By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Follow him on Twitter at @Evanfrank_LCP. This is my first attempt at elective politics. "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. School board members resign in COVID-19 protest. She said the reason was to cheer up one of them who had lost a 13-year-old niece to suicide. FOX6 News reached out to all three former members but none were available for an interview Monday. E- Excellence- Excellence in everything we do. The Pewaukee School Board faces a similar situation, where six candidates will vie. "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. 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. 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. supports HTML5 video. SHARE. The board did take a vote on replacing the three board members who left. This topic has become far too political, and Ill never predetermine a decision based on politics. Wood said the current HVAC system at Oconomowoc High School is from the 1960s and not up to today's . "Its not a specific group thats necessarily capturing the board, but its the ideological conflict itself thats capturing the board," he said. 3 Oconomowoc Area School Board members quit, citing toxic - MSN Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. 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. There are six candidates for four seats on the Oconomowoc School Board. View All Calendars is the default. Stay up-to-date on all the latest Oconomowoc news with a print subscription to The Enterprise: https://bit.ly/ocoent_sub. questioned one parent. [1][2] They were unable to collect enough signatures by the deadline. 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. "Thank you for those who supported my campaign. It will be a fantastic! Anderson:We all hope to get back to life as it was before masks. I have no personal agenda and will work solely for the community, parents and our students. Schraufnagel:Masks should remain optional. Voters may cast a ballot for up to four of the six candidates. Ballotpedia covered 34 coronavirus-related recall efforts against 93 officials in 2022, accounting for 13% of recalls that year. ContactAlec Johnson at(262) 875-9469 oralec.johnson@jrn.com. What programs or initiatives are most important to you? Subscribe to calendar notifications by clicking on the Notify Me button, and you will automatically be alerted about the latest events in our community. 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. [1], Steitzer had not responded to the recall effort as of September 19, 2020. 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. My viewpoints remain the same. Schmitz:I believe in democracy and diversity. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. 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. 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. Schick:It is the vision of the Oconomowoc Area School District to become an unrivaled learning community, seeking wisdom, honoring the past, and shaping the future. This is the districts vision and should be our guiding light. OCONOMOWOC . Ballotpedia tracked 29 school board recall efforts against 64 board members in 2020. Thiel:I have always been involved with the schools as a stay-at-home dad for my three children who all attended the district. Third, we deserve a school board that can operate for more than six months without creating negative headlines. 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) "Spending time in the community I love has been an experience I will never forget," Schweitzer said. The four remaining school board members were in attendance, but no action was taken on one of the items that divided the board -- masks. Finding ways to increase open enrollment into our school district. Here's who's running for office in Lake Country during this spring's 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. This is where all of the OASD Board of Education videos will be posted. So it's important to look at vaccination rates and where new cases are popping up. We have developed a thick skin when we hear about another school shooting or a student being bullied, or a student committing suicide. 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. Phillips saw 10 of her members removed in Aprils school board elections, and she said many felt targeted because of their support for phased reopening, virtual options and disease-mitigation strategies. "We will use mandated masking as a layered mitigation strategy when our data proves it necessary," said Dr. Kristen Taylor, interim superintendent. Of those priorities, what should the district focus on and why? Chad E. Schraufnagel (i) andBill Thiel (i). Schweitzer, who was a newcomer to running for school board, said she loved the process of campaigning. Leadership by the board, in the district, in classroom, by the teachers, and by the students. "The kids and the teachers had been doing a marvelous job throughout the year dealing with the masks," said Grothaus. The district also must continue to pursue the sale of the old Meadow View School site. 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 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. For more spring 2022 election coverage,click here. Job Openings at Weigel Broadcasting Milwaukee. "This feels different.". Empowering a Community of Learners and Leaders, 262-560-2101WoodJ@oasd.orgTerm Expires: April 2024, 262-560-2101KarnowskiJ@oasd.orgTerm Expires: April 2024, 262-560-2101CarricoM@oasd.orgTerm Expires: April 2024, 262-560-2101SchickS@oasd.orgTerm Expires: April 2023, 262-560-2101NinmannN@oasd.orgTerm Expires: April 2025, 262-560-2101SchraufnagelC@oasd.orgTerm Expires: April 2023, 262-560-2101ThielW@oasd.orgTerm Expires: April 2025, Meeting Schedule / Notices / Agendas/ Meeting Summaries. The first question asks for $38.65 million for several projects . I was part of that majority. 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. Therefore, the district must follow the Strategic Plan and will be monitored by the documented metrics. PRINT+DIGITAL: AS LOW AS $6.50 PER MONTH. Divisive, bullying, partisan tactics are among the reasons why three Oconomowoc Area School Board members said they resigned. As noted before, in-person learning is critical to student success. 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. 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. All Rights Reserved. Anderson:First, is to focus on how we attract and retain the most talented teachers possible. In conversations with parents, teachers, and members of the community there is consensus that the school board can do better. Schraufnagel:It is important for board members to support the school district as a whole and not get into personal projects. Herro was in the last year of her term, which expired April 2022. "When Juliet lost her seat, then we lost the majority, and once we lost the majority, the culture became caustic.". We need to give our students coping tools to not live afraid. 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. Alexandra Schweitzer garnered 3,200 votes and was followed by Steitzer with 3,010. Schraufnagel:If I am elected, I will continue to prioritize the following: 1.) "We should learn from districts that have suffered the death of a child and then changed their policy," said parent Natalie McAndrew. All rights reserved. 2023 www.jsonline.com. Having said that, we are still losing some of our students to other districts and other schools. I want Oconomowoc to be a destination school district for families outside of our boundaries. The effort failed after the group did not get enough signatures. Oconomowoc School Board member Roehl to step down next week 5.) You have permission to edit this article. Kim Verhein Herro - Ballotpedia 3 Oconomowoc Area School Board members quit, citing toxic behavior and hyper-partisan environment. There are six candidates for four seats on the Oconomowoc School Board. Recall supporters said they did not agree with the decision and wanted students to have in-person learning five days a week. 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. Lastly, our board can help to elevate the district by prioritizing the focus of the board itself as the existing strategic plan that has not seen improvements or modifications in almost 4 years. 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. Steitzer became a board member in 2018 and said this year's election became overwhelmingly partisan. Schick:I applied for the school board vacancy when the three board members resigned. Three Oconomowoc School Board members resign, cite toxic board behavior 100% remote. United States. Ballot measures, Who represents me? I dont have a medical background, but I do have a background in leveraging subject matter expertise to make tough decisions. (920) 474-4812. 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 Area School District Wi - schoolslearning.info Tony Evers statewide mask mandate was overturned, the Oconomowoc school board took up the issue. 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. Mar 24, 2022 Updated Mar 24, 2022. Two of the seven at-large seats on the Oconomowoc Area School District school board were up for general election on April 5, 2016. There is a place for some virtual learning, but I will always work with our district to provide in-person learning whenever possible. 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. Ninmann:I was appointed in September 2021 to fill one of the quitting members' spots. ft. home is a 4 bed, 3.0 bath property. However, we need to respect those who choose to still wear a mask. 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. Throughout my life, I have been an active participant in my community. Another thing that is important to me and has been added to all the meetings are a time for discussion from the community. Four recall elections were held in 2020. Since August, the board has seen four resignations in the wake of a reportedly toxic work environment. Incumbent Juliet Steitzer was unseated in the election by challenger Matt Carrico. 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. Rick Grothaus, Dan Raasch, and Kim Herro announced their. Oconomowoc Area School District recall, Wisconsin (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. 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. The board filled the three vacant seats in Septemberby appointing Neal Ninmann, former board member Sandy Schick and Chad Schraufnagel. If you make a promise keep it. "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 - 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. State executives | Since September, our board meetings have been productive, we no longer employ consultants to help us get along, we have hired a new superintendent and we were one of the only schools to improve scores during the pandemic by keeping kids in the classroom as much as possible. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that The Oconomowoc School Board saw lots of turnover in 2021, as four of its members resigned or left. I started to become interested in the school board position last year during the recall. It will notbe my last.". In 2020, there were 87 COVID-related recalls against 89 officials, and in 2021, there were 131 against 214 officials. "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.". When I asked, was this pandemic-related? Oconomowoc High School. Ninmann:100% remain optional for in-person learning. Thiel:I have 4 priorities for the district. Six compete for four seats on Oconomowoc School Board, Submit an Obituary Wash. & Oz. He said the remaining board would move forward constructively. 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. . 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. By following the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions guidelines around wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing, he said most were able to remain open all school year. We can have a vigorous discussion, take our voteand all feel good about what we have accomplished. In regard to your question on masks. This can be accomplished by using the Strategic Plan. 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. "But where you start off with the entrenched ideological conflict, thats where its just destructive it makes governing impossible.". In Oconomowoc, three members of the school board resigned, citing its "toxic" environment. "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. I've pledged not to accept donations from politically aligned special interest groups with pre-determined agendas. 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. And if not, well, then this is the board the community wants.". ", RELATED:Two incumbents ousted in a Waukesha School Board race partly defined by unrest over virtual learning. In May, after Gov. The property should be listed very soon. One thing that really helps now is the open debate and discussion that happens between board members, without becoming personal or offending other members. I was so disappointed that at many of these meetings there was no opportunity for the community to speak. After the fourth member left, I decided to run for election in April. 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. Tony Evers' statewide mask mandate was overturned, the Oconomowoc school board took up the issue. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. 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. Counties | 4.) 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. What made you decide to run for the seat and what makes you a good fit for the role? "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 Oconomowoc Area School District (OASD) issued a cease and desist letter to a parent threatening her with a defamation lawsuit for statements she made in public forums about the use and accessibility of age-inappropriate material. 2021-22 OCONOMOWOC AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT CALENDAR (PDF LINK) 2022-2023 oconomowoc area school district website
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