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 - 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 unwillingness to collaborate in good faith, a letter from the members states. 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. Two challengers have also entered the contest set for a vote April 5. The impact of an amazing teacher is immeasurable, and weve all had teachers in our past that were less than exceptional. 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. Ensuring that we are financially viable into the future. Now, nearly half the board is vacant, with some major decisions ahead. Choose Select a Calendar to view a specific calendar. Schools Details: WebSchool Year Calendar - Oconomowoc Area School District.Quicklinks. We need to bring this same level of excellence to the areas that still need improvement to get us there. There are six candidates for four seats on the Oconomowoc School Board. Oconomowoc High School. Parents filled the Oconomowoc School Board meeting. Community involvement: Current school board member, former Oconomowoc rec league coach. Schmitz:I like to call my priority number one Student Mental Fitness instead of student mental health. Sandy Schick (i); (bottom row, left to right). OCONOMOWOC, Wis. Three Oconomowoc Area School Board members have resigned together, citing toxic behavior within the board. I wanted to make sure someone stood up to take accountability and I was most nervous about our district losing talented teachers. 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. L- Leadership- You manage things; you lead people. 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. 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. A majority voted to keep requiring masks indoors through the end of the year, though kids could ditch them when they were outside. Address: N56 W35146 Pondview Lane, Oconomowoc Past political experience: Current board member Community involvement: Current school board member, former Oconomowoc rec league coach.. Current board members Ninmann, Schick, Schraufnagel and Thiel, along with challengers Paula Schmitz and Andrew Anderson, are running. Continue to implement our district strategic plan and our athletic strategic plan. If you make a promise keep it. Read full article. There is a place for some virtual learning, but I will always work with our district to provide in-person learning whenever possible. Footnotes. Oconomowoc was one of the only schools to raise student scores during the pandemic. Schweitzer said she ran agrassroots, parent- and taxpayer-focused campaign. In-person learning includes more than book learning, like social interaction, dedicated learning spaces (not dining room tables)and much more. The four remaining school board members were in attendance, but no action was taken on one of the items that divided the board -- masks. 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. U.S. Congress | 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.". 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.". 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 can help too. 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. "If we really start making things contentious, people are going to walk away and go, 'I cant take this anymore,'" he said. After the board meeting, the district immediately began receiving dozens of requests for religious exemptions, which Grothaus said completely undermined the teachers authority. !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? School Board Meetings and Agendas Meeting Schedules. 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. 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. "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. We need to be smart with our tax dollars and do more with less. [7] The district was the 30th-largest school district in the state in the 2013-2014 school year and served 5,224 students. Ninmann:I was appointed in September 2021 to fill one of the quitting members' spots. How to vote | Schweitzer, who was a newcomer to running for school board, said she loved the process of campaigning. 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.. 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. Oconomowoc has been mostly optional since the start of this school year, and we intend to remain that way. 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 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. "We have in the past seen national issues bleed into local government issues, but now were seeing a more sustained effort, and a more explicitly ideologically motivated effort, thats all-encompassing.". 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. And if not, well, then this is the board the community wants.". OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Dozens of Oconomowoc area school district parents are getting heated on the issue of face masks. "When Juliet lost her seat, then we lost the majority, and once we lost the majority, the culture became caustic.". When three school board members in Oconomowoc resigned together on Monday, it wasnt solely because of board disputes over COVID-19. Oconomowoc has had an optional mask policy since the start of the 2021-2022 school year. DIGITAL ONLY: JUST $5 PER MONTH Tony Evers' statewide mask mandate was overturned, the Oconomowoc school board took up the issue. "That began a tremendous attack on the board at that point about not having the kids full five days a week face-to-face, back in the schools.". Town of Oconomowoc Police Department. In a statement, the trio wrote, "The OASD board has now been dragged into partisan culture wars by some members of the board" saying "Board work has become toxic and impossible to do.". Thiel:I have 4 priorities for the district. 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,. You have permission to edit this article. The county seat is Waukesha. Phone. How to run for office | "But where you start off with the entrenched ideological conflict, thats where its just destructive it makes governing impossible.". Some want masks to be optional in schools, while others don't. "For those who did not vote for me I want to thank you for coming out and participating in the process. In regard to your question on masks. The current board follows a policy and governance model that has helped our district move forward. I am a community supporter, passionate alumni and strong advocate for becoming an unrivaled school district that will be the choice for anyone in our regional communityof learners. One of the main issues for the school board in the near future will be deciding on the district's next superintendent. Of those priorities, what should the district focus on and why? 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. There are six candidates for four seats on the Oconomowoc School Board. 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. The girl succumbed to social isolation first and bullying and feeling left out through social media next. Voters may cast a ballot for up to four of the six candidates. "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. 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 . One of them was Juliet Steitzer, whose loss in Oconomowoc tipped the balance of power, setting the stage for the later resignations. Schick:I wanted to provide experience and leadership in the hiring of the new superintendent, selling of the old Meadow View School site, and general district operations. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Camp Timber-lee: Delavan businessman to buy, keep site open, Racine drunk driver killed pregnant friend: complaint, Mysterious lights in southeast Wisconsin sky; here's what they were, Alderman Bauman regrets his decision on downtown metered parking, Oak Creek car thefts; gas station customers targeted, police say, Delavan-Darien School Districts Pathways to Success. There is a list of health precautions including daily sanitizing of . As a board our priorities are driven by our strategic plan and I will continue to support that plan. Tyler James, who did not actively run during the election, had 989 votes (5%). The district needs to continue moving to unrivaled. The effort against members Juliet Steitzer, Kim Herro, and Scott Roehl began on September 17, 2020. 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. Ballot measures, Who represents me? 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. [1], The decision included an in-person learning model for elementary school students and a split-attendance model for middle school and high school students. As a former VP of a college, I know the debate around in-person versus virtual creates opportunity for innovation. State executives | Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. In total, there are four seats up for election this year, and six candidates running. She said the reason was to cheer up one of them who had lost a 13-year-old niece to suicide. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. I have also served on both local and national boards of directors. Finding ways to increase open enrollment into our school district. One thing that really helps now is the open debate and discussion that happens between board members, without becoming personal or offending other members. Incumbent Juliet Steitzer was unseated in the election by. 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. Schick:When I campaigned in 2002, I had the following beliefs. 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;andrew1anderson@hotmail.com, 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:schick.sandy@yahoo.com; 262-567-2725 (home), Address: N53 W37160 E. Madison St., Oconomowoc, Past political experience: Sat on the HeadStart Board, Champaign, Illinois, 2003-05. A student Brookfield East High School wears a mask during class Monday, March 15, 2021, in Brookfield, Wis. Angela Major/WPR. PRINT+DIGITAL: AS LOW AS $6.50 PER MONTH. School districts | "We will never know if we did too much, but we will most definitely know if we did too little," said one parent. State legislature | I will fight for this as it will bring a transformative, long-lasting solution in times of crisis. [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. Recall supporters said they did not agree with the decision and wanted students to have in-person learning five days a week. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and Parents expressed concern, especially for younger students who aren't eligible for the vaccine, and concern over the politics taking place. Divisive, bullying, partisan tactics are among the reasons why three Oconomowoc Area School Board members said they resigned. Application Contact Phone. What a blessing this would be for parents! She said: Absolutely! On May 13, attorneys for the Oconomowoc Area School District School Board issued the letter to Alexandra . Four recall elections were held in 2020. I look forward to continuing my involvement as a parent and community member in selecting a new superintendent, addressing transportation safety concernsand long-range planning for our educational spaces.". We must govern via smart policy and not by current events or pressure from outside influences. When I asked, was this pandemic-related? Calendar . Their answers were limited to 100 words. It will be a fantastic! My focus is clear: As a board member, I am there to represent the families in my district. We cannot engage in petty fights that dishonor the office. "This feels different.". TWEET. Did you know we were one of the few districts in the state that increased student performance last year during COVID? The board voted 4-3 to choose him over Grothaus, who had served in the role for the year prior. 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. OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Former Oconomowoc School Board members Kim Herro, Dan Raasch and Rick Grothaus resigned on the same day, stating the board had "been dragged into partisan culture. A majority voted to keep requiring masks indoors through the end of the year, though kids could ditch them when they were outside. The number of signatures needed was equal to 25% of the votes cast within the school district in the 2018 gubernatorial election.[1]. This is my first attempt at elective politics. OCONOMOWOC, Wis. - Divisive, bullying, partisan tactics are among the reasons why three Oconomowoc Area School Board members said they resigned Sunday night, Aug. 15. Incumbent Jessica Karnowski and newcomers Juliet Steitzer and James Wood defeated incumbents John Suttner and Donald Wiemer. So it's important to look at vaccination rates and where new cases are popping up. 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. The board has turned a corner and is really moving forward. Roehl said the climate surrounding school board meetings has become polarizing amid the pandemic and debates over safety. Three candidates remain in the search for a new Oconomowoc School Board Superintendent. A great group of administrators, staff and teachers. Mar 24, 2022 Updated Mar 24, 2022. I want Oconomowoc to be a destination school district for families outside of our boundaries. I have no personal agenda and will work solely for the community, parents and our students. Three of the seven seats on the Oconomowoc Area School District school board in Wisconsin were up for at-large general election on April 3, 2018. Subscribe to calendar notifications by clicking on the Notify Me button, and you will automatically be alerted about the latest events in our community. Elections in 2023 | 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.. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. 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. 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. ContactAlec Johnson at(262) 875-9469 oralec.johnson@jrn.com. 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. Federal courts | We no longer employ consultants to work with the board on how to be board members. 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. For more spring 2022 election coverage,click here. The school board recall success rate was 7.8%. The work to avoid faction-based political infighting starts now. Wood said the current HVAC system at Oconomowoc High School is from the 1960s and not up to today's . OCONOMOWOC, Wis. - Divisive, bullying, partisan tactics are among the reasons why three Oconomowoc Area School Board members said they resigned Sunday night, Aug. 15. 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 . "We should learn from districts that have suffered the death of a child and then changed their policy," said parent Natalie McAndrew. "Good people are not going to run for office when their reputation will be damaged because of partisan bickering," Steitzer said. The difference is in the approach. Believe it or not, that small step over time will also help us become a better district. Its not a question of which is better;its about innovation to give parents, studentsand teachers a choice. 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. 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. School board members resign in COVID-19 protest. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12. [1], The recall effort began when recall supporters filed paperwork with the school district on September 17, 2020. 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. Both in-person and virtual schooling should be available as a choice for families to accommodate students needs and those of their loved ones. "I have gotten to know many people in our beautiful Oconomowoc area, and I would not trade this experience for anything. EMAIL. Only ONE is too many, but the actual numbers are alarming! Agendas for all regular board meetings, committee meetings, and special meetings are also available on the same site. Throughout my life, I have been an active participant in my community. U.S. President | Schick:Our resilient district has improved our ability to provide virtual learning during the challenges of the COVID pandemic. The OASD School Board voted to authorize both referendum questions at the Jan. 18 meeting. 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 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 It will notbe my last.". [8] 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. I started to become interested in the school board position last year during the recall. Schmitz:I believe in democracy and diversity. Tony Evers statewide mask mandate was overturned, the Oconomowoc school board took up the issue. It will take years of rebuilding and recovery as people continue to live in fear. In addition, their negligence to ensure that the district provides the best educational opportunities to maximize the achievement of our students will have significant and lasting effects on our community. Vacating their seats are Rick Grothaus, Kim Herro and Dan Raasch. Third, we deserve a school board that can operate for more than six months without creating negative headlines. [1] The board voted to return all grades to in-person learning starting on September 28, 2020. Counties, Kam Jones scores 23 as No. Oconomowoc Public Education Foundation (OPEF). 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. In conversations with parents, teachers, and members of the community there is consensus that the school board can do better. 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. Schmitz:As an educator and wellness researcher, I believe there are negative effects to breathing inside a mask. 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. The Oconomowoc Area School District is located in Waukesha County in southeastern Wisconsin. 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. ", RELATED:Two incumbents ousted in a Waukesha School Board race partly defined by unrest over virtual learning. 3.) As I stated on the previous question our priorities are financial stability, increasing open enrollment into the district, focusing on the strategic plans, supporting administration and teachers, and selling the old Meadow View. View All Calendars is the default. First off, sell MeadowviewSchool. 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.