What a blessing this would be for parents! Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. Bill Thiel was appointed in Januaryto Roehl's former seat to finish out the term and will run for the seat this spring. An effort to recall three of the seven members of the Oconomowoc Area School District school board in Wisconsin did not go to a vote in 2020. 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 . Schmitz:As an educator and wellness researcher, I believe there are negative effects to breathing inside a mask. Schraufnagel:If I am elected, I will continue to prioritize the following: 1.) The board voted 4-3 to choose him over Grothaus, who had served in the role for the year prior. Sandy Schick (i); (bottom row, left to right). Of those priorities, what should the district focus on and why? "This feels different.". . Student Mental Fitness should be the top priority in the district. What a concept! "I have gotten to know many people in our beautiful Oconomowoc area, and I would not trade this experience for anything. This can be integrated with the resources that the district already has in place and enrich them. The community has referenced that a large majority of families elected to start school in a full face-to-face model. 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. "If we really start making things contentious, people are going to walk away and go, 'I cant take this anymore,'" he said. PRINT+DIGITAL: AS LOW AS $6.50 PER MONTH. Oconomowoc's school board voted virtually Tuesday night to hold face-to-face classes in the fall with a couple alternatives. 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. SHARE. The impact of an amazing teacher is immeasurable, and weve all had teachers in our past that were less than exceptional. From left to right: Mike Sereno, Joe Koch and Jeridon Clark. We have developed a thick skin when we hear about another school shooting or a student being bullied, or a student committing suicide. After the fourth member left, I decided to run for election in April. [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. The appointmentrequires re-election. Board members say the data has changed since they moved to a mask-optional policy as of last month. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. "I would just like to thank them for their service to the Oconomowoc Area School District," said board member Scott Roehl. School districts | The school board recall success rate was 7.8%. Ninmann:I was appointed in September 2021 to fill one of the quitting members' spots. Oconomowoc, WI 53066. 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. . State executives | 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. It will be a fantastic! 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.. I want to be their voice on the board and fill the void that exists today by addressing issues that are pressing after a horrific pandemic. Since August, the board has seen four resignations in the wake of a reportedly toxic work environment. The district needs to ensure that all students are given the opportunity to learn. Supporting teachers is the first step towardbringing stability. Jessica Karnowski for Oconomowoc School Board, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Recall supporters had 60 days to collect signatures from citizens in the school district. The 2,656 sq. The results are not official until they are canvassed. Read full article. 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. Meanwhile, the board will begin taking applications and discuss its plan to fill the vacant seats at its next meeting Wednesday, Aug. 18. Two incumbents who favored virtual school lose their seats on the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Board, Two incumbents ousted in a Waukesha School Board race partly defined by unrest over virtual learning, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. After results came in, Steitzer released a message on her school boardFacebook page. The candidates are:Andrew Anderson,Neal Ninmann (i),Sandy Schick (i),Paula Schmitz,Chad E. Schraufnagel (i) andBill Thiel (i). Subscribe to calendar notifications by clicking on the Notify Me button, and you will automatically be alerted about the latest events in our community. "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. 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. Ballotpedia features 395,577 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. Herro was in the last year of her term, which expired April 2022. Most students, however, prefer in-person learning and select that as their choice for a more traditional experience. Incumbents Jessica Karnowski and James Wood received the most votes and will retain their seats. That day, I felt a moral obligation to step up to the plate and help stop this insanity in our school communities. Recall supporters said they did not agree with the decision and wanted students to have in-person learning five days a week. Past board members began to work on personal agendas and that led to a great deal of dysfunction. | Schraufnagel:Since the appointment of myself and the threeother new board members, our meetings are focused on improving the school district. One of the main issues for the school board in the near future will be deciding on the district's next superintendent. 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. 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. Whilethere is a place for students who want to do online learning, it is not for all students. If elected, what are your priorities for the district? 100% remote. 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. 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. 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. Parents filled the Oconomowoc School Board meeting. One thing that really helps now is the open debate and discussion that happens between board members, without becoming personal or offending other members. Two challengers have also entered the contest set for a vote April 5. ContactInformation: 920-948-7183 (cell), Address:N76 W36096 Saddlebrook Lane, Oconomowoc. Counties, Place An Ad - Call 262-306-5000/email: Conleyclass@coneynet.com, Kam Jones scores 23 as No. 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. Therefore, we choose to no longer be subjected to the negative, noxious effects, especially when we are not allowed to engage in any meaningful work to improve the Board and our schools.. 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. Sell the old Meadow View to fulfill the promise of the past board. [1] The board voted to return all grades to in-person learning starting on September 28, 2020. Are we using it? 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. State and local courts | Oconomowoc Area School District: School Year Calendar. Anderson:We all hope to get back to life as it was before masks. 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The effort against members Juliet Steitzer, Kim Herro, and Scott Roehl began on September 17, 2020. 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. I led program development initiatives expanding outreach, involvement, and resources for both students and . Wood said the current HVAC system at Oconomowoc High School is from the 1960s and not up to today's . Counties, Kam Jones scores 23 as No. "Its like, whos the adult here?". He said the remaining board would move forward constructively. Oconomowoc Public Education Foundation (OPEF). Three-layer cotton masks, 26.5 percent efficient," another parent said. All content Copyright 2023 WDJT. The district should focus on advancing these programs to meet the needs of the current times or we will be missing the boat. However, we need to respect those who choose to still wear a mask. The board has turned a corner and is really moving forward. 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 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. All three are up for election April 5. Incumbent Juliet Steitzer was unseated in the election by challenger Matt Carrico. Did you know we were one of the few districts in the state that increased student performance last year during COVID? Finding ways to increase open enrollment into our school district. Now, as COVID-19 is again surging around the state and hitting kids harder, many boards arent putting any mask requirements or precautions into place, to the distress of some parents who are worried their kids will get sick and despite clear guidance from state and federal agencies that say universal masking is the best way to keep students safe and prevent schools from having to shut down. 3 Oconomowoc Area School Board members quit, citing toxic behavior and hyper-partisan environment. All rights reserved. Schick:When I campaigned in 2002, I had the following beliefs. Alexandra Schweitzer garnered 3,200 votes and was followed by Steitzer with 3,010. [1], The recall effort began when recall supporters filed paperwork with the school district on September 17, 2020. Therefore, the district must follow the Strategic Plan and will be monitored by the documented metrics. 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. Mental fitness goes beyond being mentally sane; it includes developing a success mindset that can be applied to any discipline. Ensuring that we are financially viable into the future. Calendar . The current board follows a policy and governance model that has helped our district move forward.