SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) — During a recent Oldham-Ramona-Rutland (ORR) school board meeting tensions ran high around the discussion of what the future of the school district should be, with one board member receiving a censure.
The situation started in 2022 when Oldham-Ramona consolidated with Rutland. The district is now working to build a new school. The school board previously approved a bond for a $20 million school to be built in Ramona.
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The new school would be in the same location as the current one, which would be partially torn down. It will plan to open in the fall of 2026 and will have a library for the first time, a new gym and CTE shop.
Censure
Before a majority of school board members voted on censuring board member Brook Albertson, board president Lance Hageman read a statement explaining why the majority of board members would vote to censure her.
A censure is a formal statement of disapproval in the form of a resolution that is adopted by majority vote.
The statement said that Albertson signed a petition which call for a public vote on dissolving the school district. The statement read by Hageman said Alberton’s conduct directly contradicted the core mission of the school board and best interests of the school district.
As the board was voting on the censure, Albertson explained her decision to sign the petition calling for the public vote in dissolving the district.
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“I did sign it, I did not sign it, meaning I want the school to dissolve and go away, I signed it because it’s bigger than us. Look at us up here, we can’t even get along, we sit here and we target each other all the time and it’s bleeding into the district, we are the most divided we’ve ever been and it keeps growing,” Albertson said. “This is not saying we need it to dissolve, this is saying that we need to let this go to a vote, let the people speak.”
Hageman read in the statement that Albertson’s “action represents a clear and troubling conflict with her obligations as an elected representative of the district. Supporting the dissolution of the very institution she serves undermines public confidence, weakens the board’s governance and contradicts our responsibility to act in the district’s best interest.”
The petition, brought forward by Sarah Wilson, would seek to dissolve the district, rather than continue the effort to come up with money for a new school. The petition needed to be signed by at least 160 residents in the ORR district.
Albertson questioned why none of the board members asked to speak with her prior to issuing the censure.
Hageman responded saying Albertson had sent him an email previously that stated, “leave me alone.”
Albertson responded saying she had received poor treatment from Hageman and ORR School District Superintendent Dawn Hoeke.
The statement also asked Alberton to reflect on her action and to recommit herself to the office. Or she should consider stepping down.
Albertson then left the room as well as a chunk of the audience after the majority of the board voted to censure her. Albertson then returned shortly rejoining the meeting.
Reorganization plan
During the board meeting the board also recognized the petition for reorganization, and to develop a plan for dissolution.
According to South Dakota Codified Law 13-6-10, if the school board or the voters of two or more districts or parts of districts express a desire to consolidate, divide, or dissolve the district, the school board may by resolution, or shall, if presented by a petition signed by fifteen percent of the registered voters residing in the district, based upon the total number of registered voters at the last preceding general election, develop a plan to accomplish the desire expressed in the resolution or contained in the petition.
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Since the petition received enough signatures, the ORR School District now has 180 days, plus the possibility of two 90-day extensions, to complete and submit the plan to the South Dakota Department of Education for review. If the plan is approved by the DOE, the dissolution of the district would then go to a public vote.
The board also formed a committee to start working on the process already, and plans to move forward as quickly as it can on the burden of work that’s going to be required.
Public Comment
The public was also divided on its thoughts for the future of the district with everyone from residents to students sharing their thoughts.
Speaking in favor of the school district was a student who attended ORR Brody Westall, a junior, saying the argument needs to be focused back on the actual children who will attend the school.
“This petition was signed by 60 students showing the overwhelming support for the school district,” Westall said. “I highly encourage parents and taxpayers to take a look at who this debate is being fought by, not the students in the school, but the adults online, please take a second to stop thinking about how this will affect you now, but how it will affect the students who will pass through the halls of the school for generations to come.”
Speaking for the dissolution of the district was Julie Gehrels, who said the districts dwindling enrollment is one reason to dissolve.
“We cant match the variety or depth of these offerings and families are voting with their feet. This decline impacts our students futures,” Gehrels said. “We have fought hard to keep our identity, but the data shows students are seeking opportunity elsewhere.”
