", RELATED:Two incumbents who favored virtual school lose their seats on the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Board. 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. There are six candidates for four seats on the Oconomowoc School Board. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. 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. Oconomowoc Public Education Foundation (OPEF). Delavan - Darien School District's DD Tech Administrator and CTE Coordinator, Michael Rick, discusses educational opportunities. [1], The recall effort began when recall supporters filed paperwork with the school district on September 17, 2020. . Oconomowoc has had an optional mask policy since the start of the 2021-2022 school year. Ninmann:I am currently serving as an appointed member of the board since September 2021. 3 Oconomowoc Area School Board members quit, citing toxic behavior and hyper-partisan environment. 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. Superintendent Roger Rindo is leavingfor the same position in the Reedsburg School District. Meanwhile, the board will begin taking applications and discuss its plan to fill the vacant seats at its next meeting Wednesday, Aug. 18. 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. A great group of administrators, staff and teachers. In a democratic society, we will agree and disagree on different matters, and that is healthy;variety of perspectives enriches the board. Recall supporters had 60 days to collect signatures from citizens in the school district. Thankfully, masks are no longer mandatory. Our district is equipped for this and should respect and adjust to every students learning style and personal circumstances. Contact info: 920-474-7796;thielw@oasd.org. I have also mentored students at the high school in resume writing and interviewing skills and mentored students through Junior Achievement. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. Sandy Schick (i); (bottom row, left to right). Community members launched a recall effort against three of the board members who voted for hybrid learning, including Herro. 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. What programs or initiatives are most important to you? Schick:When I campaigned in 2002, I had the following beliefs. The girl succumbed to social isolation first and bullying and feeling left out through social media next. Some want masks to be optional in schools, while others don't. All rights reserved. It will take years of rebuilding and recovery as people continue to live in fear. 37214 Delafield Rd , Oconomowoc, WI 53066-9101 is a single-family home listed for rent at /mo. What made you decide to run for the seat and what makes you a good fit for the role? A majority voted to keep requiring masks indoors through the end of the year, though kids could ditch them when they were outside. The candidates are:Andrew Anderson,Neal Ninmann (i),Sandy Schick (i),Paula Schmitz,Chad E. Schraufnagel (i) andBill Thiel (i). The results are not official until they are canvassed. While Herro, who co-owns a manufacturing business, said shes used to discord and disrespect as a woman in a male-dominated workforce, the onslaught of anger directed at her and other members was staggering. The candidates responded to a questionnaire about how they would bring stability and cohesiveness back to the board and about masks and in-person and virtual learning. !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? Learn more about the Oconomowoc Area School District at www.oasd.org. For questions or comments, contact WPRs Audience Services at 1-800-747-7444, email listener@wpr.org or use our Listener Feedback form. In regard to your question on masks. The board is much more stable now than it was back then. In May, after Gov. U.S. Congress | Now, nearly half the board is . 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. Divisive, bullying, partisan tactics are among the reasons why three Oconomowoc Area School Board members said they resigned. Schick:I applied for the school board vacancy when the three board members resigned. The board filled the three vacant seats in Septemberby appointing Neal Ninmann, former board member Sandy Schick and Chad Schraufnagel. View All Calendars is the default. E- Excellence- Excellence in everything we do. Waukesha County was home to 395,118 residents in 2014, according to the United States Census Bureau. Stay up-to-date on all the latest Oconomowoc-area news with a subscription: Click here. [7] The district was the 30th-largest school district in the state in the 2013-2014 school year and served 5,224 students. A good number pleading with the board to require masks, few for mask-choice. OCONOMOWOC . 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. 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. The number of signatures needed was equal to 25% of the votes cast within the school district in the 2018 gubernatorial election.[1]. 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. "We have gone as far as we could to try to have a board working together, and a board that would work with the administration as a team effort," he said. On May 13, attorneys for the Oconomowoc Area School District School Board issued the letter to Alexandra . One of our top priorities will be to review and respond to enrollment fluctuations by continuously focusing on investing in our teachers, buildings and curriculum both financially and through policy updates that give autonomy to district leadership. You have permission to edit this article. Oconomowoc's school board voted virtually Tuesday night to hold face-to-face classes in the fall with a couple alternatives. 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. Believe it or not, that small step over time will also help us become a better district. 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. powered by finalsite About Us Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. ContactInformation: 920-948-7183 (cell), Address:N76 W36096 Saddlebrook Lane, Oconomowoc. 2023 www.jsonline.com. State legislature | As a board our priorities are driven by our strategic plan and I will continue to support that plan. In previous decades, concerns about the teaching of sex education and evolution, as well as issues like school vouchers, have prompted angry public discourse and division among school board members. Incumbent Juliet Steitzer was unseated in the election by. Phone. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Supporting teachers is the first step towardbringing stability. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. The first question asks for $38.65 million for several projects . Most students, however, prefer in-person learning and select that as their choice for a more traditional experience. "If people step forward and Im very hopeful that theres enough good people out there that will do that then the good quality work for kids can continue. Vacating their seats are Rick Grothaus, Kim Herro and Dan Raasch. 5.) Schraufnagel:It is important for board members to support the school district as a whole and not get into personal projects. Schools Details: WebSchool Year Calendar - Oconomowoc Area School District.Quicklinks. 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 . This can be accomplished by using the Strategic Plan. Board members say the data has changed since they moved to a mask-optional policy as of last month. Bill Thiel received the most votes with 5,311 (22%), Neal Ninmann was second with 4,989 votes (20%),. Footnotes. [1] The board voted to return all grades to in-person learning starting on September 28, 2020. 3.) "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. The current board follows a policy and governance model that has helped our district move forward. If the pandemic showed us anything, it is that kids learn the best in the classroom with a teacher. 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. Thiel:I attended meetings before the resignations and after the resignations. Local school board races have been injected with partisan money and party . My main reason for applying was to bring stability and history to the table. The effort against members Juliet Steitzer, Kim Herro, and Scott Roehl began on September 17, 2020. Duration: 01:58 8/16/2021. The board has turned a corner and is really moving forward. Its not a question of which is better;its about innovation to give parents, studentsand teachers a choice. 2021-22 OCONOMOWOC AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT CALENDAR (PDF LINK) 2022-2023 oconomowoc area school district website 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. "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. She said she wished the district had utilized its outdoor space in order to allow all students to return to in-person learning full-time. DIGITAL ONLY: JUST $5 PER MONTH Oconomowoc has been mostly optional since the start of this school year, and we intend to remain that way. Leadership by the board, in the district, in classroom, by the teachers, and by the students. Bottom line, we need to increase our market share. Ensuring that we are financially viable into the future. Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. 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) This can be integrated with the resources that the district already has in place and enrich them. The Oconomowoc School Board saw lots of turnover in 2021, as four of its members resigned or left. The district needs to continue moving to unrivaled. Are we using it? Anderson:First, is to focus on how we attract and retain the most talented teachers possible. All three are up for election April 5. I sought a September appointment and received the appointment. 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. All Rights Reserved. Anderson:Im proud and humbled to be endorsed by the teachers of the district through the Oconomowoc Education Association. From left to right: Mike Sereno, Joe Koch and Jeridon Clark. A majority voted to keep requiring masks indoors through the end of the year, though kids could ditch them when they were outside. [1], Herro said it was the community's right to issue a recall. "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. Fortunately, I pray all of that is behind us. One of them was Juliet Steitzer, whose loss in Oconomowoc tipped the balance of power, setting the stage for the later resignations. School Board Meetings and Agendas Meeting Schedules. 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. Schraufnagel:If I am elected, I will continue to prioritize the following: 1.) Application Contact Agency. When I asked, was this pandemic-related? "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. 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. "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. 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. Continue to implement our district strategic plan and our athletic strategic plan. Two challengers have also entered the contest set for a vote April 5. The boards job is to focus on getting our students the best education possible and work (as our vision states) to become Unrivaled.. 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 . 'The Culture Became Caustic,' Said One Board Member. 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. "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. I am running to continue to move our school district in the positive direction. 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. 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. Incumbent Jessica Karnowski and newcomers Juliet Steitzer and James Wood defeated incumbents John Suttner and Donald Wiemer. "Thank you for those who supported my campaign. Parents expressed concern, especially for younger students who aren't eligible for the vaccine, and concern over the politics taking place.