The South Dakota High School Activities Association has filled three open spots on its Board of Directors for the upcoming school athletic year.

Nominees for the three spots were submitted back in April. Member schools of the SDHSAA then submitted votes to elect the new Board of Directors.The new members replace Mr. Steve Morford, Spearfish High School Principal, Mr. Silas Blaine, Crazy Horse School Superintendent, and Dr. Paul Turman, Pierre School District Board of Education Member.

The SDHSAA has announced that the following positions have been filled:

Native American Representative: Secondary Principal from a SDHSAA member
school with a Native American population of at least 50% in grades 9-12 as determined
by the South Dakota Department of Education. This position will be filled by Mr. Barry
Mann. Mr. Mann is the High School Principal at Wakpala High School and Middle
School Principal at Wakpala Middle School. Mr. Mann is a member of the Cheyenne
River Sioux Tribe and has been involved in education for over 25 years as an educator,
administrator, and coach. This is a five-year term that expires June 30, 2024

West River At-Large Representative: Athletic/Activities Director or Assistant/Vice
Principal who devotes time to athletics/activities from schools with a location West of the Missouri River. This position will be filled by Mr. Dan Aaker. Mr. Aaker is currently
the Activities Director and head football coach at Winner High School and Principal at
Winner Middle School. A native of Bison, SD, Mr. Aaker has been an administrator,
educator, and coach for 18 years. This is a five-year position that expires June 30, 2024.

Large School Group Board of Education: Board of Education member from schools
with a 2016-17 ADM of 1,749.230 to 561.525 (Sioux Falls Roosevelt to Pierre T.F.
Riggs). This position will be filled by Mr. Mark Murphy. Mr. Murphy is a Board of
Education member for the Aberdeen Public School District. Mr. Murphy was a school
administrator, educator, and coach for 39 years before retiring in 2015. He became a member of the Aberdeen Public School District Board of Education in June of 2018. This is a four-year term (replacing the vacated seat of Dr. Paul Turman, Pierre) that expires June 30, 2023.

With the three positions filled, here is the full list of members of the SDHSAA Board of Directors moving into the 2019-2020 school season.

  • Division I: Dr. Brian Maher (Sioux Falls School District Superintendent)
  • Division II: Mr. Randy Soma (Brookings High School Athletic Director)
  • Division III: Dr. Jerry Rasmussen (Dakota Valley School District Superintendent)
  • Division IV: Mr. Craig Cassens (Faulkton High School Principal)
  • Large School Board of Education: Mr. Mark Murphy, Aberdeen Public Schools
  • **Small School Board of Education: Mr. David Planteen, Langford Area Schools
  • Native American At-Large Rep.: Mr. Barry Mann (Wakpala High School Principal)
  • *East River At-Large: Mr. Moe Ruesink (Sioux Valley High School Athletic Director)
  • West River At-Large: Mr. Dan Aaker (Winner High School Athletic Director)

* Denotes Board Chairperson, beginning July 1, 2019

** Denotes Board Vice-Chairperson, beginning July 1, 2019

New members begin their Board terms on July 1 st , 2019 and their first regularly scheduled meeting is August 21-22, 2019. More information regarding the SDHSAA Board of Directors can be found through the SDHSAA.

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