Advertisement Schaffner, whose hiring was approved at Monday’s Onalaska Board of Education meeting, succeeds Paul Coenen who moved closer to his family in Hayward, Wis.
This is Schaffner’s first administrative position although he said he believes his leadership at Pulaski helped prepare him for the Onalaska job. He led Pulaski’s ag program, “dealing with discipline, making difficult decisions and helping students understand why the decisions were made.”
He has been working on aligning Pulaski’s ag programs with the science curriculum so students would receive science credit for taking them, a change in curriculum that will take place this coming school year.
Schaffner was involved in the Pulaski community as a director of the Pulaski Polka Days celebration, a large-scale affair.
There were about 30 applicants for the associate principal position, according to Superintendent John Burnett. Schaffner rose to the top of the four that interviewed both in scores and also in the opinion of the administrators, teachers, board members and community members on the screening committee, Burnett said.
“The overwhelming consensus was Jared,” he said.
Board member Ann Garrity was on the screening committee. “What stuck out was he is so approachable, so passionate,” she said.
Principal Pete Woerpel endorsed Schaffner. “His ability to communicate is excellent. He ‘ummed’ five times in 90 minutes during his interview,” Woerpel joked.
The job is about respect, Burnett said. “One thing that stood out in the interview was how he spoke of his dad and his dad’s advice that ‘louder doesn’t make you righter,’” Burnett added. “We are not looking for a drill sergeant but someone who can help students understand what is expected of them.”
Schaffner’s appointment is contingent on his release from the Pulaski Community School District.
Budget ready
Educating Onalaska’s children in the public schools is expected to cost just over $27.8 million in the coming school year, with local taxpayers asked to pay almost $12.56 million. That would result in a tax rate about the same as this year, at $7.63 per $1,000 of equalized valuation. It was $7.64 in 2007-08.
The budget will be published Aug. 8 in the Onalaska Community Life and there will be a public hearing on the budget Monday, Aug. 25, at the high school board room.
The budget document is still very fluid and will be until there is the official student count the third Friday in September and the state department of revenue releases the official equalized tax base number for the district.
“We believe this will be a balanced budget in October,” district finance director Larry Dalton said.
Among news given to school board members Monday night:
n Projected equalized aid is $200,385 higher than expected. “This means the state is picking up a larger share of the bill, but we will not be allowed to spend more,” Burnett said.
n The district might be able to pay down extra debt, $700,000, a $200,000 increase, yet keep the levy about the same as 2007-08.
n The budget will allow startup advanced placement classes in French, Spanish and chemistry.
Dalton said he has tried to be very conservative in his calculations so there will not be surprises in October when student numbers, tax base and exact state aid are known.
Energy Star
Energy reduction work in the school district has resulted in Onalaska High School, Eagle Bluff Elementary and Onalaska Middle School earning the prestigious Energy Star. The Energy Star is the mark of superior energy performance and identifies a building being among the top 25 percent most efficient in the nation.
“Now, when I take the (energy company) consultants into the middle school the place is dark,” district energy manager Doug Hauser said. “It is the custodians who are getting this done.”
Bus contract
Increased school busing resulting from Onalaska’s 4-year-old kindergarten bus routes and rising fuel costs mean the schools will pay more to R.B.L. Wisconsin.
For September through May, the fuel escalator adjustment will be increased 19 percent beyond the originally agreed-upon formula. This will result in an extra $736. The total 2007-08 fuel escalator cost will be $23,133.
People
The board approved hiring Coleen Oliver as pupil services secretary. Laura Lee, special education paraprofessional at Eagle Bluff resigned.
Hired for co-curricular jobs were Brooke Brandenburg, varsity reserve volleyball head coach, and Anthony Rice, JV boys soccer head coach.
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