Driver’s ed teachers in demand [American News, Aberdeen, S.D.]

Nov. 04--Cal Nygaard's drive time is in high demand. The counselor at Aberdeen Central High School does double-duty as a driver's education instructor, which takes him to multiple South Dakota communities and as far out as Decorah, Iowa.

Nygaard will be teaching driver's education at Central for the first time due to changes in the program in July and the loss of three out of four instructors.

"It's a very important class because we're putting young people behind the wheel," Nygaard said. "We want them to make good decisions and to take it seriously because making good decisions is crucial to being a successful driver."

A shortage of certified driver's education instructors can keep some schools from offering the service, said Nygaard who can't fill all the requests he has for his services.

Teachers must be certified through a class offered at Northern State University about once every other year. The two-week course teaches instructors the rules of the road, teaching techniques and reviews good driving habits.

"There's not a lot of interest in that," said Mark Murphy, assistant principal at Central High School, during a school board meeting Monday.

After a hiatus, a driver's education class was re-established by Mark Stone about a decade ago.

"There wasn't one when I decided to get certified," Stone said. "Students have been losing the opportunities to receive driver's education."

Most school districts give priority to their own students. Stone said, if a school district does not offer it, then students must vie for a spot in another district.

Students and their families must pay for the classes out of pocket at both Roncalli and Central. Stone said he wishes every teenage driver had to take a class, which was what he had to do in the 1970s as a requirement.

"It's pretty widely known that driving is about the single most complicated skill," he said. "It probably requires more decision-making every minute than any other skill."

The class can benefit students and families in other ways, too. Nygaard said some can receive insurance breaks if their teen drivers take a course.

Schools used to pay the expense for the formerly required class and Stone said he knows why that has changed, but doesn't want a student to be financially barred from taking the class.

Costs are kept as low as possible for Central students and the registration covers basic classroom costs and enough to cover insurance and gas.

The program wouldn't be possible without help from area car dealerships, Murphy said. Cars for students to drive are donated by Pierson Ford, Harr Motors and the Aberdeen Chrysler Center.

It's difficult to find instructors, said Nygaard, who encourages other teachers to consider becoming certified.

About 170 students were served through the Central program last year and the Roncalli program averages about 40 students a summer.

Stone and Rich Dix are the instructors that serve Aberdeen Roncalli High School students. Nygaard will join returning instructor Randy Holsing at Central.

"It's the driving hours that take a lot of time," said Stone, who has previously helped in Groton.

Another change to the Central program is the offering of a new class over winter break that begins Dec. 23. The four-day intensive program is similar to the type of class Nygaard teaches when he visits area communities and will only be offered if there is enough student interest.

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