Adam's personal timeline, a place to collect and share things from Adam's life.
Created by arodewal on Jun 8, 2009
Last updated: 10/28/11 at 12:00 PM
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Superintendent Don Viegut unveils a new timeline and process for completing a strategic plan around May 2012. Instead of creating multiple community task forces, Viegut will establish a single team of hand-picked community leaders to work on the plan. He also plans to engage the broader community through a professional survey. Viegut tells the board he wants them to make decisions before the end of the year on key issues, including a referendum to rebuild Oaklawn Elementary, developing a charter school and spending cuts.
Strategic planning efforts have not yet begun as district officials focus instead on issues arising from state politics. Deep cuts in education funding and a new law preventing public sector unions from bargaining for anything but base wages led to teacher protests, record retirements, intense budgeting and new human resources responsibilities previously covered under union contracts.
Superintendent Don Viegut unveils an aggressive timeline for completing a strategic plan within 12 months. He wants the plan to be built in pieces by five committees looking at finances, facilities, curriculum, technology and governance issues. Viegut said the key difference from other planning attempts is a comprehensive approach that looks at improving every facet of the district and working proactively towards future needs. Past planning focused on immediate issues in isolation from each other.
New Superintendent Don Viegut begins his first day on the job. He promises to make strategic planning his top priority, putting an end to years of failed attempts at crafting a plan.
Three new people are elected to the Oshkosh school board because of their promise to repair the district's damaged reputation due to unpopular facilities and finance decisions.
District leaders fear budget deficits will widen in 2010, so over the next several months they push forward multiple proposals to close and consolidate schools. The public vehemently protests each proposal and criticizes the district for making knee-jerk facilities decisions based on finances rather than a well-thought plan. Interim Superintendent Bette Lang insists each proposal is based on former facilities planning work.
The school board approves closing both Green Meadow and Lincoln elementary schools to help fill a multi-million dollar budget deficit. The decision is loosely based on the 10-year facilities plan.
The Oshkosh school board discusses long-range planning for the first time since their largely unsuccessful referendum attempt. Many in the district and broader community consider the 10-year facilities plan a failure or ignore it completely. Board members want to develop a new plan for renovating Oaklawn Elementary, which by now is determined the school in most need of repair. Board members also want to revive discussions about redrawing attendance areas and consolidating some school buildings.
Voters in the Oshkosh school district overwhelmingly rejected the north-side replacement school on Ryf Road. Voters also denied a request for $500,000 for five years for school security upgrades. But they did narrowly approved a request to spend $1.3 million for five years on school building maintenance.
The Oshkosh Area School District for the first time has complete details for its three-tiered referendum, including designs for a new school and year-by-year breakdowns of deferred maintenance projects and small renovations... read more.
The Oshkosh school board approves building its proposed new elementary school on the district-owned property on Ryf Road, by a vote of 5-2, after two months exploring alternatives.
Newly-hired Interim superintendent Bette Lang recommends splitting the $26 million referendum into three separate questions asking taxpayers to support building a new school, deal with deferred maintenance in the district and create more secured entrances at certain schools.
The school board approves a smaller referendum totaling $26 million to begin funding its 10-year facilities plan. The first referendum question would ask for $15 million to build a new north side elementary school and make renovations to the Merrill Elementary and Middle School building. A second question would ask taxpayers to exceed revenue caps by $1.3 million per year to fund upgrades, additions and other construction work that has not yet been identified.
The Oshkosh school district proposes a two-question, $41 million referendum to fund its new 10-year facilities improvement plan. The first question would ask to borrow about $30 million for major construction work. The second question would ask to exceed state revenue limits by up to $1.1 million per year for 10 years to fund other building improvements.
A new 10-year plan with nearly $70 million in improvements and new construction is revealed in its entirety during three separate workshop meetings. The plan does not include a timeline for implementation.
Bray Associated Architects reveal their designs for 10 schools that would be expanded or renovated under the district's facilities plan. The total cost would top $60 million.
The Oshkosh school board finally passes a plan to shift attendance boundaries by a vote of 4-3. Download a PDF of the plan here.
In the midst of the debate over attendance boundaries, the district hires an architectural firm to work on other parts of the facilities plan. Sheboygan-based Bray Associates Architects, Inc., begins a tour of Oshkosh schools to determine necessary improvements to existing buildings and to pinpoint a price tag for a future buildings referendum.
The Oshkosh school board decides to redraw attendance boundaries by itself because the facilities planning committees can't come up with an agreeable proposal. Over the next several weeks, the board goes through at least three different proposals. Each is met with stark criticism from affected community members. "I'm so frustrated I could just spit," said Dennis Kavanaugh, board president.
Protests against changing school attendance boundaries reaches new heights when the Algoma Town Board explores taking legal action against the Oshkosh school district because Supervisors were not included in the planning process. Parents complain the latest proposal gave preference to developers while overlooking what's best for families.
Changing school attendance area boundaries becomes one of the most contentious issues slowing down the facilities planning process. One of the six planning teams proposes boundary changes meant to accommodate growth on Oshkosh's west side and balance school enrollments.
In response to public criticism, the school board decides to adjust its recently created 10-year facilities plan. Five new planning teams are formed to help clarify and further develop the plan.
The two facilities planning committees propose a complete 10-year facilities plan that would cost $45.6 million. The plan includes school closures, consolidations and boundary changes that spark immediate criticism from affected families.
The two facilities planning teams begin work on a new proposal to reconfigure schools and address concerns about social and economic disparity between North and West high schools.
The Oshkosh school board unanimously approves the first year of the proposed facilities plan, which includes closing Sunset Elementary School and converting Green Meadow Elementary to a kindergarten though second-grade school and Lakeside Elementary into a third- through fifth-grade school.
The Oshkosh school district's two facilities planning teams propose a two-year improvement plan. The proposal is meant to be the first part of a 10-year plan. The proposal includes: -Closing Sunset Elementary School in the 2007-08 school year and Lincoln Elementary School in 2008-09. -Making Green Meadow and Lakeside elementary schools a shared campus, each servicing different grade levels. -Balance enrollment between North and West high schools.
Superintendent Ron Heilmann creates an administrative steering committee and community response team to help him shape a 10-year facilities improvement plan that would close schools and redraw attendance area boundaries as recommended by the Public Management Partners report.
Public Management Partners finished their analysis of school facilities. The consultants conclude Oshkosh has more elementary and middle schools than comparable school districts, and the district should consider closing several buildings and changing boundary lines The report estimates the district needs more than $10 million in additional repairs, upgrades and improvements at existing schools. Click here to download the full report. Parents and principals immediately protested the possibility of their schools being closed... read more.
On Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006, the Oshkosh school board hires Green Bay-based Public Management Partners to conduct an analysis of district facilities usage and recommend changes. The consultants lead 30 small focus groups and one large community listening session to examining issues with the status quo buildings.
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