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Boscobel School District to add school resource officer
Mask matrix updated
Boscobel School District

BOSCOBEL - The Boscobel school board approved adding a school resource officer back into the district and once again made changes to their COVID Matrix during their Monday, Jan. 10 meeting.

Boscobel Police Chief Jaden McCullick met with the board to express his desire to have a resource officer within the school. McCullick noted it has been a topic he had been mulling over for quite some time before approaching the board.

“A lot of the demographics in the district need structure, and do not always have a good support system at home,” McCullick explained. “Bringing a strong (police) presence in the school can help with early intervention with a lot of these kids. We’d like to help kids through trying times in their homes and lives and being a smiling face in the schools. A lot of kids these days don’t respect law enforcement like they did when we were coming up. I think this could benefit the change in culture and help change kid by kid.”

McCullick proposed to the board having an officer within the buildings of the district for 10 hours a week, at two hours a day.

“I see the day going like, the officer maybe spending an half hour reading to the kindergarten class, having lunch with them, going to gym class, going to the high school to do some of the truancy stuff,” McCullick explained. 

He also added that he would like to bring the Counter Act program to the district. There was some discussion at what age group to target with the class, with McCullick noting he felt fifth grade was a good start as they are still “impressionable” however, board president and former Fennimore School District Resource Officer Todd Miller, made note that in some cases fifth grade was “too late” for intervention in behaviors.

Miller did add much praise to the program over all though, sharing that during his time as a resource officer he was able to bring a full conviction to a sexual assault case.

The board expressed overall support for the proposed program.

“A lot of times for a lot of these kids at school may be the only positive interaction they have with a police officer,” noted board member Caleb Mueller.

A motion was passed by the board to contract with the police department for the cost of $10,000 for the 22-23 school year and for the administration team to determine the same rate of pay, prorated for the remainder of the 21-22 school year.

“I hope to sit down with  everyone and figure out what the school wants out of this program,” McCullick noted. “The first year will be fluid, but by the second year I hope to have a more concrete path to follow.”

Laurie Genz-Prien, Pupil Services Director shared in her update that students in the Transition Class have started a great opportunity collaborating with a community partner.

“Through a series of conversations that lead Skyler (Reynolds) to the Boscobel Gundersen Hospital and Nursing Home, the students in the transition class will be a culinary team member by setting up, maintaining and then tearing down the salad bar during the lunch time for its employees,” Genz-Prien reported.

The students participated in their first orientation and work shift on Monday, Jan. 10. Board member and hospital employee Wendi Stitzer reported warm reception at the hospital for the students.

Genz-Prien added that the long term plan for this program is for all of the students to gain employment with minimal support within the community.

She noted that Reynolds has reached out to the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation to see if they’d also be able to support the collaboration with potential payment for the students while they work and also possibly buying scrub pants for students to wear while they’re working.

Boscobel Elementary School Principal Danelle Schmid shared her update in a report as well. Schmid noted that the winter iReady diagnostic testing was set to begin this week with two weeks set aside to complete the assessment.

On January 17 and 18 Clarity Clinic was invited to the school to meet with the fourth and fifth graders to work proactively in supporting students with their mental health.

Schmid also noted that the elementary school continues to struggle to find substitute teachers.

“We’ve had to pull from within and get creative to cover absences that are due to COVID and other emergencies and situations,” Schmid shared in her report. “I hope it gets better but right now, we are taking it day by day.” 

Schmid also offered thanks to those who have been helping when situations arise.

Wally Bryne, Boscobel Middle and High School teacher shared the highlight of his report was the Holiday Class Jamboree.

“It was a great mental break that the kids really needed,” Byrne noted.”

District Administrator Lisa Wallin-Kapinus shared that she will be joined by board members Stitzer and Miller at the Wisconsin State Education Convention held in Milwaukee next week.

Wallin-Kapinus also praised the school district’s food service department. She noted that Sarah Ashmore-Ole applied for a grant through the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for a new milk barrel for the middle and high school as well as new breakfast bags for the elementary and she was approved for the grant items.

Other positive news that Wallin-Kapinus highlighted noted that Activities Director Rob Scherrer received a phone call from Jim Prohaska, the Fennimore School District Athletic director.

“He was very complimentary of how our girls played and acted on the court,” noted Wallin-Kapinus. “He also expressed that our fans acted in a very positive way. He wanted us to know that he can see the changes in our culture in athletics.”

Scherrer shared in his report that the high school girls basketball team is off to a solid start of the season with a eight to three record and a recent victory against River Ridge.

The boys team was noted to be continuing to improve and are “back healthy after a string of injuries.” Scherrer included in his update that the high school wrestling team just returned from bi-state where they had one wrestler that was able to compete the second day.

“They are struggling with numbers but there is improvement each and every day,” Scherrer noted.

The band and choir hosted their annual Christmas Concert, Scherrer reported.

“It was a big hit and enjoyed by all,” Scherrer reported. “I forgot to mention at the last

board meeting but the choir was able to host the madrigal again this fall. It was an awesome experience and a big shout-out should go to Mrs. Blackbourn for the performance. Finally, the band traveled to Fennimore for an Honors Band Performance.”

As with each meeting, the board also discussed pandemic protocols and metrics. Previously, the district would pivot to masking when there were three cases per middle school/high school or per the elementary school. 

High transmission would be considered in four or more cases per middle school/ high school and per elementary school. This would result in face coverings/masks required at all times in indoor areas, during school hours, by all individuals entering the building for a period of 14 days. Low transmission would be one and moderate two cases.

During the discussion for masking protocols, board member Casey Updike made the proposal to adjust the mask mandate once again, raising substantial transmission to four cases and high transmission to five or more cases. The motion was seconded by board president, Todd Miller.

“Every time we put on the masks, the numbers go down,” board member Kim Trumm said. “Every time we take them off the numbers go up!”

“Wauzeka hasn’t been masked all year!” responded Updike.

School Nurse Susanne Brinkmann, who attended via zoom as she was working from home as a positive COVID case herself, questioned if other schools, like Wauzeka are able to implement other things to allow for optional masking all year to work.

Wallin-Kapinus answered by noting that Wauzeka-Steuben School district likely has bigger rooms with smaller class sizes, making for easier social distancing.

The motion to increase the number of cases needed to result in masking passed without a unanimous vote.

Universal masking on school transportation will remain in place per federal guidelines.

The school district also updated their COVID Matrix to reflect recent changes issued by the CDC for isolation and quarantine.

The new guidelines state “Isolate for five days and be released to activity on day six with masking in place through day 10 for all indoor school and school related activities, if symptoms are improving and the individual is fever free for 24 hours. If unable to properly mask the individual must isolate the full 10 days without exemptions or exceptions.

“Asymptomatic close contacts do not have to quarantine at home but must mask for the full 10-day quarantine (no exceptions or exemptions). Asymptomatic close contacts may participate in school-related activities and athletics (unless SWAL or WIAA are more restrictive with their close contact requirements), and these individuals must wear a mask for the full 10-day quarantine period (no exceptions or exemptions). People who had confirmed COVID-19 within the last 90 days do not need to quarantine, as per CDC guidance. 

“Symptomatic close contacts must quarantine until a negative test confirms symptoms are not due to COVID. Close contacts who are symptomatic and don’t choose to test will be treated as positive cases.”

As of Tuesday, Jan. 11 the Boscobel Area Schools Covid-19 case count of Active Cases (students and staff in quarantine) reflected seven total positive cases, with one of those being students in the elementary, and two in the middle school and two elementary staff and two district wide staff. 

There were 11 close contact elementary students in quarantine, three middle school students and two high school students.

In other board news:

• The board approved a policy to consider open enrollment for students who are habitually truant.

• The board approved the purchase of a UTV for custodial and maintenance use.

•Accepted a donation from the Wisconsin Secure Program Facility for donated gifts to select families in need in the Boscobel Elementary School.

•Made a motion not to cap open enrollment spaces in any area of the district for the 2022-23 school year.

•The board reviewed presentations made about updating their emergency response systems and other outdated school systems.

• No action was taken on the second shift custodian position

•No action was taken on spring coaches

•No action was taken on a long term kindergarten sub

•Allie Pickett was approved as the long term sixth grade ELA sub

•No action was taken on

 administrative contracts

•Open enrollments that were approved included six in and four out.
Cuts threatening use of local food
School lunches
LFPA cuts_Spring Creek Cattle Company
SPRING CREEK CATTLE COMPANY is one of the local suppliers of food for the North Crawford Foodservice Program. Cancellation of federal funding will impact both the school district and the local agricultural business. Here, Bart and Amy Mitchell are seen with the beef cattle on pasture in the background. Spring Creeks Cattle Company is a family partnership between three brothers, their families, and their parents.

With the federal government defunding programs around the country, it appears the North Crawford School District Food Service department will feel the impact.

Programs that fund food service at North Crawford, like the Local Food for Schools (LFS) and the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant, had their funds frozen on March 7, when the USDA announced they would be terminating those programs. 

For North Crawford, this means they have lost funding for purchasing food from local farms, something that the food service department has prided itself on. This summer, the district is covered for their efforts in serving local food. 

25% sourced locally

North Crawford Food Service Director Jen Kapinus said in story published last summer that about 25% of the food served at the school is local, and specifically beef, pork, and apples are the most commonly locally sourced.

Now, that 25% is likely to drop, depending on the department’s next steps, which will have a large impact on the future of the school and the food service department.

Because of the timing of the USDA’s announcement, the food service department will have very little flexibility in the coming school year. In February, commodity orders are due, while the grant money comes in during May. Since, commodities were ordered with the assurance of getting this money in May, the department will have to figure out how to get the food still needed.

“We can no longer make the purchases we planned,” Kapinus said. “We planned ahead for two years, and there’s no money for that now.”

Having to find food to replace the planned purchases is not the only trouble with these cuts. It will also put a strain on the budget and the local farmers who provide for the program, and it will cause the department to move backwards in quality.  

Cuts strain district

These cuts also put a strain on the district because they now need to work through existing suppliers to get food that they typically would not get from them. 

“(The budget cuts) result in us having to look elsewhere,” North Crawford Superintendent Brandon Munson said.

It is not just the school district feeling the impact of the cuts. Good partnerships with our local families and farmers are being lost.

Although Munson believes it won’t hurt them too badly financially, Harry Young, of Young Family Farms LLC, who has been providing meat to the district since 2020, is sad to see these programs go. 

Young noted the impact on the local economy. It supported farmers in the area and kept that money local. 

“It was a good program,” Young said. “It got fresher food to the kids, that was more nutritious than what could be bought through the supply chain.”

Since higher quality food costs more, the department will have to compromise the quality of the food they are purchasing. Aside from the nutritional benefits of higher quality food, higher quality ingredients tend to make the food taste better. 

While the department gets more local food than nearby schools, and students enjoy the food, many already feel that what they are being served is more processed than they would like it to be.

Kapinus believes that the reduction in quality will affect meal participation, which the program relies on to be able to serve the students the best they can. 

Meal participation is often a domino effect. When more students eat the food, the program has a bigger budget to buy better food, which leads to more participation, but if the quality goes down, less students will eat, which will shrink the budget, which leads to even lower quality and, therefore, less participation.

Kapinus is hopeful that, through donations and possible fundraising, the department can continue to serve high-quality meals to students, but it will take a lot of hard work and support. 

It can be difficult to rely on such variable methods, though. The district recently received a donation from a local farm, but there is so much to be cautious about with donations, especially with meat. It also is not consistent. Both fundraising and donations cannot be planned for ahead of time because if the needs are not met, the meals can’t be made.

Despite these hurdles, the department is doing what they can to serve the best meals with what is available to them, but there will have to be a decline in quality because of the cost of food.

“There will definitely be a compromise,” Kapinus said, “but we will continue to do as much scratch cooking as possible, and we are trying to find a happy medium between hyper-local and hyper-processed.”

Kapinus is working to prepare for the future, despite the funding losses, but it is unclear what will happen as time goes on, especially with the federal government aiming to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. 

With bad news after bad news for the food service department, a glimmer of hope has come in the form of school lunch debt forgiveness.

Through School Lunch Fairy, a national program based in Florida, The North Crawford School District will be receiving a donation to cover a portion of school lunch debt owed. 

School Lunch Fairy is a charity organization that uses donated funds from all over the country to support school districts struggling with school lunch debt and sets up emergency lunch funds to provide struggling students with free lunches before they fall into debt. 

With the donation this program will give the district, it puts the food service department in a better standing and relieves some of struggling students’ financial stress.

This program gives Kapinus and the food service department hope for where they are headed, even when things the future is unpredictable.

Career and Tech Ed lauded at meeting
At North Crawford
North Crawford

Leading up to another successful Career Fair at the North Crawford School District, the hard work of the Career and Tech Ed staff were highlighted at the March board meeting. Career and Tech Ed (CTE) at North Crawford includes Technical Education, Business Education, Family and Consumer Science Education (FACE) and Agriculture.

“In addition to North Crawford, students from Kickapoo, Prairie du Chien, Seneca, Wauzeka-Steuben, De Soto and West Salem plan to attend our Career Fair on April 3,” Agriculture teacher Mackenzie Knutson told the board. “Students will be able to talk with representatives from 40 colleges and businesses, attend 13 breakout sessions, and take in a keynote address by NBC-15 news anchor John Stofflet. CESA-3 is providing lunch for presenters and staff, and our kitchen will provide lunch for the students.”

“Stephanie Colsch and Mackenzie have been putting in countless hours to prepare for this event, and we appreciate their hard work,” Superintendent Brandon Munson said.

Each of the CTE staff made a brief presentation to the board about their activities in the prior year. Those staff include, Dr. Rob Sailer, Stephanie Colsch, Mackenzie Knutson, Heidi Stovey, Aaron Keenlance, and Scott Hubatch.

“We’ve been very busy in the ag world – our group in high school is small this year, but participation among elementary students is up,” Knutson told the board. “We are using the greenhouse as a lab space, building a fishing rod in the wildlife class, and FFA has been very busy, with 30 dues-paying members.”

Knutson said FFA Club members had travelled to the national convention, attended World Dairy Expo, hosted the state FFA officer, and led a celebration of National FFA Week at the school. She said they had created an awesome FFA float for last year’s Apple Festival Parade, and that she couldn’t do all she does without the awesome support of the FFA Alumni group.

“We currently have 300 hanging baskets growing in the greenhouse,” Knutson said. “Those baskets will be for sale at the FFA Car Show coming up on May 4, when there will be an open greenhouse.”

Tech Ed instructor Aaron Keenlance told the board that this year he is teaching woodworking, welding, small engines, and facilitating student certifications. He said high school students had once again travelled to the Heavy Engineering School in Coloma, and that grant funds had been used to purchase a portable hand saw for the classroom.

“We applied for and have been notified we’ve received a grant to purchase cutting edge equipment for the school from the State of Wisconsin,” Keenlance said. “The Governor will be making an announcement about the grants soon.”

Heidi Stovey said of her Family and Consumer Science classes, “it’s not like the olden days of home economics.” She said the class doesn’t do much sewing, but she did make homemade peanut butter with the 4K class, which gave them a great sense of accomplishment when they got to eat it.

“We have a families and children class, and our students volunteer in the daycare,” Stovey said. “For high school students, we offer classes that cover everything from how to cook to how to change the oil in your car.

“It is satisfying and encouraging to teach practical skills that kids can take home and put to use,” Stovey said.

Knutson described the school’s efforts to support students with academic and career planning. She said that lunch visits are offered with representatives of the armed forces, colleges and local employers.

“We received an ‘Unlocking Pathways’ grant, which provides the district with $43,000 for 2-3 years, and assists students with career planning,” Knutson said. “Students have an ‘academic and career planning’ session once per month.”

Colsch elaborated that youth apprentice students are also integrated into the curriculum. She said that as part of the grant, North Crawford was paired with a ‘mentor’ school district to help implement the program. She said that the district’s mentor school is Pittville, which is a similarly sized district to North Craford, and that their support has been “extremely helpful.”

“These staff have done an amazing amount of work, and they have created future opportunities for our kids,” MS-HS principal Rob Sailer said.

School forests

Fifth grade teacher William Ladwig provided a report to the board about progress in securing recognition of a portion of the North Crawford grounds as a school forest. Ladwig began his comments calling for a moment of silence to honor the First Nations people, who were here before us.

“After I met with a DNR forester, 18-acres of our school grounds have been approved as a school forest,” Ladwig reported. “What this means is that we are eligible to receive up to 5,000 free tree seedlings from a state nursery, and we are eligible to receive assistance from the statewide School Forest Education Specialist.”

Ladwig said he is “all about well-being and educational outcomes for students.” He explained that the education assistance is provided through UW-Stevens Point.

 “In the big picture, according to the DNR forester, we have a three-stand division on the property,” Ladwig said. “The designations are all based on the wildlife habitat they provide, and we have two acres of white cedar/central hardwoods, four acres of northern hardwoods/walnut, and 12 acres of grassland.”

Ladwig said he’d spoken with the Superintendent of the Boscobel Area School District about their education plan, and is “most excited about educational standard alignment. He said that some of the changes he envisions include getting 4k students outside, rain or shine. He stated he wants to form a professional learning committee for outdoor education, and plans to conduct the fifth grade camping trip on school grounds.

“I’d like to see a specials rotation to get kids outside,” Ladwig explained.

Ladwig said the DNR forester had also reviewed the district’s other two school forest properties, and provided an assessment. Those properties are on West Point Road, and in back of the Royal Bank in Gays Mills.

“The DNR forester characterized the West Point Road 10.42-acre parcel as steep, with a northeast slope, and a tree density rating of 18, with older timber, a good amount of old red oak, and some decent sized walnuts,” Ladwig said. “Some challenges with the parcel is that there doesn’t appear to be much regeneration occurring in the understory, and the red pine has a mortality from disease, known as Red Pine Pocket Decline.”

Ladwig said the parcel by the Royal Bank is 10.10 acres, with access being very steep and difficult, and a northwest slope.

“The forester noted the presence of leatherwood, which is an indicator of nutrient rich soils,” Ladwig said. “The average basal area of the forest is rated at 19, with stocking levels similar to the West Point Road parcel, but with younger age classes of trees because there are so many sugar maple and oak saplings in the understory.”

Ladwig said the question remaining after the assessment is whether to develop the parcels, or to sell them.

“There is no maintenance cost with the properties, and they could function as a community building asset, with volunteers recruited to help with improvements,” Ladwig said. “With uncertainties about federal funding, retaining the properties could provide the district with a financial safety net.”

Ladwig told the board that he believes the best way to honor the land is to protect it. He said it is important to see the land not just as a commodity, but as something that requires caretaking.

Munson asked Ladwig what the DNR’s recommendation would be to correct the lack of regeneration on the West Point Road property?

“We are working to create a management plan for the school forest on the school grounds, and we could also do so for the other two properties,” Ladwig said.

“I like the idea of getting the kids involved – perhaps a Forest Club could be formed,” board member Cody Brockway said. “It is also possible that kids could earn college credits in areas like Conservation Forestry – back in the day, John Gibbs let us use chainsaws.”

Board member Charissa Richter asked Ladwig what his target is for developing the plan. Ladwig responded that the goal is to have the plan developed by the end of the school year.

In other business

In other business, the North Crawford School Board:

• heard that 107 students and families had attended the first Elementary Showcase event, which has received a lot of positive feedback

• heard that senior Jordan Derrick had won a first place award in the Wisconsin Newspaper Foundation ‘Better Newspaper Contest’

• heard that State Senator Howard Marklein had visited the school, and that Munson appreciated his visit and his deep understanding of school finance

• learned from Munson that school districts are facing a lot of uncertainty in budgeting due to development of a new Wisconsin Biennial Budget, and increasing uncertainty about the federal funding that districts can expect to receive

• heard that Munson had met with Crawford County Highway Commissioner Kyle Kozelka, who provided an update about the county’s purchase of a six-acre parcel on County X, to be developed into shop facilities, consolidating the Soldiers Grove and Gays Mills shops, and housing six dump trucks

• heard that work on the softball/baseball dugouts is nearing completion, that Brian Swiggum’s time is appreciated, and that Richter had raised some funds for the project from the community to pay for the project

• accepted the retirement of Business Education instructor Scott Hubatch, and the resignation of Director of Student Services Cara Wood

• agreed not to replace the position of Business Education, and to hire a full-time high school math teacher, and a middle school English Language Arts teacher.

 

New greenhouse proves popular
In North Crawford
watering nc gh
DALLAS BUTLER WATERS THE PLANTS at the North Crawford Greenhouse on a recent morning. The new facility was opened for use this past fall and is getting a lot of attention as the year progresses. Profits from plants sold to the public this spring will be used to help finance Future Farmers of America (FFA) activities. The reception of the greenhouse at the school and in the community has been overwhelmingly positive. - photo by JORDAN DERRICK

About two years ago, the North Crawford School District began the process of building a greenhouse. Now, it has become an integral part of the agriculture department in the district.

In the fall of 2024, the greenhouse was officially completed. With the project, the agriculture program was given the space to flourish.

The cost of the project, including the foundation, the building, and utilities, was about $100,000. Despite the hefty price tag, the district feels it was the right decision.

“It provides additional learning opportunities for students, it’s a life skill, and it allows for a strong community connection,” North Crawford Superintendent Brandon Munson said about the program.

Agriculture education teacher and FFA adviser Mackenzie Knutson is heavily involved in the operation of the greenhouse at North Crawford. She believes that building the greenhouse was an important piece to improving the agriculture department.

“The inspiration was that it would provide students with a hands-on experience and a lab space outside of the classroom,” Knutson said.

In the fall semester, the building is maintained, but it is mostly not in use, while the program is still finding its footing. During the spring, however, there is much more to be done.

Knutson teaches a greenhouse class in the spring, where she provides students with practical experience in the care and cultivation of plants.

Participants in the class, along with members of the FFA, are responsible for the purchasing and sale of plants, presenting students with experience in the marketing aspect of the project.

The students determine the plants that are grown in the greenhouse, but the FFA handles purchasing the plants and materials needed, and they get to keep any profit earned from the sales.

Many FFA members are also involved in the class, which counts as supervised agricultural experience, a learning experience in agricultural education required in FFA.

Gaining hands-on experience is often exciting for students, and Knutson feels that knowing where the food you eat comes from and how to grow it is important to impart to students.

The greenhouse has been a great tool in enhancing the agricultural program. Knutson’s favorite part of running the greenhouse is being able to get outside and play in soil, especially during the winter months, although there is so much more to it than just having fun in the dirt.

The greenhouses, and especially the plants inside, need continuous care. Students have many responsibilities, both during and beyond classroom hours, including watering plants on weekends and over school breaks.

One of the most enthusiastic students involved in the program is senior Alivia Mellem.

Mellem spends about an hour or two in the greenhouse everyday watering, planting, and attending to the plants’ needs.

“I help a lot in my garden at home, and I find working with plants to be therapeutic,” Mellem said about why she chose to get involved.

Aside from working with the plants, Mellem loves to see the variety of students in different grades working in the greenhouse.

Harvest time is one of the students’ most exciting moments. When the plants are harvested, there are many different things that can be done with them.

Most of the plants are sold, but some are saved for serving at graduation, and others are given to the North Crawford food service department.

The agriculture department specifically grows hydroponic lettuce, and hopes to add tomatoes, to be served in school meals.

Although there isn’t enough lettuce being grown to replace out-sourced lettuce entirely, the greenhouse’s contribution is exciting to the food service department.

“I love the fact that it was grown here, by our students,” Food Service Director Jen Kapinus said.

Kapinus and Knutson are working together to expand the program, in order to provide even more food to the student body.

Having the greenhouse has been a great experience for the district, with new experiences and more hands-on learning for students in the agriculture department, as well as supplying student-grown, fresh produce for school meals, with boundless opportunities for the future.

Boland retires from Seneca
After decades
Seneca School District

Seneca School District Administrator David Boland’s resignation from his position was accepted by the Seneca School Board at their meeting on Monday, following a closed session discussion.

David Boland has had a long career at the school including serving as a teacher, athletic coach, principal and district administrator. Boland will formally retire from his current administrator position effective June 30, 2025.

During the public input portion of the meeting, Seneca Director of Food Service Michelle Updike requested that the board consider a change to graduation. She proposed letting staff members hand diplomas to students at graduation. Updike is also the parent of a high school student.

Updike explained that staff members could be chosen by individual students because of a special impact that staff member may have had on that student.

The current policy is to have designated school board members hand out the diplomas at graduation.

Seneca teacher and parent Shelly Davidson agreed with Updike’s idea. She added that the staff member need not be a high school teacher, but could even be a kindergarten teacher.

Board member Britany Joy asked if coaches could be included as eligible to hand out the diplomas as staff members.

Seneca School District Administrator Dave Boland said if the designation was staff members, it would include not only teachers, but paraprofessionals, coaches and anyone else who works for the district.

Updike told the board that she would poll the senior class to see if they favored having staff members, as well as school board members, be eligible to hand out their diplomas.

Boland emphasized that if the change was made it would include a list on the back of the program denoting what person was giving a diploma to each student. To accomplish this, the board would have to decide by April, so that information could be gathered in a timely fashion for inclusion in the program.

The next item discussed impacted the date of the next meeting. The third Monday next month is April 21. However, because of spring break and family plans, four board members indicated they could not make the meeting. After some discussion, it was agreed that the next Seneca School Board meeting would be held on Monday, April 14.

The school calendar was explained and discussed. Phy ed teacher and volleyball coach Shelly Davidson asked if the parent-teacher conferences could be changed, because the date chosen means she can never attend a parent-teacher conference, because they are held on the same dates as the state high school  volleyball tournament, which she attends every year.

In a discussion, the board considered moving the date of conferences back two weeks. The calendar approval was tabled for more study.

The senior class trip expenses were also discussed. Teacher and senior class advisor Michele  Updike said that the senior class funds are used to pay for the substitute teacher for class advisors, who are often teachers. The cost can range from $700 to $900 if both class advisors are teachers. Updike pointed out that can be close to 10 percent of the funds raised by the senior class, which are often around $10,000.

Updike asked that school district to consider paying for the substitute teachers when needed, to replace teachers acting as class advisors on the school trip, creating more funds for the senior class to use.

Shelly Davidson asked if it would be possible to use professional development funds from the missing teachers to pay for the subs.

District administrator Dave Boland explained switching those funds would not be possible.

School board member Crisse Reynolds suggested that perhaps the district could share the cost of the substitutes with the class.

After more discussion, Seneca School Board president Shawn Lenzendorf said she had no problem with the cost of the substitutes being paid by the district. Lenzendorf moved to pay costs of any substitute teachers hired to replace teachers because they were acting as class advisors on the senior class trip. The motion was seconded by Adam Green and passed unanimously by the board.

During the discussion, Green had said he was shocked when he learned the senior class was paying for substitute teachers for the class advisors going on the trip.

In other business, the Seneca Area School District:

• approved the 2025 CESA #3 contract to provide specialized services to the district with a 2.5% increase that was well explained by the agency’s director Jamie Nutter

• learned that the district had chosen a Skyward automated time sheet program that was less expensive than the alternative and fit with other Skyward programs already in use by the district

• learned roof leaks around drains in some previous heavy rains were fixed under warranty

The Seneca Area School District’s Monthly Recognition Award was given to the Royals’ boys and girls basketball teams and to the North Crawford Seneca Wrestling Team’s Seneca wrestlers; Jaren Grimsled, Thomas Sprosty and Sawyer Swiggum for wrestling in the sectional and to Grimsled and Swiggum for wrestling the WIAA State Wrestling Tournament.

Special Education has a primary importance
At North Crawford
Special Education
THE NORTH CRAWFORD special education department is an integral part of the district and a point of Trojan pride. The department staff is made up of, from left, Christopher Finnell, Erin Konichek, Olivia Gabrielson, Jen Pedersen, Cara Wood, Sara Troshynski-Fredelake, Melinda Biege, and Emily Patti, as well as Tracy Morovits-Feye and Andrew Watters, who are not pictured. - photo by JORDAN DERRICK

It seems these days, special education plays a vital role in supporting student equity and equality.

In the North Crawford School District, the special education department is extremely important to the staff, students, and community.

At North Crawford, 18.8% of the student population require special education services, according to the 2023-24 district report card. This is a similar figure to most nearby districts.

Despite having similar numbers, the school’s special ed department is often considered one of the best in the area.

“Our department is really dedicated to making sure we get the best out of the kids, and that they get the best out of us,” high school special education teacher Andrew Watters said about the program. “We are willing to try new things and are always adapting our program.”

The purpose of the department is to provide better access to education for students who need more support.

IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) is a federal law that outlines special education in public schools. It is described as a law that “makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.”

The Act was reauthorized and renamed in 1990, from the EHA or Education for All Handicapped Children Act. The EHA was originally put into place in 1975, to protect the rights of and require meeting the needs of disabled youth. 

Since the EHA, and now the IDEA, schools and services have become much more inclusive and beneficial for disabled students, with nearly 7.3 million students receiving special education services in the 2021-22 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

North Crawford Student Services Director Cara Wood says that she has noticed the negative feelings that many families have toward special education in public schools.

This stigma makes it harder on the students, as they or their families may fear mistreatment or poor services. Wood says that North Crawford is working to fight these fears and continue to provide the best services they can.

Public schools must comply with IDEA, otherwise they may face legal action and/or loss of federal funding.

“Special education is not optional,” North Crawford Superintendent Brandon Munson said about funding the program. “We cannot turn down high needs students, so we pay for the services, whether we have the budget or not.” 

The disability groups covered under the act include:

• autism;

• deaf-blindness;

• deafness and hearing impairment;

• emotional disturbance;

• intellectual disability;

• orthopedic impairment;

• other health impairment;

• specific learning disability;

• speech or language impairment;

• traumatic brain injury; or

• visual impairment (including blindness).

With such a broad range of students, many who qualify for the special education program choose not to participate, as not all qualifying students and their families feel they need the support.

Often times, students with certain disabilities can even grow out of the program.

“Students learn as they function and grow, and, especially with disabilities like autism, certain students may outgrow special education,” Director of Student Services Cara Wood said.

Special education from the district ranges from students ages 3-21. Children with developmental disabilities can participate in the Wisconsin birth-to-3 program, where they offer speech, occupational, and physical therapy before the children begin attending school.

The end of a student’s K-12 services doesn’t end their access to services. Once students reach the end of their K-12 career, they have a right to disability accommodations in many higher-education institutions and workplaces.

Adapting is extremely important for the entire special education department, students and staff alike, whether it is to the next chapter in their life or their next student.

“There is constant change. No day is exactly the same, no student is exactly the same,” Watters said.

The basis of any special education program is the IEP, or Individualized Education Plan.

Every student in the special education program has an IEP. Its purpose is to evaluate the circumstances of and plan for each student’s year.

The meeting includes the parent or guardian and teachers of the student, along with the director of special education. As described by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, “an IEP is a program designed to meet the unique and individual needs of a student that qualifies… under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).” 

The IEP is a written guideline, which is revised yearly, for the special education team to follow. It serves to ensure students are receiving the necessary services and are continually meeting their educational goals throughout the year.

Superintendent Munson says that IEPs can be a key to keeping communication between the district and the students’ families open and consistent.

As the parent of a student in special education, Emily Patti feels that the program at North Crawford has done great work with her son.

Patti’s child is enrolled in North Crawford Elementary School. Throughout his time in the district, he has received an array of services, including extra instruction, emotional regulation, and help with adjusting to the school environment.

“Everybody wants to work with these kids and understand them on a really deep level,” Patti said about the program. “There isn’t one set curriculum that works across the board, in general or special education. Everyone is really adaptive and really cares.”

The feelings Patti has toward the department’s staff are not uncommon.

“We have really great teachers and assistants,” Director of Student Services Wood said. “They are always here and so committed to their roles; it’s what makes the program work.”

North Crawford's special education department has come to be highly regarded because of their relationships and communication with the families of students and their quality of services provided. 

The staff works incredibly hard to create a safe and comfortable learning environment for each student, and hopes to continue evolving the program for the better.

A unique aspect of the North Crawford department is the Trojan Brew Company, a mini coffee shop run by high school special education teacher Christopher Finnell.

Finnell started the program three years ago with his students, selling coffee to a handful of teachers in the building, and they have worked to expand it to be much larger since.

“The students involved in Trojan Brew Co. are learning valuable skills, such as managing check registers, budgeting, inventory, self-advocacy, and more,” Finnell said.

North Crawford works hard to support growth and provide a great education for every student.

Public schools featured in spring primary election
North Crawford and Wisconsin
North Crawford

On Tuesday, Feb. 18, Wisconsin will hold its spring non-partisan primary election. Voters will go to the polls to narrow the field of candidates, in various elections, that will appear on the ballot of the spring non-partisan election, to take place on Tuesday, April 1.

Locally, voters will cast primary election votes for candidates for the North Crawford School Board, and for the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. In the state Superintendent election, voters will vote for one of three candidates on the ballot. Those candidates are incumbent Jill Underly, and challengers Jeff Wright, Sauk Prairie Schools Superintendent, and education consultant Brittany Kinser.

In the North Crawford School Board primary election on February 18, voters will vote for two of five candidates on the ballot. The primary election will narrow the field to four candidates, whose names will appear on the April 1 spring election ballot. Then, on April 1, voters will vote for two candidates to fill two, three-year terms on the school board.

In the running for seats on the North Crawford School Board are incumbents Jerry Coleman and Charissa Richter, and challengers Jesse Swenson, Melany Jelinek and Tyler Olson.

Jerry Coleman

Incumbent school board member Jerry Coleman was first appointed to the school board in 2021, and then elected to serve a three-year term in April of 2022. In May of 2024, Coleman was elected vice president of the school board. Coleman serves on the Personnel, Curriculum, Budget and Audit committees, and as the district’s delegate to CESA-3.

Coleman is a lifelong dairy farmer in the Town of Clayton, which he says is “not so much a career as a way of life.” He and his wife Katrina Johnson, who leads ‘Sources of Strength,’ a best-practices suicide prevention program in local schools, have two children who attend North Crawford. Coleman holds a business degree from UW-Platteville.

“As a dairy farmer, I know how to deal with limited budgets, and the importance of making the right choices,” Coleman explained. “It’s one thing to have to make those choices in my private life, and another to make them in the public sector, where the choices the school board makes affect the community, the taxpayers, and students and staff at the school.”

Coleman emphasized that he grew up in this community, and says “I know the values of this community, and understand its strengths and weaknesses.”

“We have a lot of poverty in our area, which I’ve experienced first hand, and this affects our families and students in multiple ways, from housing to employment,” Coleman said. “All of these challenges in our community become challenges for our school district.”

Coleman says he is seeking re-election to the school board to build on the successes the district has achieved in the last three-to-four years.

“The referendums passed by the district voters in November of 2022 have been huge successes,” Coleman said. “We now have a strong building, and I want to help continue the board’s work to build the staff and the school community. It has been an honor to serve on a board that has done a tremendous job.”

As far as key issues facing the district, Coleman discussed student English Language Arts (ELA) and Math scores, and staff retention as two important issues he wants the school board to focus on.

“With our new ELA and math curriculums, we have seen significant improvements in student scores on standardized tests, but we still have to get better,” Coleman said. “This is my number one objective, and I want to see the district give the staff and the administration the tools they need to continue to improve.”

Coleman said that for him, staff retention is also a key priority, and he wants to see the district make the best use of its limited resources.

“I have lots of faith in our community to make the best choices, and I’m honored that my neighbors and community have invested a lot of trust in me – I know the school board’s decisions aren’t always popular, but as a board member, I’ve always acted in the best interests of our community,” Coleman said. “We have a great staff and an amazing administration, that has done a great job of working with kids who have special needs, and in facing the challenges the district has experienced.”

Charissa Richter

Incumbent school board member Charissa Richter was first elected to the school board in April of 2022 for a three-year term. Richter sits on the Personnel, Budget and Policy committees of the board, and serves as the district’s correspondent.

Richter works as an occupational therapist at Gundersen in Boscobel, and lives with her husband Jimmy, and children Cecil and Bernadette in Gays Mills. Her son Cecil attends North Crawford in the third grade, and her infant Bernadette receives care at the North Crawford Daycare Center. She earned a degree from Xavier University in Cincinnati in occupational therapy.

 Richter grew up in a small town in central Ohio, and after graduating Xavier University, moved to Colorado with her husband Jimmy, where she began her career as an occupational therapist. Her husband Jimmy started their retail shop, Little Boxes Vintage in Colorado.

“About four years ago, we moved to Gays Mills with our son, Cecil, and settled into this welcoming community. We opened our shop, Little Boxes Vintage, in the mercantile in Gays Mills and I started a position at Gundersen Hospital in Boscobel, continuing my occupational therapy career,” Richter explained. “We believe it is important to stay active in our community, and are both active members with the Gays Mills Lions Club and Connect Communities Gays Mills.”

Richter said that experiences that have helped prepare her for service on the North Crawford School Board include time spent in grad school, working as an occupational therapist, and participation in multiple community groups.

“I've learned how to listen, collaborate with others, and critically analyze situations to thoroughly consider a complex situation prior to making a decision,” Richter said. “These are all important skills to have as a school board member.”

Richter says she is highly motivated to continue as a member of the school board, and feels the board has accomplished a lot over the last few years.

“I'm eager to continue with that momentum. The board has a vision, and set goals to increase academic scores, improve communication with the community, retain staff, and maintain our building, all while working within our budget,” Richter explained. “I feel we have made nice headway with these things, but there is still much work to be done. I believe that I can make a positive difference for our students, staff, and community while serving in this role, and would be honored to continue in this capacity.”

“There are always so many wonderful things happening at the school. It's exciting to watch it all unfold,” Richter said. “The staff and administrators do such a wonderful job of seeking out opportunities to improve what the school has to offer our students. I think it helps the staff to know they have a school board that supports their efforts.”

 Richter says she is looking forward to the school expanding what is offered through the school forest. She pointed out that the district still has a capital improvement list to chip away at to keep the grounds in good working order.

“We will also be looking at staff surveys to guide us in our staff retention efforts, and we are always looking at academics as a high priority. We want to ensure that students have excellent curriculum, and the teachers are equipped and supported to utilize it well.”

Richter says that a new Wisconsin biennial budget will be upcoming, and she is hopeful that the state will increase the funding allocated for public schools.

“Either way, we will need to keep a close eye on our budget to ensure we are good stewards of our funds, to best utilize the resources we have,” Richter said.

Jesse Swenson

Jesse Swenson, although not currently an incumbent candidate, has served on the school board multiple times over the years. She has also served as a coach for the track team, is a North Crawford graduate, and has sent her children to the school as well.

“We are a family of North Crawford graduates, operating our beef operation on our sesquicentennial farm in Star Valley,” Swenson explained. “My husband Kurt owns and operates Crooked Creek Construction, and our three children have all been extremely active students and athletes at North Crawford.”

Swenson cites her preparation for serving on the school board as “being involved with North Crawford throughout my life, be it as a student, a volunteer, a coach, a school board member and asa parent. These experiences give me perspective on every aspect of what our district needs from our school board.”

Swenson says she is motivated to run for the school board because of the need for greater transparency for our district members.

“I think a school board can forget who they're representing at times,” Swenson said. “School boards need to represent the entire district, not just their interests or beliefs.”

Swenson says the most important issue facing the district is teacher retention and attracting new, quality teachers.

“I'd like to see teachers, coaches, etc paid more,” Swenson said. “If elected, my priorities would be exactly that. Let's reevaluate where the money is going, and pay staff more.”

Melany Jelinek

Melany Jelinek is the youngest of nine children, and grew up on a dairy farm between Seneca and Eastman.  She married Brad Jelinek in 2001, and they are both Seneca graduates. They have six children - Brent, Beau, Darci, Kaylee, June and Briggs.

“I had an in-home daycare from 2001–2008. In 2009 we moved to a farm in the North Crawford School District, and milked 150-200 goats until 2021,” Jelinek said. “I recently started my own painting and cleaning business, and my husband is employed by Fowler and Hammer, and works in LaCrosse.”

Jelinek says that having children in the school district for 14 years, working at the school for five years as a paraprofessional, along with coaching at North Crawford, have all given her plenty of hands-on life experiences to be prepared to serve on the North Crawford School Board.

“I became motivated to run for the school board after attending numerous school board meetings, and speaking with other concerned parents, community members, and North Crawford School District employees, both former and current,” Jelinek said. “We need more board members that will ask the tough questions and do their due diligence at looking into recommendations that are brought to the board before voting on them.”

Jelinek pointed out that the school already has a strategic plan for 2024-2029 on the school website addressing areas of current issues. It includes student achievement and growth, stakeholder engagement and communication, staff recruitment and retention and fiscal responsibility.

“Having the plan in place is the first step. If elected I would do my part to hold those accountable and make sure we are following through with the plan,” Jelinek said.

Jelinek cites improving the education of all the students that would prepare them for life after high school as a priority.

“Whether they choose a four-year college, technical college, a trade school or joining the workforce, I want them to be prepared,” Jelinek said. “Other priorities would be listening to the concerns of parents and community members,  along with looking into our staff turnover rate and open enrollment out numbers.”

“Ultimately, I truly want a positive learning environment for the students at the North Crawford School District. In order for that to happen, parents need to feel heard and our staff needs to feel supported. Raising responsible, respectful, reliable, resilient students is the ultimate goal. They are our future.”

Tyler Olson

Tyler Olson grew up and has spent his whole life in Gays Mills. He graduated from North Crawford in 2014, and continued his education in Platteville. He has a seven-year-old son, who is currently obsessed with “everything Mario.”

“The biggest thing that has prepared me to serve on the school board is my experiences as a teacher,” Olson said. “I believe that I will work for the teachers and students to provide them with the best possible environment to learn and teach. Being in the school for multiple years, I understand what both the teachers and students want. I believe that I can help make our school a better place.”

Olson said his motivation for running for the school board is the students and the teachers. His sister and girlfriend currently work at North Crawford, plus he has family throughout the school.

“I want it to be the best experience for all who walk through North Crawford,” Olson said. “One of the bigger issues that I see is staff retention, and making North Crawford a place where people want to stay. I have ideas that will make our school even more desirable.”

Olson said his top priorities will be student and teacher focused, finding ways to help all achieve the goals that they are wanting to achieve. 

“I want to provide opportunities for all. Advocating for teachers pay, and providing more support and learning opportunities for the students,” Olson explained.