De Pere School Board candidates share stances on flag banning, building new high school

DE PERE — Four candidates are vying for two seats on the De Pere School Board this spring as the district works to pass an operational referendum and plan for growing enrollment.

Scott Hemauer, Joel Neuville, Matt Petersen and Brandy Tollefson are all running for the board. Peterson has served on the board for five months, having been appointed after the resignation of former board member Dan Van Straten.

Two candidates — Petersen and Tollefson — participated in the League of Women Voters of Greater Green Bay candidate forum, which readers can watch on the league's YouTube page.

The De Pere School District has a $23.75 million operational referendum also on the spring ballot to shore up a $3 million budget deficit that will grow to $6.8 million by the 2028-29 school year.

The district is also looking to build a new high school as student enrollment increases. Foxview Intermediate is over capacity, De Pere Middle School is at its recommended capacity, and De Pere High School is almost full as well.

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The Press-Gazette asked all candidates to fill out a questionnaire about issues that are top of mind for them, building a new high school and banning the LGBTQ+ pride flag. Responses have been lightly edited for grammar and formatting.

Here's what each of the candidates said:

Scott Hemauer

Age: 54

Campaign website: Hemauer For School Board Facebook page

Current occupation: Self-employed

Education: Bachelor's degree in computer information systems from St. Norbert College

Relevant experience: I have over 30 years of financial planning and analysis experience as a small business owner. Other experience includes: Definitely De Pere current board president; De Pere Economic Enhancement committee member; Tour De Pere communications chair; 2014 Wisconsin Main Street Board member of the year; Cub Scout pack leader; De Pere Business Improvement District founding committee; De Pere Riverwalk fundraising committee; Voyager Park Nelson Family Pavilion fundraising committee.

Joel Neuville

Age: 50

Campaign website: Joel Neuville for School Board Facebook page

Current occupation: Quality manager

Education: Bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Relevant experience: With over 13 years in De Pere, I've embraced its values, reflected in my family life with a wife and two kids — one at De Pere High School and one at St. Norbert College. I serve in a leadership role at a local MFG facility, impacting 200+ families. My community commitment extends to coaching wrestling for two decades at Preble, De Pere and local clubs — fostering connections with students, parents and staff. A dedicated listener with a logical mindset, my strong leadership stems from genuine concern and sound principles.

Matt Petersen

Age: 44

Campaign website: Petersen for De Pere Facebook page

Current occupation: College administrator and instructor

Education: Bachelor's degree in exercise science from Truman State University and a doctorate in human physiology from the Medical College of Wisconsin

Relevant experience: As a biology professor of 20 years, I’ve shape thousands of lives. In my current administrative role, I am allowed to think about education on a systems level. I’ve now been able to apply the dual mindsets of being both a teacher and an administrator to the School Board. I also bring substantial experience in building partnerships between industry and educational institutions. Creating a diverse set of streamlined and flexible pathways for our students must be part of the district’s vision.

Brandy Tollefson

Age: 45

Campaign website: Brandy Tollefson for USDD School Board Facebook page

Current occupation: Accounting manager

Education: Bachelor's degree in anthropology from Portland State University

Relevant experience: I am currently an accounting/operations manager at a corporate headquarters. I have written and conducted regional manager reviews, implemented changes in companywide systems, reviewed annual and monthly budgets with all managers, tracked large construction projects and implemented new strategies for improving net income. I was the Dickinson Parent-Teacher organization treasurer for three years, volunteering to run two concession stands at the high school, involved with Save Legion Pool and various other volunteering.

Why are you running for De Pere School Board?

Hemauer: I am running for office to continue to serve my community, and my first priority is a commitment to ensuring a quality education for our students. A strong education provides the key skills that our students require to face adversity and excel as future leaders and members of our society. I would like to make sure that the district continues to thrive!

Neuville: Running for the School Board, my goal is to positively impact students' futures. Fueled by a strong passion for doing right by students, parents, staff and the community, I aim to preserve our traditional De Pere values. I seek office to actively contribute to solutions, striving to enhance the educational experience for all.

Petersen: As a lifelong resident of Northeast Wisconsin (16 years in De Pere) and a parent of two Redbirds, I am deeply and personally invested in the district’s commitment to partnering with families and our community to deliver the best life preparation possible. I’ve also devoted my career to improving our public education system as an instructor and leader at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. I am fully committed to the goal of preparing students to be effective employees, leaders and citizens.

Tollefson: Currently I don’t feel as represented on the board as I would like. I’m a mom of kids attending USDD (Unified School District of De Pere) schools who lives in the city of De Pere. If elected, I will be the only board member living within De Pere city limits. I am involved in many different groups and clubs, and I feel I have a valuable perspective to add. Last summer, I joined the community task force that worked on options for the referendums and realized that I have a skill set and passion that is needed at this time on our board.

What makes you the best candidate?

Hemauer: I believe I have the most pertinent skill set of any of the candidates in a number of different areas. First is my experience in financial management, financial analysis and longer-term financial planning. Second is my prior board and board leadership skills. I also have built deep relationships throughout our community via my volunteer fundraising activities. These types of relationships are critical in building consensus and providing open discussions.

Neuville: Being a local with aligned values, I am the ideal candidate. With a deep connection to the community, my leadership is strong, driven by genuine commitment and a heart in the right place. Over the years, I've demonstrated effective leadership in cross-functional teams, ensuring collaboration and success. My roots, shared values and proven ability to lead make me the best candidate to represent and elevate our district.

Petersen: I bring to the board the expertise of a career educator, the deeply personal investment of a parent with kids in the district and the desire to listen and understand all perspectives before making decisions. I know what matters most when it comes to excellent education: one, the nurturing relationships formed between students and staff, and two, the culture and systems that support staff and keep them invigorated and cutting-edge. I understand the tough budgetary realities in which all decisions are made and the critical trust that must be maintained between a school and its community.

Tollefson: I have been very involved in the preparation, discussion and community education around our referendums. I will strive to get our district and our community to a point of agreement on what the future of USDD should look like. My active involvement in our schools makes me very approachable and easily accessible to other families. I attend as many school functions as possible to support our students. I have taken the time to stay informed about our school’s needs through attending board meetings, so I know I can be ready to be an active board member from Day 1.

What do you believe are the top two issues that need to be addressed in the district, and how would you address them, if elected?

Hemauer: Long-term responsible district budget with total transparency. I would ensure that we are better with managing the long-term budgeting for the district, especially communicating that budget and its needs to all of our taxpayers and constituents. I believe we need to look beyond the traditional funding structures to review partnerships with our local business base and community. Second, review mobile device use in our classrooms. Can we review policies that eliminate the distraction of mobile devices in the classroom?

Neuville: If elected, my focus will be on expanding parent choice through improved communication, diverse program offerings and streamlined enrollment processes. Simultaneously, I'll ensure responsible spending by conducting thorough budget assessments, prioritizing educational essentials and fostering community involvement in financial decisions. Transparency, efficiency and collaboration will guide these initiatives for the benefit of our district's students and families.

Petersen: Our primary challenge is maintaining excellent education for a growing population. The district will need to expand facility space and stretch resources while taking great care to maintain a sense of cooperation in the community. Additionally in an era of rapid change, we need to ensure that the curricula we offer to our students provide them the educational edge they deserve. The way we teach kids to read is undergoing substantive changes, and artificial intelligence will likely reshape much of the way we use technology to aid learning. We will need to be proactive and nimble as a district.

Tollefson: First is teacher support and retention. Making sure that we stay competitive in hiring/retaining the most qualified and engaged teachers by keeping our compensation competitive and class sizes at a manageable level. Second is helping to educate the community about the referendums and what steps need to come next to maintain our high level of education for our kids. I plan on listening to the community to help administration ensure that any proposed changes are what the community wants. We know we need a new building in the district; what that will look like is still up for discussion.

The School Board has considered banning LGBTQ+ flags, among others, in the district. What is your stance on banning pride flags in schools?

Editor's note: At the Sept. 18 board meeting, board member Melissa Niffenegger proposed a policy that, if approved, would have explicitly prohibited "flags, signage, stickers, adornment, or similar item for display denoting a division of race ideology or political affiliations" including "rainbows" and the "Confederate flag," among others. The LGBTQ+ Pride flag is a rainbow flag. Niffenegger's proposed policy was not approved by the board.

Hemauer: The board debate was not regarding a specific flag, as is incorrectly suggested by the format of the question. The policy that was discussed would apply to a flag from any entity, interest group, political party, religious group, etc. I am in favor of inclusive schools and classrooms that provide the best possible learning environment for all students.

Neuville: Correction — the De Pere School Board considered setting a policy and developing a process to approve flags other than the U.S. flag, state flag and flags of other countries. They did not discuss “banning” — although “banning” makes for a more sensational storyline. I attended those meetings. Media did, too. I do believe setting a policy is better than allowing staff to make their own determinations on certain topics, as policy would better serve to protect staff and students.

Petersen: I stood against the flag ban as a matter of student mental health and safety. I acknowledge that the Pride flag may make some uncomfortable but will always value safety over comfort. Every child should feel like they are a welcomed part of their school community, but sadly LGBTQ+ children often feel less included and are four times as likely to attempt suicide as straight kids. Small symbols of acceptance and inclusion may be enough to make the difference for some. The district does have sufficient policies in place to address materials that truly disrupt the learning environment.

Tollefson: In all of my interactions with our schools, I have never met a teacher that I believe would do anything to make kids in their classrooms feel uncomfortable or distract from the learning environment. If this had been a valid issue raised by a student, this could be addressed for that classroom. As a school and a community, we should all be in favor of policies that lift up our students and show support for them. We know that students who identify with the Pride flag are at a much higher risk of suicide, and if seeing the flag at school gives them any comfort or hope, we should support that.

Many of the district's schools are at or over capacity as the district experiences enrollment growth. What is your stance on building a new high school in the district?

Hemauer: A proposed tax increase of over 50%, if all three referendum proposals come to fruition, is quite daunting for our taxpayers. I do not believe that, with the data we have at this point, that we can determine the best expansion plan. Example: The new building has been proposed, but there hasn't been a comprehensive traffic study completed to review the impact it would have on adjacent neighborhoods. I think by including experts in this discussion from our community that we can come up with the best option for our students and then communicate it properly to our constituents and stakeholders.

Neuville: Quite simply, I believe the district has to demonstrate improved transparency and be more responsible with spending before putting more of my constituents’ hard-earned money up for vote a third time (the new school would be referendum No. 3). This is exactly what I’m signing up for.

Petersen: Due to rapid growth in the district, it seems inevitable that more facility space will be needed quite soon. Several options have been considered by a planning committee made up of thoughtful residents and school leaders. I believe we must continue to weigh each option, but at this time it seems a new high school, coupled with shifts in grade distributions in existing schools, provides the best opportunity to add capacity while smartly managing our long-term costs. Ultimately, the community needs to feel pride in the direction and will make the decision democratically.

Tollefson: The district needs a new building, and the data to support this is based on the steady enrollment growth since the 1990s. Advancements in technology, class offerings and learning environments have put our students at a disadvantage at our current high school building more than any other. Looking forward, growth in our area will only increase as the south bridge project moves forward. We need to address this soon and be ready to serve all kids in the future.

As a School Board member, how would you measure the success of district leadership meeting key goals? How will you hold district leaders accountable?

Hemauer: District success would continue to review the parameters by which we quantify "student success." Creating robust measures that are based on student skills, not just the number of students that go on to a four-year college, as an example. We also should continue to strive to provide open communication with parents and our community. I also am in favor of exploring close captioned video publication of our School Board meetings. This provides easier access to board discussion and decisions.

Neuville: To measure success, I'll employ SMART goals, ensuring they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Clear benchmarks tied to objectives, measurable outcomes and regular progress assessments will be implemented. Accountability lies in transparent communication, regular reporting and stakeholder engagement. Regular evaluations against SMART criteria will guide district leaders, and if goals aren't met, corrective actions and adjustments will be pursued to uphold accountability and optimize performance.

Petersen: The best organizations focus on a small number of critical and measurable goals and establish a culture of shared responsibility for achieving them. That culture must start with the School Board itself. When goals are not being met, a responsible board will look at all levels of the organization, including itself, and seek to find solutions first and blame second. A solutions-focused culture is one in which reliable and unbiased information flows freely and a spirit of cooperation exists. A board that creates these conditions can quickly identify sources of poor performance and resolve them.

Tollefson: Success in my eyes is found in the results we have in our students' achievement and participation. Continuing to have the highest achieving district in northeast Wisconsin and providing top-notch extracurricular activities for our students to participate in. Accountability in leadership’s ability to follow emerging trends, allowing the district to expand services for students to pursue new college-education-based courses but also additional and updated technical education, apprenticeship and school-to-work programs — ensuring every student feels ready to hit the ground running.

Danielle DuClos is a Report for America corps member who covers K-12 education for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at dduclos@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter @danielle_duclos. You can directly support her work with a tax-deductible donation at GreenBayPressGazette.com/RFA or by check made out to The GroundTruth Project with subject line Report for America Green Bay Press Gazette Campaign. Address: The GroundTruth Project, Lockbox Services, 9450 SW Gemini Drive, PMB 46837, Beaverton, Oregon 97008-7105.