Candidates take stands on school closings, new offerings
Forum gives residents chance to hear from School Board hopefuls
Elmbrook School Board candidates explained their opinions about district enrollment decreases, finances, 4-year-old kindergarten, nonresident enrollment and more at a candidate forum Feb. 2.
All six people running in the Feb. 16 primary for two at-large seats - Warren Groff, Beth Horneffer, Genevieve Schmidt, Sandra Schultz, Kathryn Wilson and incumbent Bob Ziegler - answered 10 questions from moderator Cheri Sylla.
About 50 people attended the forum, which was sponsored by the Elmbrook Parent Leadership Council.
Warren Groff
Many of Groff's responses during the forum focused on how Elmbrook can incorporate more advanced technology into the classroom. He said the district must embrace curriculum and programs that prepare students for emerging fields and careers. That will help attract families and quality teachers, he said.
The district has gotten a good start on engineering-based Project Lead the Way, he said, but there are similar programs that "await our discussion and implementation in the very near future."
These programs, or similar programs implemented as charter schools, could qualify the district for grant funding, he said. Plus, repurposing part or all of an elementary school as a charter could prevent the need for building closures.
When asked whether he supports K4, Groff said he has seen his grandchildren benefit from the program, but the district would be better off investing in technology-focused programs than K4.
Beth Horneffer
Horneffer said school quality should be important to all residents because a well-regarded district makes for higher property values. Therefore, Elmbrook should be marketed well and board members need to make long-term decisions that keep the district fiscally responsible without sacrificing student learning.
Property values also would be affected by school closings, she said, so that measure should be a last resort. However, since decreasing revenue and enrollment are realities, Horneffer said, school closings need to be considered as an option.
The district should exhaust all possible ways to increase enrollment and raise revenue before considering program cuts and school closings, she said. Those options include adding Open Enrollment students and offering K4, which she said would add enrollment, boost tax revenue and make the district more competitive.
Financial woes present an opportunity for innovation, Horneffer said, pointing to charter schools as one possible solution that could bring students to Elmbrook.
Genevieve Schmidt
Schmidt said she prides herself on being accessible, and, if elected, plans to source residents in making major decisions.
Feedback would be especially important during the financial planning process, she said. As many residents as possible should be engaged in committee work to seek revenue sources and examine potential budget cuts, and to give the board input on far-reaching decisions.
Schmidt added that the financial planning process should be less focused on budget cuts and more focused on finding new revenue. She hinted at charter schools as one possible option, and said Elmbrook should open as many Open Enrollment seats as possible. She supported K4 as another option, though she said she needs to learn more about the program's financial costs and benefits.
Increased marketing efforts focused on word-of-mouth advertising are key to attracting new students - and therefore more revenue - to the district.
Closing a school is a last resort, Schmidt said.
Sandra Schultz
Schultz said Elmbrook needs to consider more nontraditional revenue sources to help cut the budget deficit while bringing the district "to the next step." Starting charter schools, writing grants and tapping alumni for donations were three examples she gave.
Though closing schools and cutting programs must be considered, she said, district leaders should first consider charter schools, adding Open Enrollment or a K4 program.
These moves would help the district stay competitive, Schultz said. Elmbrook has high standards and always has. The problem is that surrounding communities are catching up to the district's level of excellence, she said, meaning that Elmbrook is no longer the obvious choice for teachers or families moving into the area. Cutting valuable programs would make this problem worse.
Instead, by adding programs that make the district stand out - and then marketing those features - Elmbrook can regain its position as the best in the area, she said.
Kathryn Wilson
Wilson said current financial challenges are an opportunity to rethink Elmbrook and resume the role of best school system in southeastern Wisconsin.
Instead of approaching budgeting with methods that resemble "putting out the fire," Wilson said, the board needs to decide what the district should be providing students and then plan how to get there.
Community input will be key, she said, especially when considering options like closing a school.
On the revenue side, adding Open Enrollment students is a good way to efficiently use district buildings while increasing income, Wilson said. Conversely, K4 probably isn't worth the tax increase, she said, though it could work as part of a comprehensive budget solution.
Ultimately, good education will attract families and good teachers to the district and sustain property values, she said. Part of achieving that excellence is improving core content areas, like literature and math.
Bob Ziegler
Ziegler said he wants to use his six years of School Board knowledge and experience to continue taking on the financial challenges facing the district.
That means finding new revenues in K4, Open Enrollment and charter schools, he said, but it also means reducing expenses by considering multi-age elementary classrooms, new middle and high school schedules, distance learning and, as a last resort, closing one or two elementary buildings.
Ziegler said board members will need to set aside their biases to fully consider all possible solutions recommended by the district's Enrollment Management Study Team.
No matter what happens, Ziegler said, Elmbrook must expand student learning while remaining committed to continuous improvement and being connected to its constituents.
In addition to marketing, staying true to these tenants will attract both new families and quality staff, he said.
Catch a replay
• A replay of the forum can be seen on Time Warner Cable channels 13 and 96 until the Feb. 16 primary.
• Isral DeBruin blogged live from the forum. Go to BrookfieldNOW.com or ElmGroveNOW.com to read that blog for more on the candidates' responses.
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