by Heath Larson

ASBSD Executive Director

As the school year progresses and teachers have developed procedures and routines in their classrooms while continuing to cultivate positive relationships, here at ASBSD we have many outstanding things happening. I am hopeful that your school districts are experiencing positive momentum as October approaches.

We are providing numerous school board governance trainings and goal setting sessions across South Dakota led by Dr. Wade Pogany. I encourage your school district to consider this professional development opportunity with ASBSD.

We continue to offer our policy and legal services for member school districts. Serving as Interim Director of Policy & Legal Services will be Gerry Kaufman. Many of you know Mr. Kaufman from his extensive work with ASBSD and school districts over the years. Gerry can be reached via phone 605-350-1102 or gklaw@basec.net for email communication. We are advertising for a Director of Policy & Legal Services which is an in-house position located in Pierre.

The ASBSD Protective Trust continues their diligent work to provide excellent opportunities for school districts in the insurance areas of health, property/casualty, and workers' compensation. Holly Nagel and Heidi Jennings provide outstanding service for you in this area.

Learning with Larson regional meetings have been scheduled around the state. Our Director of Communications, Tyler Pickner, and I will be traveling around the state. We look forward to connecting with you on our positions and providing relevant information as it pertains to education in South Dakota.

I also want to send a shout out to our staff not mentioned previously. Deanne Arbach is our accountant and Katie Mitchell-Boe serves as executive assistant. Both play significant roles at the association. I am excited with the staff we have serving you.

As always, if you have any questions, let us know. We are here to support you and your district as we continue to advocate for public education in South Dakota and serve for the betterment of our most valuable resource, our children.

ASBSD extends a gracious thank you to Director of Policy & Legal Services Jessica Filler for her service to the Association. Filler completed her tenure with ASBSD this week.

“I am grateful for the opportunity ASBSD gave me to contribute to its well-respected legal advocacy for public schools, to speak and write about legal issues affecting public schools, and to serve our members and most importantly, our cherished SD public school system,” Filler shared.

Starting at ASBSD in 2020, Filler has provided countless hour of dedicated service to public school board members and administrators and to ASBSD through her thorough policy work and research, work with the ASBSD Protective Trust, advocacy efforts in the legislature and much more.

“We’re thankful for Jessica’s effort and dedication to ASBSD,” Executive Director Heath Larson said.

“Jessica has been such a valuable member of this team, and her work ethic will be missed, but just as much, so will her personality and camaraderie. We wish her all the best.”

ASBSD will continue to provide excellent policy services work and encourage members with questions or service needs to contact ASBSD staff: https://asbsd.org/about/contact-us/.

by Jessica Filler

Former Director of Policy & Legal Services

ASBSD has modified multiple policies recently and summaries of those updates are below.

Policy GCDB: Criminal Background Checks and Policy Exhibit GCDB-E(1): Criminal Background Checks Noncriminal Justice Applicant’s Privacy Rights

• Updates to the language in accordance with schools who have undergone background check audits and received feedback on specific terms to be included in background check policies. ASBSD strongly recommends that districts revise/update their policies accordingly.

Policy JO: Student Records and Policy Exhibit JO-E(1): Student Records Notice of Rights

• FERPA allows personally identifiable information from students’ education records to be given out without obtaining prior written consent in connection with financial aid for which the student has applied/received. The language in ASBSD’s sample policy has been updated accordingly.
• The policy exhibit updates the US DOE address to which to send a complaint, and lists giving out student records in connection with financial aid as a permissible disclosure.

Policy JOA: Student Directory Information and Policy Exhibit JOA-E(1): Student Directory Information Notice

• Allows the District to designate email addresses as directory information under FERPA.

Policy JHCDC: Diabetes Heath Care and Insulin Administration

• Effective July 1, 2024, a new state law went into effect to allow schools to administer nasal glucagon to a student experiencing severe hypoglycemia, subject to certain rules/requirements. The sample policy now includes a provision on District emergency administration of nasal glucagon.

Policy JECB: Open Enrollment

• Removes the policy language that requires the open enrollment application to include whether the student is on an IEP/needs special education services and that a failure to do so voids the open enrollment request. The SD Department of Education removed the IEP section of the open enrollment form, and thus ASBSD’s sample policy was revised accordingly.

Policy GCC: Professional Staff Recruiting

• Revisions to most of the policy language to bring it up-to-date.

Policy AH: Conflict of Interest Disclosure and Authorization

• Updates to the language of the conflict of interest statute cited in the first paragraph of the policy.

Policy JFCH: Alcohol and Other Drugs

• Sets forth specifically that drugs, narcotics, dangerous or illegal chemical substances includes tobacco, nicotine delivery devices, e-cigarettes and vaping devices.

Policy IGCB: Distance Learning

• Revises the sample policy to cover virtual/online courses and how students may apply and receive credit for such courses.

Policy GBG: Staff Participation in Political Activities

• Changes to the policy language regarding the process of an employee who chooses to run for public office.

Policy JGD: Student Suspension and Expulsion

• Provides language clarification regarding firearm and dangerous weapon consequences to be more consistent with existing law.

The sample policies and exhibits can be found online through ASBSD’s Policy Services website. For questions related to either, contact Tyler Pickner at tpickner@asbsd.org or at 605-773-8382.

To access the ASBSD Policy Services website, school board members and administrators must login at http://policy.asbsd.org. Your district’s login and password information has been previously provided to your district’s administration.

Note: For ASBSD member schools who are Online Policy Services subscribers you may access a PDF copy of the modifications made to these policies through your school districts online policy site, simply choose the ASBSD Communications option under the Policies tab.

If you are not able to access the ASBSD Policy Services website, please contact your district’s administration or Pickner at tpickner@asbsd.org or at 605-773-8382.

Join new ASBSD Executive Director Heath Larson and fellow school leaders to discuss many public education topics on Wednesday this fall as part of the Learning with Larson meeting schedule.

Come have a meal and connect with fellow board members, superintendents, business managers and other school leaders to talk about ASBSD’s resolutions and standing positions, the 2025 legislative session, and how we can work together to advocate for public education.

In-person events will have a meal served prior to the meeting and a cost of $20 per registrant with the Zoom meeting on November 13th being free.

Please note the start time next to each event, which will be held on and at:

· Wednesday, October 2 in Aberdeen (1300 S 3rd St.) at 6 p.m. (Central)

· Wednesday, October 9 in Huron (100 4th St. SW) at 5:30 p.m. (Central)

· Wednesday, October 16 in Box Elder (561 Briggs St.) at 5:30 p.m. (Mountain)

· Wednesday, October 23 in White River (501 3rd St.) at 6 p.m. (Central)

· Wednesday, October 30 in Brandon (301 S Splitrock Blvd) at 5:30 p.m. (Central)

· Wednesday, November 6 in Timber Lake (500 Main St.) at 6 p.m. (Mountain)

· Wednesday, November 13 on Zoom at 6:30 p.m. (Central)

To register for an event, click on the link above that corresponds with the meeting of your choice and follow these instructions (click link to open): ASBSD Event Registration Information for Individuals, to complete registration. There will be a $15 cancellation fee if registration is not cancelled more than 48 hours prior to the meeting.

Board members participating will earn 20 ALL points!

If you have questions about the meetings or need assistance with registration, please contact Director of Communication Tyler Pickner at tpickner@asbsd.org or at 605-881-3791 or 605-773-8382.

ASBSD’s 2024 Delegate Assembly is scheduled for Friday, November 22 in Fort Pierre at the Drifters Event Center beginning at 1 p.m. (Central) and EACH member district should appoint a board member to represent their school board and vote on positions that help set our legislative direction.

Click the links to review ASBSD’s proposed resolutions and standing positions for the 2025 legislative session.

Each resolution or standing position with a change has an explanation of the proposed change underneath it in red.

The Delegate appointment form is online and can be found by CLICKING THIS LINK and completing the information requested for the school board member your board has appointed. Or, if you’d prefer, you can forward your delegate’s name and contact information to tpickner@asbsd.org.

School boards appointing a board member as a Delegate will earn 25 ALL points!

Member districts can also submit a new or amended resolution or standing position, or suggest deletion of a resolution or standing position, by completing the 2024 ASBSD Delegate Assembly Member Resolution-Standing Position Form, which can be found by CLICKING HERE.

If you have questions about submitting a delegate or Delegate Assembly, please contact Director of Communications Tyler Pickner at tpickner@asbsd.org or at 605-773-8382 or at 605-881-3791.