The board did take a vote on replacing the three board members who left. A good number pleading with the board to require masks, few for mask-choice. Steitzer became a board member in 2018 and said this year's election became overwhelmingly partisan. This is a decrease from both 2020 and 2021. Application Contact Phone. PRINT+DIGITAL: AS LOW AS $6.50 PER MONTH. Read to your children. Schick:When I campaigned in 2002, I had the following beliefs. I am a good fit for this role as I can work well with a variety of people, and I can agree and disagree with them without allowing it to become personal. School board members around the state who supported phased returns to the classroom and disease mitigation efforts like masks and social distancing have faced vitriolic school board meetings, recall attempts, election challenges and threats over the past 18 months. 'The Culture Became Caustic,' Said One Board Member. L- Leadership- You manage things; you lead people. Sign up now! Kim Herro, Rick Grothaus and Dan Raasch had been trying to change the boards approach to governance and leadership, which they felt was toxic and made it impossible to collaboratively work on solutions, for over a year. 556 likes. Steitzer was one of three current school board members that the groupOconomowoc Citizens Represented attempted to recall in September. It will notbe my last.". Therefore, the district must follow the Strategic Plan and will be monitored by the documented metrics. Bill Thiel received the most votes with 5,311 (22%), Neal Ninmann was second with 4,989 votes (20%),. Look at our band andtheater programs, our internship and apprentice programs, all top in the state. Two incumbents and a political newcomer won the three seats up for election on the Oconomowoc Area School Board on April 6. "That began a tremendous attack on the board at that point about not having the kids full five days a week face-to-face, back in the schools.". SHARE. Schick:I wanted to provide experience and leadership in the hiring of the new superintendent, selling of the old Meadow View School site, and general district operations. Office Incumbent Term School Board Member-at-Large VACANT 3 years (Begins April 25, 2022) School Board Member-at-Large Neal Ninmann 3 years (Begins April 25, 2022) Youre not an expert on everything, youre not there to manage the day-to-day operations of the district.". United States. Covid mitigation methods are what now-former board members expressed concern about in submitting resignation letters this week. "Well, my initial reaction was definitely surprise," said Scott Roehl, board VP. Click here for the 2021-22 Regular School Board Meeting Schedule, Click here to reach eBoard and all Special Meetings & Committee Agend, Oconomowoc Public Education Foundation (OPEF). I look forward to continuing my involvement as a parent and community member in selecting a new superintendent, addressing transportation safety concernsand long-range planning for our educational spaces.". Place An Ad - Call 262-306-5000/email: Conleyclass@conleynet.com, Three Oconomowoc School Board members resign, cite toxic board behavior, Cite hyper political, partisan culture as reason for stepping down, Submit an Obituary Wash. & Oz. While we found ways to implement some virtual learning and found ways to make it viable for students, it wasn't always a sustainable platform for teaching. "Anytime you try to make a change we went to block scheduling, we might have done a little grading change your boardroom fills," said Phillips. Contact info: pschmitz06@gmail.com; www.facebook.com/PaulaSchmitzCampaign; 262-490-7048, Address:N56 W35146 Pondview Lane,Oconomowoc, Past political experience:Current board member. Now, nearly half the board is vacant, with some major decisions ahead. There are examples of other districts offering course credit for extra-curriculars and this innovative strategy helps to reduce expenses while also increasing scope and depth of viable opportunities for students. She said: Absolutely! Finding ways to increase open enrollment into our school district. Schools Details: WebSchool Year Calendar - Oconomowoc Area School District.Quicklinks. "Good people are not going to run for office when their reputation will be damaged because of partisan bickering," Steitzer said. Since being on the board we have been able to begin the process of selling the old Meadow View building, we have hired a new superintendent, and increased student growth during the pandemic. In regard to your question on masks. All content Copyright 2023 WDJT. The board is much more stable now than it was back then. OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Dozens of Oconomowoc area school district parents are getting heated on the issue of face masks. Incumbent Juliet Steitzer was unseated in the election by. The first question asks for $38.65 million for several projects . Roehl'sseat is also up for election April 5. Anderson:As a parent of four, the wake of our school board making national news for toxic dysfunction hit hard. Footnotes. 25, Idaho, Braintree School Department, Massachusetts, Creighton Elementary School District, Arizona, Del Norte County Unified School District, California, East Baton Rouge Parish School System, Louisiana, Elbert County School District C-2, Colorado, Fresno Unified School District, California, Lake Havasu Unified School District, Arizona, Lake Mills Area School District, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, Tennessee, Middleton-Cross Plains School District, Wisconsin, Mount Horeb Area School District, Wisconsin, Oakland Unified School District, California, Paradise Valley Unified School District, Arizona, Traverse City Area Public Schools, Michigan, Visalia Unified School District, California, Westford School Department, Massachusetts, https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Oconomowoc_Area_School_District_recall,_Wisconsin_(2020)&oldid=8841316, Pages using DynamicPageList dplreplace parser function, Unsuccessful or mixed outcome recall efforts, Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022, Special Congressional elections (2023-2024), 2022 Congressional Competitiveness Report, State Executive Competitiveness Report, 2022, State Legislative Competitiveness Report, 2022, Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections. Rick Grothaus, Dan Raasch, and Kim Herro announced their. If you make a promise keep it. Ensuring that we are financially viable into the future. Tony Evers' statewide mask mandate was overturned, the Oconomowoc school board took up the issue. I want to see Student Personal Development days on the same days that their teachers have their PD days. Read full article. Anderson:Im proud and humbled to be endorsed by the teachers of the district through the Oconomowoc Education Association. I will fight for this as it will bring a transformative, long-lasting solution in times of crisis. The effort against members Juliet Steitzer, Kim Herro, and Scott Roehl began on September 17, 2020. The property should be listed very soon. more, Rick Grothaus, Kim Herro and Dan Raasch resigned from the board, filled the three vacant seats in September, Candidates for Oconomowoc mayor share views on growing inflation, infrastructure and public safety, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "I would just like to thank them for their service to the Oconomowoc Area School District," said board member Scott Roehl. We dont believe that people want our community to be characterized by the divisive, bullying, selfish, partisan tactics that seem to be so prevalent today. That day, I felt a moral obligation to step up to the plate and help stop this insanity in our school communities. If the pandemic showed us anything, it is that kids learn the best in the classroom with a teacher. In a democratic society, we will agree and disagree on different matters, and that is healthy;variety of perspectives enriches the board. "For those who voted for my message I say thank you," Schweitzer said. Federal courts | After considering 29 candidates, interviewing six and then selecting three of those six as finalists, the Oconomowoc School Board has selected the Oconomowoc Area School District's next. There is an opportunity to advance learning opportunities through improved online platforms that can serve both students and assist parents. "School boards are not, under the laws and procedures theyre set up to follow, very well-equipped to deal with hot-button, controversial issues," said Rossmiller. The district is great with wonderful teachers, curriculum and facilities. Around the same time, a group of parents chased the school board around the hallways of Burlington High School after the unruly crowd forced the suspension of a meeting. Nondiscrimination: The Oconomowoc Area School District provides assurance that no student is discriminated against because of the student's sex, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, or physical, mental, emotional, or learning disability. Incumbent Jessica Karnowski and newcomers Juliet Steitzer and James Wood defeated incumbents John Suttner and Donald Wiemer. My focus is clear: As a board member, I am there to represent the families in my district. A student Brookfield East High School wears a mask during class Monday, March 15, 2021, in Brookfield, Wis. Angela Major/WPR. In May, after Gov. As noted before, in-person learning is critical to student success. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. I have also served on both local and national boards of directors. One thing that really helps now is the open debate and discussion that happens between board members, without becoming personal or offending other members. Our family owns a small business in downtown Oconomowoc, I am a 1988 graduate of OHS and have three children who also have experienced OASD as students. In August 2021, Rick Grothaus, Kim Herro and Dan Raasch resigned from the board due to what they said was the board's "unwillingness to collaborate in good faith.". Thetwo candidates with the highest number of votes will takethree-year terms of office, and the candidates with the third and fourth highest number of votes will take one-year terms. The effort failed after the group did not get enough signatures. I am excited to continue the momentum that the board has established. The OASD School Board holds a regular monthly meeting on the third Wednesday of each month at the Oconomowoc High Schoo East Campus, starting at 6:30 p.m. >>Click here for the 2021-22 Regular School Board Meeting Schedule. Address: N56 W35146 Pondview Lane, Oconomowoc Past political experience: Current board member Community involvement: Current school board member, former Oconomowoc rec league coach.. Schmitz:Based on the priorities I outlined in my previous answer, I am developing a proposal, a comprehensive plan that includes creative and innovative programs, initiatives and strategies to meet the needs of our students after the pandemic. All rights reserved. DIGITAL ONLY: JUST $5 PER MONTH I believe that as representatives of the community the board should always have time to hear people out and I appreciate the board making that change now that I am there. What a blessing this would be for parents! Anderson:First, is to focus on how we attract and retain the most talented teachers possible. Elections in 2023 | Ballot measures, Who represents me? "The main qualification of a school board member and I say this as a local elected official is you got one more vote than the other person. It will be a fantastic! I would have run then, but I wanted to make sure that the candidates I supported were elected (they did) and I didnt want to dilute the votes we needed. Steitzer, Herro, and Roehl were joined in approving the proposal by members Dan Raasch and Rick Grothaus. Meeting Schedule / Notices / Agendas/ Meeting Summaries. Wood had the most votes with 5,279 (24%), followed by Karnowski's 5,010 votes (23%) and Carrico's 4,196votes (19%). The difference is in the approach. "We will use mandated masking as a layered mitigation strategy when our data proves it necessary," said Dr. Kristen Taylor, interim superintendent. Were losing some really good people because of the contentiousness, and Im concerned that we may lose some more teachers in the process, or more administrators, that we already know we have a shortage of. "But where you start off with the entrenched ideological conflict, thats where its just destructive it makes governing impossible.". I believe strongly that serving as a representative of the community is a primary focus for a school board member and is the reason I am a good fit for the position. A great group of administrators, staff and teachers. [1], The recall effort began when recall supporters filed paperwork with the school district on September 17, 2020. Counties | Interns wanted: Get paid to help ensure that every voter has unbiased election information. !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var e in a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var t=document.getElementById("datawrapper-chart-"+e)||document.querySelector("iframe[src*='"+e+"']");if(t)(t.style.height=a.data["datawrapper-height"][e]+"px")}}))}(); if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; June 2: El Rancho Unified School District, California, What's on my ballot? I am running to continue to move our school district in the positive direction. I led program development initiatives expanding outreach, involvement, and resources for both students and . Duration: 01:58 8/16/2021. When three school board members in Oconomowoc resigned together on Monday, it wasnt solely because of board disputes over COVID-19. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Camp Timber-lee: Delavan businessman to buy, keep site open, Racine drunk driver killed pregnant friend: complaint, Mysterious lights in southeast Wisconsin sky; here's what they were, Alderman Bauman regrets his decision on downtown metered parking, Oak Creek car thefts; gas station customers targeted, police say, Delavan-Darien School Districts Pathways to Success. For questions or comments, contact WPRs Audience Services at 1-800-747-7444, email listener@wpr.org or use our Listener Feedback form. "Who in the world would want to be superintendent of a community and work with a school board that is unwilling to listen to all points of view?" "It created immediate, aggressive reactions, not only by those two board members, but also a faction of the community that they were aligned with," said Grothaus. I am a community supporter, passionate alumni and strong advocate for becoming an unrivaled school district that will be the choice for anyone in our regional communityof learners. One of them was Juliet Steitzer, whose loss in Oconomowoc tipped the balance of power, setting the stage for the later resignations. We build futures through partnerships, accountability and transparency. Hopefully our community will rise up and demand to hire a quality superintendent who can provide enough positive leadership to overcome the current state of leadership for the district, the letter states. [7] The district was the 30th-largest school district in the state in the 2013-2014 school year and served 5,224 students. From January. Phone. Its not a question of which is better;its about innovation to give parents, studentsand teachers a choice. There's also high interest in the Oconomowoc School Board, where six candidates are running for four seats. General mask wearing should be a family choice based on their understanding of masks and should not be monitored by staff unless under protocol since this takes time from their main task of educating. Throughout my life, I have been an active participant in my community. If elected, what are your priorities for the district? I was so disappointed that at many of these meetings there was no opportunity for the community to speak. Town of Oconomowoc Police Department. Three of the seven seats on the Oconomowoc Area School District school board in Wisconsin were up for at-large general election on April 3, 2018. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. Empowering a Community of Learners and Leaders. Despite the mass resignation, the letter states the members believes there is enough insulation between the Board and the classroom that teachers can still do good work for kids. "Its not a specific group thats necessarily capturing the board, but its the ideological conflict itself thats capturing the board," he said. My main reason for applying was to bring stability and history to the table. I have no personal agenda and will work solely for the community, parents and our students. Meanwhile, the board will begin taking applications and discuss its plan to fill the vacant seats at its next meeting Wednesday, Aug. 18. In addition, their negligence to ensure that the district provides the best educational opportunities to maximize the achievement of our students will have significant and lasting effects on our community. Contact info: 920-474-7796;thielw@oasd.org. With a background as a VP of a college and with my current role in senior management at an HNW investment firm I wanted to leverage my professional experience to help our board operate as a high functioning group. State and local courts | Community involvement: Volunteered at the local parish church, lobbied for street resurfacing and got it done in our neighborhood of Oconomowoc Heights, which was prone to flooding. Recall supporters had 60 days to collect signatures from citizens in the school district. Job Openings at Weigel Broadcasting Milwaukee. Three Oconomowoc School Board members have resigned in protest over how the district is handling COVID-19 protocols before the start of the upcoming school year. However, virtual learning for most students is not as effective as in-person learning. [1], The decision included an in-person learning model for elementary school students and a split-attendance model for middle school and high school students. I wanted to make sure someone stood up to take accountability and I was most nervous about our district losing talented teachers. "Were losing some really good people because of the contentiousness, and Im concerned that we may lose some more teachers in the process, or more administrators, that we already know we have a shortage of.". The candidates are (top row, left to right): Andrew Anderson, Neal Ninmann (i), Sandy . The candidates responded to a questionnaire about how they would bring stability and cohesiveness back to the board and about masks and in-person and virtual learning. Delavan - Darien School District's DD Tech Administrator and CTE Coordinator, Michael Rick, discusses educational opportunities. Schick:Our resilient district has improved our ability to provide virtual learning during the challenges of the COVID pandemic. Six compete for four seats on Oconomowoc School Board, Submit an Obituary Wash. & Oz. ", RELATED:Two incumbents ousted in a Waukesha School Board race partly defined by unrest over virtual learning. That mindset is the only way for us to grow as a district to go from good to great. A majority voted to keep requiring masks indoors through the end of the year, though kids could ditch them when they were outside. The board must focus on strategic alignment driving results and opportunity for students, teachers and parents. The boards job is to focus on getting our students the best education possible and work (as our vision states) to become Unrivaled.. OCONOMOWOC - Oconomowoc Area School Board member Scott Roehl announced via his candidacy Facebook page that he would be resigning from his seat on the board due to his family moving out of . One of the main issues for the school board in the near future will be deciding on the district's next superintendent. To get the recall on the ballot, recall supporters had to collect signatures from voting-age citizens who lived within the school district in 60 days. James Wood took over as the Oconomowoc School Board president following the 2021 election, in which he was elected to a second term after receiving Kleefisch's support. ContactInformation: 920-948-7183 (cell), Address:N76 W36096 Saddlebrook Lane, Oconomowoc. From left to right: Mike Sereno, Joe Koch and Jeridon Clark. "Weve got some young people, students who have gotten up and spoken in front of the board on the importance of being in school face-to-face, and then you have adults who are bullying them and cheering them," he said. She said she wished the district had utilized its outdoor space in order to allow all students to return to in-person learning full-time. I have been an educator for 21 years, the last 16 of them as an administrator, I felt this background would be a benefit to the board and school district. Members James Wood and Jessica Kornowski voted against the proposal. All Rights Reserved. Decisions should be based on collaboration and transparency. Herro was in the last year of her term, which expired April 2022. Believe it or not, that small step over time will also help us become a better district. powered by finalsite About Us The fact that the restrictions have been now lifted doesnt mean that the havoc caused by the lockdowns will disappear overnight. Oconomowoc Schools The Oconomowoc Area School District encompasses approximately 120 square miles surrounding the City of Oconomowoc and draws students from three counties: Waukesha, Jefferson, and Dodge. some parents who are worried their kids will get sick, clear guidance from state and federal agencies, Children face cognitive delays during pandemic, Arts organizations see signs of recovery, A Milwaukee school is training students to help their peers who are dealing with suicidal thoughts, Why some schools are seeing more fights since returning in-person, Wisconsin districts face backlash over plans to teach gender identity to elementary students, 3 transgender women have been killed in Milwaukee in the last 9 months, Lawyer who oversaw Trump elector scheme in Wisconsin reappointed to judicial advisory panel, Court orders Green Bay to stop using audio devices while lawsuit plays out, UW System President Jay Rothman to seek in-state tuition increase, Capital budget would offload 4 state office buildings, Wisconsin natives aged gouda is 'best cheese' in America, contest says, Landowners sue Lac du Flambeau tribal leaders to reopen roads blocked for a month, Buyer steps up to save Camp Timber-lee in East Troy, Wisconsin Educational Communications Board. . More: Candidates for Oconomowoc mayor share views on growing inflation, infrastructure and public safety. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Third, we deserve a school board that can operate for more than six months without creating negative headlines. However, we need to respect those who choose to still wear a mask. Neither Raasch nor Grothaus could be included in the recall as they had not yet served on the board for a full year. Boards are set up to handle policy issues like setting the annual budget while school officials are typically tasked with day-to-day operations, making decisions based on what theyre seeing in classrooms and running them by the board for approval as needed.

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