Most students, however, prefer in-person learning and select that as their choice for a more traditional experience. So it's important to look at vaccination rates and where new cases are popping up. Jessica Karnowski for Oconomowoc School Board, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. It will take years of rebuilding and recovery as people continue to live in fear. This is a decrease from both 2020 and 2021. Incumbents Jessica Karnowski and James Wood received the most votes and will retain their seats. The board is much more stable now than it was back then. Public policy. Watch Oconomowoc Area School District's Oconomowoc Area School District Board of Education Meetings on Livestream.com. My main reason for applying was to bring stability and history to the table. 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. Their answers were limited to 100 words. We must govern via smart policy and not by current events or pressure from outside influences. 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. Another thing that is important to me and has been added to all the meetings are a time for discussion from the community. After the fourth member left, I decided to run for election in April. Two challengers have also entered the contest set for a vote April 5. The candidates are (top row, left to right): Andrew Anderson, Neal Ninmann (i), Sandy . This year, though, board meetings have gotten tense, and a combination of public pressure and district politics mean many wont put those precautions in place. 25, Idaho, Braintree School Department, Massachusetts, Creighton Elementary School District, Arizona, Del Norte County Unified School District, California, East Baton Rouge Parish School System, Louisiana, Elbert County School District C-2, Colorado, Fresno Unified School District, California, Lake Havasu Unified School District, Arizona, Lake Mills Area School District, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, Tennessee, Middleton-Cross Plains School District, Wisconsin, Mount Horeb Area School District, Wisconsin, Oakland Unified School District, California, Paradise Valley Unified School District, Arizona, Traverse City Area Public Schools, Michigan, Visalia Unified School District, California, Westford School Department, Massachusetts, https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Oconomowoc_Area_School_District_recall,_Wisconsin_(2020)&oldid=8841316, Pages using DynamicPageList dplreplace parser function, Unsuccessful or mixed outcome recall efforts, Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022, Special Congressional elections (2023-2024), 2022 Congressional Competitiveness Report, State Executive Competitiveness Report, 2022, State Legislative Competitiveness Report, 2022, Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. Three candidates remain in the search for a new Oconomowoc School Board Superintendent. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. SHARE. Thiel:We are very fortunate to have an excellent district to start with. OCONOMOWOC, Wis. - Divisive, bullying, partisan tactics are among the reasons why three Oconomowoc Area School Board members said they resigned Sunday night, Aug. 15. 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. 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. The deadline to apply is Sept. 3. The community has referenced that a large majority of families elected to start school in a full face-to-face model. 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. Grothaus and Raasch both had about a year and a half left in their terms which expired in April 2023. 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. 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 appointmentrequires re-election. School Board Meetings and Agendas Meeting Schedules. 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. "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. I dont have a medical background, but I do have a background in leveraging subject matter expertise to make tough decisions. Each candidate responded to our questionnaire about their experience and what they see as priorities for the district. 2.) Voters may cast a ballot for up to four of the six candidates. supports HTML5 video. State and local courts | 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.". The effort failed after the group did not get enough signatures. Both in-person and virtual schooling should be available as a choice for families to accommodate students needs and those of their loved ones. U.S. President | You have permission to edit this article. Schraufnagel:Since the appointment of myself and the threeother new board members, our meetings are focused on improving the school district. 37214 Delafield Rd , Oconomowoc, WI 53066-9101 is a single-family home listed for rent at /mo. We need to give our students coping tools to not live afraid. Counties | The four remaining school board members were in attendance, but no action was taken on one of the items that divided the board -- masks. TWEET. In total, there are four seats up for election this year, and six candidates running. There is a list of health precautions including daily sanitizing of . Bill Thiel was appointed in Januaryto Roehl's former seat to finish out the term and will run for the seat this spring. School board members are responsible for providing quality education to all students in the Oconomowoc Area School District; educational opportunities provided by the Oconomowoc Area School District should develop individuals who can lead productive and responsible roles in our community and society; the Oconomowoc Area School District contains a varied population who must be represented regardless of home location (urban and rural), family income, and family heritage; The School Board needs to ensure accountability and financial responsibility; School Board Members need to be open-minded, independent thinkers who are willing to challenge the district to maximize potential; The School Board needs to plan for the future. A majority voted to keep requiring masks indoors through the end of the year, though kids could ditch them when they were outside. Now, nearly half the board is vacant, with some major decisions ahead. What programs or initiatives are most important to you? "If we really start making things contentious, people are going to walk away and go, 'I cant take this anymore,'" he said. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and The chart below compares coronavirus-related recalls to recalls for all other reasons in 2020, 2021, and 2022. The property should be listed very soon. As they say, Keep School REAL. Sell the old Meadow View to fulfill the promise of the past board. 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. The OASD School Board voted to authorize both referendum questions at the Jan. 18 meeting. Three-layer cotton masks, 26.5 percent efficient," another parent said. Interns wanted: Get paid to help ensure that every voter has unbiased election information. In 2020, there were 87 COVID-related recalls against 89 officials, and in 2021, there were 131 against 214 officials. "I have gotten to know many people in our beautiful Oconomowoc area, and I would not trade this experience for anything. If the pandemic showed us anything, it is that kids learn the best in the classroom with a teacher. The effort against members Juliet Steitzer, Kim Herro, and Scott Roehl began on September 17, 2020. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12. This topic has become far too political, and Ill never predetermine a decision based on politics. "[1], Jason Baumann, a member of the group, said, "We're all concerned parents in the district that are not happy with the way things are going in general with our district, with our school board. 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. 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. The candidates are (top row, left to right):Andrew Anderson,Neal Ninmann (i),Sandy Schick (i); (bottom row, left to right)Paula Schmitz,Chad E. Schraufnagel (i) andBill Thiel (i). "Well, my initial reaction was definitely surprise," said Scott Roehl, board VP. This enrollment out is currently larger than our enrollment in and every time that happens, we have fewer resources to work with. Finding ways to increase open enrollment into our school district. "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. For questions or comments, contact WPRs Audience Services at 1-800-747-7444, email listener@wpr.org or use our Listener Feedback form. 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. As a board our priorities are driven by our strategic plan and I will continue to support that plan. We need to put our students holistic well-being as our top priority, build consensusand move schools forward. The 2,656 sq. ", RELATED:Two incumbents who favored virtual school lose their seats on the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Board. 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. 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). I want Oconomowoc to be a destination school district for families outside of our boundaries. "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. We need to be smart with our tax dollars and do more with less. From left to right: Mike Sereno, Joe Koch and Jeridon Clark. However, virtual learning for most students is not as effective as in-person learning. Footnotes. The board filled the three vacant seats in Septemberby appointing Neal Ninmann, former board member Sandy Schick and Chad Schraufnagel. Steitzer was one of three current school board members that the groupOconomowoc Citizens Represented attempted to recall in September. More: Candidates for Oconomowoc mayor share views on growing inflation, infrastructure and public safety. The candidates are:Andrew Anderson,Neal Ninmann (i),Sandy Schick (i),Paula Schmitz,Chad E. Schraufnagel (i) andBill Thiel (i).
