By Ben Rodgers
Editor
SUAMICO – There will be an at-large election on April 3 for two open seats on the Board of Education for the Howard Suamico School District.
The top two vote getters will be elected to the board.
The only incumbent running is Jeff Eilers. He is facing Vanessa Moran, Maria Lara and Tony Yaggie.
The Press sent the same questions to all candidates and gave them 250 words to answer each question.
Below are there answers in full.
Name: Jeff Eilers
Immediate family: Alex Eilers, freshman at Bay Port High School
Occupation: Retail sales clerk
Any civic groups you belong to: Boy Scouts of America, of CESA 7 Board of Control
Why are you the best candidate for the Howard-Suamico Board of Education?
I feel that over the last three terms I have been a loyal advocate for the citizens in all the school issues that have arisen and I would like to continue to advocate on behalf of all the citizens and all the students alike.
Can you describe what it means to be a thought leader? What responsibilities does that role have to you?
Being a thought leader means staying abreast of all actions that will benefit the school district and the students alike, I am one of seven who do this on a monthly basis. We continue to work with the administrative team to bring new ideas and structure to the Howard-Suamico School District and we try to keep in mind the citizens that have elected us to the very positions we hold.
The 2017 referendum failed in part due to lack of community input. What would you do as a board member to educate the community on future issues?
As I have been doing I get involved with action teams, and make it a point to go to different events and keep citizens informed of various needs of the district. I am always the first one to say the citizens are the reason we are here so any information I can get to educate them on our needs is the very information I need.
Regardless of the outcome of this year’s referendum, what does the district need to do moving forward?
The district needs to retain the teachers we have, recruit the highest possible teaching staff we can and maintain our buildings so our students can have the very best education possible and we can have the highest retention in teaching staff available, and we need to do all this without an implication of a tax burden to the taxpayers.
What role should the state play moving forward in school finance?
The state should be advocating to raise the per pupil limit so more money can come to the district for each student and allow the individual districts to have more local control as to how that money is spent.
Name: Vanessa Moran
Immediate family: Corey, husband, Valerie, daughter, and Dillon, son
Occupation/former occupation: Dean of Students at Bonduel Middle School and High School. Prior to that, I was a third and fourth grade teacher in the Howard-Suamico School District at Meadowbrook Elementary School.
Any civic groups you belong to: President of the Meadowbrook Parent School Association, Event Founder and Organizer of 2Myles4Autism, Howard-Suamico School District Citizen Action Team Outreach Committee, Member of Green Bay Community Church
Why are you the best candidate for the Howard-Suamico Board of Education?
I can bring a wide variety of diverse perspectives to the board. I taught in the district for nearly a decade. During that time, I was able to make an impact on the students in my classroom on a daily basis. While my time in the classroom may have come to an end due to pursuing an administrative role in a neighboring district, my time making an impact on the students of Howard-Suamico most certainly has not.
I have a bachelor’s degree in education and a Master’s degree in educational leadership. I hold a professional educator license and will soon be receiving my principal license as well as my licensure as a director of curriculum and instruction. I have the educational experiences and background knowledge necessary to map a strategic vision and mission that will allow students to reach their full potential.
I am also a small business owner and recognize the importance that businesses play in supporting the efforts of local schools.
Most importantly though, I am a parent of two wonderful children. My husband and I moved to the area because we recognized all the amazing opportunities that would be afforded to them in the Howard-Suamico School District. I will work to ensure that these opportunities continue to be available long into the future while also being mindful of the district’s responsibility to utilize resources wisely.
Can you describe what it means to be a thought leader? What responsibilities does that role have to you?
A thoughtful leader is one who embodies many qualities and traits, but most importantly, a willingness to listen to the ideas and opinions of others. Board members are responsible for gathering feedback from the community on a variety of important issues and then must use that input to make informed decisions.
Along those same lines, thoughtful leaders are easily recognizable by an insatiable curiosity that leads them to improve their breadth and depth of knowledge. As a board member, I will continue to be a lifelong learner and will seek out individuals who have functional expertise in order to solve complex issues. I believe the current board did a great job with this by convening the Community Task Force ahead of this year’s referendum. I would like to see this type of engagement continue as future needs arise.
Although thoughtful leaders respect the past, they tend to look ahead and develop a balanced vision that will pave the way for growth. I will continuously pursue outstanding results and will work to formulate innovative solutions in order to address the various needs of the district.
Thoughtful leaders do not waiver in in their commitment to the organization. After nearly 10 years as a teacher in the district, I have certainly proven my devotion to the students, their families, and the greater community.
The 2017 referendum failed in part due to lack of community input. What would you do as a board member to educate the community on future issues?
I am a member of the HSSD Citizen Action Team Outreach Committee, which has been focused on getting information about the referendum out to the public. I have been present at various school and community functions in order to ensure that the public is well-prepared to make a decision on April 3 . During that time, I have been listening to feedback and sharing that input with the rest of the committee, which has informed future communications.
A board member is a public servant and is charged with listening to and gathering feedback and then using that knowledge to make informed decisions that ultimately meet the needs of all stakeholders. In my current role as Dean of Students, I have gained extensive experience working with community members and listening to and addressing concerns. I will use the knowledge gained from this role to guide my work on the school board.
Finally, as a former educator, I feel that educating the community will be a natural extension of the work I have already done. Educating students was exciting and rewarding and I think educating adults will be equally as such. I will always be open to gathering input and feedback from constituents and will work to ensure that their voices are heard.
Regardless of the outcome of this year’s referendum, what does the district need to do moving forward?
School safety is a key issue and I fully support measures to protect our students. Even before the terrible tragedy that recently unfolded in Florida, school safety has always been a number one priority. We entrust our most precious resource – our children – to the school’s care and we need to know that they are safe and protected. Many measures have already been taken in order to increase school safety; however, those measures need to be re-evaluated on a continual basis in order to ensure that Howard-Suamico schools are a safe place for our students and staff.
Fiscal responsibility and transparency is also another issue that needs to be addressed moving forward. During my time as a member of the Howard-Suamico School District Compensation Committee, I gained valuable insight into how school finance works.
There are many complexities and I believe that communicating those with constituents is a key role of the board. I will work to ensure fiscal responsibility and increase transparency, and share how school funds are being utilized to support the incredible opportunities that have been, and will continue to be, available in the Howard-Suamico School District.
What role should the state play moving forward in school finance?
The importance of a strong K-12 public education cannot be overstated and yet Wisconsin’s funding formula for public schools is one that has been long acknowledged as in need of an overhaul. In 1993, revenue limits were imposed for all public school districts in the state. At that time, Howard-Suamico saw slow economic and population growth and was fiscally conservative and, due to that, got locked into a low per-pupil limit. In recent years, the district has seen substantial growth and yet the cap remains.
I believe that the district has already taken extensive measures to combat the unfair state funding formula, and I commend the administration and board for their efforts advocating for reform with state legislatures, but those efforts have not yet been successful, making a referendum necessary. The feedback from the last referendum was taken into careful consideration, leading to this new ask which will have no tax impact on property taxes and has a five-year limit. Even so, this is only a band-aide and gets the district by for the next five years. More needs to be done and the board needs to continue to advocate for a fair state funding formula that puts all public school districts in the state of Wisconsin on an even playing field.
Name: Tony Yaggie
Immediate family: My wife Kathy and I have three sons: Chris, Brad and Nick.
Occupation/former occupation: President, All Sports Marketing USA, LLC/Retired Senior Manager with the United States Postal Service
Any civic groups you belong to: Past president, Howard-Suamico Optimist Club, Past Lt. Governor, presently serving as Governor of the WINUM District of Optimist International, served on the Howard-Suamico School District, Upward Together Campaign, presently serving on the Suamico Planning and Zoning Commission, active member of St. John the Baptist Church in Howard.
Why are you the best candidate for the Howard-Suamico Board of Education?
My education with a bachelor of science degree in management at Silver Lake College, Cum Laude, along with diversity program training at St. Louis University and my experience with helping as a volunteer at a number of non-profit organizations including United Way where I served on the United Way Board of Governors in Alexandria, Virginia, and the Brown County United Way Board of Directors. I have balanced multi-million dollar budgets in my career and maintained a safe work environment for our staff and our customers while producing a highly productive workplace.
Can you describe what it means to be a thought leader? What responsibilities does that role have to you?
Being able to think through a process that considers those that you are leading. The responsibilities include maintaining a safe environment, treating people the way you want to be treated and not backing away from difficult decisions.
The 2017 referendum failed in part due to lack of community input. What would you do as a board member to educate the community on future issues?
The 2017 referendum failed because it included wording that referenced an increase in taxes would occur for a number of years. Our Howard-Suamico schools have outstanding instructors and administrators, I would encourage our taxpayers to tour our facilities to visually see the outstanding work that is being produced.
Regardless of the outcome of this year’s referendum, what does the district need to do moving forward?
Maintain its core people and continue to produce an outstanding education and sports venue.
What role should the state play moving forward in school finance?
Our state legislators need to realize the future of America is directly connected to the education we provide to our youth.
Name: Maria M. Lara
Immediate family: Husband, James Filter, daughter: Lucia L Filter, seventh grade at Bay View Middle School
Occupation/former occupation: Retired from Schneider in 2017
Any civic groups you belong to: Literacy Green Bay, Junior Achievement, NWTC President’s Diversity Council
Why are you the best candidate for the Howard-Suamico Board of Education?
I believe education plays a significant role in developing healthy and productive adults. As a community member and parent, I am deeply committed to supporting a high quality education that is achieved through fiscal responsibility.
This year I agreed to serve as part of the Community Task Force, to support our children’s education and to better understand our district’s financial challenges. I believe my personal experience and business background, as well as my role on the Community Task Force will allow me to be the thoughtful representative you need to continue our success.
You can expect me to:
• Prioritize, nurture and track student achievement
• Value and support district staff
• Align financial investments to district goals
• Promote an environment of collaboration, inclusion and transparency for the community
My background:
• Previously employed with Schneider for 20 years in various leadership roles
• Education: B.A. Political Science UCLA, MBA Wayne State University
• Hobbies: Time with family and friends, running, reading, volunteering and films
Can you describe what it means to be a thought leader? What responsibilities does that role have to you?
A thought leader is someone who is talented at discovering and developing new ideas or solutions. As school board members, we must be passionate about developing more effective ways to realize each students’ potential to learn and participate in a global society.
The 2017 referendum failed in part due to lack of community input. What would you do as a board member to educate the community on future issues?
As a board member, I will use my past business experience to gain a full understanding of the complexity of school financing and challenges our district face. It will be my priority to keep our busy residents informed on the pertinent details they need to make informed decisions that impact our school district’s success.
Regardless of the outcome of this year’s referendum, what does the district need to do moving forward?
• Provide greater transparency and justification of expenditures: All major events and/or financial decisions need to be broadcasted immediately and concisely, while also making the budget available on an ongoing basis.
• Provide greater assurance that our graduates are prepared to lead healthy and productive lives as a result of their education: The school district does an incredible job equipping our students for a successful future but needs do more to share how successful it’s been with the community. The district should duplicate what winning sports teams do after every game (after each school year in our case) – highlight what went well, identify opportunities for improvement and ensure adjustments are made accordingly.
• Engage the community in student safety: Recent tragedies have created a heightened concern for student safety. The school district should continue to seek best practices to keep children safe while on school property and engage community agencies to make student safety, on and off campus, a community effort.
What role should the state play moving forward in school finance?
Ideally, the state of Wisconsin would play a more significant role in financing our schools. Instead, it’s chosen to empower each school district, through the use of referendums, to determine the level of success their district will enjoy. This new responsibility can either leave us overwhelmed or offer us the opportunity to take control and lead. Based on our past commitment to our youth and their education, I know Howard-Suamico will chose to lead by investing in our schools while also protecting
property value.