Seven candidates eye three openings on WGSD board – Feb. 17 primary will cut the count to six

By Patricia Bogumil

Editor

Boosting staff morale and showing R-E-S-P-E-C-T for work well done – plus pledges of fiscal thriftiness and support for student achievement – are recurring themes among seven candidates seeking election to three seats on the Waterford Graded School District Board of Education.

Running for election are incumbents Douglas Schwartz and Grant Strobel and challengers Amanda Fiehweg, Jordan Karweik, Bill Unke, Matt Kranich and Andrew Ewert.

A Feb. 17 primary election will whittle down these seven candidates to the six top vote getters, who then advance to the April 7 spring election.

On April 7, the top two vote getters will be elected to three-year terms; the third highest to a one-year term.

Schwartz has been on the Waterford Graded board six years, currently serving as the school board’s president. Strobel was appointed to the board Nov. 20 after board member Bob Kastengren resigned for health reasons.

Karweik ran for the Waterford Graded board a year ago. The remaining candidates have not previously sought school board office.

This online news article offers expanded coverage of statements from the candidates’ about their reasons for seeking office, the important issues they believe need to be addressed if elected, and how their individual strengths and background will benefit the school board and community. See the Feb. 6, 2015 print edition of the Waterford Post for additional biographical information offered by each candidate.

The candidates

      • Andrew R. Ewert believes the school board should be a diverse group of people with different perspectives representing the community, the children, district educators, support staff and the taxpayers. In his candidate statement, Ewert said:

I believe the school board should be a “melting pot” for a variety of perspectives that come from all facets of the community. I believe in creating a healthy, learning, and working environment within the district. As a business professional, I understand the responsibilities of operating an efficient operation and managing costs along with maintaining educational standards. I also have a firm grasp on the human aspect of managing an organization. Dedicated employees along with their assets need to be nurtured; their loyalty needs to be rewarded along with their performances. I also understand, that decisions have to be made, which are sometimes unpopular, but necessary.

      I will bring a unique perspective to the school board, not only have I worked with campus presidents, deans, professors, adjunct instructors, and administrators, I also have worked with educational publishers and suppliers. I understand the needs of the educational community and the costs that can prohibit the new resources that they seek. Today, there is a changing environment within education, the evolution from paper materials to digital content that can be challenging. My experience will help the Waterford district navigate this ever changing environment. I come from a family of educators. My mother is a retired administrator and a teacher as well as a former school board member in Illinois. My father taught at UWM and spent his entire career with colleges and universities. He is now retired and teaches students with special needs in Illinois. Out of love for another, I was part of a family that opened their house for over 23 years to foster children. These experiences opened my heart and eyes. I believe these experiences will help guide my decisions as a member of the Waterford School Board.

            • Amanda Fiehweg began attending Waterford Graded board meetings nearly three years ago after noticing a shift in staff morale and the school climate as a whole. She said she has worked hard to effect a change and feels the time is right to step up and be a board voice for all. In her candidate statement, Fiehweg said:

      I feel that with my background I can be a voice for everyone; teachers, students and community members. I have worked hard over the last years to help make a change in our district and it’s time that I step up to the challenge and earn a seat on the WGSD School Board. The issues I plan to address should I be elected are: Staff morale and retention; reconstruction of administration and rebuilding of school climate; maintaining fiscal responsibility to taxpayers; addressing the need for transparency at school board meetings by making sure handouts are available to those in attendance.

     Being a mom of five children has given me direct insight into the day to day demands of WGSD. My oldest son is now in high school, I have three daughters currently in the graded school system and my youngest son is about to embark on his elementary years in the fall. In addition, I was a staff member who worked both at Evergreen and Woodfield from 1998-2006. I know what it was like to have worked in a district when moral was high and enrollment was climbing. These are both issues that I want WGSD to return to. I am a proven team player and will work with other board members to make the appropriate decision based on what’s in the best interest of those involved. I have been a life-long community member and will do my best to maintain fiscal responsibility to the tax paying citizens of Waterford. Lastly, I am not here for some sort of hidden agenda or political gain. I’m here to stand up for and support, our children, their teachers and our schools.

      • Jordan Karweik  said he knows first hand how great our teachers are and the impact they have on students. He is running for the school board because he plans to have kids and wants them to receive as good an education in Waterford as he received. In his candidate statement, Karweik said:

   I am a proud graduate of the Waterford School System. After high school, I went on to get an associates degree at M.A.T.C. and I also attended Kaplan College to get my insurance licenses. I am a successful business owner as an insurance professional running JK Insurance Solutions.

     Going through the Waterford Graded Schools I know how good our schools can be. I know first hand how great our teachers are. I also know first hand how much of an impact those teachers have on the students. I am running for the WGSD school board because I plan to have kids that will grow up going through the Waterford Schools and I want them to have an education that is as good as mine was. I know that I can fix the issues in the school system and put our schools back on top.

     If I am fortunate enough to be elected to the WGSD school board the very first thing I will do is evaluate the administration. I will look to see what is working and what is not working. We will fix any issues that come up to make sure that the kids are getting the best education possible. Next I will take on common core. There is a saying “It takes a village to raise a child” I agree with that statement. It does take a village to raise a child, not a bureaucrat in Washington. The educators in our schools are the experts, they know what the children need. I plan to put the power back into the educators hands and let them do what they are good at; teaching the kids.

     I believe that I have a unique view on the Waterford Schools since I went through them. I also am very involved with several organizations where I get all different perspectives. I am an ideas person so when there is a problem the first thing I do is start thinking of ways to fix the problem instead of dwelling on it. I will be an advocate for effective education policies to help our children succeed and not overburden teachers. With experience as a board member of a few non-profit organizations, I know how to get real results for the students of Waterford. Our students do not need more talk — they need action.

     In 2014 I ran for the WGSD School Board. I am a part of a few different community organizations. I have been a member of the Brown’s Lake Aquaducks for 20 years and I am also a member of the Burlington Rotary Club. Politically, I am a member of the Republican Party of Racine where I serve on the board. As a member I have been able to volunteer for many great causes around the community. I support Governor Scott Walker and support his financial plan that has turned our state around and generated surpluses instead of growing debt. I believe in the importance of the tax payers dollars and I will not squander their generous money. I will talk to the teachers and administration to find out what they want and what they need.

      I look forward to serving the community, staff, and the students of the Waterford Graded School District. To learn more about me please visit www.vote4karweik.com or like me on Facebook- www.Facebook.com/KarweikforOffice.

      • Matt Kranich videotapes school board meetings and posts them online at www.wgsdmeetings.com. He seeks election to make Waterford Graded a more transparent school district  in which all stakeholders contribute to student success. In his candidate statement, Kranich said:

      I want to continue the work I started in helping to make Waterford Graded a more transparent school district. I feel the school district alone should be responsible for providing all constituents free and easy access to its meetings, documents, and decisions. We may be 15 years into the new millennium, but our school district provides information with the community like it’s 1999. When a school board is not open and transparent it becomes difficult for the community to make an informed decision. We must make access to information readily available and then actively seek input from all stakeholders (parents, taxpayers, business leaders, teachers and students) if we truly want to meet our students’ needs and district goals.

      I want to remove political grandstanding from our school board meetings. We have lost many of our best teachers to neighboring school districts, and millions of dollars in student services and property tax relief, because some have been unable to think outside their own political divide. I don’t see issues as black or white, conservative or liberal, for teachers or against teachers. I look at each issue individually and balance the needs of the student with the needs of the taxpayer. There is a reason school boards are non-partisan, and I intend to act, communicate and make decisions based only on the best interest of our community.

     WGSD needs a district administrator who inspires our teachers to be their best, not one who causes our best and brightest teachers to resign and seek employment in neighboring districts. I expect that before this school board election takes place we will already have started the search for someone new. In that case, we will need to perform a thorough search for the best possible candidate and allow community stakeholders to be a part of the process. We must not make the same mistake of hiring from within without first searching for and interviewing the most qualified applicants.

      We also must keep our property taxes low. If I am elected, the community can rest assured that I will not vote to raise school taxes a single dollar during my 3-year term as long as we market our area as a destination community for young families. I am able to make this commitment because I understand school financing and how our declining enrollment reduces our state aid, thereby driving up our local property taxes. I have innovative ideas that will freeze or reduce our school taxes for the next three years and beyond. At the same time these ideas will both increase the quality of classroom instruction and retain our best and brightest teachers.

     A case in point is that after several months of disputing with me the financial benefit of a 4K program, the district administrator and school board ultimately agreed that implementing 4K was in the best interest of both students and taxpayers. Now Waterford Graded will offer district wide 4K for the first time next year, and as a result will qualify for several hundred thousand surplus dollars in state aid. These surplus dollars are our state income and sales tax dollars coming back to us, and they will now be available for property tax relief and/or improved instruction. I have several more ideas on how we can again improve student services without raising property taxes a single dollar, but I will need a seat on the school board to make them a reality.

     I am confident that all of the candidates want to serve our students’ best interests, but only a few of us have first hand experience on how our public schools operate. As I have already demonstrated, I will use my education background along with my business and finance experience to make decisions that are a win-win for students, taxpayers, and teachers alike.

      As a small business owner and real estate investor, I understand the need for both short and long-term fiscal management. My small business success during our recent recession, as well as real estate investment success amid a collapsed housing market, shows that I am both conservative and thoughtful when it comes to spending. If I am elected, I will bring these skills and business savvy to the school board.

      I also have significant experience in labor relations and health insurance negotiating. While it was almost 15 years ago, I spent two years representing educators and resolving employee disputes in Kenosha. Around that time, I also served for five years as a board member of one of our state’s largest health insurance companies. While I no longer wear those hats, those experiences provided me with a unique skill set that will help ensure that the next school board has the trust and respect of the professionals they employ.

            • Doug Schwartz said he seeks re-election to improve the quality of education and try to keep down taxpayer costs.  In his candidate statement, Schwartz said:

I am running for re-election to the Waterford Graded School Board. I have served on the school board for six years and currently I am president of the board. My interest in being on the school board is to improve the quality of education, and trying to keep costs down for the tax payers.

     My wife Sandra and I have been residents of the Waterford area for almost sixty …years. I attended Saint Thomas Aquinas in Waterford. I attended Waterford Union High School. After graduating, I attended United Technical Institute. I have continued my education by attending classes at Gateway Technical College for fire and rescue.

     I have four children who attended the Waterford school systems. I have nine grandchildren, soon to be ten. Four of these children attend Waterford Graded School. Three of our grandchildren are in special education. I am very active in special needs education and have attended many of their individualizid education plans.

     As grandparents, my wife and I are very involved with the grandchildren. It is very hard to find a time when one or more of the grandchildren are not with us.

     I have been a member of the Waterford Fire and Rescue Department for over forty years. Six of these years were spent being chairman of the department. For six years I served as captain of the rescue squad. I have also served as safety and training officer. I am currently a member of the Racine County Fire Investigation task force. I have served on the Town of Waterford Waterway Committe and I was also a member of the Brown’s Lake Aquaducks. For 5 1/2 years I have served as the clerk of the Waterford Graded School Board. As mentioned earlier, I am currently President of the Waterford Graded School Board.

     As a board member, I take great pride in the teachers and staff of the Waterford School district. Our schools placed twenty third on the Department of Public Instruction’s district report card. This included all the districts in the state. All four of the Graded School districts exceeded expectations.

     The tax levy maintained at the same level for 2009 until 2012. It did increase for 2012 through 2013 and declined in 2013 through 2015 in spite of a decline in state aid. During my first term on the board we took out short term loans to cover our bills. The board has increased the cash balance so this kind of action will be avoided in the future.

     The board has been proactive on maintenance of our buildings. Boilers have been replaced at both Evergreen and Fox River Schools. The roof of Evergreen has also been replaced.

     During my prior term on the board, we started considering the one to one program at Fox River. I saw how the computers helped the students. After this, I was one of the board members who pushed for the one to one program. We also started an orchestra in the schools.

     I also worked to help get the title one four year old kindergarten. I did abstain from voting for the four year old kindergarten as I didn’t feel I had enough information. I took off work and visited the three daycares that do the WASP program in our schools.

     As a board member I am very concerned with the number of teachers leaving our district. A staff survey and focus groups were done. The reults have been posted for public viewing. The board is working to improve morale in our schools.

     I have held five listening groups to keep the promise that I wanted input from the people in our district. I plan to continue with the listening sessions and hope to see more people attend.

     As a board member and grandparent I have always tried to put the education of the children first.

      • Grant Strobel hopes to continue serving on the board, making positive changes to the district and focusing on the areas of students, staff and community. In his candidate statement, Strobel said:

      I am seeking re-election to continue to make positive changes to the Waterford Graded School District, focusing on the following three areas: students, staff, and community. In order for the Waterford Graded School District to attract families, we must continue to have high performing schools and to grow beyond what we are currently achieving. Districts that truly foster a professional learning community approach to education will become a higher performing district. That involves treating all staff as professionals and allowing open communication with the district administrators and the school board. Finally, our schools must be fiscally responsible to the community. Waterford Graded School District is currently in very good financial standing and I intend to keep it that way.

      The first issue that must be addressed is the need for the school district to retain its highly accomplished, dedicated teachers. We have lost too many valuable, worthy teachers to neighboring districts over the last several years. Teachers are not leaving for higher pay in other districts; they are moving to districts which treat them as respected professionals. Although our district still shows very high test scores, that trend will start to decline with the current rate of turnover.

     I have worked with administrators and school board members (from my employed district) on several key components which help our district run successfully. I have been directly involved in such areas: finding alternatives to current health plans to save the district money, teacher evaluations and the ever-changing testing and curricular demands. These areas are relevant to any school district; I have real experience and understanding of these large issues and that will greatly benefit WGSD and the community.

              • Bill Unke said he seeks election to continue and improve the excellence the community has come to expect from WGSD.  In his candidate statement, Unke said:

     Having one child that has gone through the district, one that is currently enrolled, and the last to be enrolling next year as a kindergarten student I want to continue and improve upon the excellence the community has come to expect from the district. I would like to serve my community by providing a fair, level headed, unbiased approach to running the district which benefits the taxpayers, teachers, and the district itself with the single focus of the educational success of all our children.

      As a fiscal conservative, I will concentrate on maintaining a tax levy that provides our children with the needs for a successful education. The revenues collected will be properly allocated to maximize the benefits for the kids. I also want to address the growing concerns with teacher morale and turnover. Educators and the support staff are professionals which should be treated as such by the community, parents, and administration, and their workplace should be reflective of an environment that promotes growth, caring, encouragement and support for our children, and the educators alike. I would also like to find a speech pathologist for the district.

      As an IT professional for over twenty years I have managed many large budget projects. These projects are expected to be on time and under budget, and I make every effort to ensure they do. My experience also includes providing a calm and focus during stressful times. Two years ago, our client, Echo Lake Foods, suffered from one of the largest fires in WI history. I was part of the team that restored the technology assets for them in under 36 hours. My position also requires me to work in cross functional teams, as I need to provide the education, support, and implementation of technology to wide variety of people. My focus is always on the success of the organization while listening and responding to the needs of all stakeholders involved. This is the same approach I will take if I earn a position on the school board and am elected by the community this spring.