The Mitchell Board of Education will have an important meeting to discuss the district’s literacy coaches. This session is set for 5:30 p.m. on Monday, February 10, in Room 10 at the Mitchell Career and Technical Education Academy. The Mitchell Republic will also stream the meeting live on its website.
During a recent presentation, Joe Childs, the superintendent of the Mitchell School District, shared exciting news about the addition of three new literacy coaches this year. These coaches are focused on enhancing reading skills for students of all ages. According to Childs, “These coaches spend half their time working directly with teachers and the other half providing small group instruction to students.”
The district is emphasizing a new state initiative centered on the science of reading—primarily phonics. This initiative aims to equip teachers with the necessary tools and resources to teach reading effectively. The literacy coaches assist K-5 teachers weekly during a phonics block designed to boost foundational reading skills.
They also conduct small-group instruction known as Tier 2 intervention. Each coach leads a group for about 30 minutes, targeted at different grade levels. Although no formal decisions will be made about the literacy coaches in this meeting, the discussion will serve as an informative update for the board.
Alongside the updates on literacy coaching, the board will consider several personnel changes:
- Hiring Tayah Waldera as a volunteer assistant track coach for the 2024-25 school year.
- Bringing on Joni Hirsch and Elizabeth Duvall as paraeducators at local elementary schools, effective 2025.
- Accepting the resignation of Roxanne Loudenburg as the middle school head volleyball coach.
- Hiring new instructors at Mitchell Technical College and adjusting the salary for a Student Success Coach following degree completion.
- Processing the resignation of a Power Line Instructor.
The board will also tackle several important agenda items, including:
- Listening to member and superintendent reports.
- Reviewing the public comments.
- Examining the 2023-24 audit report.
- Approving a membership agreement in the Eastern South Dakota Food Buying Group.
- Finalizing the K-12 school calendar for the 2025-26 year.
- Updating Policy 745 and entering an executive session to prepare for contract negotiations.
This meeting is open to the public, and community members are encouraged to attend to stay informed about developments in their local schools.
