Who should run for the school board? Rapid City Area Schools, Douglas School District look to fill seats in upcoming election
RAPID CITY, S.D.– Between both districts, three empty seats for the school board are up for grabs during this year’s upcoming elections. Nominating petitions first became available on March 1 and can be picked up at either 625 9th Street in Rapid City (RCAS) Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or at 400 Patriot Drive in Box Elder (Douglas School District) Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Candidates must have at least 20 signatures on the petitions to be considered. The deadline to file for both schools is March 28, and elections are scheduled for June 6. Voters can find their polling places on the South Dakota Secretary of State’s website ahead of the June election.
Rapid City Area Schools
RCAS will have two spots available for election this year for Areas 4 and 5, each carrying a three-year term. To find maps corresponding to the associated areas, click here. As part of the requirements to be considered for the available seats, nominees must live within the district boundaries. In addition to picking up in person, petitions can also be accessed on either the RCAS’s website or the South Dakota Secretary of State’s website. On the last day to file, March 28, the district office will close at 5:00 p.m.
Douglas School District
Douglas School District will have one seat available for residents interested in becoming part of the board. This new board member elected will also serve a three-year term, taking over the seat currently held by Cathleen Melendez. Petition packets for Douglas School District also must be returned by the March 28 deadline at 5:00 p.m. “We are expecting about 300 or 400 students in the next five years,” Douglas School District Communications Coordinator Katy Urban said. “So there are a lot of things that we have to discuss in terms of facilities and how we handle this growth.”
Who should run for the school board?
Urban says that the ideal candidate should have the well-being of students and families in mind. “Everyone has a different idea of how a school district should run or how they want their kids to be taught in school, or how their taxes are being spent. And so I think it is good to have a variety of perspectives so that we can make decisions that are best for the whole.”
