Four seek spots on Medford School Board

Medford area voters will have a selection of school board veterans to pick from in the April 7 election. Voters will be asked to pick three of four candidates running for the Medford School Board.

The candidates are incumbents Barb Kight amd Brian Hallgren with Steve Deml and John Zuleger challenging, The candidates were invited to give their biographical information and submit answers to questions. Their responses appear in alphabetical order.

Steve Deml

I was born and raised in Medford. Following high school graduation I attended UW-Stout in Menomonie, receiving my bachelors degree in business administration and a minor in human resource management. My wife Michelle and I have owned and operated Lakes Asphalt Maintenance for 8 years. We have three children Emma, Anna, and Jake. We enjoy spending our free time on our hobby farm and outdoors.

Why do you want to serve on School Board?

I believe that a quality education and school is key to keeping a community going in the right direction. A quality education is vital to starting youth on the path to a bright and successful life. A quality school also keeps and attracts positive, active, and community-driven families which are essentially for a vibrant future.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the district over the course of the next five years will be?

I think the ability of the district to recruit and retain teachers and support staff will be tested. With an increasingly limited pool of applicants it will be more difficult for the district to continue to maintain high standards in all areas. This is an issue that can be seen throughout the community in almost every business. This in conjunction with ever increasing health insurance costs has the potential to put significant financial squeeze on the district.

What do you think the role of the school board should be in relation to administration and staff when it comes to making decisions regarding school projects, improvements and personnel?

For major projects and improvements I feel that the school board should have close oversight. Anything that has the potential to significantly effect the future educational experience or budget of those living in the Medford area should be considered. On the flip side I believe it is important to place a high level of trust in the various administrative and staff positions to make decisions based on their area of expertise and experience. No one can work happily and effectively in an environment where they feel there is someone constantly looking over their shoulder.

What can the school district do within budgetary limitations to attract and retain quality educators and staff?

Creating and maintaining a positive minded and cooperative work environment that encourages personal and professional growth. It is crucial that the district show appreciation and recognition in a sincere and meaningful way to all employees that excel in their position.

What do you feel should be the priority when looking at potential infrastructure improvements at Medford Area Senior High School? Would you support going to referendum for these

2020 Spring Election:

projects or do you feel they should be addressed within future budgets?

In general I feel the best practice is maintaining and updating the schools existing building and systems to fit future needs. It would be irresponsible to ignore current needs to save a small amount of money when doing so will cause a large expense in the future. Why save a dime today if it costs you a dollar tomorrow? I am currently not in favor of a referendum but would not go so far as to say that it will not be needed in the future. I pride myself in keeping a level head and an open mind while looking at all sides of an issue. If something is going to significantly and negatively effect the quality of education that our students are receiving and a referendum will change that, it is worth it. It is also impossible to predict exactly how state and federal funding may change in the future, both of which have a significant effect on the finances of the district.

Brian Hallgren

I’m a graduate of Medford Area Senior High, businessman, married to Elaine, a dad, a grandpa, and a longtime community volunteer.

I would like to continue to be on the school board in order to be a part of shaping education for our students. This includes not only the classroom, but our staff, our buildings and much more.

The biggest challenge will be the balance between many items including staffing, buildings, maintenance, educational changes, the increasing “parenting” being put on our schools, student well being with an emphasis on mental health and much, much more. The list is lengthy, is not getting shorter, and is ever-changing. We must balance all of that within a budget while taking great care of our children.

The role of the board is to be in charge of the district. We hire an administrator. It is his/her job to run the day-to-day operations of the district. We should not be involved in personnel decisions unless it is a part of a bigger picture such as adding/ eliminating a program.

Regarding school projects and improvements, it is the administrator’s job to tell us what the staff believes they need. We give the yes or no from there as a board. However, and this is very important in my opinion, a key role for each of us as a board member is to listen to the people in the district. This is for everything including buildings, staff, maintenance…whatever. We represent the people of our district.

One other important item we do as board members is to approve a budget. This is where it gets a little gray on the day to day, such as when we discuss class sizes (staffing for it), insurance or whatever may come up. This is another key role for us, as we represent the district residents.

To attract and retain quality educators and staff, we must continue to do two things, primarily: Award them with pay and benefits that reflect their value. They are directly or indirectly teaching our children. Is there anything more important?

We must value our staff. I am not sure when it became ok to minimize our teachers, for example. I would strongly suggest a visit to one of our schools (please call ahead). Our staff is dealing with so much more than just educating our kids. One visit will convince you this is so.

The priority for projects at the high school should be a mix of maintenance (infrastructure) and re-modeling for educational and safety needs that will affect the most students. With that said, I am anxious to hear what the people of the district will say in the survey that is coming out this month.

It’s not realistic to expect the current and future budgets to meet educational and building needs at the high school. Previously taxpayers funded the building/ remodeling of our schools in the past. It is time again to do that with the current taxpayers for our future students.

But, let’s hear from everyone through the survey before we completely answer the referendum question.

Barb Knight

My husband and I have lived in Medford for 32 years and have three children, who all attended school in Medford Area Public School District. Over the years, I’ve been active in community service groups, been a service musician at my church and accompanist for the high school choirs.

I was appointed in 2013 to the Medford School Board to fill a seat vacated by a resignation. I am now running for my third 3-year term on the school board.

Why do you want to serve on school board?

I believe in the promise of public education: To ensure that every child has equal access to a quality education. It’s a promise that levels the playing field for our children to have an opportunity to make a good life and contribute to their community.

I serve on the school board because I’m sincerely interested in finding ways to keep the quality in our public school and know that it impacts our district’s students and families, and the communities our district serves.

I also believe I am responsible for what I leave for the next generation. My grandparents and parents supported public education, and I have benefited from having a good public education. I want all children to benefit as well.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the district over the course of the next five years?

Funding of public education continues to be a challenge. Although there have been some increases in the last two biennial state budgets, we are still below state funding levels prior to 2011. That means it is more difficult to fund the programming, maintenance needs, and salary and benefits for staff in a shrinking labor market. We must be able to hire and keep the best teachers and fund the programming and maintenance needed.

Our school district needs to be competitive as the public school is a factor in attracting families who will help sustain our local economy. The future success of our community depends on attracting and keeping families. The public school is the most important factor in any community, especially rural ones like our own.

What do you think the role of the school board should be in relation to administration and staff when it comes to making decisions regarding school projects, improvements and personnel?

We are elected to represent the public. We listen to what the public says and pass those concerns to administration. Additionally, we are stewards of the district’s future. As a board, we are accountable for the actions of the administrators and staff hired to operate the district. This means the board needs to be engaged, clear about its expectations of administration and staff, and establish ways to monitor and evaluate. It’s a balance between policymaking and getting into day-to-day operations.

What can the school district do within budgetary limitations to attract and retain quality educators and staff?

We must remain competitive in terms of salary and benefits. In the past two years, we’ve had thoughtful discussions about how best to do this when budgets are less flexible and not necessarily predictable. From those discussions, we’ve developed salary schedules and adjusted other benefits. We should continue these discussions because we need highly qualifi ed teachers to find the Medford school district attractive in terms of what’s necessary to teach, like work environment, resources and facilities. If teachers don’t have what they need to make a program successful and don’t have a future in terms of pay and benefits, they won’t stay.

What do you feel should be the priority when looking at potential infrastructure improvements at Medford Area Senior High? Would you support going to referendum for these projects or do you feel they should be addressed within future budgets?

At this time, we are in the last step of the MASH facility assessment project – that being the household survey, which has been mailed to homes and can be completed and returned via the mail or online. We need district residents to respond to the survey so the board understands what will be supported. Until

the household survey results are in, it would just be speculation on whether we should go to referendum. What I will say is that our school district would be unable, within the annual school budget, to address the kinds of expensive maintenance needs, and space design changes and needs identified through the facility assessment – those being changes that are needed to support our curriculum needs going forward. The estimates shown in the survey should give clear understanding as to why I’m saying this.

John Zuleger

My name is John Zuleger and I was born and raised here in Medford. After graduating from M.A.S.H. I went on to get my college education in the UW system. I moved to Alaska after graduating from UW-Stevens Point. During my 12 years in the construction industry in Alaska I gained valuable experience in team work, leadership and problem solving skills. Our family returned to Medford in 2011 because of the desire to raise our children within this great rural community. I am now a successful small business owner here in Medford. I believe the same skills, team work, leadership, and problem solving that allow me to be successful in business, will help me to be a successful school board member.

Why do I want to serve on the School Board?

I want to serve on the school board because it is the most impactful way for me to be positively involved in my children’s education and to insure that the kids of this generation are prepared for the world they will be entering. My wife and I have two of our own children in the home and we also do foster care for kids in need of a safe and secure environment. Like many kids, ours are involved in a variety of activities from 4-H to school sponsored sports and clubs. I believe in supporting my kids by being actively engaged in their lives. Beyond that, I feel each member of a community has a civic duty to be involved.

What do you think the biggest challenge facing the district over the course of the next five years will be?

The biggest challenge facing the district over the next five years will be equipping our students with tools needed to be successful in a changing workforce. Gone are the days of being confident that a four year degree would lead to success. A manufacturing community like Medford is a good representation of the workplace and the demands it has. Technical training and trade skills are becoming the path to success. Insuring that we have the facilities, instructors and partnership with local businesses will help to equip kids for the best future right here in Medford.

Additionally, programs like RVA, once thought of as ‘untraditional education models’ are becoming more mainstream. I see a future where more high school students are achieving credits online for tech school/college and their traditional high school required credits. Collaboration with NTC and the UW system is a possibility thanks to online learning. As a parent, imagine saving $14,932, the average annual in-state college tuition cost for the 2016-2017 academic year within the UW system. Taking advantage of the online learning community will free up teachers in traditional brick and mortar classes.

What do you think the role of the school board should be in relation to administration and staff when it comes to making decisions regarding school projects, improvements and personnel?

The school board, like a board of directors, is there to work alongside of the superintendent, give guidance, and offer the checks/balance. Goals, and the vision of the district, are set by the school board. They help to adopt policies and a budget that set the direction of the district. The superintendent, CEO of the organization, is there to insure that the district meets the set goals, visions, and does so within the budget. The superintendent takes care of daily operations and decisions regarding personnel, as well as what projects and improvements are necessary to meet the stated goals and determines how they can be achieved within the given budget.

As a member of the school board, I look forward to the opportunity to engage the public, teachers, and administrators, bringing forward their issues, ideas and concerns in order to help improve the education experience for our kids from K-12.

What can the school district do within budgetary limitations to attract and retain quality educators and staff?

There are a lot of options for the district to attract and retain quality educators that fall within the budgetary limitations. It’s certainly going to be one of the challenges we’ll continue to face. Changes to how professional educators are represented and compensated has made education a less attractive career for some. When combined with the lowest levels of unemployment in a decade, it’s important to do everything possible to support and retain the professionals employed already. Thankfully I feel the simplest, most impactful option is also the least expensive option, the ‘human touch’. Create a workplace that insures the educators and staff feel valued and part of the team, right alongside of the administration and school board. Collectively our goal is the same, no one group is more important than the next, it’s not us versus them because we’re in it together.

I have worked for companies that clearly stated the objectives, valued my input, and gave me the tools, flexibility and trust to get the job done. The expectations were high, but you were surrounded by people who really cared about what they were doing. As a result of the positive vibe it was amazing what got done.

As a member of the school board I look forward to creating a positive work place environment. A place where new educators are supported, experienced educators are allowed to use their expertise, everyone feels valued and our goals are clear. I believe my experience as a business owner and as a past employee will allow me to be impactful in this process.

What do you feel should be the priority when looking at potential infrastructure improvements at Medford Area Senior High School? Would you support going to referendum for these projects or do you feel they should be addressed within future budgets?

Our school district has made maintenance a priority over the life of the Medford Area Senior High. The outstanding condition of the building after 50 years is a testament to that. I feel like education had changed greatly in the last 50 years. In it’s current layout the MASH building no longer meets ALL of the needs of our students. The changes don’t mean we build a new building but it very likely means that we cannot make the upgrades within the budget. Going to a referendum and borrowing money might be needed. Given the strong financial position of the school district and the low interest rates borrowing might be the right option.