POLITICAL:

Are the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates collecting money, re-grouping, and catching a spirited 2'nd wind for the home stretch? (Or has everyone, including the press, lost complete interest because they all are starting to sound the same?)

When will someone explain why being "Tough on Crime?" is so vitally important in the Gableman vs Butler Supreme Court election? (And no..."just because" doesn't work for me)

Why has Waukesha Mayor Larry Nelson (a declared Democrat) suddenly become a lightning rod for Republican criticism? (Is it possible the GOP finally added up presidential primary results in Waukesha and realized Democrat votes far outnumbered the Republican faithful?)

COMMUNITY:

Waukesha School Superintendent David Schmidt is retiring. There will be a "send-off" luncheon at the Country Springs Hotel on April 10'th. Co-sponsored by the Waukesha Education Foundation and the Waukesha Chamber of Commerce, there are more groups offering plaudits than time available for speakers. A nice tribute to a man who will be missed. Call the Chamber for details @ 262-542-4249.

Retired Waukesha North Marching Band Director Jim Doepke remains active during retirement. He has announced his desire to play the National Anthem on the trumpet at all Major League Ballparks. Commissioner Bud Selig has endorsed this and we wish Jim the very best!

Kudos to the various Departments of Public Works who kept the streets clear this winter. Let's try to remember the costs connected with this year when their budgets are blown by the end of the third quarter.

We in Waukesha will all feel the loss of Senior Journal Sentinel Editor Bruce Gill who passed away at the young age of 56. He was instrumental in bringing the Waukesha Bureau the resources to showcase the goings-on in our Community. He will be remembered as a class act.

FAMILY:   

Upcoming trip to Mexico with four families holds promise of relaxation, sun, warmth, friendship, and many memories for the upcoming year. (Why do "Dirty Monkeys" and "Miami Vice" beverages only taste good in warm climates?)

Spring Fever has gripped our family. How long before the ice is gone from Okauchee Lake??

 

Last night we visited Frame Park and took in the 2007 Badgerland Water Ski Show. While enjoying the show, a wave of memories surfaced…

Our entire family joined the Badgerland Team in the mid-90’s. As parents, we were simply hoping our young kids would learn to ski more proficiently. Well – things don’t always turn out as you planned. Our kids certainly became proficient skiers, but their club opportunities and experiences continue to play huge roles in their lives more than 12 years later.

Team History
Badgerland was formed 24 years ago and has skied on Nagawicka Lake, Silver Lake, Lake Keesus, Fowler Lake, and on the Fox River within Frame Park. In addition to numerous WI State Championships, they are past National Champions. They consistently place in the “TOP 10” Nationally to this day. Family-oriented, the shows feature skiers and performers aged 4 to 70! The Show Skiing; pyramids, barefooting, jumping, water ballet, swivel skis and more, is a colorful, fast-paced blend of precision skiing coupled with an ongoing stage show (you know…good guys vs. bad guys…good guys get the girls!).


The Family - Then!
As a direct result of Badgerland, our kids gained poise, believe in teamwork, understand the need for practice and discipline, developed stage presence, and learned the values inherent from skiing with “The Best”. They performed at Summerfest, Harleyfest, Riverfest, and countless road shows criss-crossing the Country. Quite literally, they helped bring that “Badgerland Magic” to hundreds of thousands of fans. Kelly and Caitlin have been on world-record pyramids; the Club has been on all the local television networks, ESPN, Outdoor Life, and the list goes on… Our oldest, Kelly, traveled as a high school senior with several team members to China in 2002 where they competed against the Chinese National Team – once in front of +100,000 spectators! As an aside, volunteer clubs get everyone involved. Before I knew it, my summers were spent on hot stages as an announcer, initially in a full tux playing the role of a casino owner followed by turns as a tribal chieftain in a grass skirt; a camp counselor in knee socks; and worse.

The Family – Fast Forward to today!
Kelly, Jordan, and Caitlin are tremendous skiers with abilities to swivel, jump, barefoot, and even climb 20 feet in the air on water-skiing pyramids! Like most club members, past and present, they are natural performing hams who love making difficult skiing appear effortless. More importantly, our “kids” show little or no fear towards public speaking; they interface well in group activities; they have instructed and introduced dozens of younger kids to their first-time “up” on skis; and it’s now obvious to us the many positives show-skiing played in their development. One of Kelly’s recent job interviews ended with the interviewer asking her all about her show-skiing experiences - she got the job!


The banks of the Fox River came alive last night as boat after boat brought the grace, beauty, splendor, comedy, speed, and excitement of Badgerland Show Skiing to (almost) Downtown Waukesha. With the season winding down, there are still 2 remaining 6:30 Wednesday evening shows. And the shows are free!!

…Now wouldn’t it have been great if I had learned to ski?

In one of my other endeavors, I serve as Chair of the Waukesha Education Foundation (WEF).
The WEF raises money to give back to the District in grants, scholarships, and endowments. These funds can only be used for programs and opportunities outside of traditional education rigor. In short, the WEF accentuates the learning experiences for the students in the Waukesha School District.

As the WEF Chair, my proximity to the District often encourages comments from parents and other concerned parties about the extreme financial challenges confronting Waukesha schools. After explaining what the WEF can and cannot do, their follow-up questions mostly deal with "How bad is it really?" and "Why isn't anybody doing anything about it?"

Answer to question #1: It's bad...really bad! And unless something changes, almost immediately, it will have a compounding effect which will be felt by students, parents, teachers, area businesses (employers), real estate agents, and everyone else in the path of this ripple. Larger average size classes, continued cuts in staffing, elimination of "unneeded" (band, sports, drama, clubs, DECA) programs, and many more cuts are awaiting us in the upcoming years.
Alarmist opinion??!! No - Much more a realist approach!!

On to question #2: No one person can do anything about it! The basic State funding program (forged in the mid-90's) increases the amount of money for the District in lesser amounts then the District's costs increase. In this scenario, and in order to balance the budget, cuts must be made. One can argue where to cut costs including educator salaries and benefits, class size, get back to "readin', writin', and 'rithmetic," and many other theories. The facts are; Cuts are happening as you read this and every local, legal remedy is being considered by the Waukesha School Board.
In summary: "District funding is insufficient to maintain status quo, and there is nothing any one person can do!" There are opportunities for change available, but in all sincerity, it will take many to accomplish this.

Writing to Gov. Doyle is one avenue - but why stop there? He's 60 miles away in Madison. Get your local State Representatives attention - this is theirs and our "Ground Zero", and isn't this their official purpose anyhow - to represent us? And if they cleverly and conveniently push the blame off on Doyle, high taxes, Funding Formulas, the opposing political party, etc., ask for their "clear and concise" professional and personal opinion on what is occurring and what the effects will be if this problem continues? Simplistically raising taxes for Waukesha schools won't be the answer from any currently-elected officials, and it's truly not a good solution long-term.

Now is a very good time to get educated on the challenges of school funding today! There are workshops and listening sessions occurring. Visit one and learn more. If you sense and believe in the importance and urgency of what lies ahead, then maybe you too will engage. And ultimately the power of one has the potential to become the voice of many.

(Bloggers note; Sorry for the length…)–


First: This is not promoting a school referendum!

The Waukesha School District is faced with challenges many Districts either are, or will be coming to grips with: Relatively flat enrollments, increased wage and benefit costs, increased basic costs of operation and maintenance, and revenue streams (State aid, fees, and property taxes) which don’t keep pace with the preceding. Discounting critics who come armed with the age-old arguments starting with “Teachers make too much” or “Teachers don’t pay enough for benefits” or “Property taxes are already too high” or a myriad of other “Don’t bother me with reality – School funding isn’t my problem”, it’s time to challenge ourselves to plan for education right here in Waukesha for the upcoming years.

Do you know our School Board members? I do, and whether I personally agree with each of them on politics, religion, or taxes, my first-hand experience is they are truly committed, well-qualified, and make educated decisions balancing a responsible tax rate with the specific needs of our Waukesha District. Critics hide behind the above arguments, stir emotional outcries, and they seem to avoid constructive, eyes-open discussions with acceptance of the real facts. Watch our Board closely – They represent an excellent cross-section of Waukesha; they really are good people; and they need your input and support moving forward.

How well do you know the District Administration? Starting with the Superintendent, David Schmidt and his staff, I challenge anyone to find a more qualified, more highly-principled, and more professional group. Ask your local Community and Business leaders, and their answers invariably are “We’re fortunate to have the leadership of Dave Schmidt here in Waukesha”. Ask the Waukesha United Way Leadership and Board who demonstrated their confidence in naming Dave Schmidt Chairperson of this year’s campaign. And ask people such as myself who consider themselves fortunate to have worked constructively with David on Boards and Committees relating to the ever-changing challenges of Public Education.

Do you understand what’s different about the Waukesha School District? All too often, a simplistic comparison between school districts will focus on ACT scores for college, curriculums, and “per pupil funding” from the State. Open your eyes and acknowledge the economic, social, and ethnic differences separating Waukesha from Elmbrook, Kettle Moraine, Arrowhead, and most other oft-compared, adjacent Districts. Comparing educational programs and budgets between communities doesn’t neatly work into a “One size fits all” compartment. Cultural, economic, and social diversity in the Waukesha District creates pupil needs far beyond our near-neighbors, and there are, like it or not, costs connected with this diversity. Maintaining quality educational opportunities for the entire cross-section of Waukesha in this era has thus far been nothing short of miraculous.

Is maintaining the current education program important to you? If you take the stance “someone else will take care of it”, or “my kids are out of the house” or any of the original generalities listed earlier, stop reading now. The Board and District Administration leadership have worked tirelessly for the past several years to minimize the impact of today’s funding formula for education. Paradoxically, their great work is their own worst enemy. By minimizing and spreading out the current impact, there have been no outcries of what is, and will be happening in the immediate future. And the Board and Administration have again demonstrated professionalism with their restraint and decency in accepting their responsibilities to make it all work without public whining.

Will you now be taken “by surprise” when next year’s School District budget increases class sizes (again); when the existing teaching staff is reduced (again); when “at-risk” programs are “at-risk” (again); extracurriculars are either “gutted” and/or too expensive for all students (ongoing); and when deferred basic building maintenance needs are classified lower the educational needs (again)? And do you understand there are no quick, no-cost solutions?

Again, this should not even be considered as laying the groundwork for another school referendum in Waukesha. The raw emotions exposed during previous referendums has distracted from the real questions looming large in Waukesha’s future. The issues facing our School District and Community can only be addressed if all vested parties accept and understand the challenges in the context of the current funding realities. Education is neither a commodity nor a business in the traditional sense, so don’t categorize it as such.

More then anything else, educational opportunities impact our local economy, property values, and most important, they affect our Waukesha C