My own kids have spent time in robotics, drama and athletics and I want to help promote the passion of students to the greatest extent possible. Therefore, the district must follow the Strategic Plan and will be monitored by the documented metrics. She said: Absolutely! Two incumbents and a political newcomer won the three seats up for election on the Oconomowoc Area School Board on April 6. The results are not official until they are canvassed. We need to put our students holistic well-being as our top priority, build consensusand move schools forward. Tyler James, who did not actively run during the election, had 989 votes (5%). School districts | 3.) A student Brookfield East High School wears a mask during class Monday, March 15, 2021, in Brookfield, Wis. Angela Major/WPR. 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. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that Anderson:As a parent of four, the wake of our school board making national news for toxic dysfunction hit hard. "We should learn from districts that have suffered the death of a child and then changed their policy," said parent Natalie McAndrew. Four recall elections were held in 2020. And my third priority is Student Global Impact. If we are forming students at OHS to be grounded, responsible and accountable, that should focus primarily on how their actions are impacting others around them at home, at school, in the community and around the world. The chart below details the status of 2020 recall efforts by individual school board member. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Another thing that is important to me and has been added to all the meetings are a time for discussion from the community. Did you know we were one of the few districts in the state that increased student performance last year during COVID? 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. 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. I am running to continue to move our school district in the positive direction. Parents filled the Oconomowoc School Board meeting. There's also high interest in the Oconomowoc School Board, where six candidates are running for four seats. 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. Both in-person and virtual schooling should be available as a choice for families to accommodate students needs and those of their loved ones. Two challengers have also entered the contest set for a vote April 5. After results came in, Steitzer released a message on her school boardFacebook page. . Schraufnagel:I was appointed to the OASD Board of Education in September of 2021 after three board members decided to quit in August of 2021. Schick:I applied for the school board vacancy when the three board members resigned. Ford said theres also been a blurring between the district administrations role and the role of school board members. I started to become interested in the school board position last year during the recall. 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. State and local courts | 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. supports HTML5 video. 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. Incumbents Jessica Karnowski and James Wood received the most votes and will retain their seats. 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. Believe it or not, that small step over time will also help us become a better district. Address: N56 W35146 Pondview Lane, Oconomowoc Past political experience: Current board member Community involvement: Current school board member, former Oconomowoc rec league coach.. Schick:When I campaigned in 2002, I had the following beliefs. 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. We are doing it in many areas already. I believe that as representatives of the community the board should always have time to hear people out and I appreciate the board making that change now that I am there. More: Candidates for Oconomowoc mayor share views on growing inflation, infrastructure and public safety. 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. ft. home is a 4 bed, 3.0 bath property. Schraufnagel:Masks should remain optional. Alexandra Schweitzer garnered 3,200 votes and was followed by Steitzer with 3,010. DIGITAL ONLY: JUST $5 PER MONTH And if not, well, then this is the board the community wants.". Fortunately, I pray all of that is behind us. Six compete for four seats on Oconomowoc School Board, Submit an Obituary Wash. & Oz. Wood had the most votes with 5,279 (24%), followed by Karnowski's 5,010 votes (23%) and Carrico's 4,196votes (19%). Our actions have an impact. If you make a promise keep it. The district needs to ensure that all students are given the opportunity to learn. State legislature | Rick Grothaus, Dan Raasch, and Kim Herro announced their. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. There is a list of health precautions including daily sanitizing of . In May, after Gov. 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,. Additionally, we are lacking a significant strategic initiative to address why families who live in our district are actively opting out of keeping their children at our schools. I support all programs and initiatives with no favorites. Community members launched a recall effort against three of the board members who voted for hybrid learning, including Herro. Town of Oconomowoc Police Department. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. Throughout my life, I have been an active participant in my community. ContactEvan Frank at (262) 361-9138or evan.frank@jrn.com. TWEET. In-person learning includes more than book learning, like social interaction, dedicated learning spaces (not dining room tables)and much more. I am a good fit for this role as I can work well with a variety of people, and I can agree and disagree with them without allowing it to become personal. "Good people are not going to run for office when their reputation will be damaged because of partisan bickering," Steitzer said. Ballotpedia features 395,577 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. E- Excellence- Excellence in everything we do. Steitzer was one of three current school board members that the groupOconomowoc Citizens Represented attempted to recall in September. [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. "If we really start making things contentious, people are going to walk away and go, 'I cant take this anymore,'" he said. School board members resign in COVID-19 protest. The Pewaukee School Board faces a similar situation, where six candidates will vie. 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. OCONOMOWOC . "Spending time in the community I love has been an experience I will never forget," Schweitzer said. Continue to implement our district strategic plan and our athletic strategic plan. Recall supporters had 60 days to collect signatures from citizens in the school district. When the board and district make student achievement their top priority, the district and community win. 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. 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 Area School Board appoints 3 new members after resignations, Crash victim brought light to many around the country, Waukesha business owner sexually assaulted in store, Babes Pizza and Chicken to open next week in Mukwonago, A battle simmers in Illinois over plans to pipe in and store millions of tons of planet-warming carbon dioxide underground. Choose Select a Calendar to view a specific calendar. 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. However, virtual learning for most students is not as effective as in-person learning. If we fail to support the best teachers, then we will miss them when they are gone. Now, nearly half the board is . 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. I would have run then, but I wanted to make sure that the candidates I supported were elected (they did) and I didnt want to dilute the votes we needed. The difference is in the approach. 3 Oconomowoc Area School Board members quit, citing toxic behavior and hyper-partisan environment. Bottom line, we need to increase our market share. Schmitz:I believe in democracy and diversity. 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. Oconomowoc has had an optional mask policy since the start of the 2021-2022 school year. "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. What made you decide to run for the seat and what makes you a good fit for the role?