WAUSAU PILOT AND REVIEW
Editor’s note: Wausau Pilot & Review will publish a series of Q&As in the days leading up to the April 2 spring election for contested seats in the Wausau metro area.
For a sample ballot and general election information, visit the Marathon County election information page. Watch for more election coverage and be sure to bookmark our elections page here.
Candidates, listed in alphabetical order, were given the opportunity to answer identical questions in the interest of fairness.
Their unedited answers are listed below.
These six candidates are vying to be elected to the Wausau School Board. There are three positions available.
Letters to the editor are encouraged through Monday, April 1. Email [email protected].
James P. Bouché 
Age: 64
Education: B.A. – English Education; M.A.E – P.E./Nutrition; M.S.E. – Education Administration; Ed.S. – Technology Enhanced Curriculum
Occupation: Retired teacher/coach, principal and district administrator
In a nutshell, why are you running for the school board?
In a “nutshell,” I’m a believer in “servant leadership” and now that my wife and I are back in the Wausau community, I thought there would be no better way to serve our community than being a part of our Wausau School District’s Board of Education. With the number of years of educational experience (41 ½) that I bring to the board as:
- A teacher
- A coach
- An assistant principal
- An athletic director
- A special education director
- An administrator in charge of technology
- A principal
- A district administrator
- A parent
- And a taxpayer;
could be invaluable experience for the school board to have. No other candidate (as I understand) has any experience that comes close to this. I have worked with an operating budget of $12 million and have worked with Act 32 in which we (LUHS School District) took out a $14.5 million bond to redo the complete HVAC in a building just under 300,000 sq. ft. In that process we (LUHS School District) placed the largest school solar farm on the field house of the high school (1,056 solar panels generating 280 kWadc/240 kWac per hour on a sunny day). With all of this being done, we lowered the tax levy for the taxpayers in our communities!
Name one problem that exists in the school district today and a way to improve it.
I have been listening to many taxpayers, parents, faculty and administrators in the community, and I believe there are a few obstacles that need to be navigated:
- The drop in numbers of students at Wausau East vs. Wausau West;
- The dividing river has widened between East and West;
- The curriculum alignment (vertically and horizontally), scope and sequence for all areas of study must be improved;
- Duplicity of courses in an era of “not enough teachers” (cost as well);
- Teacher morale due to Post-Act 10;
- Cultural congruence – highlighting diversity.
Many of these problems have been around for years, unfortunately, there has been too much talk and not enough action in order to take care of these problems. More emphasis has to be put on solutions instead of highlighting the problems. One board member is not going to change anything over night, but one board member can help move the needle forward.
Name one thing the Wausau School District does well, and how you would support it.
I have watched the school district from afar for many years, while I have been in educational administration; and the one thing that I see as a great positive, is that the district has worked very hard at giving students and families choices in the student’s educational journey. Students learn differently, and understanding that fact, differentiation of educational delivery and offerings are very important in preparing students for their future. I am a strong advocate of this; Meet students where they are in order to move them forward!
What is the best way to redraw East-West boundaries, as development and population seem to be moving westward?
The district should bring in a company to analyze the demographics and the demographical shifts. Change should not take place until the data has been accrued and the analytics have been studied. This problem should be the number one focus at this point in time, because money might be freed up by this first solution.
Once the analytics are completed, strategic planning needs to be implemented. This was a discussion 35 years ago; it is time to take this problem head on and move forward.
The district has lost a number of young teachers to competing districts because of pay differences. What would you do to retain teachers and prevent them from migrating to other districts?
As I did four years ago as a superintendent, I would encourage our district administrator to redo our Teacher Handbook and restructure our pay structure. The Wausau pay structure is filled with “proverbial hoops to be jumped through!” Otherwise known as busy work! This type of structure does not benefit quality and revered teachers.
Also, we need to compare our starting wages to local competing districts. We need to equal and/or be higher than these local competitors. I know for a fact that my new teachers at LUHS make $2,000 more than a starting teacher in the Wausau School District. That’s for a reason; we made LUHS a “Destination” as Wausau once was!
Also, I would incorporate many teachers in the writing of curriculum and the evaluating of any purchased curriculum. Teachers should be strongly involved with the curriculum that they will be teaching.
What is the best solution to the discipline issues our schools are facing?
This is a problem the superintendent and his leadership team need to take on as soon as possible; here are some non-cost or low-cost items that can be implemented immediately:
- Teen court – in affiliation with Marathon County
- Restorative justice – in affiliation with Marathon County
- Restorative services – in affiliation with Marathon County
- Restorative practices – a program that can be purchased
- Implement social and emotional learning
Items that may cost the district in personnel:
- Southeast Asian (Hmong) liaison administrator at both high schools and both middle schools
- Southeast Asian (Hmong) liaison volunteer in the elementary schools
- Social workers in the high schools
- Implement social and emotional learning curriculum – purchase and implementation
Suspensions don’t do anything but cover up the problem for a short period of time. Suspensions cause:
- Loss of contact time (teaching)
- Loss of learning
- Loss of immediate learning situation
- Loss of the teachable moment
- Loss of trust by the families and the student
Board members don’t get involved with discipline and consequences at this point in time; this is the principals’ responsibility in the individual schools. Board members would be involved in creating policies for the need for liaison people and policies for teen court and restorative justice. The time board members get involved with discipline and consequences is with student expulsions and this is only to vote “yes or no” whether or not the student should be expelled and for how long.
Expulsions are prescribed and the process is very methodical by state statutes (students rights).
What impact, if any, has Act 10 had on our schools?
Act 10 has had a tremendous impact on schools. It can be directly correlated with the depletion in supply of teachers. The demand has increased for STEAM teachers, social workers, school psychologists and administrators at all levels.
Young people are not going into education due to the following:
- Freezing of salaries in many districts
- Creating of salary structures that ask for irrelevant “hoops” to be jumped through
- Eliminating of master’s degrees that encourage life long learners for professionals
- Eliminating of benefits that teachers once have had (with no negotiations)
- Continuing drop in morale of professionals
This is only some of Act 10 fall out. Now, school districts have to change this. Wausau School District has not done anything to turn this “tide” as what neighboring schools have done. I have ideas, which I implemented up North and that gave us a boost in staff morale. I would encourage our district to do the same if I were to become a board member…
As a school board member, are there any specific subject areas you think should be included in the curriculum on the issue of diversity?
Yes. I am absolutely surprised that the Wausau District has not implemented Act 31 as a result of 1989: As a result of escalating tensions between Indians and non-Indians over Ojibwe treaty rights issues, several legislators developed an initiative requiring study of Wisconsin Indian history, culture and tribal sovereignty in public schools. The 1989-91 state budget appropriated funds for creation of an American Indian studies program.
Funds were to be used to:
- Hire staff to implement the requirements set forth;
- Locate and/or develop curricular, classroom and resource materials;
- Provide training for teachers;
- Conduct conferences and workshops to aid local public school districts to begin teaching Wisconsin Indian history, culture and tribal sovereignty.
Wausau is an Ojibwe word meaning “Far, Far Place” and Act 31 came about due to the Ojibwe treaty rights. This Act 31 came about also not just for Indian country schools, but for all schools in the state of Wisconsin. By implementing Act 31 and cultural congruence, these initiatives would help relations with our Hmong and other Southeast Asian communities, along with our growing Hispanic community. Nothing has been done in the Wausau School District to encourage this additional curricula mandate. What has happened? Is my question.
One important characteristic of any elected official is the ability to step back and see both sides of an issue. Give an example of a time you did this in the past.
I answered this question at the Wausau School Board Candidate Forum on Wednesday, March 20. Every day as an administrator (dean of students, assistant principal, athletic director, principal and superintendent), I have been using my listening skills. I believe these skills have been honed throughout the 41½ years as a teacher/coach and administrator.
I have been very successful at all levels getting people to work together for the betterment of students and families in a multitude of different communities and multitude of demographics. No board candidate (that I am aware of) has worked with as many students and parents of diverse backgrounds as I have; that’s just a fact.
So, when you ask for one; I have a multitude of examples.
There are nearly 200 homeless students in the Wausau School District. What, if anything, would you do as a school board member to address this issue?
Administrators and schools have a mandate that they must follow as laid out by the DPI. On the DPI website, each school administrator identified as the administrative liaison must follow the procedures stated, https://dpi.wi.gov/homeless.
Now, from the board point of view; the board could create policies that would enhance and meld with the DPI and the local area. This is what I identify as “local control.” Many businesses in the area, are already working with our high schools, to help students get warm clothing and food through food pantries. There is more that can be done, but that should be more of a community initiative not a district undertaking. This would take budgeted educational money away from where it was meant to go.
Why should voters choose you on April 2?
Since I have been in every educational position, (including, work as a custodian during the summers), I have the best experience first hand working with teams on:
- Policies
- Budgets
- Technology enhanced curricula
- Building necessities (HVAC)
- Curriculum development (scope and sequence/ vertical/horizontal)
- Large districts (30,000 students)
- Small districts (1,000 to 10,000 students)
- Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence – U.S. News and World Reports Recommended Schools
- Building of a non-rated school into the top 65 Wisconsin high schools – U.S. News and World Reports
- Raised a graduation rate in a Title I high school from 84 percent to as high as 97 percent
- Raised a graduation rate in our NA students from 54 percent to as high as 97 percent
More importantly:
- To serve our community in a profession that I have been affiliated for over 42 years
- To be a steward of our tax payers money
- To be an advocate for our students and families
- To be an advocate and supporter of our faculty and the great job they do
- To give back to my community for educating my three children
Liberty “Libby” Heidmann
Age: 39
Education: Wausau West High School, 1997. Bachelor of Arts, English, Certificate, American Indian Studies UW-Madison, 2001. Master of Arts, American Indian Studies, University of Arizona, 2004.
Occupation: Advising specialist, Northcentral Technical College
In a nutshell, why are you running for the school board?
I believe in public education and I believe in serving my community. I have a fifth-grader in the Wausau SchooI District. I have worked in higher education for the past 14 years as a transfer admissions counselor, a career counselor, and have spent a bulk of my career as an academic advisor focusing on fostering access for first generation college students (as I was), low income students and students with learning or physical disabilities. I have worked on committees in the UW system regarding shared governance and other policy work. I have been a volunteer for many organizations in the Wausau area including six years on the board of directors for The Neighbors’ Place, and am currently a part of the governance council for the Wausau Area Montessori Charter School. I feel that an opportunity to be on the school board will combine these passions and best utilize my skill sets and experience.
Name one problem that exists in the school district today and a way to improve it.
Classroom behavior. To start, we would need to identify when and where these issues occur. Are there any patterns or recurrences that are noticable? Second, what have teachers and paraprofessionals done in that classroom or with individual students that has worked or not? Having conversations with those on the front line will be key. Third, a review of the expectations and related policy on a regular basis will be necessary. Expectations should be specific, clear and shared with students and their families and well as staff, often (re-stated in question 6).
Name one thing the Wausau School District does well, and how you would support it.
Academic preparation, rigor and options. The Wausau area has many different options for students to meet their needs in terms of curriculum, pedagogy and support. Examples of this is our charter school options, having both Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, charter school options and relationships with our educational partners, like the alternative high school at NTC. We are able to fulfill the needs of many students. To support this I feel that ongoing evaluation and feedback is essential to make sure we continue to meet the needs of the community.
What is the best way to redraw East-West boundaries as development and population seem to be moving westward?
This topic is going to require a lot of conversation with the community to garner feedback. As a community we may need to consider options that were discussed in previous years and discuss creative new ones. This conversation has been around since I was a student in the district (80s-90s) so the dialogue will not be short and the issue will not be a quick, easy fix.
I don’t have a “best” solution as I am not well versed in the possibilities. This particular issue will need a lot of research by board members and the community to best land on a solution that makes sense for Wausau.
The district has lost a number of young teachers to competing districts because of pay differences. What would you do to retain teachers and prevent them from migrating to other districts?
If we are unable to give educators more monetary compensation, we need to be creative in other areas. Giving teachers more instructional time by reducing their administrative tasks is one idea. One idea to do that is to review procedures and initiatives to ensure we aren’t duplicating efforts or creating inefficiencies for teachers in regard to their work load.
If the current compensation model remains with in-house academies for professional development, we should be creating options for educators, such as online that can be done in a flexible time frame. This will give more flexibility in fulfilling professional development requirements.
What is the best solution to the discipline issues our schools are facing?
The answer to this is complex. What could work for one child one day might not work the next. What works for a kindergarten-age student might not be appropriate for a high schooler. So there is no one answer that will address all circumstances. To start, we would need to identify when and where these issues occur. Are there any patterns or recurrences that are noticeable? Second, what have teachers and paraprofessionals done in that classroom or with individual students that has worked or not? Having conversations with those on the front line will be key. Third, a review of the expectations and related policy on a regular basis will be necessary. Expectations should be specific, clear and shared with students and their families, as well as staff, often.
What impact, if any, has Act 10 had on our schools?
When I worked as an advisor at UW-Marathon County I had a half a dozen students come and talk to me about changing their major to something other than education after Act 10. Many of them expressed dismay in vocal public perception that what they would do was not valued nor worth the (perceived) cost.
A few years later I would have students tell me they had no interest in staying in Wisconsin after college graduation because education wasn’t valued.
Morale in the profession dropped. Our workforce is less experienced, and more senior educators moved to other districts or left the field all together. There was a reduction in local control (how districts negotiate with employees). State aid to schools was reduced (which in turn spurred a huge uptick in operating referendums in the state). Rural schools faced a hit on all sides with reduced state aid, drops in enrollment, program cuts and loss of staff.
These are the very real effects that ACT 10 had on the state of Wisconsin. The people who wanted to be educators, decided not to be. The people we wanted to keep in the state, didn’t want to stay.
As a school board member, are there any specific subject areas you think should be included in the curriculum on the issue of diversity?
In the Wausau School District per policy 6200 “the Education Department identifies educators to participate in Content Area Leadership Teams and collaboratively establish communication and articulation of the educational programs within the Wausau School District. A focus of the Education Department in collaboration with Content Area Leadership Teams is to develop and maintain a systematic approach to PK-12: Standards-based Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, Program Implementation, Program Evaluation, Staff Development. The Content Area Leadership Teams are comprised of PK-Grade 12 educators and District Administrators.”
With curriculum being in the hands of teachers and administrators, I would support additions in the following areas:
I would support more training for educators to fulfill the requirements of Act 31, the state statutory requirement that all public school districts and pre-service education program provide instruction on the history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of Wisconsin’s 11 federally-recognized American Indian nations and tribal communities.
I would support more content in relation to Hmong-American history in Wisconsin.
I would support more content regarding other ethnic minority groups in all subject areas.
I would support content that covers topics from other marginalized groups in the United States.
I would support training using vetted materials and curriculum for staff, administrators, the board itself and students on other subjects as requested to create a more inclusive environment.
One important characteristic of any elected official is the ability to step back and see both sides of an issue. Give an example of a time you did this in the past.
I often do this when working with students every day. Depending on the situation, I am often counseling with other staff, offices, people who have some insight or background into the situation. I rarely take a situation at face value as there are often more details to uncover.
Because my job is to speak and listen to people, that is what I do in many situations: listen. Gather the facts, consult the experts in that area, gather and present the possible options/solutions.
There are nearly 200 homeless students in the Wausau School District. What, if anything, would you do as a school board member to address this issue?
While I know of the statistics, I don’t know as much as I would like to on the qualitative information. What are these student’s stories? I would want to talk to these students, teachers and anyone else who has had contact with this issue to learn as much as possible. Are there gaps in services in the Wausau area? Are needs being met for these students and by whom? What is working and what is not?
Once I would have answers to those questions I feel I could formulate a few options. I would want to ensure that teachers and paraprofessionals feel comfortable in the procedural and referral portion of getting students to who (or what services) they need to get to. If not, we could help clarify that procedure or look into training if educators feel it would be useful.
Why should voters choose you on April 2?
I bring a valuable perspective from my professional background, as well as desire to use these skills to serve my community. I have been successful in my career by listening to students stories and helping guide, plan and solve problems. I enjoy the synergy of working in a group to create solutions for the greater good. When we support our students, our community is better.
Mark Holdhusen
Age: 41
Education: Ph.D. and M.S. in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech, Bachelor of mechanical engineering from University of Minnesota
Occupation: Professor of engineering, UW-Stevens Point at Wausau
In a nutshell, why are you running for the school board?
First and foremost, I want to make sure the building-level teachers and staff are respected as experts and given the necessary support. The individuals with direct contact with students should have the authority to use their training and expertise to make decisions about what students need and how best to educate them. In addition to keeping the pedagogical authority in the classroom, I am running because I would like to be part of the ongoing conversation regarding the population disparity between the high schools. I also want to be a voice for the Title 1 schools to ensure they continue to get the resources they need. Additionally, I would also like the district to consider the current schedule including daily start times, the academic calendar, allocation of instructional minutes and assessment frequency. Finally, I believe the district should shift the focus in kindergarten toward learning how to be a successful student through more developmentally appropriate programming and expectations.
Name one problem that exists in the school district today and a way to improve it.
We need to consider the number of mandated assessments of our students are given. Some of these assessments are mandated by state or federal government and some are mandated by our district. These standardized tests do not necessarily do a good job of capturing what the students know. They also create classroom atmospheres that can lead to a long road of test anxiety. In addition, they create a learning culture that focuses the end goal on the test rather than the learning itself. We need to look at the assessments that are administered to our students and examine how the results are informing instruction in the classroom. If assessments are not guiding instruction, then we should consider eliminating them unless otherwise mandated by state or federal agencies.
Name one thing the Wausau School District does well, and how you would support it.
The best part of the district is the building-level staff. Our educators who work directly with our children are doing the most important work. Our district is made up of great people educating our children and I will do everything possible as school board member to support them.
What is the best way to redraw East-West boundaries as development and population seem to be moving westward?
This a very sensitive issue in Wausau and not one for which I have definite solution. I am aware of several suggested solutions and I will offer a few things we need to consider before making such a decision. The first thing is that we need public input before making this decision. Our community has strong ideas regarding the high school boundaries and we need to provide opportunities to listen to as much community input as possible. Another thing that gets lost in the geography discussion is the vastly different scheduling models the high schools follow. These models lead to different education pedagogies that have nothing to do with geography and need to be considered when crafting a solution. I am excited to be part of the process of finding a solution that works best for Wausau.
The district has lost a number of young teachers to competing districts because of pay differences. What would you do to retain teachers and prevent them from migrating to other districts?
The academy-based compensation model does not help in the retention of teachers. It rewards those teachers willing and able to attend evening workshops held by the district rather than rewarding quality professional learning that focuses on the individual needs of the teacher to build capacity in their subject or content areas. Beyond compensation, we need to trust teachers and respect their expertise. Micromanaging their minutes during the day and overwhelming them with initiative after initiative is not giving them the respect they deserve. Teachers will do the right thing for our students if we give them the respect and resources they need. Giving teachers respect will go a long way in retaining them.
What is the best solution to the discipline issues our schools are facing?
We need to examine the complex needs of our students from a variety of angles. Oftentimes, behavior can be peeled back to reveal needs related to relationships, trauma, poverty and a multitude of other considerations. In addition to supporting a continuum of interventions for student and professional learning for staff, one thing we could do to help with discipline issues is to reconsider the role of kindergarten. We should shift the focus in kindergarten toward learning how to be a successful student through more developmentally appropriate programming and expectations, such as structured and unstructured play time. Too much emphasis is placed on academic rigor in kindergarten. I believe if we focus on teaching kindergartners how to be in school and interact with staff and other students, they will have a strong foundation for success and learning.
What impact, if any, has Act 10 had on our schools?
Before Act 10, question 5 regarding teacher retention was not an issue. Stripping teachers of collective bargaining and reducing their benefits has led to teachers leaving the state or the profession, as well as a reduction in the number of college graduates in education. Act 10 has had a very negative impact on our schools.
As a school board member, are there any specific subject areas you think should be included in the curriculum on the issue of diversity?
Diversity in our curriculum is crucial as it gives students perspectives of different people and cultures that will help them navigate the world through an inclusive lens. To be honest, I do not know everything that is currently taught in the curriculum with regards to diversity. In addition, I am not an expert in diversity in educational curriculum. It would be disingenuous for me to tell educators what topics related to diversity they should include in the curriculum. I would encourage organizing a group of local experts, both internal and external to the district, to determine what specifically should be included in the curriculum related to diversity. We live in a very diverse community and should utilize the knowledge of our community experts to increase awareness and inform the curricular decisions.
One important characteristic of any elected official is the ability to step back and see both sides of an issue. Give an example of a time you did this in the past.
As a professor of engineering I teach my students to consider all aspects of a problem. If variables are ignored when engineering a creative solution to a problem, catastrophic issues may arise and people could be put in danger. Engineers must consider every potential problem before a design solution is implemented. Considering all sides of a problem and working collaboratively is at the heart of what I do daily as an engineering professor. An example more closely related to my role on the school board is when I served on the committee that worked to redraw the elementary school boundaries after the referendum added space to a few elementary schools. That committee consisted of parents and staff from every school, all with a different view of how the boundaries should be drawn. We had to consider all the different sides of this problem and, in the end, came up with a new set of boundaries that everyone on the committee felt good about.
There are nearly 200 homeless students in the Wausau School District. What, if anything, would you do as a school board member to address this issue?
It is important to remember that our students can’t learn if they are worried about where they are sleeping or where they will get food. Simply knowing this doesn’t solve any problems but it creates a community where we as a district lead with compassion and consideration. Students and families must feel comfortable reaching out and accessing the resources available, such as the food pantries provided at the high schools and our Blessings in a Backpack program. As a board member, I would support programming that connects families in need with community agencies. In addition, I would support increasing the number of school social workers who are trained and capable to help support our students with the greatest needs.
Why should voters choose you on April 2?
Ever since my oldest child started kindergarten in 2012 I have been active in the Wausau School District. Not only in serving on the PTO and volunteering at my kids’ school, but also at the district level. For several years I have served on the Title I Parent Advisory Committee which works with administration to help serve low-income students and their families. I also served on the committee that helped redraw the elementary school boundaries following the referendum that added building space to several schools. I have had the opportunity to work closely with administration in the past and can use that experience to help make future decisions regarding the education of our children. In addition, my professional background is in education. I have been a professor of engineering at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point at Wausau since 2005. I have a direct understanding of what graduating high school students need to be successful in higher education and hope to use this knowledge and experience to help guide the direction of the Wausau School District. Finally, I am a problem solver. I take pride in gathering information by listening to stakeholders and through external research. With this information, I will thoughtfully consider the options and make the best decision for our students and community.
Theresa Miles
Age: 70
Education: Bachelor of Science in elementary education from Kent State University and a Master’s in elementary education from the University of Cincinnati
Occupation: Retired teacher from the Wausau School District
In a nutshell, why are you running for the school board?
I have 36 years of teaching experience and I feel that has given me an insight into many educational issues that face the WSD. My children and grandson have graduated from the WSD and I currently have one grandchild still in the WSD.
Name one problem that exists in the school district today and a way to improve it.
One problem is the effort to keep up with the costs of technology on our limited budget.
Name one thing the Wausau School District does well, and how you would support it.
The WSD continues to offer a variety of programs which allow students to investigate many careers and college readiness classes. The WSD also offers five different pathways to graduation for our students.
What is the best way to redraw East-West boundaries as development and population seem to be moving westward?
One high school with two campuses, larger elementary schools, magnet elementary schools or a magnet middle school are all options to consider. These are some creative ways to change enrollment patterns, but nothing will move forward without community input! The community must understand the cost and educational advantage for all the ideas and decide what they will support.
The district has lost a number of young teachers to competing districts because of pay differences. What would you do to retain teachers and prevent them from migrating to other districts?
Teacher salaries are a complex issue. You have districts paying bonus for hard to fill vacancies and even having some districts paying for a teacher’s fine for breaking a contract. Besides needing more money to pay our teachers, we also need to give them more say in their everyday teaching practices. Lastly, we need to give them more preparation time in order to have sufficient time to plan their lessons.
What is the best solution to the discipline issues our schools are facing?
We need some of our elementary schools to have behavior specialists in them to help assist children who are in crisis situations. Allowing students to disrupt the learning of others is unacceptable.
What impact, if any, has Act 10 had on our schools?
Act 10 was not only a financial disaster to teachers and districts because of reduced state funds for our local schools, but it was also a demoralizing act to the teaching profession! Act 10 sent a message to teachers that they are not valued or respected.
As a school board member, are there any specific subject areas you think should be included in the curriculum on the issue of diversity?
Diversity is not a one day, one week or one month activity. Diversity is an everyday teaching event. It can be taught through literature or in current events and in programs that are designed for the entire school. Every elementary school and middle school in our district teaches respect, responsibility, and readiness to its students to help them understand the value of diversity. At the secondary level, students and teachers address diversity throughout the broad curriculum we offer in our required and elective courses.
One important characteristic of any elected official is the ability to step back and see both sides of an issue. Give an example of a time you did this in the past.
The new compensation model was designed to afford teachers a way to do professional development without any cost. Some teachers in the WSD do not approve of this model and want changes. The model needs to be addressed with the understanding that it must be one the WSD can afford and it addresses everyone as fairly as possible.
There are nearly 200 homeless students in the Wausau School District. What, if anything, would you do as a school board member to address this issue?
The WSD cannot help these homeless students alone. Our district needs to provide counseling and nursing services within our buildings to address their unique needs. In addition, we need to partner with other agencies and churches to work on a way to help these students.
Why should voters choose you on April 2?
I have almost nine years invested in being a very informed and active board member. This experience has helped me listen to ideas and make decisions that best meet student and staff needs. I have attended many conferences and workshops to better understand my role as a board member and to confer with other districts as to what works in their districts. I would like to thank the voters in the WSD for their past support and hope they will consider voting for me again on April 2.
Jane Rusch 
Age: 58
Education: Studied criminal justice and elementary education at UW-Oshkosh
Occupation: Retired, former correctional officer at Taycheedah Correctional Institute
In a nutshell, why are you running for the school board?
I started out as a volunteer in my children’s schools; I logged thousands of hours, and was even given the Wausau School District’s Friends of Education award. As my children progressed through the grades, opportunities waned and I decided to continue to serve the district by running for the school board.
My current reason for running for the board is because I desire to continue my service to the district. The knowledge I’ve gained over the last 12 years of serving on the board has helped me become a more effective board member.
Name one problem that exists in the school district today and a way to improve it.
The original building at the school forest is aging and needs replacing. A new main lodge would improve our students experience and provide more safe space for inclement weather.
Name one thing the Wausau School District does well, and how you would support it.
It’s difficult to pick just one, but we do a great job with our charter schools. The district seeks out solutions for the needs of our students and responds. Our charter schools address needs of students who are looking for something different than the traditional classroom.
I am always interested in hearing new ideas from staff, students or constituents.
What is the best way to redraw East-West boundaries as development and population seem to be moving westward?
This issue has been 50 years in the making and the question needs to be put to the people of the district, on a larger scale than was done for the elementary boundary adjustments. Offering any ideas of my own would only fuel rumors and disharmony and only creates problems, not solve them.
The district has lost a number of young teachers to competing districts because of pay differences. What would you do to retain teachers and prevent them from migrating to other districts?
A single board member has no power; therefore I will continue to work with my fellow board members to deal with this issue. We recently worked together and agreed to raise the starting wage to be commensurate with neighboring districts.
It’s a complex matter with no easy solution. Wages and benefits are important, but so is a positive work environment.
This district is more expensive to run when compared to D.C. Everest because we have more school buildings.
What is the best solution to the discipline issues our schools are facing?
The schools can only do so much; there are many issues that affect children’s behavior at school. I would like to see more counselors and mental health care professionals working in our schools.
What impact, if any, has Act 10 had on our schools?
Act 10 impacted us in more ways than most people will ever know, the biggest affect is the damage to the morale of the staff and the ability to attract and retain teachers.
Act 10 has greatly reduced the number of college students going into the education field, the reduction in pay and benefits means they may not earn enough to pay off their student loans. This means there are smaller pools of applicants to fill vacant teaching positions.
As a school board member, are there any specific subject areas you think should be included in the curriculum on the issue of diversity?
I strongly believe that civics should be brought back, either as a standalone class or incorporated into existing classes. I would like to see our district evaluate our classes for content regarding diversity.
One important characteristic of any elected official is the ability to step back and see both sides of an issue. Give an example of a time you did this in the past.
With every decision I’ve made on the board I’ve worked hard to understand how every group will be affected. Whether it was listening to input on the boundary committee or during wage negotiating, it’s important to take into account the impact the final decision will have on every group.
There are nearly 200 homeless students in the Wausau School District. What, if anything, would you do as a school board member to address this issue?
One of the things we have done is to align the curriculum so that our transient students don’t miss out on lessons or repeat them when they change schools.
Why should voters choose you on April 2?
Voters should vote for me because I work hard to represent them and strive to make our students responsible, productive citizens. I am committed to seeing that the students in this district are prepared to succeed in their future ventures, whatever they may be.
Dr. L. Voigt Smith
Age: 53
Education: Doctor of Physical Therapy
Occupation: Owner of Backsmith Advanced Physical Therapy
In a nutshell, why are you running for the school board?
I want to use my military and business background and experience to help this community develop the highest performing schools in the region. As a parent and grandparent, education is important to me. Serving the community on the board is one way I feel I can give back to my community.
Name one problem that exists in the school district today and a way to improve it.
I believe there is an underlying issue with student discipling and behavior. Much anecdotal information suggests students are hooking up in bathrooms between classes; there is serious bullying and lack of respect between students. This cannot be resolved by teachers and administrators alone. It requires greater input from parents. I would seek to find ways to improve parental involvement in school life and activities; stronger parent-teacher organization; more involvement by parents in school activities.
Name one thing the Wausau School District does well, and how you would support it.
The district makes many options available to students where they can achieve; in addition to college preparatory subjects, Wausau also has an excellent trades curriculum especially at Wausau East. I would support this by encouraging more education in subjects like building trades, auto-shop, welding, etc. in both high schools by getting more local businesses involved with apprenticeship programs and visits to local business by students.
What is the best way to redraw East-West boundaries as development and population seem to be moving westward?
We need to put aside the river as the natural boundary of east and west and use commonsense solutions. Perhaps we need to redraw the boundaries in a way that equalize student population between the two middle schools and high schools. Or we could study a much more creative approach like using one high school as a 10 -12 facility and the other as a 7-9 junior high. Then John Muir and Horace Mann could become 4-6 grade.
The district has lost a number of young teachers to competing districts because of pay differences. What would you do to retain teachers and prevent them from migrating to other districts?
While I believe I need to learn more about the issues regarding teacher pay, I would suggest that we look at merit in addition to seniority as a way to review salaries annually. Teachers need to know they are appreciated. Rather than review their performance every three years, they should have a meeting with the building principal annually to set goals and be evaluated against those goals each year. Employees in any field not only care about pay; they want to know their work is effective and valued, this will happen if they have the opportunity to provide input into their own evaluation process and get that review every year.
What is the best solution to the discipline issues our schools are facing?
As a policymaker on the board, I would empower teachers and administrators at each building as much as possible to set parameters for disciplining students. I would work to put in place policies that help to foster greater communication between teachers, students and parents. Discipline starts at home; if parents are not committed to helping encourage learning readiness in their children at home, the teachers will be fighting an uphill battle.
What impact, if any, has Act 10 had on our schools?
I need to learn more about how Act 10 has affected teacher effectiveness and learning in the schools, but my belief is that it has given the administration more flexibility from a fiscal standpoint. According to the MacIver Institute study, (maciverinstitute.com) schools in Wisconsin have saved over $3 billion in health care premiums. School employees are paying up to 12 percent of their premiums, which is much lower than most employees pay in other industries. These savings can be plowed back into better facilities, more teachers, more support staff; any number of needs to improve student performance.
As a school board member, are there any specific subject areas you think should be included in the curriculum on the issue of diversity?
Yes, Act 31, American Indian Studies in Wisconsin, requires that all public schools districts and pre-service education programs provide instruction on the history, culture and tribal sovereignty of Wisconsin’s 11 federally recognized American Indian nations and tribal communities. This is apparently not happening in the Wausau district. I would work on the board with our fellow members who have Native American heritage to enact this policy. Further, because about 13 percent of our district’s students are of Hmong heritage, I would advocate for an Act 31-type policy for teaching Hmong culture and history as well.
One important characteristic of any elected official is the ability to step back and see both sides of an issue. Give an example of a time you did this in the past.
My skills with empathetic listening and past leadership have improved my ability to seek out and understand the different perspectives on complex problems and issues. One unique method I have used to gain understanding, and improve group dynamics and effectiveness, is the usage of a Native American Talking Stick. Historically, this has been a tremendous tool that helped with the development of the Declaration of Independence.
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There are nearly 200 homeless students in the Wausau School District. What, if anything, would you do as a school board member to address this issue?
This is a pervasive and persistent problem in Wausau, as it is in many communities. The school district cannot solve it alone. But we can advocate for more parental involvement in the daily activities of public education. We need to encourage more participation by parents. We need to be creative in finding ways to especially help single parents. But, it won’t improve without partnership with local nonprofit and faith-based agencies. They have a lot to offer and they should be invited to interact with the district to address the homelessness issue.
Why should voters choose you on April 2?
My unique and global experiences as an U.S. Air Force officer, a business owner, an inventor and as a parent, have shaped my leadership skills and passion for lifetime learning; this background and appreciation of quality education, creative innovation and the American entrepreneurial spirit, is a tremendous asset. I’m about solutions. I believe our education system must complement and promote the principles of good parenting and our free market system. I seek to foster a win/win relationship with students, parents, teachers, administration and the Wausau community. The success I seek is providing our youth with the tools, skills, moral foundation and courage required to constructively adapt and prosper in the changing workforce environments. My vision is to make Wausau School District the best in Wisconsin.
