A majority voted to keep requiring masks indoors through the end of the year, though kids could ditch them when they were outside. 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. Students need to take in oxygen to learn and stay perky at school, not carbon dioxide by exhaling inside a mask. 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. 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. Voters may cast a ballot for up to four of the six candidates. The appointmentrequires re-election. "I would just like to thank them for their service to the Oconomowoc Area School District," said board member Scott Roehl. You can help too. The Oconomowoc School Board saw lots of turnover in 2021, as four of its members resigned or left. Oconomowoc's school board voted virtually Tuesday night to hold face-to-face classes in the fall with a couple alternatives. 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. The first question asks for $38.65 million for several projects . Schick:When I campaigned in 2002, I had the following beliefs. United States. Leadership by the board, in the district, in classroom, by the teachers, and by the students. Ninmann:I am currently serving as an appointed member of the board since September 2021. R- Realistic Spending- Dont spend what you dont have. Elections in 2023 | To get the recall on the ballot, recall supporters had to collect signatures from voting-age citizens who lived within the school district in 60 days. 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. Fortunately, I pray all of that is behind us. Community involvement: Current school board member, former Oconomowoc rec league coach. Covid mitigation methods are what now-former board members expressed concern about in submitting resignation letters this week. Neither Raasch nor Grothaus could be included in the recall as they had not yet served on the board for a full year. OCONOMOWOC, Wis. Three Oconomowoc Area School Board members have resigned together, citing toxic behavior within the board. 37214 Delafield Rd , Oconomowoc, WI 53066-9101 is a single-family home listed for rent at /mo. That mindset is the only way for us to grow as a district to go from good to great. "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.". 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. 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.". "They were shooting for her, there was a bullseye on her back," said Herro. "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. Bill Thiel received the most votes with 5,311 (22%), Neal Ninmann was second with 4,989 votes (20%),. If we fail to support the best teachers, then we will miss them when they are gone. In the past the board was labeled as "toxic"; however, that is no longer the case with the current board. Wood had the most votes with 5,279 (24%), followed by Karnowski's 5,010 votes (23%) and Carrico's 4,196votes (19%). I want Oconomowoc to be a destination school district for families outside of our boundaries. Of those priorities, what should the district focus on and why? Incumbents Jessica Karnowski and James Wood received the most votes and will retain their seats. PRINT+DIGITAL: AS LOW AS $6.50 PER MONTH. Read to your children. 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 - 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. Incumbents Dave Guckenberger and Steve Zimmer faced challengers Kim Verhein Herro, Jason Kelly and James Wood in a primary election on February 16, 2016. 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. With the requirements to give ample notice before bringing up issues, only being able to vote on items listed in their agenda, and meetings that typically occur only once a month, theyre hamstrung from acting quickly which could get frustrating when the understanding of COVID-19, and the disease itself, was rapidly evolving. Roehl said the climate surrounding school board meetings has become polarizing amid the pandemic and debates over safety. The impact of an amazing teacher is immeasurable, and weve all had teachers in our past that were less than exceptional. Tyler James, who did not actively run during the election, had 989 votes (5%). "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. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. The community has referenced that a large majority of families elected to start school in a full face-to-face model. 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. I am currently a human resources director for a company in Merton. A student Brookfield East High School wears a mask during class Monday, March 15, 2021, in Brookfield, Wis. Angela Major/WPR. August 16, 2021, 4:06 PM. The district needs to continue moving to unrivaled. I have also served on both local and national boards of directors. My viewpoints remain the same. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. My main reason for applying was to bring stability and history to the table. SHARE. "When Juliet lost her seat, then we lost the majority, and once we lost the majority, the culture became caustic.". Oconomowoc was one of the only schools to raise student scores during the pandemic. Schmitz:I believe in democracy and diversity. U.S. President | Counties, Place An Ad - Call 262-306-5000/email: Conleyclass@coneynet.com, Kam Jones scores 23 as No. If you make a promise keep it. I also attended many school board meetings regarding masking and in-person classes. Rick Grothaus, Dan Raasch, and Kim Herro announced their. Finding ways to increase open enrollment into our school district. In Oconomowoc, three members of the school board resigned, citing its "toxic" environment. 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. One of the main issues for the school board in the near future will be deciding on the district's next superintendent. Now, nearly half the board is . School board members resign in COVID-19 protest. Steitzer became a board member in 2018 and said this year's election became overwhelmingly partisan. If elected, what are your priorities for the district? 100% remote. Click here for the 2021-22 Regular School Board Meeting Schedule, Click here to reach eBoard and all Special Meetings & Committee Agend, Oconomowoc Public Education Foundation (OPEF). Schraufnagel:If I am elected, I will continue to prioritize the following: 1.) A great group of administrators, staff and teachers. More: Candidates for Oconomowoc mayor share views on growing inflation, infrastructure and public safety. Chad E. Schraufnagel (i) andBill Thiel (i). The board is much more stable now than it was back then. It will be a fantastic! I am a strong believer in in-person classroom learning, and that has worked well for myself, my childrenand others for hundreds of years. The Pewaukee School Board faces a similar situation, where six candidates will vie. "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. 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. 556 likes. Oconomowoc has had an optional mask policy since the start of the 2021-2022 school year. Past board members began to work on personal agendas and that led to a great deal of dysfunction. 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. However, we need to respect those who choose to still wear a mask. 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. 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. How to vote | A statement from Interim Superintendent Kristen Taylor also focused on the future. My 19 years of experience demonstrate that I will be a well-prepared and an effective board member. TWEET. A majority voted to keep requiring masks indoors through the end of the year, though kids could ditch them when they were outside. 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. Despite the mass resignation, the letter states the members believes there is enough insulation between the Board and the classroom that teachers can still do good work for kids. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. !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?