I dont think we need some new program or initiative to get us there. Incumbents Jessica Karnowski and James Wood received the most votes and will retain their seats. Michael Ford, a professor of public administration at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a member of the Oshkosh City Council, said theres a concept called "school board capture" that refers to boards being overtaken by interest groups a union, for example, or particular business interests. Phone. !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? The board filled the three vacant seats in Septemberby appointing Neal Ninmann, former board member Sandy Schick and Chad Schraufnagel. Federal courts | Community involvement: Five O's Baseball coach, youth football coach, and we lead the annual Anderson Family Holiday Gift Drive supporting local families, Contact info: 414-426-4114;andrew1anderson@hotmail.com, Address:N64 W37630 Woodcrest Drive, Oconomowoc, Community involvement:Current appointee to Oconomowoc School Board since September 2021;volunteer, Downtown Business District, past board member, OconomowocArea Baseball Club, Past political experience:19+ years on the school board Oconomowoc Area School District, Community involvement: Oconomowoc Area School District, Okauchee Lions Club, Boy Scouts former merit badge counselor, Contact info:schick.sandy@yahoo.com; 262-567-2725 (home), Address: N53 W37160 E. Madison St., Oconomowoc, Past political experience: Sat on the HeadStart Board, Champaign, Illinois, 2003-05. Cities | powered by finalsite About Us Since there is no ability to engage in meaningful dialogue, even on the issue of the health and safety of our students and staff, we cannot be part of an organization that is so non-responsive to every constituents concerns, not just a minority segment, and is so cavalier about our students, staffs and communitys health and safety, the letter states. Empowering a Community of Learners and Leaders. 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. "They were shooting for her, there was a bullseye on her back," said Herro. Address: N56 W35146 Pondview Lane, Oconomowoc Past political experience: Current board member Community involvement: Current school board member, former Oconomowoc rec league coach.. Apply today! 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. Since August, the board has seen four resignations in the wake of a reportedly toxic work environment. Divisive, bullying, partisan tactics are among the reasons why three Oconomowoc Area School Board members said they resigned. 3.) Did you know we were one of the few districts in the state that increased student performance last year during COVID? Voters may cast a ballot for up to four of the six candidates. 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. When I asked, was this pandemic-related? "We have in the past seen national issues bleed into local government issues, but now were seeing a more sustained effort, and a more explicitly ideologically motivated effort, thats all-encompassing.". All three are up for election April 5. Ballotpedia tracked 29 school board recall efforts against 64 board members in 2020. OCONOMOWOC, Wis. - Divisive, bullying, partisan tactics are among the reasons why three Oconomowoc Area School Board members said they resigned Sunday night, Aug. 15. Anderson:Im proud and humbled to be endorsed by the teachers of the district through the Oconomowoc Education Association. I sought a September appointment and received the appointment. Anderson:We all hope to get back to life as it was before masks. OCONOMOWOC - Three Oconomowoc Area School Board members have announced they will be resigning from the board due to the other board members' and the interim superintendents. The fact that the restrictions have been now lifted doesnt mean that the havoc caused by the lockdowns will disappear overnight. 2023 www.jsonline.com. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. This year, though, board meetings have gotten tense, and a combination of public pressure and district politics mean many wont put those precautions in place. Then, according to the resigning members, another board member told parents they could claim a religious exemption to allow their kids to go mask-free. | Another thing that is important to me and has been added to all the meetings are a time for discussion from the community. [7] The district was the 30th-largest school district in the state in the 2013-2014 school year and served 5,224 students. First off, sell MeadowviewSchool. Three-layer cotton masks, 26.5 percent efficient," another parent said. State and local courts | Two challengers have also entered the contest set for a vote April 5. Current board members Ninmann, Schick, Schraufnagel and Thiel, along with challengers Paula Schmitz and Andrew Anderson, are running. The recall effort was started by the group Oconomowoc Citizens Represented, who said Steitzer, Herro, and Roehl "willfully neglected to act on behalf of the citizens of the district. "We are going to still going to continue to maintain, continue to work and continue to do what we can to make the Oconomowoc Area School District an unrivaled place and an unrivaled educational environment," said Roehl. Wood said the current HVAC system at Oconomowoc High School is from the 1960s and not up to today's . We must govern via smart policy and not by current events or pressure from outside influences. Thiel:You might not know this, but Oconomowoc has a separate special curriculum for those that want to be completely virtual, and I think that is a great program for those who have selected it. Thiel:I have always been involved with the schools as a stay-at-home dad for my three children who all attended the district. 556 likes. Kim Kaukl, of the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance, said he got frustrated watching school board meetings where adults talked about what they thought was best for students, but didnt always listen to the students themselves. "I had people calling me up and screaming at me, people that have known me almost my whole life, parents calling up and saying 'You are making my kids wear masks, youre doing hybrid, youre bad people,'" she said. The candidates are (top row, left to right): Andrew Anderson, Neal Ninmann (i), Sandy . I want to see Student Personal Development days on the same days that their teachers have their PD days. As I stated on the previous question our priorities are financial stability, increasing open enrollment into the district, focusing on the strategic plans, supporting administration and teachers, and selling the old Meadow View. 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. "When Juliet lost her seat, then we lost the majority, and once we lost the majority, the culture became caustic.". August 16, 2021, 4:06 PM. [1], Steitzer had not responded to the recall effort as of September 19, 2020. [3][4], The recall effort started after the school board voted 5-2 in August 2020 to approve a blend of virtual and in-person learning for students returning to school for the 2020-2021 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 6 Marquette edges St. John's, Crime Stoppers: Dispute on city bus leads to shooting, CBS 58's Feel Good Friday: Free zoo admission, inflatable animals and more. Local school board races have been injected with partisan money and party . [8] TWEET. Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Roehl said the climate surrounding school board meetings has become polarizing amid the pandemic and debates over safety. As a mother of two high-schoolers, an educator, and an online course developer in health and wellness, I have been researching programs and interventions used successfully by other districts that we can bring to the OASD to support students who are hurting. The board voted 4-3 to choose him over Grothaus, who had served in the role for the year prior. [1][2] They were unable to collect enough signatures by the deadline. We build futures through partnerships, accountability and transparency. L- Leadership- You manage things; you lead people. For questions or comments, contact WPRs Audience Services at 1-800-747-7444, email listener@wpr.org or use our Listener Feedback form. Schlesingers Saturday Spotlight (3/4)String Art, 80s Prom Shower chances on/off this weekend with winter weather late in Milwaukee native Ernie Johnson, Jr. honored with Award of Excellence Drop your guns, pick up our gloves: Boxing club uses movie Route 20 holds benefit concert for human trafficking victims. Six compete for four seats on Oconomowoc School Board, Submit an Obituary Wash. & Oz. Two of the seven at-large seats on the Oconomowoc Area School District school board were up for general election on April 5, 2016. And my third priority is Student Global Impact. If we are forming students at OHS to be grounded, responsible and accountable, that should focus primarily on how their actions are impacting others around them at home, at school, in the community and around the world. Oconomowoc's school board voted virtually Tuesday night to hold face-to-face classes in the fall with a couple alternatives. 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 In August 2020, five of the seven board members voted to start the school year with a combination of virtual and in-person learning. 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.". The first question asks for $38.65 million for several projects . This is a decrease from both 2020 and 2021. Most students, however, prefer in-person learning and select that as their choice for a more traditional experience. Contact info: pschmitz06@gmail.com; www.facebook.com/PaulaSchmitzCampaign; 262-490-7048, Address:N56 W35146 Pondview Lane,Oconomowoc, Past political experience:Current board member. There is a list of health precautions including daily sanitizing of . Schmitz:A lady sat next to me on my flight back from a conference in Florida last November and told me she was traveling with a group of five school mothers on a first vacation together since 2020. 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. This can be accomplished by using the Strategic Plan. Agendas for all regular board meetings, committee meetings, and special meetings are also available on the same site. 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. The 2,656 sq. How to run for office | A statement says the board members felt their constituents weren't being heard on matters like health and safety, and that the board is influenced by a hyper-political group. Oconomowoc Area School District: School Year Calendar. From January. The current make of the board has moved past the previous issues and is focused on policyand governance and supporting the work of the administration and teachers. My 19 years of experience demonstrate that I will be a well-prepared and an effective board member. We need to be smart with our tax dollars and do more with less. I am currently a human resources director for a company in Merton. However, virtual learning for most students is not as effective as in-person learning. ContactAlec Johnson at(262) 875-9469 oralec.johnson@jrn.com. There is a place for some virtual learning, but I will always work with our district to provide in-person learning whenever possible. If we fail to support the best teachers, then we will miss them when they are gone. "No quality candidate is going to step up and put their reputation on the line when it really comes down to what camp are you in, what team do you play for. When the board and district make student achievement their top priority, the district and community win. As of this week, the data and our district metrics are trending in the right direction, so barring any major changes to the data, I see a return to a full face-to-face approach on the horizon. School Board Meetings and Agendas Meeting Schedules. Schraufnagel:It is important for board members to support the school district as a whole and not get into personal projects. Recall supporters said they did not agree with the decision and wanted students to have in-person learning five days a week. The current board follows a policy and governance model that has helped our district move forward. 5.) We hope the time will soon come again when it is possible to work together collaboratively for the good of our community and its children and stop letting the distractions and personal political agendas take us off that course.. Third, we deserve a school board that can operate for more than six months without creating negative headlines. Schick:Our resilient district has improved our ability to provide virtual learning during the challenges of the COVID pandemic. Believe it or not, that small step over time will also help us become a better district. Counties, Kam Jones scores 23 as No. The Oconomowoc School Board asked the district's administration to begin the RFP process for the property in October 2021 and approved listing the property for sale in December 2021. Oconomowoc was one of the only schools to raise student scores during the pandemic. Community involvement:I was a stay-at-home father while my kids were in school, and I was very involved at Meadowview, Nature Hilland Oconomowoc High School. Another priority is to continue building trust between the community and the school board that we will do what we say and act as trustees ratherthan activists. It will notbe my last.". Now, nearly half the board is vacant, with some major decisions ahead. Youre not an expert on everything, youre not there to manage the day-to-day operations of the district.". In the past the board was labeled as "toxic"; however, that is no longer the case with the current board. The work to avoid faction-based political infighting starts now. From my perspective as a board member, to ensure that we are not putting our students at risk, a soft launch to the school year will provide greater clarity as to the effects of the virus when our students are back in session. Calendar . By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. OCONOMOWOC The Oconomowoc Area School District School Board has four incumbents seeking reelection. However, we need to respect those who choose to still wear a mask. A good number pleading with the board to require masks, few for mask-choice. "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. Anderson:First, is to focus on how we attract and retain the most talented teachers possible. 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. Thiel:I have 4 priorities for the district. All Rights Reserved. As they say, Keep School REAL. Keep updated on the latest news and information. "Its like, whos the adult here?". [1], Herro said it was the community's right to issue a recall. The meeting schedule for the Finance, Operations, and Advancement (FOA) committee and Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (CIA) committee are available by clicking the link below. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. "For those who voted for my message I say thank you," Schweitzer said. Delavan - Darien School District's DD Tech Administrator and CTE Coordinator, Michael Rick, discusses educational opportunities. All content Copyright 2023 WDJT. From left to right: Mike Sereno, Joe Koch and Jeridon Clark. As a former VP of a college, I know the debate around in-person versus virtual creates opportunity for innovation. Schick:When I campaigned in 2002, I had the following beliefs. DIGITAL ONLY: JUST $5 PER MONTH Stay up-to-date on all the latest Oconomowoc-area news with a subscription: Click here. Recall supporters had 60 days to collect signatures from citizens in the school district. What programs or initiatives are most important to you? We cannot engage in petty fights that dishonor the office. 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. Subscribe to calendar notifications by clicking on the Notify Me button, and you will automatically be alerted about the latest events in our community. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. It is intrinsic to its mission: Unless students are mentally fit and emotionally stable, they cant learn and therefore, they will not be able to lead. Thiel:We are very fortunate to have an excellent district to start with. In a democratic society, we will agree and disagree on different matters, and that is healthy;variety of perspectives enriches the board. The district needs to ensure that all students are given the opportunity to learn. We no longer employ consultants to work with the board on how to be board members. The appointmentrequires re-election. There are six candidates for four seats on the Oconomowoc School Board. In May, after Gov. ", RELATED:Two incumbents ousted in a Waukesha School Board race partly defined by unrest over virtual learning. On May 13, attorneys for the Oconomowoc Area School District School Board issued the letter to Alexandra . You have permission to edit this article. Learn more about the Oconomowoc Area School District at www.oasd.org. 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. Schraufnagel:Masks should remain optional. Anderson:The main goal for the district should start with retaining our most talented teachers and positioning the Oconomowoc brand as the destination of choice among teachers across the state. Footnotes. Mar 24, 2022 Updated Mar 24, 2022. We are doing it in many areas already. Boiling tensions are exacerbated by the structure of school boards themselves, said Dan Rossmiller, director of government relations at the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. With the requirements to give ample notice before bringing up issues, only being able to vote on items listed in their agenda, and meetings that typically occur only once a month, theyre hamstrung from acting quickly which could get frustrating when the understanding of COVID-19, and the disease itself, was rapidly evolving. "We should learn from districts that have suffered the death of a child and then changed their policy," said parent Natalie McAndrew. Neither Raasch nor Grothaus could be included in the recall as they had not yet served on the board for a full year. I was part of that majority. Some of the activities include Boy Scouts, robotics, band, choir, theater, soccer, ski team, gymnastics, track, tennis, and we even hosted quite a few exchange students. "I do think theres been this public expectation around COVID that we want these school board officials to manage the day-to-day," he said. I am running to continue to move our school district in the positive direction. "For those who did not vote for me I want to thank you for coming out and participating in the process. Two incumbents and a political newcomer won the three seats up for election on the Oconomowoc Area School Board on April 6. COVID-19, though, lit a match under the existing tensions and "consumed everything," said Grothaus. The results are not official until they are canvassed. "[1], Jason Baumann, a member of the group, said, "We're all concerned parents in the district that are not happy with the way things are going in general with our district, with our school board. Herro was in the last year of her term, which expired April 2022. Roehl said he also preferred an in-person learning model, but that it needed to be phased in to ensure the safety of students and staff. Ninmann:I am currently serving as an appointed member of the board since September 2021. They'll be posting those vacancies immediately. After results came in, Steitzer released a message on her school boardFacebook page. 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. OCONOMOWOC, Wis. - Divisive, bullying, partisan tactics are among the reasons why three Oconomowoc Area School Board members said they resigned Sunday night, Aug. 15. The girl succumbed to social isolation first and bullying and feeling left out through social media next. Ford said theres also been a blurring between the district administrations role and the role of school board members. Incumbent Jessica Karnowski and newcomers Juliet Steitzer and James Wood defeated incumbents John Suttner and Donald Wiemer. We need to put our students holistic well-being as our top priority, build consensusand move schools forward. What a blessing this would be for parents! Roehl'sseat is also up for election April 5. The property should be listed very soon. 8, North Dakota, El Rancho Unified School District, California, Pocatello-Chubbuck School District No. To do this we need focus on excellence, celebrate our successes, and create an overall district that people see as the best overall option for their students. More: Candidates for Oconomowoc mayor share views on growing inflation, infrastructure and public safety. This enrollment out is currently larger than our enrollment in and every time that happens, we have fewer resources to work with. The difference is in the approach. 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. Currently the district consists of a high school serving students in 9th through 12th grades, two intermediate schools for grades 5th through 8th, and five high-performing, family focused . (920) 474-4812. If you say, 'I don't want to play for a team, I want what is best for the students,' it won't make a difference because your name is going to be slandered if you're not on the right team. Kaukl worries that in addition to the health impacts to kids and staff, the vicious disagreements and overriding of best practices around health will drive out the people who keep schools up and running. Jessica Karnowski for Oconomowoc School Board, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. "I think a lot of members of the public dont understand that.". Schraufnagel:I was appointed to the OASD Board of Education in September of 2021 after three board members decided to quit in August of 2021. Elections in 2023 | Ensuring that we are financially viable into the future. . My main reason for applying was to bring stability and history to the table. I am a strong believer in in-person classroom learning, and that has worked well for myself, my childrenand others for hundreds of years. Counties, Place An Ad - Call 262-306-5000/email: Conleyclass@coneynet.com, Kam Jones scores 23 as No. State executives | "We will never know if we did too much, but we will most definitely know if we did too little," said one parent.