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Candidate Profiles Located Below Election Results
Official Totals For Candidates Now Posted
Official Totals For Each Municipality Now Posted
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KARI A. BENISH
VOTES RECEIVED
City of Elroy------46
Plymouth Twnshp-----33
Wonewoc Twnshp------12
Fountain Twnshp----0
Village of Kendall----162
Village of Wilton----163
Clifton Twnshp----51
Glendale Twnshp----127
Ridgvillle Twnshp----7
Sheldon Twnshp----3
Wellington Twnshp----63
Wilton -Twnshp----73
Hillsboro Twnshp----3
Official Total----------743
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PATRICK J. DWYER
VOTES RECEIVED
City of Elroy------44
Plymouth Twnshp-----33
Wonewoc Twnshp------17
Fountain Twnshp----0
Village of Kendall----173
Village of Wilton----155
Clifton Twnshp----56
Glendale Twnshp----140
Ridgvillle Twnshp----6
Sheldon Twnshp----4
Wellington Twnshp----58
Wilton -Twnshp----72
Hillsboro Twnshp---5
Official Total----------763
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CRAIG V. HANSON
VOTES RECEIVED
City of Elroy------506
Plymouth Twnshp-----216
Wonewoc Twnshp------63
Fountain Twnshp-----0
Village of Kendall----34
Village of Wilton----25
Clifton Twnshp----16
Glendale Twnshp----56
Ridgvillle Twnshp----0
Sheldon Twnshp----0
Wellington Twnshp----21
Wilton -Twnshp----4
Hillsboro Twnshp----13
Official Total----------954
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LOUISE JENSEN
VOTES RECEIVED
City of Elroy------504
Plymouth Twnshp-----218
Wonewoc Twnshp------68
Fountain Twnshp-----0
Village of Kendall----24
Village of Wilton----19
Clifton Twnshp----13
Glendale Twnshp--45
Ridgvillle Twnshp----0
Sheldon Twnshp----0
Wellington Twnshp----13
Wilton -Twnshp----7
Hillsboro Twnshp----15
Official Total----------926
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DOUG PATH
VOTES RECEIVED
City of Elroy------36
Plymouth Twnshp-----27
Wonewoc Twnshp------10
Fountain Twnshp----0
Village of Kendall----171
Village of Wilton----176
Clifton Twnshp----58
Glendale Twnshp----122
Ridgvillle Twnshp----7
Sheldon Twnshp----4
Wellington Twnshp----74
Wilton -Twnshp----76
Hillsboro Twnshp----3
Official Total----------764
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SUE A. SCHROEDER
VOTES RECEIVED
City of Elroy------484
Plymouth Twnshp-----203
Wonewoc Twnshp------65
Fountain Twnshp-----0
Village of Kendall----26
Village of Wilton----20
Clifton Twnshp----13
Glendale Twnshp----47
Ridgvillle Twnshp----1
Sheldon Twnshp-----1
Wellington Twnshp----11
Wilton -Twnshp-----3
Hillsboro Twnshp----15
Official Total----------889
>
OFFICAL TOTAL EKW SCHOOL DISTRICT VOTES CAST
City of Elroy------1620
Plymouth Twnshp-----730
Wonewoc Twnshp------235
Fountain Twnshp-----0
Village of Kendall----590
Village of Wilton----558
Clifton Twnshp----207
Glendale Twnshp----537
Ridgvillle Twnshp----21
Sheldon Twnshp-----12
Wellington Twnshp----240
Wilton -Twnshp-----235
Hillsboro Twnshp----54
Total EKW District Votes Cast----------5039
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THE BASIC INFORMATION ON THESE CANDIDATES CAME FROM THE INTERVIEWS BY BETTY WAITE - KEYSTONE REPORTER, PRIOR TO THE FEBRUARY 16TH PRIMARY.
THE UPDATES WERE SUPPLIED BY THE CANDIDATES WITHIN THE
LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
The Updates are at the end of each Candidates Profile
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KARI A. BENISH
Husband- Frank Benish - Children: Micahel, Marcia, Mindy and Matthew. I have lived my entire life in EKW School District. I am the owner and teacher at the Children's Cottage a state licensed child care center for over 10 years
I am excited about being a candidate for the EKW School Board. I am concerned about a quality education in a positive setting for my children and all students in the district
I have knowledge of how boards operate and function as I have served on the state governed board of the Children's Trust Fund since 1992
I am also a present member of the Juneau County W-2 Steering Committee an advisory board with the LaCrosse Family Resource Center, which serves- LaCrosse, Monroe and Juneau Counties.
As a Board member I will be open minded, willing to compromise and try my best to guide the district to a high quality of education opportunities. Including the improvement of athletic facilities.
On March 31st 1999, Kari, updated her Profile Report as follows:
I am running as a candidate for the E.K.W School Board because I am concerned about the quality and enhanced education and the future for my four children and all other students in this district.
I have attended board meetings very regularly for the last seven years. I feel I have gained a lot of knowledge on school board issues and educated myself on facts and concerns throughout the district. I would like to put the knowledge I have gained to use and help make sound decisions for this district which will help now and in the future.
If elected I hope to inform the people honestly with
all the facts.
I hope to get the administration, faculty and board
to work together quickly to decide the educational needs
the students must be offered, the educational needs, we as
a district, would like to offer, and plan for educational
programs which are forthcoming in the future.
After the educational needs are laid out I plan to move forward and help design a building to incorporate these needs, wants and desires. The building to meet these needs maybe in remodeling, adding on or new.
As a board member I want to get all these facts out in the open, discussed and decisions made so we can move on and have a district everyone can be proud of.
As a board member I will be open minded, willing to compromise and try my best to guide the district to a high quality of educational opportunities, including the improvement of programs building facilities, athletic facilities, extra clubs and functions.
I hope to accomplish positive communication across the district.
As a board member I will try to look at what is best for the district today and with the future in mind to serve the next generation wisely.
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PATRICK J. DWYER
Our four children have all attended school in the EKW district and our last one will graduate this year from Royall High School.
My wife Rita, was on the school board for three years I feel that she and the board members she served with brought many good things to the district. I would like to be a part of that positive agenda.
I was raised on an area farm and graduated from Royall in 1967. I think there is too much energy going to the build or not build ...we should slow down and provide more opportunities to look at all the possibilities. The decline in enrollment is a large factor to look at. It is like building a large barn and then selling off half of your cattle.
This district has provided, doctors, lawyers and even a governor
so the education has to be good.
I like the open door staff policy, my daughter who will
graduate this year has really benefited from being able
ask for help and receive it readily.
In reply to what he felt would be the best configuration for the district. Mr. Dwyer said "I am undecided at present what would be the best configuration I feel the board, should study the effects of Walmart in Tomah and the prisons in Mauston and New Lisbon on our future enrollment. A building plan needs a lot more studying by the board.
Then when their satisfied it's the best plan, they must do a better job of selling it to the public. I feel the voters would support a well planned building even if it took a year or two to get done.
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CRAIG V. HANSON
Craig Hanson who is presently running for his third term on the EKW School Board says. "I'm am happy to be doing what are doing. I think we have brought many improvements to the district and would like to see that continue."
Hanson spoke of the major advances in technology brought to the district: "We have really advanced with computers and the district students have many things to them because of this. The Distance Learning Program has brought educational opportunities to the classroom that we could not offer without that."
Hanson noted that within the past few years several area schools have been wired for computer Internet access. I have enjoyed being a part of the improvements and realize there is more to do. I want to continue to help bring these things to the districts kids, "said Hanson.
Craig and his wife Shari have three children in the EKW district schools. Maida is a sixth grader, Sam is a freshman and their oldest daughter, Emily, is a senior at Royall.
The following was in reply to an inquiry letter I sent to all Candidates for EKW School Board.
Bill, You asked why I am running for the EKW Board of Education and how I feel about the configuration issue currently before the District. I'm happy to answer those questions.
I have been a Board member for the last six years. In that time our schools have been improved and our children have been given more exciting opportunities. Our seventh and eighth grades have been consolidated resulting in additional opportunities and equity of opportunities for that age group. We now provide a foreign language experience for these kids as well as Tech Ed and FACE opportunities. Our offerings have been expanded at Royall High School. Spanish 3 and 4 have been added as well as additional offerings in English. The Distance Learning Lab is used extensively to bring classes to Royall such as additional foreign language, Power Poetry, blueprint reading, and many others. We have raised the high school graduation requirements to help us better prepare our young people for life after Royall. Take a walk through our schools. The investment in technology is obvious. Children are learning with the aid of computers and in so doing are becoming comfortable with a machine they will use all of their life. The Internet is now accessible to all students in the EKW District. These are just a few of the accomplishments of our School over the last few years. All of this has been done without a major impact to our local tax levy. EKW is a good school district and our children are receiving a good education.
That paragraph tells you why I want to continue to serve on the EKW School Board. I want to continue to advocate for the children of this school district and continue with these kinds of educational improvements. Going forward we need to raise our expectations of our children. The kids are capable of doing even more wonderfully. We need to add opportunities where it makes sense, but even more importantly make sure the kids are getting the most out of what we have to offer now. The EKW Administration and Board have started that process by increasing our graduation requirements. In the grade school we need to bring keyboarding to the fourth grade or earlier. Also, we need to go forward with the work of our newly formed curriculum committee. This committee will help assure that we continue providing the educational needs of our children, and that they are prepared to excel on future testing and have the tools to go forward after Royall High School. Also, we need to realize that some children struggle with our schools, and we need to do what we can to keep anyone from "falling through the cracks." The challenge is to provide adequate funding for this in the face of state revenue caps and a declining or even stable enrollment. I believe it is very possible to provide the required funding for our schools and continue to hold our local tax levy at a level that is acceptable to our taxpayers. It will take cooperation and a dedication to the education of our children and it is entirely possible.
On the issue of configuration, I believe we need to consolidated our K-6 students. This is the advice given to us by our District Administrator and the teachers that have chosen to speak out on this topic. A consolidated K-6 would allow us to have proper and consistent class sizes. It would allow all of our K-6 teachers to better cooperate and collaborate. It would help assure equity of opportunities for these children. A consolidated K-6 would also greatly reduce or eliminate staff mid-day travel between school buildings. Also, a consolidated K-6 would be the most efficient way to run this school district financially. I do not support building a new 7-12 or even remodeling and adding on to Kendall to provide a 7-12 facility. The present Royall 7-12 is a fine building with adequate space and can serve us well into the future. We do need to remember that this configuration issue evolved from the need to fix up our buildings. All of our buildings, except the new elementary school in Elroy, need some work. It should be noted that remodeling the existing Royall 7-12 is estimated to cost only half as much as remodeling and adding on to the existing Kendall building or building a new 7-12. Whatever the configuration, we need to take responsibility for our buildings and make sure we continue to provide safe, clean, and cheerful environments for our kids.
Sincerely,
Craig Hanson
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LOUISE JENSEN
I have seven grandchildren and one great granddaughter attending school in the EKW school district and I have been very interested in the workings of the school district for many years having put six of my daughters through school here.
My husband and I owned and operated Jensen's Food Mart for 17 years. I worked part time at the Royal Bank for three and half years. I also was employed by Juneau county, retiring last year as Deputy Register of Deeds. During that time I also served as Vice President of the Court House Union for eight years.
After retiring I started attending school board meeting feeling that perhaps I could add some common sense approaches facing this school district. I feel that there has been too much concentration on building and not enough on renovating what we have or on education.
The first question we should ask on anything the school board decides should be, "What will it do to furthering education?, and the second is, "If it is not good for education, can the taxpayers of the district afford it.
These are the two criteria on which I would base my service to this school system should I be elected.
I do not support the present (3 site configuration) It does nothing to further education and it costs too much.
I am undecided at present as to what would be the best configuration but, it would definitely feature consolidation to no more than 2 sites and preferably, one site.
We must educate our children for the future --- a future that is ever-changing and one that requires every bit of preparation we can give them. Teachers and programs educate, buildings do not. We owe this to our children.
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DOUG PATH
Doug and wife Jan have seen four of their five children attend school in the EKW school district. The Paths have lived in the Wilton area for the past 24 years. Doug having an auto repair shop in Wilton.
Doug said, "I am always willing to listen to the desires of the people and I have continually tried to keep people informed and I always want to make sure people have their voices heard, I believe that the present Board Members are always willing to compromise. We are in an emotional and stressful situation at present and hard decisions are difficult on both sides of the table. Many good things have already been accomplished by this board."
We need a referendum so the citizens of the district can decide what they want, "Path said. Adding that, "He feels that he represents all the communities involved not just Wilton."
Doug Path, in updating his Profile keep it short and simple.
In his own words:
The configuration proposal that I would like to see in the EKW
School District is one that the voters would pass and bring the
district to a level where we could compete with other school districts
around us.
To make this district a place people would want to live in, raise their children and have the best possible education for them.
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SUE A. SCHROEDER
"Our responsibility as a Board of Education is to be financially responsible to the taxpayers in our district and educationally for all of the children,"
Schroeder, had two children attending school in the EKW district, Hanna now a sixth grader and Ryan a sophomore. Sue says "I feel we should concentrate on the kids and their education and not on the location of new buildings." She then added, "We need to consolidate all our children in order to be financially responsible and for the equity of their education."
"Since I have been on the board, we have consolidated the seventh and eight grades and that has been a very positive move but it was a tough decision the board made. Things worked out very well educationally and emotionally. Hopefully we can continue to move forward." Sue said.
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On March 31st I received this letter, from Sue, in reply to a questionnaire sent to all School Board Candidates.
Dear Bill, Thanks for all you ideas for the WEB site, so far, it has been very informative. (Thanks Sue, we appreciate that you and others feel this way) Sue went on to comment on the question of EKW School Configuration in regard to the present 3-site configuration now on the table. "I do not support the present configuration now before the district because: There are no educational benefits with building a new school, possibly there would be cuts. With a K-6 building on each end of the district, we still have not done the one thing, that last summer this Board of Education agreed upon, and that is consolidation.
The plan that I would support would have to be a consolidated K-6 building. Where the building would be located is not a major concern of mine, although I feel the place should either be Kendall or Elroy, because of the amount of students that would have to be transported. I think that we should use an existing site, with remodeling, and/or additions. The High School should remain where it is for many reasons which have all been brought up before, and don't need to be repeated.
The people of the district need to look at the money being asked for, and what it will do to improve the education of our children, and not what is "fair" for the adults arguing over property lines. Our savings with our declining enrollment will not be in building and staying all spread out, but in consolidating.
The plan on the table is asking for more-with less money than the 11.2 million presented to us. This plan still doesn't seem to meet the needs or our kids. There are still to many unanswered questions with this plan for me to support any part of it. We need to be able to make educated decisions. After all, these kids are our future.
Respectfully,
Signed (Sue Schroeder)
Treasurer, EKW School Board
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REMEMBER ELECTION DAY IS TOMORROW
TUESDAY APRIL 6, 1999
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