Spring brings field trips, track, rodeo and golf season and soon graduation. April brings a sense of renewal and we all hope for the avoidance of a late winter storm.

Strategic Planning Update

Meade School District is actively engaging in strategic planning to ensure a strong future for our students, staff, and community. We are currently conducting staff focus groups in partnership with Studer Education to gather insights and feedback. So far, 300+ staff members have participated in these focus groups, providing valuable perspectives that will help shape our district’s goals and initiatives moving forward. We appreciate the participation of our educators in this important process and will continue to provide updates as our strategic plan develops.

Staff Retirement and Recognition Reception

Save the date! Join us on May 21st at 8:00 AM in the Sturgis Brown High School West Gym as we honor our dedicated staff members. This event is a special opportunity to recognize retiring staff for their years of service and celebrate the contributions of all our educators. Additionally, we will be announcing our Teacher of the Year and Support Staff of the Year. We look forward to celebrating together!

School board election will be on June 3rd, we will hold a school board election to determine representatives for three 3-year terms.

The candidates are:

Justin Jutting

Ron Hays

Sandy Cass

Lee Spring

Tim Amdahl

Charles Wheeler

Additionally, Thomas Schneller was unopposed for a 1-year term. Your participation in this election is vital to shaping the future of our district.

Thank you for your continued support of the students, staff and school district.

Wayne Wormstadt

Superintendent
Meade School District 46-1

A Special School Board Meeting - Study Session & Work Retreat followed by an executive session is scheduled for Friday, March 28, 2025. Some important topics that will be discussed include:

• School Board Focus Group Work with Studer Education
• The board members will meet with Dr. Gayle Juneau Butler to discuss Strategic Planning through the Focus Group process.
• Capital Outlay 5-Year Plan

Six people have filed petitions to run for the three 3-year seats. The election will be held June 3, 2025. The three 3-year terms that are ending are Sandy Cass, Justin Jutting and Lee Spring and the one 1-year term is Thomas Schneller.

Those interested in the 3-year positions are Justin Jutting of Sturgis, Ron Hays of Piedmont, Sandy Cass of Sturgis, Lee Spring of Union Center, Tim Amdahl of Piedmont and Charles Wheeler of Sturgis. A story about the candidates will appear in the May issue.

Superintendent Wayne Wormstadt will recommend an amendment to the 2024-25 school calendar at the April 14, 2025, school board meeting. The proposed change would move the last day of school for students to Tuesday, May 20, with a district-wide two-hour early release. Currently, the last day is set for Wednesday, May 21. If approved, the Staff Retirement & Recognition Banquet, which is open to the public, will be held on Wednesday, May 21.

The second round of open enrollment into the Meade School District 46-1 for the 2025-26 school year will open Tuesday, April 1! Please refer to the website, www.meade.k12.sd.us to fill out the open enrollment form.

The screenings are for children planning to attend kindergarten in the fall of 2025 as well as for those children up to six years of age. Children attending the screening will be evaluated in the areas of hearing, speech, language, gross and fine motor skills, and cognitive skills. The evaluations performed during the screening are provided free of charge and take approximately one hour.

Parents registering a child for kindergarten will need the child’s immunization records and a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate or affidavit in lieu of the birth certificate as issued by the Department of Health if the original is deemed unattainable. These documents are required by law for every child entering school in South Dakota. Please contact the building secretary to schedule a time for Kindergarten Screening.

April is celebrated throughout the nation as the Month of the Military Child. This special designation officers citizens the opportunity to honor the service of the nation's youngest heroes, the military children. In support of this initiative, the students and staff of the Meade School District are being encouraged to wear purple on Friday, April 11, 2025.

In October 2025, Stagebarn Middle School was recognized as a Purple Star School. The Purple Star Designation is awarded to military-friendly schools that have demonstrated a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military.

The school board will have the honor of signing the proclamation for Piedmont Valley Elementary at the April 14 board meeting as they will be recognized as a Purple Start School as well.

All requests for Meade School District bus route changes for the 2025-26 school year are to be submitted by Tuesday, April 1. The requests will be reviewed by the transportation committee and Harlow's for their recommendations. Action on the requests will be taken by the Board at the August board meeting.

The activities department has upgraded the activities calendar to Bound, an online software that handles all aspects of managing statewide athletics and activities.

Ready to inspire, educate, and make a difference? Meade School District 46-1 is seeking passionate individuals to join our team!

We have certificated, support staff and extra-curricular activity positions available for the 2025-26 school year.

• Special Education Teachers (with sign on bonus)
• MS/HS ELA Teachers
• Educational Sign Language Interpreter
• School Psychologist
• Activities Coaches
• Plus More!

Did you know that you can volunteer to work in schools throughout the district? Fill out the volunteer form now!

Educating youth takes a community effort, and because of that the Meade School Board is encouraging parents, guardians and other interested patrons to volunteer their time, knowledge and talents.

Members of the community bring new energies and resources into the schools and expand the walls of the classrooms. School volunteers enrich the educational program and strengthen the schools’ relationships with homes, businesses, public agencies and private institutions. All volunteers in the Meade School District do so without pay or employee benefits, except for workers’ compensation. For those interested in volunteering.

Parents/guardians and staff members now have access to review and request changes to contact and demographic information. If you have had an address change, phone number change or email change, log in to your parent portal through Infinite Campus and request a change now. If you do not have a parent portal account, contact your building secretary and they will create one for you.

The Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment office is committed to the following:

• Evaluating, adopting, and implementing high quality curriculum in all content areas

• Providing comprehensive Professional Development for district staff

• Analyzing assessment data and making recommendations for improved instruction.

For curriculum, assessment, district report card school performance and other information, please visit our webpage.

The Dakota Dreams Online Tutoring Program provides free online tutoring to K-12 students in South Dakota in the subjects of English/Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies.

Hereford, SD, home of Hereford Elementary within the Meade School District 46-1 is a small but tight-knit community centered around its rural school. With just 13 students enrolled in the 2024-25 school year, the school offers a low student-to-teacher ratio, leading to strong academic performance. A cherished tradition sees students and families riding horses to school on the first day, reflecting the deep connections and enduring spirit of this unique rural community.

To read the full article, click on the link provided. Photo/article credits to Jessica Deering & Penny Schlagel.

Teacher Trenton Schuelke from Central Meade Co. School sold a cow to one of his elementary students, Kashton, as part of an educational initiative. Schuelke guided his students through the entire process of purchasing and caring for the cow, emphasizing its educational value. 'Seeing young students enthusiastic about agriculture fuels my passion for teaching,' Schuelke shared. 'Kashton's smile says it all—it made my day!' Schuelke integrates agricultural lessons across various subjects throughout the school year, highlighting its broad relevance, from soil health to animal nutrition.

To read the full article, click on the link provided. Photo/article credit to Tim Potts.

Cash Daigle, a senior at Sturgis Brown High School was recently selected as the 2025 South Dakota High School Journalist of the Year, from the South Dakota State University School of Communication and Journalism. Cash plans to attend USD to get a major in education and a minor in journalism. He hopes to teach Journalism, Media and Design, as well as English. Pictured with Daigle is SBHS Language Arts instructor and journalism advisor, Shane Whidby.

To read the full article, click on the link provided. Photo/article credit to Tim Potts.

SBHS honors students for their academic achievements! Merit Honor Roll recognizes GPAs of 3.0-3.49, and High Honor Roll celebrates GPAs of 3.5-4.0. Congratulations students!

The Sturgis Brown High School prom, the theme of which is "City Lights Under Starry Nights" will be held Saturday, April, 12, 2025. Doors are scheduled to open at 6:30 pm with Grand March to start at 7:30 pm. Post-prom will run from 11:00 pm - 2:00 am.

Whitewood Elementary offers a FREE after-school program to our district students and families. The after-school program runs from 3 pm to 6 pm Monday - Friday and hosts sports camps, science clubs, robotics group, a video-game design team, and so much more.

*Class sizes are limited, please call (605) 269-2264 for more information.

Any child in KG - Fourth grade is eligible to participate on a first come first serve basis. Capable Kids runs from 2:35 pm - 6:00 pm. Monday - Friday. Please call (605) 787-5295 to check on availability. All necessary forms required will need to be COMPLETED IN ADVANCE before your child can attend.

The After-School Program will be available starting Tuesday, September 10 in the library from 3:15 pm-5:15 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Three teachers will be available to help students with homework. Students should arrive by 3:30 p.m. but can leave whenever they complete their work if they have their own ride. Students who need a late bus pass are required to stay until 5:15 p.m. Any questions, contact Mrs. Buchholz at sandra.buchholz@k12.sd.us.

Starting this year, Meade School District 46-1 will match parents’ payments toward school lunch debt, helping families who aren’t able to cover the cost of school lunches. An anonymous $115,000 donation, made through Black Hills Area Community Foundation (BHACF), made this matching program possible.

Meade School District 46-1 invested the anonymous donation into an endowment held at BHACF for the benefit of the School District. The endowment, the Meade School District Meal Support Fund, will provide perpetual, annual matching dollars to help families to pay off school lunch debt.

This year, the School District will receive $15,000 in an initial grant to help families to pay off the current unpaid meals balance of $23,000. Each day in the School District, at least 200 students who have not qualified for free-or-reduced meals lack the funds in their school account to cover the cost of their meal. Every student who wants a lunch receives one, regardless of their ability to pay.

Rhonda Ramsdell, District Food Service Director for Meade School District 46-1, is anticipating a robust response from the community. “We are so excited to be able to offer this assistance to our families now and in the years to come! This endowment will enable us to help parents provide for their children in these challenging times and allow students to have the nourishing meals they need to be successful,” Ramsdell said.

Kathleen Fitzgerald-Ellis, Associate Director of Philanthropy-Northern Hills at BHACF, partnered with Meade School District 46-1 to open the endowment, enabling BHACF to invest $20,000 into the Fund as part of its standard endowment matching program. She emphasized that it is rewarding for both donors and nonprofits when a worthy cause receives support that makes our communities stronger.

“Our priority is meeting the needs of individuals and families as well as the nonprofits that support them, and that includes our school districts who do their best to educate and uplift our children. We’re grateful for the many generous people who are dedicated to strengthening the place where they live,” Fitzgerald-Ellis said.

Families wishing to request assistance can call (605) 347-3601 or email Food Service Director Rhonda Ramsdell at Rhonda.Ramsdell@k12.sd.us to learn more.

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For Interviews:

Please call (605) 347-3601 or email Food Service Director, Rhonda Ramsdell at Rhonda.Ramsdell@k12.sd.us to learn more about the matching program.

About BHACF:

Black Hills Area Community Foundation (BHACF) is a registered public charity, operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. BHACF empowers donors to make meaningful gifts, supports regional nonprofits, and manages initiatives around key issues. Nonprofits interested in opening an endowment, and receiving a 25 percent match from BHACF, can connect with BHACF at 605-718-0112.

All Meade School District middle and high school student technology fee's ($25/student or $50/family) will be waived if families complete the Free and Reduced Meal Application, regardless of whether you qualify for the program or not.

By having more families complete the application, the district can demonstrate a higher level of need to secure and maintain Title I federal funding.

The information provided on the application is confidential, and staff will not have access to the specific details of your application.

Titan Family Portal is now LINQ Connect! Parents can deposit money directly into their child's meal account and can receive emails by clicking on the link "LINQConnect Family Portal" website and setting up an account.

Friday, 3/28

• Special Board Meeting - Study Session & Work Retreat w/ Executive Session

Monday, 3/31

• Finance Committee Meeting

Tuesday, 4/1

• Open Enrollment opens

Saturday, 4/12

• SBHS Prom

Monday, 4/14

• School Board Meeting

Friday, 4/18

• No School (Easter Break)

Monday 4/21

• No School (Easter Break)

Monday, 4/28

• Buildings & Grounds Committee Meeting
• Policy Committee Meeting

Sturgis Chamber of Commerce Events & Facebook

Sturgis Community Center website & Facebook

Foothills Area Chamber of Commerce Facebook

Whitewood Chamber of Commerce Facebook

Don't forget to LIKE us on Facebook, TWEET us on Twitter and FOLLOW Us on Instagram! It's a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest school events, cancellations, staff and student spotlights plus so much more! Our website is also full of information.

Sturgis Elementary

Piedmont Valley Elementary

Sturgis Williams Middle School

Stagebarn Middle School

Sturgis Brown High School

Meade Rural School

Whitewood Elementary

Sturgis Elementary

Piedmont Valley Elementary

Sturgis Williams Middle School

Stagebarn Middle School

Sturgis Brown High School

Meade Rural Schools

Whitewood Elementary