The board voted 4-3 to choose him over Grothaus, who had served in the role for the year prior. supports HTML5 video. 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. 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. The fact that the restrictions have been now lifted doesnt mean that the havoc caused by the lockdowns will disappear overnight. Schweitzer said she ran agrassroots, parent- and taxpayer-focused campaign. As a board our priorities are driven by our strategic plan and I will continue to support that plan. 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.". 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. 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. The school board recall success rate was 7.8%. 100% remote. Third, we deserve a school board that can operate for more than six months without creating negative headlines. In-person learning includes more than book learning, like social interaction, dedicated learning spaces (not dining room tables)and much more. 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. 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. Oconomowoc has had an optional mask policy since the start of the 2021-2022 school year. Our actions have an impact. August 16, 2021, 4:06 PM. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and The board vice president said the news caught him by surprise as he turns his focus to the future. I have served this district in many capacities over the last 6 years, both in leadership roles and on subcommittees.. A majority voted to keep requiring masks indoors through the end of the year, though kids could ditch them when they were outside. From January. This is a decrease from both 2020 and 2021. The district has a focus on developing learners and leaders and the board has a responsibility to support that focus with policy and financial stewardship. 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. 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. After results came in, Steitzer released a message on her school boardFacebook page. 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. Bill Thiel received the most votes with 5,311 (22%), Neal Ninmann was second with 4,989 votes (20%),. Schmitz:I like to call my priority number one Student Mental Fitness instead of student mental health. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. 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. In conversations with parents, teachers, and members of the community there is consensus that the school board can do better. When I asked, was this pandemic-related? "Its not a specific group thats necessarily capturing the board, but its the ideological conflict itself thats capturing the board," he said. "You want conflict on a governing board, it brings more voices to the table and it can lead to a solution that can be supported by even a divided group," he said. ", RELATED:Two incumbents ousted in a Waukesha School Board race partly defined by unrest over virtual learning. 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. Incumbent Juliet Steitzer was unseated in the election by. State and local courts | There are six candidates for four seats on the Oconomowoc School Board. Ninmann:I am currently serving as an appointed member of the board since September 2021. FOX6 News reached out to all three former members but none were available for an interview Monday. All three are up for election April 5. Ninmann:If elected, my priorities will remain that of supporting through policy, our district administration, teachers, staff and studentsas we focus on our strategic plan, graduate profile and fiscal responsibilities. 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. Read to your children. Past board members began to work on personal agendas and that led to a great deal of dysfunction. 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. 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 . 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 letter states that the three members are also concerned about how Interim Superintendent Kristen Taylor and remaining board members are responding to the pandemic. OCONOMOWOC The Oconomowoc Area School Board appointed three new members in Neal Ninmann, Sandy Schick and Chad Schraufnagel last Wednesday to replace the three board members who had resigned last month. Tyler James, who did not actively run during the election, had 989 votes (5%). Schick:Our resilient district has improved our ability to provide virtual learning during the challenges of the COVID pandemic. ft. home is a 4 bed, 3.0 bath property. The Oconomowoc Area School District is located in Waukesha County in southeastern Wisconsin. The county seat is Waukesha. 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. Rick Grothaus, Dan Raasch, and Kim Herro announced their. This is where all of the OASD Board of Education videos will be posted. 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. 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. My viewpoints remain the same. The property should be listed very soon. "I was the board president during Act 10, so I understand a contentious audience, but this took it to a whole other level," said Terri Phillips, executive director of the Southeastern Wisconsin Schools Alliance and a former school board member. 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. Parents expressed concern, especially for younger students who aren't eligible for the vaccine, and concern over the politics taking place. The boards job is to focus on getting our students the best education possible and work (as our vision states) to become Unrivaled.. 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;
[email protected], 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:
[email protected]; 262-567-2725 (home), Address: N53 W37160 E. Madison St., Oconomowoc, Past political experience: Sat on the HeadStart Board, Champaign, Illinois, 2003-05. We are in a good place right now and I want to make sure that we continue being financially strong. Superintendent Roger Rindo is leavingfor the same position in the Reedsburg School District. Empowering a Community of Learners and Leaders,
[email protected] Expires: April 2024,
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[email protected] Expires: April 2025, Meeting Schedule / Notices / Agendas/ Meeting Summaries. View All Calendars is the default. [1][2] They were unable to collect enough signatures by the deadline. Steitzer was one of three current school board members that the groupOconomowoc Citizens Represented attempted to recall in September. ContactAlec Johnson at(262) 875-9469
[email protected]. "I would just like to thank them for their service to the Oconomowoc Area School District," said board member Scott Roehl. The effort against members Juliet Steitzer, Kim Herro, and Scott Roehl began on September 17, 2020. "Good people are not going to run for office when their reputation will be damaged because of partisan bickering," Steitzer said. A majority voted to keep requiring masks indoors through the end of the year, though kids could ditch them when they were outside. 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. After 19 years on the Board, my experience can help with boardsmanship, general knowledge, history and more. Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. There are six candidates for four seats on the Oconomowoc School Board. 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.Continuing Coverage: Coronavirus in . It will notbe my last.". DPI, the State of WisconsinDepartment of Public Instruction, has a budget for student mental health that has increased to meet the students needs after the pandemic. Whilethere is a place for students who want to do online learning, it is not for all students. A statement from Interim Superintendent Kristen Taylor also focused on the future. The community has referenced that a large majority of families elected to start school in a full face-to-face model. Learn more about the Oconomowoc Area School District at www.oasd.org. 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. The three members have stepped down, citing how the Oconomowoc Area School District has been pulled into partisan culture wars., Because of the dysfunctional and disrespectful behavior of the remaining Board members and interim superintendent, Board work has become toxic and impossible to do, the letter states. The deadline to apply is Sept. 3. Local school board races have been injected with partisan money and party . 4.) What programs or initiatives are most important to you? Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. "When Juliet lost her seat, then we lost the majority, and once we lost the majority, the culture became caustic.". And if not, well, then this is the board the community wants.". I have also served on both local and national boards of directors. I led program development initiatives expanding outreach, involvement, and resources for both students and . 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.. [5], Steitzer's term on the board expired in April 2021, and Herro's and Roehl's terms expired in April 2022.[1]. TWEET. This can be accomplished by using the Strategic Plan. "They can make no one happy.". 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.". 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 schools to hold 4 more meetings on referendum, Ocon Four bring it on, off mat in Madison. Oconomowoc High School. Are we using it? The chart below details the status of 2020 recall efforts by individual school board member. Incumbents Dave Guckenberger and Steve Zimmer faced challengers Kim Verhein Herro, Jason Kelly and James Wood in a primary election on February 16, 2016. Throughout my life, I have been an active participant in my community. Now, nearly half the board is vacant, with some major decisions ahead. In regard to your question on masks. Youre not an expert on everything, youre not there to manage the day-to-day operations of the district.". "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. After the fourth member left, I decided to run for election in April. PRINT+DIGITAL: AS LOW AS $6.50 PER MONTH. Four Oconomowoc School Board incumbents have retained their seats in the April 5 election. The board filled the three vacant seats in Septemberby appointing Neal Ninmann, former board member Sandy Schick and Chad Schraufnagel. Mar 24, 2022 Updated Mar 24, 2022. The chart below compares coronavirus-related recalls to recalls for all other reasons in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Ballotpedia covered 34 coronavirus-related recall efforts against 93 officials in 2022, accounting for 13% of recalls that year. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Just weeks from the first day of classes, and in the early stage of its superintendent search, the Oconomowoc Area School Board is down to four members after Kim Herro, Dan Raasch and Rick Grothaus resigned Sunday. OCONOMOWOC . Incumbents Jessica Karnowski and James Wood received the most votes and will retain their seats. "He's not vaccinated and your decision not to require masks is going to mean that he's not going to be able to attend in-person school this fall," said parent Scott Drummond. Phone. Supporting teachers is the first step towardbringing stability. It will take years of rebuilding and recovery as people continue to live in fear. 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. Ninmann:100% remain optional for in-person learning. The current board follows a policy and governance model that has helped our district move forward. The work to avoid faction-based political infighting starts now. I want Oconomowoc to be a destination school district for families outside of our boundaries. Finding ways to increase open enrollment into our school district. That mindset is the only way for us to grow as a district to go from good to great. Ford said theres also been a blurring between the district administrations role and the role of school board members. 2023 by Wisconsin Public Radio, a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "We will never know if we did too much, but we will most definitely know if we did too little," said one parent. 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. Job Openings at Weigel Broadcasting Milwaukee. 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. 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. Counties, Place An Ad - Call 262-306-5000/email:
[email protected], Kam Jones scores 23 as No. 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. "The kids and the teachers had been doing a marvelous job throughout the year dealing with the masks," said Grothaus. Steitzer became a board member in 2018 and said this year's election became overwhelmingly partisan. She said the reason was to cheer up one of them who had lost a 13-year-old niece to suicide. The difference is in the approach. Each candidate responded to our questionnaire about their experience and what they see as priorities for the district. The four remaining school board members were in attendance, but no action was taken on one of the items that divided the board -- masks. Calendar . This can be integrated with the resources that the district already has in place and enrich them. "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.". Leadership by the board, in the district, in classroom, by the teachers, and by the students. Bill Thiel was appointed in Januaryto Roehl's former seat to finish out the term and will run for the seat this spring. I have also mentored students at the high school in resume writing and interviewing skills and mentored students through Junior Achievement. One thing that really helps now is the open debate and discussion that happens between board members, without becoming personal or offending other members. Mental fitness goes beyond being mentally sane; it includes developing a success mindset that can be applied to any discipline. Aug 2006 - Jun 20158 years 11 months. Oconomowoc, WI 53066. The district also must continue to pursue the sale of the old Meadow View School site. We can always do more and better in supporting studentswellness. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern.