School board celebrates achievements, sets goals

The Hill City School District Board of Education met last Monday night with plenty of accomplishments to applaud and plans for the year ahead.

Superintendent Blake Gardner congratulated the board on earning the South Dakota School Board Award of Excellence, presented at the Associated School Boards of South Dakota conference in Sioux Falls. Gardner, along with board members Rob Timm, Eric Lind and Carmen Ronish, were able to attend the event and accepted the award on behalf of the board.

“It’s very neat to see 146 school districts represented. I think they estimated around 500 people there, and to hear Hill City School Board announced in that big ballroom was really cool,” said Gardner. “Thank you guys for what you do. Culture starts at the top, and you’re a big proponent of that.”

President Lind reported that the conference offered valuable learning opportunities as well. 

“There were a number of good sessions that I attended this year,” he said. 

He reported attending sessions on continuous improvement, utilizing after-school programs to help boost student achievements and sitting in on discussions around the Big, Beautiful Bill and federal tax credits for education support.

Board member Todd Grabow attended the property tax committee meetings, reporting ongoing discussions to reduce owner-occupied property taxes by 50 percent—a reduction that would leave a $400 million deficit. Several groups are proposing ideas to replace the lost revenue. 

“More to follow,” said Grabow.

Maintenance director TJ Schmidt outlined facility improvements that have been completed throughout the summer, including new turf and fencing on the playground, concrete work on the north student entrance, new carpet in the elementary special education (SPED) room and new LED lighting upgrades in the high school and middle school that will be much more energy and maintenance efficient.

Additional upgrades that are getting a lot of attention are the new lights at Ranger Field and the new flooring in front of the Smokey Shack concession area.

“I’m excited for Ranger fans to see the new flooring,” said Schmidt.

Lind praised the maintenance team’s efforts, saying, “We’ve gotten some feedback from community members about how they appreciate the status of the grounds. The community is noticing the improvements that are being made and the pride in the care that’s taken for the facilities. So thank you for making us all look good by taking care of the grounds. I think it’s a big deal. Administration has done a great job of planning for the future.”

Business manager Cassandra Ott reported positive progress on the FY2026 budget. 

“We have discussed various strategies for the SPED fund and how it would affect our taxpayers. We are working on a solid plan that should not overburden taxpayers while still meeting our long term goals. I appreciate the budget committee members for asking great questions, fostering constructive dialogue and considering all aspects of the budget,” she said.

Gardner announced the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) will finish the full closure of Hwy. 385 before Labor Day, avoiding lengthy detours for buses and families. 

“There will still be construction and a pilot car but I’m thankful to the DOT and Ofedahl Construction for finishing the full closure prior to the start of school,” he said. 

He also reported that the district has a 95 percent employee retention rate, with only two teacher departures last year, one of whom retired. The school is fully staffed for the 2025-26 school year despite 62 open educator positions in the state. 

“Our school board and administration are very proud of our positive climate. I believe there is mutual respect and trust amongst all groups,” Gardner said. 

Teachers will take part in a three-day inservice before the school year begins with training aligned to the district’s strategic plan and board goals. 

“We have a really good lineup, and I’m really proud that our lineup aligns with our strategic plan and what we’ve talked about. As far as board goals, we gave teachers time to collaborate and align their curriculum,” Gardner said. “We are in year two of the strategic plan. I love that we have moved everything from red to at least green or yellow on our plan. The next step is to quantify. Let’s add numbers so we can measure our growth.”

The board will reconvene Sept. 8 when the full administration team will present updates for the upcoming school year that starts Sept. 2.