PDF NOTICE OF SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION - Oconomowoc Schools From left to right: Mike Sereno, Joe Koch and Jeridon Clark. State and local courts | Six compete for four seats on Oconomowoc School Board, Submit an Obituary Wash. & Oz. Therefore, the district must follow the Strategic Plan and will be monitored by the documented metrics. Counties | "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. A statement from Interim Superintendent Kristen Taylor also focused on the future. She thanked the three resigning members for the service and the wrote, in part, "Public service is a difficult endeavor that has been exacerbated by the current division in society as a whole" and, "While the timing and orchestrating of these resignations have taken away from our work, I am confident in the remaining school board members and their commitment to our students and families.". School districts | School board members are responsible for providing quality education to all students in the Oconomowoc Area School District; educational opportunities provided by the Oconomowoc Area School District should develop individuals who can lead productive and responsible roles in our community and society; the Oconomowoc Area School District contains a varied population who must be represented regardless of home location (urban and rural), family income, and family heritage; The School Board needs to ensure accountability and financial responsibility; School Board Members need to be open-minded, independent thinkers who are willing to challenge the district to maximize potential; The School Board needs to plan for the future. Six candidates square off for four seats on the Oconomowoc School Board 2986-Oconomowoc Town Police Dept-Police Officer | WILENET Oconomowoc was one of the only schools to raise student scores during the pandemic. Because of the contentiousness around COVID-19, Ford said things that would ordinarily fall in that "operational" category are instead being decided at the board level like mask requirements. A good number pleading with the board to require masks, few for mask-choice. Many Wisconsin School Boards, Overwhelmed By 18 Months Of Community 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. Ballotpedia tracked 29 school board recall efforts against 64 board members in 2020. Ford said conflict in school boards isnt a bad thing, but it becomes a problem when people are so dug in on their beliefs that they cant find compromise, or even have productive discussions. Ballot measures, Who represents me? Wood said the current HVAC system at Oconomowoc High School is from the 1960s and not up to today's . Address: N56 W35146 Pondview Lane, Oconomowoc Past political experience: Current board member Community involvement: Current school board member, former Oconomowoc rec league coach.. Oconomowoc Area School District Wi - schoolslearning.info 2.) 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. 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. Ninmann:I am currently serving as an appointed member of the board since September 2021. 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. Here's what we know about how the Oconomowoc Area School District is "[1], In reaction to the recall effort, Roehl said he preferred a face-to-face model as well. So it's important to look at vaccination rates and where new cases are popping up. 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. 3 Oconomowoc school board members resign, major decisions ahead - WITI The board filled the three vacant seats in Septemberby appointing Neal Ninmann, former board member Sandy Schick and Chad Schraufnagel. Tyler James, who did not actively run during the election, had 989 votes (5%). The school board recall success rate was 7.8%. "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.". 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. "Well, my initial reaction was definitely surprise," said Scott Roehl, board VP. Oconomowoc Public Education Foundation (OPEF). A- Accountability- Do what you say you are going to do. "Its like, whos the adult here?". Mar 24, 2022 Updated Mar 24, 2022. We have developed a thick skin when we hear about another school shooting or a student being bullied, or a student committing suicide. Past board members began to work on personal agendas and that led to a great deal of dysfunction. In-person learning includes more than book learning, like social interaction, dedicated learning spaces (not dining room tables)and much more. The property should be listed very soon. R- Realistic Spending- Dont spend what you dont have. In May, after Gov. After the fourth member left, I decided to run for election in April. Ford said theres also been a blurring between the district administrations role and the role of school board members. 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. Schmitz:I believe in democracy and diversity. School board members resign in COVID-19 protest. School Board Meetings and Agendas - oconomowoc.finalsite.com Application Contact Address. 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. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. [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. Oconomowoc School Board election results: Virtual learning top issue I've pledged not to accept donations from politically aligned special interest groups with pre-determined agendas. Schools should be a haven for students, a springboard for each one of them to become the best version of themselves in service to others. The chart below compares coronavirus-related recalls to recalls for all other reasons in 2020, 2021, and 2022. 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. In the past the board was labeled as "toxic"; however, that is no longer the case with the current board. NOW: Oconomowoc School Board meets following abrupt resignation of 3 members NEXT: OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Oconomowoc Area School District Board met Wednesday night, Aug. 18,. PRINT+DIGITAL: AS LOW AS $6.50 PER MONTH. Sell the old Meadow View to fulfill the promise of the past board. Anderson:First, is to focus on how we attract and retain the most talented teachers possible. 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. Two of the seven at-large seats on the Oconomowoc Area School District school board were up for general election on April 5, 2016. [1], The recall effort began when recall supporters filed paperwork with the school district on September 17, 2020. "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. 6 Marquette edges St. John's, Illinois judge strikes down state's ban on high-powered guns, Tom Sizemore, 'Saving Private Ryan' actor, dies at 61, Stocks rally Friday, close out their first winning week in last 4, Five Points Pub closes for renovations, hotel still open, Oconomowoc Area School Board appoints 3 new members after resignations, Crash victim brought light to many around the country, Waukesha business owner sexually assaulted in store, Babes Pizza and Chicken to open next week in Mukwonago, A battle simmers in Illinois over plans to pipe in and store millions of tons of planet-warming carbon dioxide underground. SHARE. "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. "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. Oconomowoc's school board voted virtually Tuesday night to hold face-to-face classes in the fall with a couple alternatives. Bottom line, we need to increase our market share. Voters in the Oconomowoc, Shorewood and North Lake school districts For questions or comments, contact WPRs Audience Services at 1-800-747-7444, email listener@wpr.org or use our Listener Feedback form. OCONOMOWOC The Oconomowoc Area School District School Board has four incumbents seeking reelection. Empowering a Community of Learners and Leaders. What a concept! 5.) The number of signatures needed was equal to 25% of the votes cast within the school district in the 2018 gubernatorial election.[1]. The county seat is Waukesha. Vacating their seats are Rick Grothaus, Kim Herro and Dan Raasch. He said the remaining board would move forward constructively. "But where you start off with the entrenched ideological conflict, thats where its just destructive it makes governing impossible.". (920) 474-4812. What a blessing this would be for parents! 'The Culture Became Caustic,' Said One Board Member. Community members launched a recall effort against three of the board members who voted for hybrid learning, including Herro. You can help too. Did you know we were one of the few districts in the state that increased student performance last year during COVID? 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. Divisive, bullying, partisan tactics are among the reasons why three Oconomowoc Area School Board members said they resigned. 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. After results came in, Steitzer released a message on her school boardFacebook page. As noted before, in-person learning is critical to student success. I was part of that majority. Two challengers have also entered the contest set for a vote April 5. Oconomowoc Area School District, on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, the following offices are to be elected to succeed the present incumbents listed. They'll be posting those vacancies immediately. Schweitzer said she ran agrassroots, parent- and taxpayer-focused campaign. Thiel:I have always been involved with the schools as a stay-at-home dad for my three children who all attended the district. COVID-related recalls accounted for 37% of all recall efforts in both 2020 and 2021. Stay up-to-date on all the latest Oconomowoc-area news with a subscription: Click here. Dan Raasch, one of the Oconomowoc board members who resigned, said the group made their decision to quit the board entirely because they didnt feel like they had any options left and they wanted to shock the community into paying attention to the ways he said their school board wasnt working in the communitys best interest. The 2,656 sq. FOX6 News reached out to all three former members but none were available for an interview Monday. Oconomowoc has had an optional mask policy since the start of the 2021-2022 school year. Schick:I applied for the school board vacancy when the three board members resigned. For more spring 2022 election coverage,click here. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. Phone. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. Learn more about the Oconomowoc Area School District at www.oasd.org. I want to see Student Personal Development days on the same days that their teachers have their PD days. 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.". My focus is clear: As a board member, I am there to represent the families in my district. Mental fitness goes beyond being mentally sane; it includes developing a success mindset that can be applied to any discipline. 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. "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. 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. In May, after Gov. The candidates are:Andrew Anderson,Neal Ninmann (i),Sandy Schick (i),Paula Schmitz,Chad E. Schraufnagel (i) andBill Thiel (i). Then in November, board member Scott Roehl left after moving out of the district and saying in a Facebook post that he and his family did not feel safe in their home. From January. [7] The district was the 30th-largest school district in the state in the 2013-2014 school year and served 5,224 students. Steitzer was one of three current school board members that the groupOconomowoc Citizens Represented attempted to recall in September. Continue to implement our district strategic plan and our athletic strategic plan. You have permission to edit this article. "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?" One of them was Juliet Steitzer, whose loss in Oconomowoc tipped the balance of power, setting the stage for the later resignations. Oconomowoc schools to hold 4 more meetings on referendum 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. The district also must continue to pursue the sale of the old Meadow View School site. There are six candidates for four seats on the Oconomowoc School Board. 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. My goal is to continue positively contributing to the Oconomowoc Area School District for the benefit of my family, my neighbors and the greater Oconomowoc community. Some want masks to be optional in schools, while others don't. That mindset is the only way for us to grow as a district to go from good to great. "I have worked on behalf of good government, and am proud of the work I have spearheaded and accomplished in my time on the board," Steitzer stated. However, we need to respect those who choose to still wear a mask. I started to become interested in the school board position last year during the recall. Here's who's running for office in Lake Country during this spring's 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. The girl succumbed to social isolation first and bullying and feeling left out through social media next. 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. Steitzer became a board member in 2018 and said this year's election became overwhelmingly partisan. The letter states that the three members are also concerned about how Interim Superintendent Kristen Taylor and remaining board members are responding to the pandemic. Three-layer cotton masks, 26.5 percent efficient," another parent said. Schools | City of Oconomowoc, WI - Official Website There's also high interest in the Oconomowoc School Board, where six candidates are running for four seats. | The impact of an amazing teacher is immeasurable, and weve all had teachers in our past that were less than exceptional. Ninmann:The most important initiative for me as a board member is to remain a functional and cohesive board that acts collectively in the best interest of students, the community, teachers and administration. 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.. The deadline to apply is Sept. 3. Students need to take in oxygen to learn and stay perky at school, not carbon dioxide by exhaling inside a mask. Kim Kaukl, president of the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance, said his member districts mostly opened fully in-person right away last school year largely because limited access to the internet meant virtual learning wasnt feasible. Oconomowoc Area School District recall, Wisconsin (2020), States that have pre-petition signature requirements for recalls, Recalls related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) and government responses to the pandemic, Appleton Area School District recall, Wisconsin (2020), Robert Hesselbein and Minza Karim recall, Middleton-Cross Plains School District, Wisconsin (2020), Leah Lipska recall, Mount Horeb Area School District, Wisconsin (2020), Oconomowoc Area School District, Wisconsin, Williams County Public Schools No. Black Mental Health Professionals panel discusses representation Technicians of Tomorrow competition showcases high schoolers MATC apologizes for sparking frustration after announcing major Plans to extend Milwaukees downtown metered parking to 9pm Oconomowoc School Board meets following abrupt resignation of 3 members, Three Oconomowoc School Board members resign as board 'dragged into partisan culture wars', Medical Examiner called to fatal shooting near 84th and Bender, Multiple families displaced after fire breaks out in West Allis apartment building, Cars removed from third level of partially collapsed Bayshore Mall parking structure, Long Covid is associated with significantly increased risk of death, heart and lung problems, study finds, Yao Ming caught in the cross-fire as Chinese basketball team leaves top league on eve of Covid reopening, Kam Jones scores 23 as No. Anderson:Im proud and humbled to be endorsed by the teachers of the district through the Oconomowoc Education Association. Duration: 01:58 8/16/2021. There is an opportunity to advance learning opportunities through improved online platforms that can serve both students and assist parents. I have also mentored students at the high school in resume writing and interviewing skills and mentored students through Junior Achievement. A majority voted to keep requiring masks indoors through the end of the year, though kids could ditch them when they were outside. Third, we deserve a school board that can operate for more than six months without creating negative headlines. The district needs to continue moving to unrivaled. The four remaining school board members were in attendance, but no action was taken on one of the items that divided the board -- masks. Second, is the unique opportunity to help students pursue their individual passion to a greater extent.
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