Home municipality
Village of Black Earth
Home ZIP code
53515
Preferred pronouns
He/Him
The students in our district have very strong academic performance. Wisconsin Heights math curriculum and instruction is exceptional, and our students see fantastic achievement and learning growth in math every year. Our teaching staff and administration have identified three key areas of focus for the next years: Continue to improve on the new language arts curriculum at the elementary; use the "academic lab" in the middle school to target key areas subjects where we see lower achievement; improve our high school curriculum to better serve students with learning disabilities.
Our board invested in a new, secure entrance project for the Main Entrance to the Middle School and High School. This was an important project to make increase safety and access control to the school. Our district will continue to complete smaller security upgrades over the next few years. School climate has been a major focus with the new administration and principals. We have certainly seen positive progress on this. On the board, we are keenly aware that hiring decisions are key to a good climate. We aim to continue to increase communications with the community to improve our process.
Wisconsin Heights is experiencing steady enrollment growth. Our academic success and full-day 4K offerings make our schools a destination for families. This steady growth can continue for a while before we would need to consider major changes to any operations due to capacity. Steady growth allows us to effectively plan for the future. Our district's administration is actively working to open new opportunities for students, such as continuing the development of Youth Apprenticeship and College Ready courses.
I also serve as a Black Earth Village Board Trustee. Serving on the school board and village board at the same time helps me keep school and village leaders informed of each other's decisions and goals. A strong future for the Wisconsin Heights community will require a lot of cooperation and planning between the school district and our villages and towns. If reelected, I will continue my work to keep us all moving forward.
I have a Master of Public Affairs. However, I have fully jumped into my role as as school board member. At this time, I serve as a member of the CESA 2 Board of Control, Teachers' Retirement Board of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Association of School Boards Policy and Resolution Committee. Additionally, I serve on the Black Earth Village Board as an elected Trustee. In these many roles, I see the connections between different policies and decision making bodies. I am proud to serve as a connector to these organizations for the Wisconsin Heights School District.
Home municipality
Village of Mazomanie
Home ZIP code
53560
Wisconsin Heights has done an amazing job of improving student performance on standardized tests. Not resting on laurels, our staff continues to come up with innovative ways to address gaps to ensure all students reach their greatest potential. We couldn’t continue on this path without great community support for referenda that unfortunately have become essential.
A recent survey result showed that most students feel safe at school. We continue to have input from law enforcement and have recently made upgrades to reflect the best available information on keeping students and staff safe. We are not complacent realizing that learning cannot take place in an unsafe environment.
Wisconsin Heights is on a slow and steady uptick in population. We do not expect any sudden growth but the our school facilities can handle the current trends.
We are always in competition for recruiting and retaining the best staff. We have a rigorous system of evaluating compensation to allow us to continue this goal. It is important to convey this to the public as their financial support is essential. Our admin staff continually educates and includes us on progress and challenges that allow us to make the most informed decisions. The willingness of the staff to keep us informed and the Board’s willingness to listen are key to awareness of issues and well-thought out decisions.
I worked for the school district for eight years as the School Nurse, purposely moved to this school district, and have operated a business since leaving the school district. I seek opportunities to engage with the community and have never wavered in my love for everything our small but swarthy school district can offer.
