It's a phrase spoken at School Board candidates forums and used in election campaign materials, but what exactly is "the Elmbrook Experience?"
The candidates agree the term refers to the quality, breadth and depth of curricular and extracurricular offerings in the district.
But when it comes to evaluating whether that experience has improved or worsened over time, and what can or should be done to strengthen it, their opinions diverge.
On April 6, residents will cast three votes for School Board, one for each of three open seats.
Incumbent Glen Allgaier and Ilse Frayer will face off for a full term in the Area II seat.
The top vote-getter among candidates Beth Horneffer, Sandra Schultz, Kathryn Wilson and incumbent Robert Ziegler will be elected to a three-year at-large term, while the candidate with the second-highest number of votes will be elected to a one-year term, serving the remainder of the term vacated by David Marcello.
Board members are paid $3,600 per year.
Q. Why is the Elmbrook Experience important?
Candidates agreed the Elmbrook Experience is important because it helps produce well-rounded students who will become well-rounded adults.
Allgaier: Extracurricular activities help students perform better academically because they aid the development of time-management skills, self-esteem and team work abilities. The Elmbrook Experience also means more individual attention and parent involvement at the elementary level.
Frayer: The Elmbrook Experience in part means being able to move students forward academically, no matter where they're starting from. Elmbrook's academic rigor helps prepare students for college better than other districts.
Ziegler: Colleges look for extracurricular participation, so giving students many opportunities helps them get into better schools. Having two high schools allows students twice as many opportunities. There are two starting quarterbacks in the district, and two first-chair violinists, for example.
Horneffer: The Elmbrook Experience means addressing the academic side of students through classes, and the emotional and personal sides through extracurriculars in order to create life-long learners. This attracts families to the community, improving property values.
Schultz: The experience is a sense of pride that current and former students and families feel for the district. Having a broad range of opportunities allows children to learn more about themselves and grow their self-esteem. The Elmbrook Experience improves property values.
Wilson: The Elmbrook Experience pertains to what makes the district different from other options in the area. In addition to a variety of offerings, it means a supportive, safe and hospitable environment. This directly affects property values.
Q. Has the Elmbrook Experience declined, held steady or improved in recent years?
Allgaier: The Elmbrook Experience, as defined by extracurricular offerings and connected parents, has not declined.
Frayer: The district has worsened slightly - but is on the precipice of a slippery slope. If the district increases class sizes to facilitate budget cuts, standardized test scores could decline and the district would lose its competitive edge.
Schultz: The district is holding steady, but there's an inaccurate perception out there than it has lost some of its value. Other districts are catching up, so Elmbrook's excellence is becoming less obvious.
Wilson: The district hasn't actually diminished; it's just lost some of its perceived value. The district simply stands out less than it used to, because competing districts have gradually risen to meet or exceed Elmbrook's curricular and extracurricular standards.
Horneffer: The district took a step backward when it failed to implement 4-year-old kindergarten. That may have made Elmbrook a little less competitive than surrounding districts. However, the district has remained competitive at the high school level.
Ziegler: Elmbrook's peers have gotten more competitive while the district has made small cuts, like when the third-grade orchestra and elementary world language programs were eliminated in 2003.
Q. What can the district do to maintain or restore the Elmbrook Experience?
Allgaier: Greater parent awareness of, and involvement in, students' educational process will lead to greater academic success.
Frayer: Classes must be kept as small as economically feasible. While being careful with necessary budget cuts, the board should turn its focus to the schools. The breadth of extracurricular offerings should be maintained, and Elmbrook should implement in-demand programs, like 4-year-old kindergarten.
Horneffer: K4 will help the district reclaim enrollment and stay competitive. Keeping six elementary schools, small class sizes, well-funded arts and foreign language programs, and targeted educational programs, like Project Lead the Way, will give Elmbrook an edge.
Schultz: The district should do whatever must be done to stand out from other districts, be it offering online courses, foreign languages or progressive curricula. Budget constraints make this difficult, but leaders must ensure program cuts don't further damage the district's appeal.
Wilson: The district should focus on improving core academics, starting with the early grades. It should focus on basic math skills, enhance offerings for advanced students and encourage students to read quality literature.
Ziegler: Elmbrook needs to continue its focus on continuous improvement while balancing the budget. Budget cuts will be required, but can be minimized if resources are used efficiently.
NEXT STEP
WHAT: School Board candidates forum
WHEN: 7 p.m. March 16
WHERE: Elmbrook central offices, 13780 Hope St., Brookfield
ONLINE: elmbrookschools.org
→ Area II race: Allgaier, Frayer face off. Page 19.
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