District sets sights on student behavior

Hill City once again had something to celebrate at the Jan. 12 Hill City School District Board of Education meeting, applauding the Oral Interpretation students on a job well done at the state festival. Coach Jennifer Mueller had three teams qualify for state, receiving two superior and one excellent rating at the festival. The team will continue its season, competing in tournaments in Wyoming and participating in the National Qualifier in Cheyenne, Wyo., at the end of February for a chance to advance.

Superintendent Blake Gardner, along with elementary principal Samantha Weaver and middle school and high school principal Todd Satter, collaborated on a report to the board to show progress made on goals that were set at the beginning of the year.

Gardner highlighted three core areas of focus—board goals, admininstration goals and building level goals—all of which revolved around student behavior and support with a focus on professional development and curriculum and staff support. 

The trio planned to have 100 percent of staff complete a training session on the district’s policy to ensure fidelity and consistency in enforcing policies and procedures. 

“Our staff meeting was making sure cell phone, dress code, attendance—they were all in lockstep,” said Satter.

The second area of focus was to improve the percentage of students who feel they have at least one trusted adult at school. The initial annual climate survey resulted in 78 percent. The next survey will go out in April. In the meantime, action steps will be taken toward improving that number.

“Our goal is 95 percent.  That’s a lofty goal,” said Gardner. 

Weaver gave examples of student-teacher interactions, saying, “We just have great connections with some of those kids.” 

“Our teachers and staff go above and beyond,” she said. “We have great kids. Our students are amazing children, which means they also have great families that have raised them this way. It makes our jobs a lot easier. Our staff really makes what we have with our kids special.”

The middle school has implemented incentives programs where once a quarter, the students have an abbreviated schedule to make time for an incentive activity. 

“That puts the teacher in a different light, where a kid might open up and have a conversation that they wouldn’t have in Algebra class,” said Satter. “It’s a great way to foster that rapport, that relationship with kids.”

Another incentive program that is new this year to the middle school is the Parent Involvement Parent Teacher Organization (PIPTO) sponsored “Cool to be Kind” program designed to acknowledge students that exemplify the R.A.N.G.E.R.S. traits of being Responsible, Accepting, Neighborly, Growing academically, Encouraging, Respectful and having good Sportsmanship. The program is similar to the elementary’s Student of the Month program. 

“We know that we do a fantastic job,” said Gardner. “We don’t have any question about the academic side, every year, we’re a top-three school in South Dakota.

“But what are we doing for those students that maybe aren’t showing growth, that aren’t getting recognition through AP or dual credit or student of the month? So we wanted to do the Cool to be Kind.” 

Students chosen for the month’s “Cool to be Kind,” receive a medal, Subway gift card and T-shirt. 

“The kids love it,” said Satter. “It turned out to be a really cool thing.”

The third goal reported was to launch at least two mental health presentations or workshops for students and families per year. 

“It’s a conversation that’s cognizant, and we’re very intentional about this,” said Gardner. “We’re very intentional about educating the whole child, focusing on mental health, and I think teachers and counselors, admin, have done a great job of having those conversations.”

The Elementary hosted National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) at the beginning of the school year, which visited with each classroom about mental health. Weaver also mentioned school counselor Nicole Weron as “a great resource.” 

“She goes into every classroom every other week and talks about different things that students will face, whether it be problem solving, conflict resolution, bullying, how to make friends, keep friends,” said Weaver. 

The middle school and high school have Youth and Family Services scheduled in February to visit each English class for smaller group discussion versus a large assembly. 

“It’s one presenter and 15 kids. That’s going to be way more meaningful than 165 kids in a large assembly,” said Satter. “I’m thinking that’s going to have a great impact and will provide meaningful dialogue.”

Gardner also discussed the idea of customizing the students’ Ranger time groups based on student need with teachers able to assign students whom they felt a connection to their Ranger time class. The goal being that 90 percent of students will report that they feel known and supported by their Ranger time teachers in the spring review. 

“We’re getting eyes on every kid that walks in,” Gardner said. “Not only is that a school security measure, but we’re fist bumping those kids. We’re building those connections with them.” 

The next goal discussed was aiming for 85 percent of alumni respondents to a survey would report feeling prepared for college and career pathways. Last year, the survey resulted near that target goal. 

“We want to keep striving for higher, but our kids go off to college, and they do very well,” said Satter. “I think our kids really go off to college prepared. That’s a credit to our teachers and also our administrators.”

Rounding out the report, Gardner discussed the third core value, staff support, with a goal to reduce annual certified staff turnover to 10 percent or less.

“Again, a very lofty goal,” said Gardner. “We want to make them feel valued. We have worked on really being intentional with culture and climate, just things like being appreciative. We want them to feel like part of our family.”

Board president Eric Lind commented that, “It’s rewarding to see this culture and climate of continuous improvement, knowing that we’re not satisfied with status quo.” 

The next meeting will be  Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. in Room 202 of the high school.