Gillett School Board

Gillett board considers hiring an SRO

Published by admin on Mon, 04/22/2024 - 1:01pm

Members of the Gillett School Board want to see some numbers before they commit to hiring a school resource officer to interact with students.

The board heard a presentation from local law enforcement and emergency officials about the advantages of having a police officer or sheriff’s deputy stationed at a school to be available when help is needed.

“This is much more than just purely a law enforcement role, they are actually part of what they do at the school,” said Tracy Ondik, director of the Gillett Ambulance Service, before introducing Police Chief Shane Breitenbach.

Gillett considers school resource officer

Published by admin on Mon, 04/08/2024 - 12:47pm

The Gillett School Board may hear a recommendation April 18 to establish a school resource officer who would serve as a liaison among students, staff and law enforcement.

Tracy Ondik, director of the Gillett Area Ambulance Service as well as an Oconto County Board supervisor, gave a presentation about the idea to the school board March 21, and Superintendent Wayne Johnson said it was anticipated as a possible action item for the April meeting.

Gillett School Board sanctions new clubs

Published by admin on Mon, 02/19/2024 - 3:39pm

The Gillett School Board voted unanimously Feb. 15 to officially sanction three new clubs — the Esports Club, Powerlifting Club and the Fishing Club.

Each of these new clubs has come about in a different way, secondary principal Shawn Limberg told the board.

A group of students approached high school math teacher Jacob Norman about forming a competitive esports team after the M&O Conference discontinued the Academic Quiz Bowl last year, Limberg said.

Gillett board sets 2023-24 school budget

Published by admin on Tue, 10/31/2023 - 12:24pm

The Gillett School Board made a slight increase in the property tax levy Oct. 26 before giving final approval to an $11.1 million budget for the 2023-24 school year.

School districts must finalize their annual budgets after the beginning of the fiscal year, which is July 1, because the state of Wisconsin does not provide final numbers on school aid until mid-October. District bookkeeper Heather Schowalter said the state aid figures came in Oct. 13 this year.

ELL surge stresses Gillett school resources

Published by admin on Tue, 10/31/2023 - 12:19pm

Gillett School District resources are being stressed by an influx of students who speak little or no English, and the school board plans to work on doing a better job of meeting their educational needs.

Superintendent Wayne Johnson mentioned the issue Oct. 26 during a report on a board planning retreat that took place a few days earlier, on Oct. 21.

After a discussion on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, the seven-member board developed three overriding board goals in addition to administrative goals that were already in place, Johnson said.

Gerbers recognized by state Rural Schools Alliance

Published by admin on Mon, 10/30/2023 - 3:30pm

Cliff Gerbers, longtime treasurer of the Gillett School Board, has been named Board of Education Member of the Year by the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance.

The award was presented Oct. 23 during the alliance’s annual state conference, held this year at the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells.

Gerbers was first elected to the school board in 1983 and has been treasurer for 39 of those 40 years. He and his wife, Mary, were grand marshals of the 2017 Gillett Independence Day Parade.

Cameras to monitor Gillett school buses

Published by admin on Tue, 08/22/2023 - 9:26am

The Gillett School Board voted Aug. 17 to approve a committee recommendation to spend up to $5,000 on security cameras to monitor behavior on district school buses.

Board member Jamie Heroux said the buildings and grounds committee has been seeking a solution to behavioral issues on the buses for some time.

“We’ve discussed school bus security probably over the course of the last years,” Heroux said. “We’ve struggled with having enough school bus drivers to run routes and had to put extra personnel on the buses sometimes to maintain the safety of those buses.”

Gillett needs teacher for Spanish-speaking kids

Published by admin on Tue, 08/22/2023 - 9:20am

The Gillett School Board has asked administrators to step up their efforts to find an English language learning (ELL) teacher for district students.

Superintendent Wayne Johnson said there are 29 students scheduled to start school Sept. 1 for whom English is not their primary language. Most of them are Spanish-speaking.

He asked the board to think about students who must sit in a classroom trying to learn when they can’t understand what the teacher is saying.

“We can’t let these 29 children fail,” Johnson said. “It’s not their fault. They deserve a shot.”

School budget looks positive — for now

Published by admin on Tue, 08/22/2023 - 8:51am

The 2023-24 Gillett School District budget is showing a surplus, but the real challenge will come in a year, the district’s financial director reported to the school board Aug. 17.

Heather Schowalter told the board that the district has $8.9 million in general fund revenues available after a successful referendum last fall, and estimated expenses of roughly $8.7 million.

Lenz leaving Gillett School Board

Published by admin on Tue, 07/25/2023 - 8:37am

Former Gillett School Board president Ron Lenz is resigning from the board effective Aug. 1.

Lenz is moving out of the school district for personal reasons. He has been on the board since April 2017 and was just re-elected to a third three-year term this past April.

“I met someone; we’ve been seeing each other for about a year,” said Lenz, whose wife of 43 years died in 2020. The couple will be closing on the purchase of a home closer to her native Wausau around Aug. 4, he said.