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Schools

Waukesha School Board Candidates Share Visions During First Forum

Four candidates competing for three spaces on Waukesha School Board.

Candidates for the Waukesha School Board said Sunday the Waukesha School District will face a lot of challenges in the next three years and each of them has their own vision to tackle those challenges.

“I have a very deep passion for education,” incumbent candidate Barb Brzenk said. “I’m a really great advocate for children.”

Brzenk and fellow incumbent board members Joe Como and Kurt O’Bryan, and challenger Karin Rajnicek squared off in a forum Sunday at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church and share their view of how the district should move forward.

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Several of the questions asked at the forum focused on the recently implemented overhaul of the district’s grading system. Como, Brzenk and O’Bryan said the new system does have some areas where improvements can be made, but the new system has provided needed changes being followed across the country and provides a uniform assessment for all district schools.

O’Bryan said the new policy also needs to get more parental feedback going forward and  Brzenk said the new policy has been in the works for years and now gives clear and consistent academic standards while making work more rigorous in order for students to be deemed proficient.

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“This new grading policy is a process, not an event,” Como said. “With the new system we’re getting down to what kids learn and know.”

However, Rajnicek said the new system is confusing to both parents and students, and some major concerns are being raised about what the new grades means for student achievement.

“We have this very complex system and no one understands it except for (curriculum and instruction leaders),” she said.

Candidates also took a question about the potential cuts in the district and a comment O’Bryan recently made saying Waukesha is poised to do relatively well despite proposed massive cuts in education funding by Gov. Scott Walker.

O’Bryan said the recently approved collective bargaining agreement with the Education Association of Waukesha has provided millions in savings to the district that would otherwise not be achieved under Walker’s changes to collective bargaining rights and the number of retiring teachers has gone to more than 80 at the end of the 2010-11 school year, which will provide for additional saving in payroll.

“We want very talented people coming here,” he said. “We don’t want people coming here thinking we’re going to hire them and then lay them off in a year.”

At least one more candidate forum is expected to take place before the April 5 election. The top three vote collecting candidates will win a three-year term on the board.

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