By Press Times Staff

GREEN BAY – Two incumbents will face two challengers April 6 for two seats on the Green Bay school board.

Incumbents Rhonda Sitnikau and Andrew Becker will face a challenge from Nancy Welch and Bryan Milz.

Sitnikau was appointed to her seat in 2017, and won reelection in 2018, garnering the most votes (9,182) in a field of six candidates.

Becker was recently honored for serving 20 years on the school board.

Both Welch and Milz have previous experience in education.

The top two vote-getters will earn a three-year term on the board.

The Green Bay school district has more than 21,000 students and is the fourth largest school district in Wisconsin.

The Press Times emailed each candidate the same questions and gave them 100 words to respond to each.

Rhonda Sitnikau

Why should people vote for you?

When people vote for me, they are choosing a candidate with a proven record of fierce advocacy for students, staff and community members.

I’ve been a longtime community advocate and volunteer.

From food insecurity initiatives to neighborhood concerns, I have always invested my time and energy to support a thriving community ecosystem.

As a single parent, I am navigating the public school system along with other families having to make tough decisions along the way.

Because of this, I’m used to weighing information to keep moving forward regardless of the intensity.

My tenacity is ever present.

Rhonda Sitnikau

How would you describe the district’s handling of COVID-19 and the return to in-person learning?

The district did a great job facilitating the virtual learning format at the beginning of the pandemic.

Teachers had to jump into something most could never have imagined.

But despite a valiant effort on their part, the all-virtual-learning format has proven to create many negative consequences.

Students are experiencing depression, isolation, suicidal ideation and academic loss related to being locked out of the support from their teachers and peers.

We must use the CDC guidelines to provide the best relief we can to prevent further collateral damage.

How should the district operate if a department like food service had to shut down due to a COVID-19 outbreak?

Ironically, the district has provided food service via pick up or delivery from the onset of the pandemic last spring to present day.

I’m confident that with the proven safety protocols and practices, the district would be able to flex and pivot where necessary.

As a board member, I would take all new information and apply it accordingly.

How can the district attract more students through open enrollment and retain resident students?

At this time, the needs of our families currently enrolled need to be prioritized.

Many families are jumping ship to leave for other districts who are providing the services they desperately need.

Customer service matters.

This is a critical component of reducing funding issues.

Additionally, prioritizing budgets that support the classroom first will go a long way.

Reduce the top-heavy overhead and commit financially to the student experience.

Families are consumers who deserve consideration and continued reasons to choose our district.

With so much choice in education today, we need to stay competitive and not rely on allegiance.

What needs to change in the Green Bay school district?

As a result of this past year, more people are tuned in to the school board and district business.

Elevating community engagement and customer service to our families will be crucial.

We must recognize and prepare for the significant social/emotional needs on deck.

The achievement gaps have widened and will need to be addressed as well.

Politics cannot drive this work. We must commit to a student centered approach.

The classroom has to be the priority and should be reflected in budgets as well as intentional work around equity.

Andrew Becker

Why should people vote for you?

With 20 years of experience on the board, I have a strong understanding of what works well and what doesn’t work well in the Green Bay Area Public Schools.

Over the years I have played a major role in dramatically reducing the expulsion rate and expanding options for kids and families.

We have completed major building improvements districtwide, while keeping tax rates level.

And most importantly, I have always made decisions after listening to all sides of an issue – not just the viewpoint of the administration.

I have demonstrated this independent leadership from the start.

Andrew Becker

How would you describe the district’s handling of COVID-19 and the return to in-person instruction?

As COVID-19 levels dropped, it was clearly time to transition to in-person learning.

I voted “yes” on the return to the blended model on March 1 while insisting that virtual options remain in place for those who need them.

Teachers and staff have worked incredibly hard to provide the best possible virtual experience and transition to in-person and it is great to see our kids excited to be back.

Early on, I proposed making sure all kids had a place to go during virtual, such as district-operated virtual learning support centers, but unfortunately these proposals did not pass.

How should the district operate if a department, like food service, had to shut down due to a COVID-19 outbreak?

An advantage of a large district is that we have more of a pool of people to draw from in the event of an emergency situation.

If a large number of people were absent from a key department, I believe we would be able to pull things together and find enough help to avoid a shutdown.

It is more likely that a school would have to close temporarily due to a COVID-19 outbreak versus a department being unable to operate, and I believe we have good plans in place if a school has to go back to virtual temporarily.

How can the district attract more students through open enrollment and retain resident students?

We need to continue the work we have been doing to create unique programs that will keep students excited about staying in Green Bay and draw in students from other districts.

Expanding programs like John Dewey Academy of Learning and NEW Innovation School will be a key to this, and we need to continue looking for and trying new ideas to meet the needs of kids and families.

Smaller class size is also important – people leaving the district have mentioned class size as a reason.

Class size will be a top priority for me during the next three years.

What needs to change in the Green Bay school district?

We need to lower class sizes while developing the right learning options that will ensure students and families want to stay in the district.

We have come a long way on seeking out and listening to public input, but we can do better.

Restarting the districtwide Parent Advisory Council is one important step in that direction.

We also need board members willing to ask tough questions and provide checks and balances in the decision-making process, and I believe I have consistently demonstrated that I am ready and willing to do that.

Nancy Welch

Why should people vote for you?

People should vote for me because I will provide a voice of experience and professionalism while advocating for students, families and staff.

I have lived in Green Bay my entire life, and we raised and schooled our children here.

Education is my passion and life’s work, and I have taught students at all levels from kindergartners to adults.

With 40 years of broad classroom experience, I understand the challenges and opportunities our students and families face, especially during this transition back to in-person learning.

We have a period of adjustment ahead, and experienced guidance will be critical to our success.

Nancy Welch

How would you describe the district’s handling of COVID-19 and the return to in-person instruction?

I am proud of how resilient and creative our students, families, staff and community have been over the past year.

Now that students and teachers are returning to the classroom, I think the focus of the board, district and community must pivot to the safety and emotional well-being of our students, families, teachers and staff, as well as developing a plan to address opportunities for improvement that were revealed during the pandemic.

All discussions moving forward must be student-focused.

As a career educator with broad experience, I am prepared to amplify their voices.

How should the district operate if a department, like food service, had to shut down due to a COVID-19 outbreak?

If GBAPS can’t provide essential services, it may have to temporarily return to a virtual model.

However, there is an age-old idiom, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

We are all in this together.

We must get out in front of the issue and reduce virus spread by following CDC guidelines.

Vaccinate our essential workers.

Follow established protocols for community testing and quarantining, adopt procedures for in-school testing and contact tracing, and expand our substitute staff.

Stopping something before it happens is smarter and more effective than trying to resolve it after.

How can the district attract more students through open enrollment and retain resident students?

The board should focus on improving its product: educating our youth.

We must prioritize universal and age-appropriate curriculum, overhaul testing, allow teachers flexibility to inspire a joy of learning and promote less stress and more success for our kids.

We should also continue to invest in and expand the choices available to GBAPS students.

We must also recruit diverse, top-notch teachers and retain them by engaging, respecting and empowering them.

A high-quality, individualized education provided by the best teachers and staff will attract and keep families in our district.

What needs to change in the Green Bay school district?

We need to think and act as a team.

This team includes students, families, teachers, administrators, community stakeholders, taxpayers and board members.

We won’t always agree, but we should be respectful, professional and collaborative.

It is what we teach our children, and we should lead by example.

I believe that the people best able to improve our schools are those who work in them.

Listen when they call for consistent curriculums, less testing, and a focus on student success and not distress.

My platform is to inspire a joy of learning, through common focus, teamwork and shared commitments.

Bryan Milz

Why should people vote for you?

As a teacher, coach, sports official and parent of two GBAPS students, I’ll bring my vast experience and broad perspective to the table.

I have a clear understanding of policies and public education law.

I have dedicated my life to improving public education.

I’m a member of the New York Times Learning Network Teaching Project, which adds to my local and national network of educators and administrators, who I can discuss what is and isn’t working in education, and how we can successfully implement change.

As a sports official, I function calmly under pressure, and treat everyone professionally and respectfully.

Bryan Milz

How would you describe the district’s handling of COVID-19 and the return to in-person instruction?

For the safety of all, I supported the vote that returned students to school once staff members had the opportunity to be vaccinated.

I am glad that staff have begun to be vaccinated, and despite the frequent changes in expectations and guidelines, my fellow educators have stepped up to prepare and deliver quality instruction.

District staff have done well to ensure that students have a safe learning environment, and instruction can be delivered in multiple settings.

Staff continue to provide support, and to help students learn in the setting that they feel most comfortable in.

How should the district operate if a department, like food service, had to shut down due to a COVID-19 outbreak?

If the district is unable to provide essential in-person services, they must be ready to switch to remote learning quickly and without interruption to teaching and learning.

I’m confident that our skilled and dedicated staff members will continue to step up to help make sure we can provide the best possible environment for our students to learn.

To avoid this scenario, I encourage students, families, staff and our community to practice sound mitigation strategies, wear masks and stay home when not feeling well.

This is the most effective way to keep our district open and our students in the classroom.

How can the district attract more students through open enrollment and retain resident students?

One of the great strengths of GBAPS is the variety of educational opportunities, and we should vigorously promote that to our families and neighboring communities.

Whether it’s the OAKS Learning Center, our K-12 International Baccalaureate Program, our dual-language programs, our technical education programs, or our charter schools, GBAPS is meeting the diverse needs of our community, helping them become successful community members, and preparing them to write their own story in a changing world.

My family’s confidence in the quality of educational opportunities is the reason why my wife and I are proud to have children learning in the GBAPS.

What needs to change in the Green Bay school district?

The challenges facing the district have existed prior to COVID, but have become more apparent since then.

We need to continue to support growth for our children that are struggling, including our English Language Learners and Special Education students.

We need to address equity issues, and have a curriculum that reflects our students.

We will need to address the overcrowding of some schools, while increasing enrollment in others.

We need to celebrate the positive things occurring in our district.

We need to return our board to treating each other with respect.

Be kind.