With the Manitowoc Public School District seats up for vote this spring, Seehafer News reached out to the candidates to answer five questions each. To learn more about the election dates, visit the MPSD website.
The answers below are unedited and come directly from all seven of the candidates, who are listed alphabetically below by last name.
Chris Able
1. There seems to be a divide in the community when it comes to setting health protocols in Schools. Do you feel the current School Board is doing a decent job in this area and what can be done to improve protocols and unite the community?
As I say on the Able4Ed website Local, nonpartisan bodies are becoming more partisan, political, and divisive. Our problems won’t be solved by perpetuating this “us vs them” nonsense.
It is both sad and dangerous how polarizing a simple matter of Public Health has become. (Masks are not meant to guarantee that any one person will never get COVID: they are to limit transmission, which helps our health system avoid being overwhelmed and protects our most vulnerable.) In the school system, they help control for an overwhelming daily need for subs (and subs are hard to get), lessen the odds students will expose more susceptible relations, and avoid family at-home quarantines which create many scheduling and financial difficulties.
The Board has primarily been following the guidance of Health Experts. During a pandemic, you should expect no less. These efforts could have been bolstered by inviting the experts to the Board meetings, rather than simply at subordinate committee meetings. This allows the Public to hear directly, be better educated, and better understand the decisions of the Board. The purpose of public meetings is not merely to allow you to see how your electors vote, but also to understand the process by which votes are reached.
2. Student behavior has gotten worse this school year as compared to prior years, what do you believe is the cause and what can the School Board do to help curb this trend?
The Board has only to talk to teachers to know that this “Behavior Crisis” isn’t news and didn’t suddenly happen this year. This has been a growing issue for years. That the District has plans to correct this is great, but how are those plans different from what they have been doing? How will success be measured? What will be done if things don’t improve?
To help curb this trend The Board can- Hear from students, parents, teachers, and aides as to what they think the problems are and how they might be solved,
Recognize that orderly and respectful behavior is necessary for a productive learning environment and have a Districtwide policy that deals swiftly and severely with behavior that infringes on the teaching and learning of others, and
Appoint one person as the spearhead of this effort and, if she/he doesn’t get the job done, get someone who will.
3. What do you believe is the most critical issue in the MPSD?
Morale is a big issue that must be addressed, but so many other issues contribute to it. I want us to restore the MPSD to a district where teachers are proud to say they teach, where Parents want to send their children, and where Taxpayers can tell you why they proudly support our Public Schools.
Right now, we have a high teacher & staff turnover/burnout rate. Some of this is absolutely beyond our control, but how we appreciate and honor our employees isn’t. I’ll attend PTO/PTA meetings, regularly visit schools, talk to staff and students to understand what is happening, and learn how the schools can be better. Doing better improves morale, but so will genuine efforts to learn and work on getting better.
That said, the MPSD is, first and foremost, an Institution of LEARNING, and all the recent data says that student learning must improve. We don’t need a bunch of outside experts parading through the District with prepackaged solutions. We have experts. We call them teachers- we need to listen to them and support their efforts.
The Board can support this by developing and publicly posting the District’s curriculum by grade and subject matter. When Parents and Teachers know exactly what students should know and be able to do by grade, they can better work together to reach those goals. I guarantee that if this happens, student performance (and measurements of it) will improve.
4. What do you believe can be taught in the curriculum that can better prepare students for a post high school life?
We do a good job preparing students for continued academic life and we have great career preparation programs too. I think there are some basic societal skills that we need to help them with.
It’s not news that the world we are releasing graduates into isn’t the world of their parents or grandparents. Students are besieged by electronic diversions and social media masquerading as news. They are being systematically commodified at younger and younger ages. They need to be taught how to use the World Wide Web with a discerning eye and how to differentiate fact and opinion. These are vital teachable tools to create critical thinkers.
I know many High School teachers find students need to learn to discuss and disagree in a thoughtful, cordial, and receptive way. At an age where many students are finding their voice, they also need to listen to the voices of others.
5. Why do you feel you are qualified to be on the MPSD School Board?
As I hope the previous answers show, I have given a lot of thought to these matters. Two decades in the MPSD certainly gives me a considerable working knowledge of the District. I also have a proven record on legislative/oversight Boards, Committees, and Commissions. I have been publicly serving the Manitowoc community for over 20 years and I think that work speaks for itself. Finally, I am a proud product of Public Schooling from Kindergarten through Graduate Studies. I support Public Schools and am indisputable proof that they work!
I can disagree without being disagreeable and, when a final action does not match with my votes. I work to support and enact what was the consensus of the group. This is because I believe in the democratic process and in working together. It would be an honor to use my knowledge and experience to serve the community on the Manitowoc Public School Board.
Please visit my website, https://sites.google.com/view/able4ed/home , or call me at 920-652-0036. Thank you.
Lisa Johnson
1. There seems to be a divide in the community when it comes to setting health protocols in Schools. Do you feel the current School Board is doing a decent job in this area and what can be done to improve protocols and unite the community?
I don’t have a medical background. When I seek advice and information on dealing with covid protocols I rely on our Manitowoc County Health Department, our MPSD nursing staff and our local healthcare providers for guidance. In November 2021 the MPSD Board of Education formed an ad hoc covid committee made up of parents, healthcare providers and 3 board members including myself. The mission of the committee was to evaluate our current MPSDcovid protocols and make recommendations to the MPSD Board of Education. During our meeting in early January we had a healthcare provider pleading with the committee to continue our current protocols and masking requirements because our local healthcare facilities were overwhelmed with caring for covid patients during this recent omicron spike. The covid ad hoc committee also discussed that maintaining in-person learning was a priority and the best way to support in-person learning was to continue with the masking requirement and I was in favor of that recommendation. The recommendation was then made to the whole board to keep the masking requirement in place and it passed on a 5 to 2 vote.
It should be pointed out that the MPSD masking requirement was never intended to be permanent. The ad hoc covid committee will re-convene in mid-February to re-evaluate our local covid infection rates and make recommendations based on the covid case numbers that we receive from the Manitowoc County Health Department.
2. Student behavior has gotten worse this school year as compared to prior years, what do you believe is the cause and what can the School Board do to help curb this trend?
MPSD had some behavioral issues prior to the pandemic; however, students being out of school in virtual learning during covid-19 have exacerbated behavioral issues and mental health concerns. Some people are unfairly faulting the MPSD behavioral issues on teachers, school administrators and school board members, however, parents need to also be pro-active in their children’s education, be held accountable and take responsibility for their children’s behavior while at school.
The MPSD recently partnered with The Crisis Prevention Institute. Last week all building staff members attended a day long training session to learn intervention techniques for dealing with crisis behaviors. This program is a starting point; MPSD is committed to further developing a district wide behavioral intervention plan and is forming an ad hoc behavioral committee to assist the MPSD in developing a behavioral plan and I am in full support of moving this forward.
3. What do you believe is the most critical issue in the MPSD?
The State of Wisconsin needs to fairly and adequately fund public schools so we have more resources available when addressing our behavioral/mental health issues and trying to narrow the Achievement Gap. There is a direct correlation between low test scores and behavioral issues; we won’t improve standardized test scores unless we first solve the behavioral issues and we will need adequate funding to do it. The school funding formula from 1996 is outdated. Since 1996, MPSD has been locked into a cycle of being a low spending District (out of the 420 Wisconsin Public School Districts the MPSD is ranked 386 in per pupil spending even though MPSD is ranked 31st out of 420 Districts for student enrollment) Unless our State Legislature reforms the outdated school funding formula and increases the Special Education Reimbursement above the 26% threshold our school district is unable to hire the additional support staff needed in the areas of school psychologists, school counselors and mental health service professionals.
4. What do you believe can be taught in the curriculum that can better prepare students for a post high school life?
MPSD currently offers unique opportunities to our students while they are still attending high school to prepare for post high school life.
MPSD has partnered with the UWGB Phoenix Rising program offering high school students the opportunity to dual enroll in college classes during the student’s Junior and Senior year, earning both a high school diploma and an Associate’s Degree from UW Green Bay Manitowoc Campus all at the same time.
MPSD has also partnered with Lakeshore Technical College to offer the “College Here and Now” program which allows Lincoln High School students the opportunity to earn credits towards an Information Technology Diploma from LTC while still attending high school.
Another popular program is the Youth Apprenticeship /Work-Based Learning. This is a 1 or 2-year program that gives Juniors and Seniors the chance to explore a career by spending a portion of their school day doing real-life, hands-on learning under the guidance of a local business mentor while gaining job skills and work experience.
5. Why do you feel you are qualified to be on the MPSD School Board?
Experience. I’ve been serving on the Board of Education since first being elected in April 2018 and I have currently been serving as the Board of Education Vice-President for the last 2 years. I know firsthand what the issues are within the District and I have experience with Board protocols and District procedures. I’m currently the Chairperson of the Building & Grounds Committee and I helped to facilitate the pending sale of the McKinley school building. I am also a member of the MPSD Budget Committee. The MPSD tax levy rate is at a historic all-time low. MPSD is fiscally responsible and doing the best we can with the limited resources that are available. If I’m re-elected I can continue my work of serving on these committees.
Dave Nickels
The MPSD Board of Education continues to follow the guidelines provided be the Manitowoc County Health Dept., the Wisconsin Dept. of Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The health and safety of our Students and Staff are a high priority for the Board of Education. We will continue to make the necessary decisions to provide in person learning in a safe and healthy means for our students and teachers.
Students arrive at their school bringing their behavior problems with them. We have seen an increase in misbehavior by Adults that has contributed to the increase in Student behavior issues. Our School District needs the assistance of our Community to properly address behavior issues and I have formed a Student Behavior Advisory Committee which includes community members to discuss these issues and provide assistance in helping our students and teachers provide a safe teaching and learning environment.
Student learning and teaching within a pandemic has created new challenges. I have made it a priority to take the necessary steps to continue to provide our students with in person learning despite the challenges. With the help of our Community we will continue to provide great opportunities for our Students.
Our Administration continually looks for programs that will enhance the opportunities for our Students to succeed when they leave our District. Our Students are well prepared for college if they choose that path. Also, we have many Students who choose a path outside of College and we provide curriculum that meets their needs as well.
I have been a member of the MPSD Board of Education since 2013 and have faced many different challenges in that time including a Health Pandemic, Middle School Realignment, 3 different School Superintendents, changes to our Administrative staff, changes to our Board membership and many more. I advocated for an aggressive debt repayment plan that will allow our School District to be debt free by 2024. I have always been well prepared and listened to all affected parties and have made decisions based on factual information. There have been many challenging decisions and I look forward to continue having a role in dealing with the issues and concerns of our District.
Matthew Phipps
I believe individual health decisions should be made by the parents of the child. Each child is unique and has different needs to help them achieve success in the classroom. Communication between parents and teachers is paramount in assuring students are in school when they are healthy and at home when they are ill. The school is a place of learning and social development for children helping them to become positive members of our society. It is by focusing on individual responsibilities and rights of each person that we build a united community.
The changing climate of today’s world has affected the attitude and behavior of many people not only our children. There have always been behavior issues in schools. Students need responsibilities and positive ways to use their energy when they are at school. Having meaningful tasks or activities is the best way to improve behaviors. Children need to realize that there are consequences for their actions including recognition for their outstanding achievements. As a school board member, I would initiate age appropriate plans of action. I would also work with the teachers and principals to assist them with correcting poor behavior by following through on disciplinary procedures.
I believe support is our biggest issue in MPSD. Students need help if they are falling behind in class. It is unfair to them to continually push them forward leaving them ill prepared for the future. To accomplish this, we need to create a supportive learning environment where teachers get the assistance they need. Additional support staff in the classroom can also help students get individualized attention and achieve their goals. In turn parents need to be supportive of our teachers in their work to assist the students in their learning and problem solving abilities. Administration also needs to support teachers solving problems with a team approach. Creating this environment on a school to school basis is how we will create successful hard working young adults.
Curriculum to better prepare students for the real world would center on critical problem solvingskills. In an ever changing world, having young adults understanding how to think through a problem and find solutions to fix them is a valuable life skill. Understanding relationships between ideas and implementation of their knowledge in problem solving creates successful outcomes. Teaching these skills will make our students balanced and successful.
I believe with my teaching background and real life experiences; I can bridge the gap to assist with problem solving to effectively promote the best outcomes for our students. Our community has always been focused on the development of the whole child, helping all students learn and grow to be productive members of society. I believe responsibility and accountability is the path that students need to follow. By encouraging good work ethics, lifting the load, and not giving up is how students become successful in life.
Meredith Sauer
As a current member of the school board, I believe the health and safety of students and staff are one of the most important job responsibilities of a board member. Somehow, the health of our community has become politicized both on national and local levels. The MPSD has been one of the only school districts in the area to continue in-person learning during this school year and I believe it is due to the board voting to follow the guidance of local, state, and national health experts, including Manitowoc physicians and nurses and their recommendations for COVID mitigation. The majority of the board recognizes the importance of in-person school and keeping children safe, allowing for quality learning to occur in order for students to thrive mentally and educationally.
To improve protocols and unite the community, the district should continue to increase communication and enforcement of expectations, so the community understands the importance and the results of the protocols. In-person learning is critical to many students’ academic success and should be more highly attributed to the guidance of the many doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals that have spent many hours not only caring for their patients in Manitowoc but assisting the district, as well. Communities can unite on the respect they hold for those who care for their health needs.
Our community is not unique in the increased behavioral issues that have been exhibited. With increases in mental health needs, the struggle of virus-related illness and the demonstrated post-illness ramifications, the family balance of work and sickness, and a rise in stress levels during the pandemic, has caused an increased number of poor behavioral choices. Likewise, the behavior exhibited by adults has also shifted. Children see behavior lived out by those they respect and often mimic it.
The MPSD is not only a place of academics, but it also teaches values, ethics and, yes, behavior. Teachers are equipped with positive behavioral interventions and support. However, with increased intensity and frequency of behavior, the district has committed to additional training and strategic planning on enforcement. The board began this discussion in 2020, with the three incumbent candidates leading the charge to increase support and training for teachers and staff. As a result, goals have been set and training has begun. For example, on January 19, teachers and staff all participated in a professional development training equipping them with needed de-escalation strategies. The district believes in, and I fully support, the importance for de-escalation of behavior in order to keep kids in the classroom, learning as much as possible, instead of classroom removal that does not help a child grow or learn.
There are three critical, intertwined, issues that are currently a priority for the MPSD, and for me as a board member. With a focus on health and safety, the district and the entire board are proud that we have been able to continue in-person learning throughout the school year. In-person learning has allowed for greater communication and community-building with teachers and students, which research shows is beneficial to mental health, and has provided a safe environment daily for students struggling with housing and abusive relationships.
The second priority, behavior, is very much related to the health and safety of students. When behavior becomes unsafe in the learning environment, it must be addressed immediately and appropriately for the student and the severity of the behavior. The district continues to keep this as a priority and monitors goals, outcomes, and increased training for teachers and staff to work with students, letting them grow and learn while being safe.
Finally, student learning outcomes are critical to forming graduates who will work and live in the Manitowoc community. However, outcomes are based on many different measures, not simply one set of exams at one particular time. There are other measures to tout for our district that have outcomes, such as the amount of college credits earned by our high school students through the Rising Phoenix program (UW-GB) or the College Here and Now program (LTC). Students continue to exhibit high levels of learning through apprenticeship experiences and transition to college, as well as to employment. These outcomes are due to an equitable model for each level of student. Learning continues to be a top priority. But, it takes work on all three priorities to allow learning to happen.
As a mom with a child in the MPSD, and as an educator, I believe the curriculum set by the Department of Public Instruction is thorough and well-designed, as well as well-vetted. However, the need for critical thinking and problem solving can always increase. While Common Core heightened a focus on problem-solving, there is always room for more, particularly in the application to real-life examples. Also, an increase in critical thinking is helpful to navigate truth from fiction and responses to the world around an individual.
One of the most important aspects of board membership is forming relationships with teachers, staff, administration, and most importantly, students. I have the honor of being a parent to one of those students, which is important to the understanding a board member can hold. Other current board members bridge the gap of not having current students by relying on prior experiences of their children or by regularly attending sporting events, concerts, and classroom experiences to connect with students and parents. I am a candidate with a child living the daily experience of the MPSD as a student. That provides a lens and perspective when decision-making occurs at the board table.
I, personally, am an educator, currently serving as an academic dean at a local college. I hold my master’s degree in Education, as well as 39 credits in my doctoral program, focusing on Educational Leadership. I will complete my doctoral program in 2023. My experiences as a student, an instructor, and an administrator give me perspective on educational practices, as well as administrative needs and the balance that lies in between.
But, beyond credentials and children in the district, I have a passion for education, integrity of character, and investment in the systems that build and support the community of Manitowoc. I have proven leadership skills, an understanding of school budgeting, a fiscally sound voting record, and a heart for learning. I hold the viewpoint of an educator, a parent, and as a community member who wants to make sure ALL students have opportunities of learning and growth and have a voice at the table to make change within this community.
Matthew Spalding
Do I feel the current board is doing a decent job regarding health protocols, no I do not. I truly believe in constitutional freedom. This includes medical freedom. Something that should be decided by the individual and their parents at home. They can do their own research and come to a conclusion that makes them feel safe or comfortable and execute their own plans. No one wants to remove the right of anyone to wear a mask, nor get a vaccine. These are all personal decisions and should remain such. I also would like to say, that even though I love to see people united together, as a school board member, I think it is imperative that you keep your focus on the children. Even though I would love to be the one to unite the community, I am doing this for the children. If I had other aspirations of uniting a community I would run for a different office. That, is the beauty of America.
Bottom line with behavior, as a child, you should remember this, if you feared the outcome, you didn’t do it. There are behavior problems that stem from homes, upbringing, and environment outside of the classroom, but we can only control what goes on in schools. I believe we will have a strong focus collectively on programs to help kids stay engaged and want to be a better person, however, with my Law enforcement background, I would like to also focus on the Liaison Officer situation, and the courts. We need a plan that will one, help us get more officers. There should be one at every school. And there isn’t. and two, They need to feel secure in their decisions when dealing with situations in the school. There needs to be a solid agreement between staff, officers, and the court system, that when an officer makes a decision, he is going to get all the backing he needs, and the student will undoubtedly get the punishment aligned with his actions. The teachers also need to know that as a board, we will back them when they decide to discipline a child. Children, will continue to misbehave, if there is no consequence.
The most critical issue in the MPSD right now, is our performance as a whole, our “report card” sitting at 59.8% is unacceptable. The board members that are up for reelection are the direct cause of such mediocracy. When I went to school 59.8% was an F. Today they say it meets standards. Well it doesn’t meet my standards. And whether I’m elected or not, I will do everything I can to change it.
Introducing new curriculum isn’t necessarily the answer to better preparing children, I believe we should just be concentrating more on the curriculum we do have and less on issues of CRT and EDI, DEI, or whatever you want to call it now. First of all if we do introduce new curriculum I think we should seek the parents input on it first. However a world preparedness class wouldn’t hurt. Maybe a financial responsibility class. But getting a grip on the discipline in the classroom will help all the children be better prepared for their future. They will be able to concentrate more, and will get more out of every class.
I am qualified to be on the MPSD School board because I received a good public school education and I know what it looks like. I have a daughter that goes to Washington Junior High and I want to see her, and every other child succeed. I respect the jobs of the teachers, and understand they do not get the credit they deserve. I also am grateful for the constitution of this great country and understand that there are lines that the school board should not cross, such as a person’s right to medical confidentiality and freedom.
Tony Vlastelica
No. Moving to a mask optional approach as many schools in our community and across our state are doing would be a much better solution and allow parents to decide what is best for their children. Forcing everyone to comply with compulsory mask mandates is not consistent with what we are seeing nearly everywhere else in our community, including other public offices.
There are a number of factors that may be influencing this. This includes fear of retribution for proper discipline from teachers, unstable or volatile home situation for students, and potentially long term repercussions from mandatory masking and other causes. Some teachers I have talked to tell me their hands are tied and they cannot do much. I would like to see a task force of parents, teachers, and administrators formed to come up with ideas to address this problem. I also think we should explore programs like “Dads on Duty”. Fathers in a Louisiana community got together and started showing up to schools in the morning- they would greet children and serve as a deterrent to bad behavior. But they would also tell dad jokes and engage with the students. The situation improved immediately and the violence was dramatically reduced. I think it would be great to get more strong men and fathers involved and see our community work together to solve this issue. Our students and teachers deserve a safe environment to learn effectively and reach their potential.
We are currently ranked in the bottom 8% of schools in our state per the DPI District Average Accountability Scores. For context in 2015 we were ranked in the bottom 32.4% of the state. The results have been in a steady decline prior to Covid. We can do better and must improve for the sake of the future of our students and community.
More emphasis should be made on financial literacy, specifically how to live within your means and using credit responsibly. Too many young people (I used to be one of them) dig themselves into avoidable debt way too early in life which can limit their opportunities and be difficult to overcome. I also like the idea of a mentorship program for high performing/motivated students that are interested in entrepreneurship with local business owners in our community, and would advocate for some curriculum geared toward this.
I love and care about our community and all our students, and am willing to do the work necessary to make things better in our schools. I will ask the tough questions when they are needed. I get along well with people and have friends from all walks of life, including different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. I am a good listener and reasonable, I will listen and consider all sides of an issue before I thoughtfully decide the best course of action. I am a successful business owner and investor, and have been highly effective operating a for profit budget for over a decade. I am a proven leader. In addition, I’m a father, and I think it’s important that more men step up and help to address apparent issues in our community.