EDUCATION

Board OKs plan to cut teacher's job

Mitchell School District Superintendent Joe Graves requested and received school board approval Monday to cut one high school teaching position for the 2010-2011 school year.
Graves said the move, called a “reduction in force,” is being made due to changing high school graduation requirements and anticipated budget constraints.

March 09, 2010

Gymnastics parents, Graves meet with ideas

An alternate practice location could help not only reduce the cost of the Mitchell High School gymnastics program, but also increase the number of participants, a parent group told school administrators Monday. The group, made up of parents involved in the high school gymnastics program, met with Superintendent Joe Graves Monday for the second time since Graves announced his plan to eliminate gymnastics as a high school-sanctioned sport and replace it with competitive cheer and dance. Monday’s meeting focused on ideas that would make the program more cost-effective per participant as well as increase the number of girls participating in the sport.

March 09, 2010

Students from nine area schools compete in battle of minds

For six years, Mitchell Christian High School took top honors at the Custer Battlefield Highway Academic Festival, held annually at Dakota Wesleyan University.
White Lake broke that streak in 2009. A junior last year, Mitchell Christian’s Lexy Schuman said the school’s second-place finish in 2009 made her all the more ready to end her high school career with a first-place victory this year.

March 04, 2010

Committee focused on saving Kernel gymnastics

Those involved with the Mitchell High School and MEGA gymnastics programs learned Tuesday that Mitchell Superintendent Joe Graves is proposing to eliminate gymnastics as a school-sanctioned sport at MHS and to replace it with competitive cheer and dance. That was Tuesday night. Already, parents and gymnasts are scrambling to save the Kernel gymnastics program.

February 27, 2010

DWU Athletic Training Club featured in trade newsletter

The Dakota Wesleyan Athletic Training Club hosted its first coaches clinic on Nov. 11, 2009.

By Sports staff , February 26, 2010

Local scholarship fund: From $18,000 to $45,000 in seven years

An annual fundraiser that gives post-secondary scholarships to Mitchell students has grown from $18,000 to $45,000 in seven years, pleasing organizers and providing even more money for educational opportunities.

February 24, 2010

Future of gymnastics in jeopardy at MHS

The 2010 state meet, which concluded Saturday, may have been the last for the Mitchell High School gymnastics team. Two days after the meet came to an end, gymnasts and their parents and coaches met with Superintendent Joe Graves to discuss the future of the MHS gymnastics program.

February 24, 2010

Board approves MTI alcohol policy

Despite assurances that alcohol use would be highly circumscribed, school board member Neil Putnam on Monday renewed past objections to the serving of any alcoholic beverages on school district property.
Putnam’s lone protest came during February’s first regular board meeting at Mitchell Technical Institute.

February 09, 2010

Jazz Festival to nurture students' passion

Young jazz musicians have a rare opportunity to expand their musical knowledge and learn from state and national musicians Tuesday, when Mitchell hosts the Palace City Jazz Festival.

February 06, 2010

Springs woman named Science Teacher of Year

WESSSINGTON SPRINGS — A Wessington Springs science teacher will receive the South Dakota Physical Science Teacher of the Year Award tonight from the state Science Association.
Mary Gohring, 64, who has taught for 28 years at Huron, Alpena and Wessington Springs, is a teacher who prides herself on inspiring and encouraging her students. She plans to retire at the end of 2010-11 after 17 years with the Wessington Springs School District.

February 05, 2010

Indian school gets OK, charter-school provision dropped

PIERRE — A proposal for a unique preparatory academy to help American Indian students rise from poverty in South Dakota advanced Thursday in the Legislature.
At the same time, state Education Secretary Tom Oster retreated from the rest of the legislation that sought to allow charter schools wherever local boards agreed.

January 29, 2010

Memorial Day sneaking up on end of school district calendar

The cushion between May 19 — the last day of school — and the May 29-31 Memorial Day weekend looked pretty comfortable when the Mitchell School District originally planned its 2009-2010 school calendar. That was before the district racked up five snow days this month, including Jan. 6-8, Jan. 20 and Jan. 25. Now the final day of school is May 24 — and counting. If the district has any more snow days, they will be added to that date, says Superintendent of Schools Joe Graves.

January 26, 2010

Mitchell schools to start two hours late

Mitchell Public Schools, John Paul II Elementary and Mitchell Christian School will begin classes two hours late today.

January 26, 2010

SDSU's new dean of agriculture excited about 'incredible opportunity'

Barry Dunn, the newly hired dean of the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences at South Dakota State University, has a simple reason for wanting to return to South Dakota. It’s the weather.

January 23, 2010

GED numbers in S.D. hover around 1,400

Stay-at-home mom Kim Gregerson is taking General Education Development classes because she wants a better life for herself and her family. The 21-year-old Mitchell resident once considered a career in nursing, but after further research, she’s not so sure. She does, however, know she wants to go to college.

January 23, 2010