. Those renovations include changes to the high school to bring modern technology into classroom teaching methods as well as changes to the middle school to accommodate four sections of classes.

Dell Rapids Staff Parking

Drawing of current DRHS staff parking area

Drawing of updated DRHS staff parking long

Dell Rapids Parking by middle school

Drawing of current parking by DRMS

Drawing of updated parking by DRMS

Dell Rapids Adds Built-in Snow Days to 2019-2020 Calendar

April 10, 2019 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids School Board approved changes to the 2019-2020 calendar during their regular meeting on Monday, April 8th. The changes to the calendar are to have built-in snow days to help alleviate adding more days to the end of the school year.

The school sent out a survey asking parents if they would be in favor of having built-in snow days in the school calendar, and if so, what days would be the best for built-in snow days.

“I have to be honest though, those who are against it are against it. I get it. People want to know what days they have off, staff and parents, but it was an overwhelming majority that did say please look at using built-in student contact days for making up snow days,” said Superintendent Dr. Summer Schultz. She noted that 86% of those that submitted the survey were in favor for built-in snow days.

After a discussion about a plan, school board member Troy Randall made a motion to forgive the first snow day of the year, and then have February 17th, March 19th, and April 13th of 2020 be the built-in make-up days given there is at least one week’s notice prior to needing to use one of those days as a make-up day.

One of the biggest items discussed about the motion was if one week’s time was enough notice for parents when deciding to use one of the built-in snow days.

“We could get a lot of heat. We could get a lot of complaints, and next year at this time we make it two weeks,” said Dr. Schultz.

“I guess we won’t know until we try it,” added school board member Jacque LeBrun in response to Dr. Schultz.

“There could be complaints about this, there could be complains if we have days at the end (of the school year). Inevitably it’s not perfect for everybody,” said school board member Jeff Traill.

Jody Schumaker then seconded the motion, and it was passed unanimously.

Dr. Schultz mentioned during the meeting that this could be tried for the 2019-2020 school calendar and then revisited for the 2020-2021 to determine if it’s worth continuing.

Local Students to Learn About Ethics from Top Leaders

December 2, 2018 by Submitted

Dell Rapids, SD- Misusing company time, abusive behavior, and employee theft are among the most frequently observed unethical behaviors in the U.S. workplace (according to a survey conducted by the Washington, D.C. based Ethics Resource Center, January 2015). In an effort to stop this trend, Junior Achievement is striving to educate students about the importance of ethical decisions while they are still in school. Through the JA Excelling through Ethics program, over 9,300 South Dakota middle and high school students from 32 communities will learn from executive level volunteers the importance of ethics.

Junior Achievement partners with nearly 500 local business executives across the state to share their personal experience with ethical decision-making and to provide each student an opportunity to think critically about ethical dilemmas they may face. Along with the foundation of ethics, they challenge students to consider their own integrity, reliability, values, and character.

On Wednesday, December 5, over 75 Dell Rapids students will participate in the program. The JA Ethics volunteers will conduct activities, lead discussions, and share real-life ethical decisions they have faced and how they responded. Through these discussions, students will gain a better understanding of their responsibility to society and of the role ethics and integrity play in the workplace and in life.

Kayla Eitreim, President of Junior Achievement of South Dakota, stated, “Today’s students are tomorrow’s future leaders, and Junior Achievement is proud to have the opportunity to help ensure our students are prepared for the workplace. JA volunteers help students develop their soft skills and encourage them to take time to think about the implications of tough decisions while at work and in their personal lives.

Junior Achievement of South Dakota, founded in 1968, inspires and prepares young people to succeed in a global economy. For more information about the JA Excelling through Ethics program, please contact our state office at 800-871-7007 or visit www.jasd.org

My School Bucks Fee to be Paid by Dell Rapids School District

October 14, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

During their last regular board meeting on Monday, October 8th, the Dell Rapids School Board approved a change to the Heartland Payment Solutions agreement to have the My School Bucks service charges be paid by the district instead of parents.

When the feature for online lunch payments was introduced, the district knew that someone had to pay the $2.49 fee to have the service. Up until this point in time, the charge has been passed to the families using the online payment option. However, the district has been trying to brainstorm ideas of how to change that. Just recently the district was told by the state that the school can use food service fund dollars to pay that service charge.

“Because our food service fund has a good balance, I just recommend that we give this a try, see how it works, see if it helps with negative lunch accounts, but no matter what, our families are going to go ‘Thank you’,” said Dell Rapids Superintendent Dr. Summer Schultz.

Not only will this change help take the burden off of families to pay the service fee, Dr. Schultz is also hoping it will save time and burden on secretaries to handle lunch money checks and help save time on administration of negative lunch account balances.

“We’ve made so many good changes to the food service, this is that last one where it does cost us a little bit, but it just helps the program overall,” Dr. Schultz also said.

The motion to make the change was approved unanimously by the school board.

Dell Rapids Students Participate in Community Service Day

May 26, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Students from Dell Rapids participated in a community service day during the afternoon of

Friday, May 18th. Students were bused out into the community and then picked up trash as they walked back towards the school. Some students also helped do landscaping projects around the Dell Rapids High School building.

A large number of trash bags were filled from the community clean-up.

Students also painted inside of the train car in the park and played bingo at the nursing home.

Dell Rapids School District Student Numbers Increase

September 14, 2017 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Preliminary numbers for the 2017-2018 school year shows an increase in students from last year at the Dell Rapids School District. Superintendent Dr. Summer Schultz reported the preliminary numbers to the Dell Rapids School Board during their regular meeting on Monday, September 11th.

“We have preliminary enrollment numbers, which until that last Friday in September I don’t ever like to put anything on paper just because it’s not official yet. But between crossover on lunch and what we’ve ran on Infinite Campus, it looks like we’re up approximately 19 students from what we’ve budgeted. That’s a great thing,” said Schultz. She noted that during the October meeting the board will receive the final official numbers.

Dr. Schultz also reported to the board that both the elementary and middle school staff are now starting to get into the Positive Action curriculum.

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