4 candidates seek 3 seats on Beaver Dam School Board

Incumbents Marge Jorgensen and John Kraus Jr. along with challengers Heather Scholz and Steve Rydzewski are on Tuesday’s ballot. Rydzewski is also running for a seat on the Dodge County Board.

Gary Spielman, who has served for more than 30 years on the School Board, is not seeking re-election.

Introduction of candidates

Rydzewski said he is the father of two daughters and is trying to be involved more in the community now that his daughters are adults.

“There is lots going on in our county, and I want to be involved,” Rydzewski said. “I think I would add a lot to the boards. I am a manager. I have worked in the food industry for 30 years almost.”

Kraus said he has been on the School Board for 12 years and has held numerous leadership positions on the board and is currently vice president. He and his wife run a farm outside of Beaver Dam. They have two adult children. He has been on the Calamus Town Board for 28 years, the last eight years as chairman. Kraus also serves on the Dodge County Board.

Jorgensen has been on the School Board for 18 years and is currently the board’s clerk.

“When you are a School Board member, your responsibilities are kind of different than when you are a parent,” Jorgensen said. “Because you have to look at all the kids in school and all the staff and everything like that and our responsibility is wider, and that is why I’m running again.”

Scholz said she graduated from Beaver Dam High School and is a business owner. She is also married to a Beaver Dam High School graduate. The couple’s oldest child is in college, while their youngest attends Beaver Dam Middle School.

“I’ve been thinking of running for the board for three or four years now,” Scholz said. “I really want to be a voice of reason in the community. A parent voice. Sometimes that gets a little lost.”

Questions on middle school

The candidates were asked about their thoughts on addressing the facility issues at the middle school. The School Board has been looking at possibilities that may include a referendum question to build a new Beaver Dam Middle School. Residents will begin receiving surveys in the mail next month to gauge community thoughts about projects for the school.

Rydzewski said he has toured the school and still wants to see the data and find out not only what needs to be done but what on the list are wants.

“You have to take a hard look at the building in total,” Rydzewski said. “What needs to be done right now, and what to plan. You just have to look hard at the data and take a look at what the priorities are. We have to prioritize the spending. We can’t just replace things because they are at their life cycle because it has a 25-year warranty, and it is 25 years old.”

Kraus said the district does know the needs of the school and the future needs for the building.

“The building is over 100 years old, and if we need to make changes in it to get it where it needs to be, it will cost us $20 million,” Kraus said. “If we do a complete renovation, we will be in the $70 (million), and if we build new, we will be in the $80 (million).”

Kraus said he is in favor of building a new school because at some point the community will have to do so and there are other aging buildings that will need to be looked at in the future.

“The campus is not big enough,” Kraus said of the middle school. “It is not in a safe place. There is no parking.”

Jorgensen said the board has been hiring firms to look at the middle school building and there are needs that include issues with heating and wiring, the level of water coming into the building from the ground, and the roof constantly requiring repairs.

Scholz said she hasn’t decided on what path to take. But whatever plan the district adopts, it will need to go to referendum because of the cost of the three possible solutions for the school.

“I think the community really needs to take the lead on that and do the survey,” Scholz said.

Candidates question each other

Kraus asked fellow candidates what challenges they were proud of in the district. Rydzewski said he was proud of many of the teachers and district itself.

Scholz said that the district has great spirit not only in sports, but the students are proud of the district.

Jorgensen asked how the candidates felt about voucher schools and the funding for public schools.

“I’m not really opposed to vouchers,” Scholz said. “I don’t personally see a reason to go outside of the public school system. My kids had a good education and are continuing. I do understand why some people want to for something like smaller class sizes.”

Scholz said she understands how vouchers could cause a burden to school funding but there is a reason parents are going elsewhere and districts should work at finding out why the students are leaving.

Kraus said he is pro choice but does not like the voucher program.

“It takes money from our district and gives it to the private schools,” Kraus said.

It costs the district about $11,000 per year for each student who attends private school, Kraus said.

Rydzewski said the voucher program shows there are areas to improve in the public school system.

“I think vouchers are the biggest threat to public schools,” Jorgensen said. “For one thing, they don’t have to follow the same rules as the public school system. Our kids must take an exam every year, the voucher schools do not. They also do not have to have open meetings. We do. There are other things that the standards are different, and it isn’t right. The biggest thing is the Legislature never asked the public if they wanted their property tax money to pay for voucher schools.”

Scholz said she has had some concerns about students’ proficiency levels.

Kraus said the district is meeting or exceeding expectations, but he knows there is room for improvement and that will take time but there is a plan in place to get there.

Closing statements

Rydzewski said he believes it is time for some new blood and some fresh ideas on the School Board. The board should be working harder to raise student understanding in core subjects, and Rydzewski said he felt the board had work to do.

“I am very proud of our district,” Kraus said. “Our families, our kids, our staff and all aspects of it.”

Kraus said he believes he can make tough decisions even when he doesn’t agree with it, and he does not come in with a personal agenda.

Jorgensen said she believes the current board members have done a wonderful job together and work well together even when they disagree on things.

Scholz said she would like to be in a position where she advocates for the students and the policies that benefit them.

“New board members can come with fresh ideas,” Scholz said. “You can become complacent after a while.”