Future of Crivitz Community Education Appears UnsettledIssue Date: May 5, 2022 The 16th annual Craft/Vendor show sponsored by Crivitz Community Education and the Crivitz Cheer Team will be held at the high school on Saturday, May 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The show is a fundraiser for Community Ed, which provides scholarships for Crivitz students and operates various programs for people, young and old, who live in the Crivitz School District.
At the Crivitz School board meeting on Wednesday, April 20, Community Education Supervisor Jolene Huc reported that everything was set for the craft show. The gym is full and vendor space has been allocated for tables outside.
However, Huc expressed doubts about the future of the entire Community Ed program in Crivitz.
Huc told the School Board that the last three Community Ed Council meetings were not held because they could not get enough members to attend. She felt this was due to the frustration of not being heard, and no other meetings are scheduled at this time.
Months ago Huc had announced plans to retire in April, and so far there appears to be no plans in the works to find a replacement. Huc said when someone asked School Board President Amy Grandaw what was being done about the Community Ed supervisor position the reply was that she knew nothing about it, and Huc said she herself also has heard nothing.
Jolene Huc's husband, Gary Huc, who is a member of the School board, said her last day of work would be on the last day of April, and expressed concern for the future of the Community Ed program. He said the supervisor position is posted, but there are no applicants. The issue will be on the agenda for the school board meeting in May.
"I am sorry I don't have a voice," Jolene Huc said in her prepared statement for the school board on April 20. "I have shared ideas that have gone nowhere. I have worked hard to keep the programs going, for example moving the craft show to the football field during the COVID restrictions." She said there were lots of positive comments and they could do it again if they promote for students to help with events.
Jolene Huc said she had provided the board with a list of community service hours for students that would help save the district money and give the kids the 12 or so hours of community service they need to meet graduation requirements unless they are involved in sports or National Honor Society. The $1,000 Community Ed Scholarship will be going to Blake Bonikowski.
She also reported on Community Ed efforts to set up a summer school swimming lessons program at the Bond Center pool in Oconto, with transportation provided. She said Crivitz Youth used to contract for swimming at the pool in Marinette, but that program now is offered only for day care students.
Later in the meeting the School Board unanimously voted to offer the swimming classes as proposed by Jolene Huc. Depending on the number of students who enroll, transportation will be by Crivitz school bus or a school van. The pool can accommodate up to 50 students, and charge will be $40 per student.
At the start of the meeting Building and Grounds Committee Chair Mike Dama reported that they had agreed to recommend a contractor to install air conditioning in the High School gym, and later in the meeting the board approved the proposal. Dama said they are hoping the air conditioning will reduce humidity in the gym to keep the new hardwood floor from getting slippery and make it last longer.
He said having air conditioning available will make it possible to participate in some summer indoor sports leagues.
Dama said the committee had agreed they should table a proposed access road from the far side of the high school property for now, but move forward with a proposal for a gravel driveway that will be kept gated but be available if needed for emergency ingress and egress. Bids for paving the proposed road had ranged from $25,176 to $82,057.
The board chose Gary Huc to serve on its High School Scholarship Committee, and Kris Heidewald to serve as Crivitz representative to the CESA 8 annual convention.
They approved the CESA 8 Educational Services contract for 2022-2023 for a total of $399,987. The total is higher than last year, but there is actually a reduction in overall cost for services, since an occupational therapist staff member that Crivitz had shared with Wausaukee will now be working for CESA 8, which results in an overall savings of several thousands of dollars.
The board accepted resignations of Kindergarten Teacher Pam Rickman effective at the end of the school year; Food Service Employee Christine Hanson, effective June 2, and paraprofessionals JoAnn Swick, Barb Kroll and Aimee Barley, effective June 2.
Elementary Principal Kelly Robinson moderated the meeting in the absence District Administrator Patrick Mans, whose retirement is also coming in the near future. The District is seeking someone to fill the Elementary Principal position that Robinson will be vacating to accept the District Administrator post, but a replacement had not yet been found.
Hiring of Kennedy Nelson as a substitute teacher, Danielle Kroll as a substitute paraprofessional, and Kasey Glander as an assistant golf coach were approved.
Also approved were Chad Schroeder as the summer lawn/maintenance employee and Bryan Anderson and Sierra Cooper as summer Information Technology help, along with a long list of chaperones, plus Counselors and Junior Counselors for the Camp Bird stay from Monday, May 2 through Friday, May 6.
The board approved renewal of the employee health insurance plan through the CESA 8 consortium with what was termed a reasonable 5.5 percent rate increase that totals $88,082, plus the dental plan through the consortium with the same $85,864 cost as last year. Providers are Wisconsin Counties Association and Delta Dental. The employee life insurance plan was renewed for two years at a no cost increase of $8,403.
Also approved were the student accident insurance program through First Agency, at an annual cost of $8,580, which is actually down $1,020 from the current year, and bids for computers, Chromebooks and copy machines as recommended by IT Coordinator Nick Schram.
High School/Middle School Principal Jeff Baumann reported that preparations for graduation at noon on Saturday, May 21, were well underway, and the senior graduation meeting with students had included discussion on graduation, scholarships and grades leading up to the end of the year. The seniors have been ready to graduate since mid-December, Baumann declared.
Juniors had spent the day of March 22 taking the ACT test, and Seniors had spent the day doing their ACP presentations and taking part in the mock interviews that serve as the culmination of the work they do in Academic and Career Planning. He said the day had gone very smoothly thanks to the extensive planning done by Mrs. Graves. He thanked board members Amy Grandaw, Kayla Ihde, Kris Heidewald and Lyle Cherry, who served as judges for the ACP presentations and interviews.
The board was told the school's Hi-Q team had a very successful season. They were regional champions and took second place at nationals. Team starters were Abrielle Bauer, Alexia Weiss, Jessica Gromoski, Vanessa Kaus, Jacob Behrendt, Fox Gerner and Philip Angel.
TheQuiz Bowl team had its last competition of the season on Saturday, April 9 in madison.
The Forensics Team competed in Madison on Friday, April 8. Team members Marcus Eiting, Jessica Gromoski, Bella Galndo, Vanessa Kaus and Brooke Marlatt individually earned bronze medals. Maggie Dama earned a silver medal, Grace Dama earned a gold medal with an informative speech, and Nolan Pomeroy earned a gold medal doing humorous solo acting.
Tom White, director of Buildings, Grounds and Transportation, reported that bids or remediation and repair of the exterior insulation finishing system at the middle school/high school building are due in the district office on Thursday, May 12. The project is part of the five-year district facilities plan. Another part of the 5-year plan is addition of a cooling system for the elementary school data wiring closet, and White is obtaining bids.
White reported that the tornado shelter areas and evacuation routes for the high school building had to be redesigned due to the additional population of 7th and 8th grade students when the former high school building became the middle school/high school building. White thanked Baumann and Mrs. Graves for help in developing what he believes is a solid plan for their upcoming tornado drill.
Quotes for the roof total repair project at the elementary school were due by the end of he day on Friday, April 22 and work could start once a contractor is selected.
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