The West Bend school board consists of seven members. The term of office for board members is three years. The general election for board members is in the spring (April). There are no applicable term limits. Board members, by state law, must reside within the school district boundaries. There are 2 open seats. Vote for 2.Watch the West Bend Area Chamber of Commerce Candidate Forum recorded on March 20 via the West Bend Community Television on demand website at:tinyurl.com/mrx34xn3What does my local School Board do? The School Board makes a direct impact on education in your community by creating educational goals for the school district and creating school district policy. The board also approves school curriculum, calendars, and budgets. They also play a role in hiring and evaluating the district Superintendent.Why does this matter? The school board works with parents and community members to provide a quality education for Wisconsin students. Who is on the school board makes a difference on issues such as: school curriculum choices, educator quality, educational rights of children with disabilities, and educator quality. As elected officials, the school board is held accountable by voters in their district.School Board members are elected in nonpartisan elections. That means members of the school board do not represent a particular party.
campaign email
chrisjenkinswb@gmail.com
facebook
https://www.facebook.com/JenkinsforSchoolBoard
I am a proud byproduct of our school district. I graduated from West Bend West High School and went on to attend UW-Washington County, UW-Milwaukee, and UW-Oshkosh, having completed my Masters in Public Administration. I've had the honor of serving our community in multiple facets - as President of the West Bend Library Board, an Alderman and County Supervisor representing our City, and then as Mayor of West Bend, overseeing one of the largest economic boons in our lifetimes.
During the day, I work as the Joint Municipal Administrator for the Village and Town of Fredonia. I also serve as President of Musical Masquers theater company, Treasurer of West Bend Early-Risers Kiwanis, and as Sunday School President of our local church - all of which provide positive impact and support to our youth year after year.
My wife Leann, and I are proud parents of 5 children - including two more on the way. My children are my why. And my experience can be leveraged to help move our district forward.
Short and long-term facility planning is the most pressing issue at this time. With student populations decreasing and costs increasing, the Board can utilize my background and experience to help the community come together on ideas for right-sizing our square footage, maintain buildings, improve security, and allow for optimal learning.
Beyond this, marketing and pride in our district is another issue I'd like to assist with. We have so many accomplishments, accolades, and programming to be proud of - supporting these efforts, sharing with the communities around us, and encourages families to want to enroll with West Bend is key.
Finally, I would like to see teacher and staff relations improved between administration, school board, and the community as a whole. Developing programs that attract and retain our staff will help us keep and reward talented people and allow us to be a workplace where others want to flock to in this ever challenging job-market.
The School Board's job is to create and approve policy, which is than carried out by Administration, staff, and our partners. That being said, collaboration should occur at all levels of policy creation. Input from teachers and administration is vital when crafting detailed plans, because at the end of the day, the hired staff are the ones who have to carry it out, not the Board itself. My job as a municipal administrator allows me to perfectly understand my roles and boundaries as a school board member that will allow me to be effective in this position.
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facebook
www.facebook.com/CZforSchoolBoard/
I've been honored to serve as a school board member for the West Bend School District for the past six years. I strongly believe that all children deserve an opportunity for a solid education so they can be successful, no matter what path they may take in the future.
I earned my bachelor's degree in accounting and business administration from Marquette University, and I am licensed as a certified public accountant. I returned to Marquette University Law School to earn my law degree. I currently serve as the chief legal officer of West Bend Insurance Company. My experience as a lawyer and a CPA have served me well on the school board when discussing matters related to school finance, state education statutes, and federal education regulations. My business experience has helped me contribute meaningfully to the board's discussions when it sets the district's budget, reviews matters related human resources and benefits, and reviews contracts and proposals from outside vendors.
Our district has fallen behind on maintaining and improving its facilities. The board is currently undertaking a detailed study to set a plan to identify areas of most critical need. Part of the study includes listening sessions to hear feedback from district residents. We likely will not be able to fully catch up on all our facility needs at one time, but we need to make meaningful progress. We also need to develop a long-range plan to address these needs over time so we can break the cycle of being perpetually behind in the maintenance of our facilities.
Like many districts in Wisconsin, we are experiencing declining enrollment due to population trends, including declining birth rates. This is a challenge for our district. However, it is also an opportunity to right-size our district facilities by reducing the number of school buildings. This could help us reduce the overall maintenance costs on an ongoing basis. We need to continue to find ways to address both challenges.
School board members are elected by the district's voters to help set the district's vision and goals. To do this, a board member should learn by listening to the varying opinions of the community. The community will rarely be unanimous on any issue, so it is the job of a school board member to use what they've heard and learned, combined with their common sense and good judgment, to advance the best interests of the district.
While the board sets the district's vision and goals, the superintendent and other members of school administration carry out the tasks necessary to advance the vision and goals of the district. The superintendent and administration report back to the board and the community regarding the district's progress.
Generally, school board members are not educational professionals. The school board sets education policies in partnership with the superintendent, who serves as a key advisor to the board when considering education policies.
