It’s for the children

It’s going to get up to 70 degrees this week and the smell of spring is in the air. I love to drive around town this time of year and see all of the colors sprouting in yards. The blues, yellows, reds, greens, and other colors are like a fresh coat of paint on West Bend after the months of dreary snow.

Of course, it’s still a bit early for the flowers to begin to display their glory, but the political signs have sprouted in yards all over town and are a sure signal that the spring election in Wisconsin is near. A quick check of the calendar shows that the election is on April 6th- one week from today – although absentee ballots are already available in the West Bend City Clerk’s office on the second floor of City Hall.

One of the most energetic races on the ballot is for the West Bend School Board. There are two seats up for election and four candidates running. Every voter will be able to vote for two people and the top two vote recipients will win the seats.

Voters in the West Bend School District are fortunate that they have a real choice. Far too many times, incumbents run unopposed in local elections. The two incumbents, Kathy Van Eerden and Lynn Corazzi, are both running. Randy Marquardt and David Weigand are the challengers.

The good news is that all four candidates want the best possible education for the kids in the West Bend School District. All four of them have great ideas to maintain and improve the effectiveness and quality of education.

There are, however, some severe differences in philosophy as to how to achieve the goal of a great education.

Many citizens have already identified the fault lines between the candidates and it is apparent in those colorful yard signs. As I drove around the district, I have seen a lot of homes with a Corrazi and Van Eerden sign, and a lot of homes with a Marquardt and a Weigand sign, but never any other combination. I have yet to witness, for example, any homeowner who decided to place a Weigand and a Van Eerden sign in their yard. The candidates have self-selected their side of this electoral crevice. The incumbents are campaigning as a de facto ticket as are the challengers.

The breakdown is basically this: while all four candidates want the best education possible for the kids, the incumbents are, and have been, strong supporters of tax increases to achieve that end while the challengers are more willing to look for ways to work within the existing means of the district’s finances.

Lynn Corazzi was appointed to the school board last year. He ran for the board in 2008, but failed to win the seat. At the time, he voiced support for the previous failed $119.3 million referendum as a “comprehensive, financially responsible investment.” Since being on the board, he voted to increase the tax levy to the maximum and in favor of both school referendums that were put on the ballot last year. In other words, he hasn’t yet met a tax or spending increase that he couldn’t support.

Kathy Van Eerden is running for her fourth term on the board. She also supported the past three school referenda and has voted for the maximum tax levy increase several years over. Also, it must be noted, that the board has for a few years complained about the mismanagement of building maintenance by past school boards. One can’t escape the fact that Van Eerden was a member of those past boards and is directly culpable for those lamentable decisions.

David Weigand is running for the board as a father, businessman and avowed advocate for the kids, as well as the taxpayer. He has been putting forth inventive and workable ideas, like expanded virtual education and enhancing the gifted and talented program, to manage the district without having to once again hammer a community with 12 percent+ unemployment with yet another tax increase.

Randy Marquardt is also a businessman and father running with a desire to provide a great education while also taking into account the input from all stakeholders, including the taxpayers. He has a solid background in construction, which is particularly apropos given the district’s current struggles to manage its space and maintenance issues.

The voters of the school district do indeed have a choice next week, and it’s not about which candidates want the best education for the district’s kids. They are all equal in that desire. The choice is between who will strive toward that goal in a creative and balanced way and not reflexively assume that the source of every problem is that they district hasn’t taxed enough. As for me, my choice is Randy Marquardt and David Weigand.

(Owen B. Robinson, a West Bend resident, is a blogger who publishes at www.bootsandsabers.com. His column runs Tuesdays in the Daily News.)

OWEN B. ROBINSON

Misplaced Priorities?

The job of the West Bend Board of Education is to determine the educational needs of the community and plan and provide for that. They have a budget of more than $70 million to educate 7,000 students. I've noticed misplaced priorities in the district.

One example: While attending a recent board committee meeting, a district 4K feasibility study was approved. I was stunned that the district would look into expanding programs while also looking at budget cuts and/or tax increases. Besides knowing that any benefit a child receives from 4K program is lost by 2nd or 3rd grade, I wondered why the district would spend time, effort and paid staff looking into expanding programs when they are in a financial pinch. The administration agreed about the lost benefit of 4K, but said this was just a "feasibility study" and would "cost nothing."

On the other hand, Virtual programming has been implemented in the district and has tremendous potential for motivated students in certain classes. I would like to see the district spend time, effort and paid staff looking into ways to make Virtual Programing work even better. Done well, it would be a cost-effective, beneficial way to offer more. At a time when the district needs to balance the budget they should be spending our resources finding ways to make current programs better instead of studying a program that offers little or no lasting benefit.

Good intentions? Maybe, but misguided. There are ways to get the school budget in check. I know we can do better and look forward to being part of the solution in these tough economic times. We must maintain and sustain quality education and get our priorities straight. To do that we need transparency, accountability and a change on the board.

David

Creative Ways to Enhance Gifted and Talented and More...

Thinking outside the box is needed these days when dealing with budget shortfalls and tax-stressed families. Is our only option to choose between cutting programs or more taxes? I think we can come up with some very valid, thoughtful ideas to continue and even enhance programs such as Gifted and Talented (which many parents are concerned about cutting).

Just a few thoughts I would like to see the school district pursue:

1. Destination Imagination (parents of Gifted and Talented children)

2. More parental/volunteer involvement in other areas

3. Organizations like 4-H (see previous post)

4. Enhance Virtual offerings for students who need to be more challenged, or those who need more reinforcement in the basics.

The options for our children are exciting and abound. Let's take advantage of the community offerings. This can be an exciting time in our community. Let's work together and achieve even better results!

Dave

District Spending and Test Scores

As this graph shows, more taxes does not equal better test scores. There is more to the equation.
In order to make education sustainable, we must learn to budget for the future. The current tax and spend climate is not sustainable.
Our kids are depending on us to properly budget and plan for their future.

4-H offerings

Our kids spent many years in 4-H. That wonderful program, run by the county and by parents gave our kids many opportunities, including leadership, public speaking, animal science and showmanship, woodworking, family living, research opportunities and so much more. During a time of economic crunch when school budgets need to be balanced in order to sustain foundational education priorities, the community and schools must look into partnering with other organizations to enhance the needs of their families. I suggest 4-H. The following is a sample of what they have to offer:

STANDARDS FOR COUNTY CAREER AWARDS
County Achievement, Animal Science, Arts & Communication,
Family Living, Mechanical Science, Natural Science, Plant Science and Leadership Medals
a.A member must have completed 9th grade in the current calendar year.
b.Application must indicate leadership involvement -Youth Leader for Project and enrolled in Youth Leadership Project.
c.Exhibited at County Fair.
d.Participated in Speaking, Poster, Demonstration Program(s) or Communication Arts Festival at club or county level.
e.Shows growth and accomplishments in Projects enrolled in the past year to current enrollment.
f.Currently enrolled in at least two of the designated Projects listed under the Award.
g.Completed at least three years in one of the Project areas.
h.Completed at least 10 units in designated Projects. One unit = each year enrolled in the Project, i.e., Family Living: Crocheting – 3 years; Food & Nutrition – 4 years; Houseplants – 2 years; Quilting – 1 year = 10 units.
i.Received at least one County Project disc in the area being nominated (may have been a past year).
Animal Science
Projects include: Beef, Cats, Cavies, Crops, Dairy, Dogs, Dogless Dogs, Goat, Horse, Horseless Horse, Llama, Model Horse, Pets, Poultry, Rabbits, Sheep, Swine, Vet Science.
Arts & Communication
Projects include: Arts, Basketry, Ceramics, Clowning, Collections, Creative Stitchery, Communications, Computers, Drama, Drawing and Painting, History & Heritage, Leathercraft, Macrame, Music, Photography, Scrapbooking, Stenciling.
Family Living
Projects include: Cake Decorating, Child Development, Clothes Horse, Clothing, Crocheting, Foods & Nutrition, Food Preservation, Home Environment, Knitting, Quilting, Woolspinning.
Mechanical Science
Projects include: Aerospace, Electricity, Models, Small Engines, Tractor, Woodworking.
Natural Science
Projects include: Adventures, Air Rifle, Archery, Birds, Entomology, Fishing, Muzzleloading, Nature Space, Shotgun, Trees, Wild Flowers, Wildlife Ecology.
1.Plant/Soil Science
Projects include: Crops, Flowers, Fruit, Gardening, Houseplants, Plant Crafts.
Achievement
Additional Requirements:
Enrolled in at least two Projects.
Received a minimum of 3 county project awards. Project awards need to be received in multiple years.
Shows growth in club participation.
Actively involved in at least four county activities, i.e., Educational Programs, Workshops, Communication, Arts Festival, etc.
Exclude “f”, “g”, “h”, “i” from above.
Leadership

Currently enrolled in Youth Leadership Project.
Has or previously received a Youth Leadership disc or completed significant youth leadership responsibilities.
Currently youth leader in at least one Project or club Community Development Project (Recreation, Community Service, or Special Emphasis).
Currently chairperson or club or county committee OR club officer.
Participated in leadership training opportunities (Camp Counselor, Friends Helping Friends, Leaders Board Member, Tri-County Leader Workshop, etc.).
Exclude “f,” “g”, “h”, and “i”.

Thinking outside the box,

Dave Weigand

My Letter to Jackson Elementary School PTO

Dear Jackson Elementary School Parents and Teachers,
Thank you for the opportunity to have some of my thoughts expressed to you. I am sorry I cannot be
here tonight, but a family commitment has me out of town.
I have lived in West Bend since I attended Fair Park Elementary School. I had some wonderful teachers there and fondly remember one of them named Miss Muehl. I still keep in touch with her sister, a retired Decorah Elementary School teacher.
Let me share with you a strong impression the years at Fair Park made on me. I came from a single parent home, something rare in the 60's. I could have been considered “at risk” because of that, yet the high expectations the teachers had of their students, including me, did not change because of a rare family situation. I am so thankful that high expectations were the norm in the Fair Park classrooms. The principal, Dale Westby made a wonderful impression on me too. High expectations and great staff are the makings of great schools.
Of the elementary schools in the West Bend School District, Jackson Elementary has the second highest test scores (a VERY close second to McLane). I attribute that success to parents and teachers here. High standards and high expectations are apparent here in Jackson. I have known Brian Heimark for many years and know that he is a man of high integrity.
As a board member, I will work hard to ensure those high standards are maintained here and throughout the district.
Yes, the West Bend School District is a low spending district. We should consider that a badge of honor. Many districts spend more per student than we do, yet have lower test scores. I fear that if our district continues to raise taxes, and not operate within their revenue limits, we will stress the already
stressed system, and hurt families who are struggling to make ends meet.. The European country of Greece is a place we could look to in order to understand what happens when out of control government spending cannot sustain itself. Greece ran out of other people's money, and they are in trouble.
I would like to help ensure that our schools are sustainable during the stressful economic times like we are facing today in our nation, state and community.
We will need to budget for things like space needs in Jackson before we ask the taxpayers for more money. They already generously support our schools and need to see that we are budgeting for the future, and that we are trustworthy with their money. The alternative is not acceptable.
Jackson has much to be proud of and I congratulate you on efficiently running your school, high test scores and parent involvement. I hope to see you continue leading the way through your example, and I look forward to serving on the school board to work with you to achieve these goals.
Dave Weigand
School Board Candidate

LET'S REPRODUCE THE SUCCESS OF JACKSON AND MCLANE

When I see success I like to check into the HOW and WHY of the success. Jackson and McLane elementary schools have the highest proficiency levels in the district. The district is looking at changing what they do at Fair Park in order to increase their test scores. My idea is to replicate what is being done in the two best schools in the district and bring those successes into other schools. Why reinvent the wheel? Let's build on what we do best and work toward educational success for all students in all schools.

Dave