Report: Shawano school staffing levels inadequate

Student behavioral issues making problems for existing staff
By: 
Lee Pulaski
City Editor

Cuts to staff, especially at the administrative levels, have resulted in Shawano’s public schools that are in crisis, according to a report conducted by CESA 5.

The Shawano School District asked CESA 5 to conduct a review of administrative staffing levels, which included support staff in the offices, to examine how Shawano looks when compared with other schools of similar size, including Waupaca. CESA 5 interviewed almost 30 people — administrators and their staff — to ascertain the district’s situation in caring for and educating children.

CESA 5 summarized in its report, which was presented March 20 to the Shawano School Board, that the high school and middle school have healthy administrative staffing levels, but the elementary schools do not. The report targeted Hillcrest Primary School in particular, which has already been in the board’s crosshairs after board member Bobbi Lemerond volunteered at school for lunch periods and observed students acting badly with limited staff only being able to help deter some situations.

The report states that there is no accountability for negative student behavior, and expectations need to be set on how those issues will be handled. Staff feel there is no communication regarding how student issues are being resolved or improved, according to the report, and some said that they plan to leave if things don’t improve.

One of the reasons cited for the chaos at Hillcrest is the elimination of the dean of students positions and additional support staff like lunch and recess supervisors. The report also notes that cutting the district’s special education coordinator has left remaining staff struggling to address student needs.

The report recommended administrators and the board immediately review how staff are allocated. The board already took steps at the March 20 meeting to restore the special education coordinator position. The report recommended that, at a minimum, a half-time dean position is needed at Hillcrest.

Superintendent Kurt Krizan noted that the district has recently hired a special education teacher and recess aides for Hillcrest to help with the situation.

No action was scheduled on the report, but board members agreed there was much that needs to be done.

Board member Mart Grams was critical of how the report focused on speaking with administrators and office staff and not with the teachers that are on the front lines.

“Hillcrest is a zoo, and somebody finally has it on paper now,” Grams said.

Grams also asked how the behavioral coach position approved to manage all four schools is doing, but Krizan noted the person has only been on the job six weeks, so it’s difficult to measure how effective the position is.

“I think Hillcrest has improved,” Krizan said. “Is it where we want it to be? No. There has been steady improvement, though.”

Student board member Riley Dreier told the board that Shawano Community High School students have been asked to consider going to Hillcrest during study hall periods to help supervise students.

“A lot of kids were interested,” Dreier said, with Krizan adding that the district is looking at making the action a reality in the current school year.

Board member Sam Sousek pointed out that, while Hillcrest shows the most cracks in maintaining order, there are problems at the other schools, as well.

“There have been some pretty severe incidents here (at the high school) in the last couple of weeks with ODs (overdoses) and teachers not paying attention, departments not doing their assigned duties, leaving kids unsupervised in the lunchroom area,” Sousek said.

Board president Mike Musolff noted that Shawano’s public schools are no strangers to student behavioral problems, noting that during his time as a school resource officer, he was dealing with nonstop behavioral issues.

“I can’t believe that there are other districts that have worse behavioral issues than we have here in Shawano,” Musolff said. “At Hillcrest, I can’t imagine what you are doing to rein things in there on a daily basis. It’s a travesty that we cut the positions that we did last year. We need to find a way to get those positions back.”

Other board members agreed, but were divided on how to accomplish that.

Board member John Arens pointed out that the schools can only do so much without the help of the community.

“The district residents and taxpayers are going to have to get behind this school district in order for anything to change and move forward,” Arens said. “People have to make a decision. Is this how you want your community to run? I feel we’re at that point.”

Sousek said, given the trust issues between the community and the schools, getting taxpayers to embrace actions that could cost them more would not be an easy task.

“I’ll be honest. I’m not paying more until this is fixed,” Sousek said. “Accountability and responsibility, it starts with all staff and all administration.”

Board member Karen Smith said more help is needed, because the existing staff members are experiencing burnout.

“You’ve got dedicated people who are just killing themselves trying to help the kids,” Smith said.


lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com