Waterford High School candidates ready for Round 2

By Patricia Bogumil

Interim editor

Electors living in the Waterford Union High School district go to the polls Tuesday to select two of four candidates who are seeking election to the WUHS Board of Education.

The three-year positions pay $3,800 annually. The candidates are:

• Incumbent Kevin Malchine, a 12-year veteran of the Board, who stresses the value of the depth and strengths he brings to the position with his broad personal and business connections to the Waterford community and school district.

• Incumbent Don Engler, a six-year veteran of the Board, who hopes to be re-elected to continue to keep the school district’s tax burden in check while also offering the quality education that Waterford students and taxpayers deserve.

• Challenger Dan Jensen, who is also running unopposed April 3 as an incumbent on the Waterford Graded School District Board. He vows to share his well-developed fiscal budgeting skills and technological savvy to support and direct the high school district.

• Challenger Deanna Stever, who vows to end what she calls a “tax-to-the-max” way of conducting school board business. She said she will bring to the board leadership skills to stand up for district students, taxpayers and community, which are her No. 1 priority.

Information provided by each candidate follows.

      • Engler said that much has been accomplished during his six years on the Waterford High School board.

“I am a taxpayer and dislike paying excessive taxes just like anyone else. Our goal is to keep taxes down.”

In the 2009-10 school year, Engler said, the board budgeted using $180,000 from the budget’s fund balance. In the 2010-11 school year budget, $225,000 was applied from the fund balance.

“We could have just kept this leftover money, but instead we used it to lower taxes. This year we refinanced our loan and saved the taxpayers $180,000.”

He described the high school board members as “very unique,” noting: “We keep the education of the students at the top of our priority list. We want all of our students to succeed in life and work hard to accomplish this.”

Engler said there is no hidden agenda by any of the board members. “The students and staff are incredible people to work for. I am honored to be a part of this community and board.”

      He described the most pressing needs and issues faced by the school district to be the new changes in state government. “Working with the new laws is very challenging,” Engler said.

“We have incredible students coming into our building as freshmen and leaving as fine adults. The teachers we have are responsible for a large part of that. Somehow we will make it work to keep everyone working hard toward the same goals.”

Engler said it is easy working on a board where everyone keeps the students the number one priority.

“During my first six years, the first three years I didn’t say much. I listened and learned. There are still things that I learn every day about the way schools are run.”

Engler said that when he sees other school districts’ problems, he feels proud of Waterford’s administration and staff for working through things and keeping the goals of our school in tact.

“I like to think I am making a difference. I am always here to listen to any concerns brought up by anyone in our community about our school.”

At WUHS, Engler volunteers as a baseball coach and said he finds much satisfaction in helping boys become men on the baseball field. He estimates he has been involved in coaching baseball in this community and others for about 20 years.

“I like to help people,” Engler added. “I am an electrician by trade and love helping out at our school with different projects.”

      • Jensen said he hopes to be elected to the WUHS Board to offer new, educated and sound viewpoints for fiscal responsibility of school budgeting.

In addition, Jensen would hope to promote advanced technological learning, cost savings and a K-12 consolidation.

Among the Board’s most pressing needs or issues, said Jensen, are:

• holding the line on taxes while fostering new avenues of learning by utilizing technology-based access;

• fully implementing the new Wisconsin Act 10 budget tools to save District resources;

• performing a complete review of present methods of District employee evaluations; and

• establishing short- and long-term goals for District consolidation into a K-12 format.

Jensen is currently the president of the Waterford Graded School District Board, a position he has held for the last three years.

“Having worked closely with our administration with the approval and rollout of the 1:1 computer program at Fox River Middle School, I believe I have a unique viewpoint to help further the WUHS commitment to applying new avenues of technology to study learning and education,” Jensen said.

Jensen said that with having three sons attend Waterford public schools, he has been given great insight into areas that need support and direction.

• Malchine said he is seeking re-election to continue the traditions of quality education and excellent extracurricular activities at WUHS, all provided while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

With new state legislation that gives school boards more leeway in working with teachers and staff comes the Board’s responsibility to treat all employees fairly and with respect, he said.

“It would be my goal to make WUHS the place where the best and brightest teachers seek to work,” Malchine said. “Anyone who has experienced Waterford High School knows we are very fortunate to already have an exceptional faculty.”

With two children currently attending WUHS and another who has graduated, Malchine said he has personal insight into the diverse activities that are offered.

“My family has seen firsthand the advantages of the Advanced Placement (AP) courses, numerous clubs, athletic opportunities and community service organizations that prepare students for college.”

His ownership in businesses in the community have allowed him to observe the benefits of cooperation between local business and the school, said Malchine.

“Additionally, being a farmer and a landowner in multiple municipalities, I feel I bring a well-rounded understanding of the impact the property taxes have on communities,” Malchine said.

“Most importantly, I believe that when a community member has a concern or question, I will listen with an open mind and take their message to the board room.”

      • Stever, a life-long resident, values her community connections, developed through the strong roots she said go way back through many generations. She has a child who is currently attending the high school.

“People who know me will tell you that I bring leadership and I am not afraid to stand up for what is right. I feel the students, taxpayers and community are my No. 1 priority.”

Stever said she will bring fiscal knowledge with common sense to the board and a “think outside of the box” approach.

“I have new ideas that will create positive change and unite the entire district.  It is time for unnecessary spending to cease. My ideas would bring fiscal savings with a direct line to the taxpayers’ pockets while ensuring the standard of superior education.”

Stever notes that she has seven years of board experience on the Drought Elementary School Board, “where we have provided a tax decrease in a challenging environment of declining enrollment.”

Stever said the high school board has an obligation to listen to the community, “and I will make the time necessary to accomplish this. I will provide the community a voice to be heard as I represent the students and taxpayers. “

She said now is the  time for the message of the school board to reflect that the board, administration and staff work for and on behalf of the community and that they will respect them.

“In turn, when elected to the board, I want the community to know that things will be handled in the best interest of the students and taxpayers in mind.”

Stever said she believes in accountability from every aspect of the high school.  The staff, administration and board need to ensure that they are reaching out to every child and provide the right fit for each child with regards to their classes and teachers, she said.

Also, the board has a responsibility to ensure that the current policies are in line with the current state of the economy and community, Stever said.

“I have spent time reviewing various aspects of Waterford High School for some time now and know that this has not been done.

“Just because things have been done the same way year to year does not mean that they are being done in the most efficient and effective way,” she said.

Stever said that the current administration and board “protect the same people from year to year and it’s time for everyone to have a voice in the community, not just the selected few.  This is another aspect that I would like to see changed.”

Stever said she encourages people to take some time to review their tax bills and school policies to see first hand that the current administration and school board “taxes to the max” and that it’s time for that mentality to change

“Taxpayers have a right to know how their hard-earned money is being spent and whether they agree with it or if want to see this change,” Stever said.