By Press Times Staff
DE PERE – The April 6 ballot is set for the West De Pere school board election with Ryan Van Den Heuvel facing Jamie Kinjerski.
In the February primary, Van Den Heuvel outpolled Kinjerski, 680 votes to 509.
Both are running for the seat held by Tom Van De Hei, who decided not to seek reelection.
The Press Times emailed each candidate the same questions and gave them 100 words to respond to each.
Ryan Van Den Heuvel
Why should people vote for you?
I was born a Phantom.
I have been a Phantom for over 40 years.
My wife is a Phantom.
My children are Phantoms.
My grandmother was a cook at West De Pere High School.
My mother works at the middle school.
My mother-in-law and father-in-law are both retired Phantom teachers.
Aunts, uncles, cousins – all Phantoms.
I care very deeply about our district and the children that are raised in it.
Being active in our community and seeing our kids succeed gives me a great sense of Phantom Pride.
With growth projected in Hobart and Lawrence, what does the district need to do to ensure building space for more resident students?
Without more data it’s hard for me to give a complete answer to this question.
However, the simple answer is that whenever you see potential for growth, the procurement of land for the purpose of building schools would be a necessity.
Once you have the land, you would have to consider which demographic you need to accommodate for growth purposes.
Other things, such as busing, traffic patterns, etc. figure into this equation as well.
What role should the state have in funding K-12 education in West De Pere?
Our board should continue working with the administration to make sure that our locally elected officials know exactly what funds we need in order to ensure that our students have a successful education.
The costs for educating our kids isn’t going down, and we need to make sure that our voice is heard in Madison through our local representatives.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the quality of education in West De Pere, and what should be done regarding educational quality post-pandemic?
I’d like to take this time to thank our teachers and administrators.
They have shown what true leadership is all about throughout this pandemic.
Administrators/teachers were tasked with a difficult situation, and I thought they did a fantastic job keeping our kids in school.
Some students are more inclined to study on their own, while others need accountability that comes with in-person learning.
Post-pandemic, parents and teachers together are going to have to assess where students are at so they can figure out a path that will give the student the best chance of having a successful education.
What are the district’s top educational priorities the next three years?
Without talking to the administration, it’s hard for me to prioritize what should be happening at Westwood, Hemlock, intermediate, middle, Knight or the high school.
Having a healthy relationship with our students and staff is very important to me; making sure that they have what they need to be successful will always be my priority.
As a board, we need to continue to work with the administration to keep kids in school and continue with our extra-curricular activities.
Jamie Kinjerski
Why should people vote for you?
I have taught, coached and volunteered in our local public schools.
In my current role, I help clients make appropriate, cost-effective decisions.
My decision to run didn’t start with the concerns about reopening our schools.
I have wanted to run for the school board since my children started school and have been attending board meetings for many years.
I understand the role of the school board and the importance of not having a personal agenda.
It is important to listen to all constituents and stakeholders before making a decision.
My goal is to faithfully represent all members of the community.
With growth projected in Hobart and Lawrence, what does the district need to do to ensure building space for more resident students?
Be proactive.
Growth in our school district is not slowing down.
We cannot wait until our schools are near capacity to make decisions.
The district has already been planning for future growth by re-evaluating the current boundaries between Hemlock Creek and Westwood Elementary schools.
They are also evaluating the need for an additional elementary school as current capacities are reached.
The district should ask the community for feedback throughout the planning process and work with other districts that have experienced similar expansion to establish a long-range plan to address the projected growth.
What role should the state have in funding K-12 education in West De Pere?
Public schools are supported by our local property taxes and state and federal funding.
Per the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction website, approximately 45 percent of the district’s funding comes from the state, based on a variety of formulas.
The district needs this funding to continue providing high-quality teachers, facilities and instructional programs.
The state Legislature determines the amount of available funding.
The formulas were last updated in the 1970s, and they do not address the current needs of school districts throughout the state.
Changes are necessary to better balance the needs of WDP and all Wisconsin school districts.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the quality of education in West De Pere, and what should be done regarding educational quality post-pandemic?
The first thing that needs to be done is to determine how the educational quality has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
We will need to analyze student achievement data and use it to pinpoint areas/subjects where the district should focus.
This may include identifying student strengths as well as identifying areas that may require additional support.
Once the district has the post-pandemic data, it already has the structure to support these needs.
The schools have coaches and interventionists who can help students and teachers with the additional instruction necessary to enhance overall educational quality.
What are the district’s top educational priorities the next three years?
We have all been strained emotionally throughout the pandemic and remaining attentive to the mental health needs of our students and district staff is paramount.
Our community and school district will need to work together to reintegrate our students and teachers into their classrooms as restrictions are lifted.
Keeping students, teachers and staff safe and supported should also be a top priority.
This includes evaluating student academic progress to ensure students are on track at their respective grade levels and increasing student engagement in athletics and other extracurricular activities to promote learning outside the classroom.