School board candidates share their views

Editor’s note: There are eight candidates for the School District of Rhinelander Board of Education on the April 1 ballot. The top four vote-getters will be elected. Here are the candidates’ (unedited) answers to questions posed by the Star Journal.

Robert Shelly (challenger)
Star Journal: What prompted you to run for a seat on the Rhinelander school board?
Answer: I would like to participate on the school board and be able to give back to the community. I believe that high school is the last chance for our kids to have a chance to experience what they are passionate about before committing to an expensive college. I would like to work with the school district, Nicolet College, and local businesses to provide these apprenticeship opportunities. If elected, I would like to review teachers and staff to understand what can be improved to offer our kids the best education. I believe that teacher pay needs to be reviewed and be merit based. This merit needs to be based on their student’s involvement and GPA averages
Star Journal: How should the School District of Rhinelander address its budget challenges?

Answer: The school district owns a large sum of land throughout the county. This land should be reviewed to whereas harvesting the timber can be an asset generating income. The state of Wisconsin needs to review the current benefits per child they are subsidizing and this needs to be increased. The state has a budget surplus currently in the billions. We need to lobby these law makers for review of benefits. We need to review outside contractors and decide what is the best use of taxpayer money. Many of these services currently used are extremely expensive so putting these services out on bid again should be reviewed.
Star Journal: What is your opinion on the relationship between public school funding and private school vouchers?
Answer: The parents should be offered the option to decide where their child attends school, and this money should follow the child.

Judy Conlin (incumbent)
Star Journal: What prompted you to run for a seat/or another term on the Rhinelander school board?
Answer: I decided to run for another term on the School District of Rhinelander School Board because I want to continue the gains in academic achievement and supports needed for students to be successful. I am proud that we have advanced the college credit opportunities, especially in our technical education programs; we have gained statewide recognition for excellence in our college and career programs. I helped lead the capital campaign to build new technical education facilities; the skills learned will benefit students seeking degrees in technical education, and our local employers when they employ our graduates, many of whom completed apprenticeships with them. I know the importance of having highly qualified staff and am committed to their continuous learning and providing supports as they work to continually improve their instruction; our investment in them is paying off with greater retention. I am committed that we remain a leader in education and student success.
Star Journal: How should the School District of Rhinelander address its budget challenges?
Answer: I testified before the Joint Finance Committee in 2014, 2029, and 2021 explaining the negative impact of the current funding formula on our district (and many other districts) that require us to divert funds to cover the shortfall in our budgets as a result of inadequate funding from the state, and I advocated for increased funding for special education. I will continue to advocate for increased spending for special education because it would benefit all districts, it is the right thing to do for students, and could be accomplished using part of the $4.6 billion surplus. As a Board, we will continue to push for increased and sustainable solutions. We must maintain a strong fund balance to avoid short term borrowing; this avoids paying interest that could be used for programs that benefit our students and community. We will continue to look for ways to reduce the budget without negatively impacting learning. We will continue to communicate about the impact of inadequate funding and the importance of investing in our schools. I am grateful for the community’s trust in me.
Star Journal: What is your opinion on the relationship between public school funding and private school vouchers?
Answer: I agree with the WI Association Boards opposition to vouchers because they divert taxpayer dollars away from public schools, which reduces the resources available for the vast majority of students. Private schools are not held to the same accountability standards, with no requirement to demonstrate better outcomes. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau reported in 2023-2024 the total statewide aid reduction was $306.6 million for Parental Choice and Special Needs Scholarship programs; these were paid with taxpayer money. Family income limits for vouchers have increased each year; for the 2024-25 school year, the family income of a student new to a choice program for a family of 4 was $66,000. Private schools are not required to serve all children. Public education must educate ALL students regardless of their abilities, language barriers, economic status, academic or behavioral challenges.

Bill Freudenberg (Challenger)
Star Journal: What prompted you to run for a seat on the Rhinelander school board?
Answer: The desire to serve. I have attended many meetings, and I have decided to run with hopes of being a part of a board
that will bring this distric forward to help our students, teachers and support staff as well.

Star Journal: How should the School District of Rhinelander address its budget challenges?
Answer: Budget problems are very challenging at times. You have the State of Wisconsin formula that is so outdated and the cost of everything.
Star Journal: What is your opinion on the relationship between public school funding and private school vouchers?
Answer: I believe the private school vouchers hurt public school funding.

Kurt Helke (Challenger)

Star Journal: What prompted you to run for a seat on the Rhinelander school board?
Answer: I have been a community leader in Rhinelander for going on 27 years as a Sergeant with the Rhinelander Police Department and have been a single father raising two girls in this district. I have many experiences both personally and professionally with this school district and have positive rapport with many parents, teachers, and administrators. An important concept that led to this decision is that I have gone through my experiences, stresses, and struggles in my life to forge me into the man I am today and now I will use my life lessons to positively influence others.
Star Journal: How should the School District of Rhinelander address its budget challenges?
Answer: The School District of Rhinelander should use all available resources to address its budgetary challenges. As the state funding formula has consistently disappointed this community, we must look beyond the consistent need for a referendum funded school district. This district should be fiscally responsible and be constantly working to funnel more state and/or federal funds to this district. We should also be brainstorming and looking outside the box for grants, donations, and other alternative forms of funding.
Star Journal: What is your opinion on the relationship between public school funding and private school vouchers?
Answer: For all intents and purposes private school vouchers are an idea with good intentions applied poorly. Most applications of a voucher program involve taking from the limited public school funds and essentially giving them to private schools. The trajectory of the voucher program has dramatically increased over the past 10 years and could create serious budgetary challenges managing public schooling with an uncontrollable line item.

Mary Peterson (incumbent)
Star Journal: What prompted you to run for a seat on the Rhinelander school board?
Answer: Education seems to be on the front line of discussions and cuts. As school board members, it is our job to continue to meet the challenges by ensuring our kids have the best opportunities to learn to be responsible adults entering the next chapter in their life. It’s an important job and I am inspired to help provide our Rhinelander students with the education necessary to meet their needs
Star Journal: How should the School District of Rhinelander address its budget challenges?

Answer: As a SDR board member, I have tried to be responsible with our taxpayers’ monies. State funding diminishes each year. We have been cautious with our spending, but in order to keep programs for our kids to grow and excel, we may need to ask our community for help in the form of referendums. By being transparent and factual to our citizens, they have responded to our needs and passed the necessary funding requests.
Star Journal: What is your opinion on the relationship between public school funding and private school vouchers?
Answer: This discussion is a political “football!” If our state politicians continue to support vouchers, they need to provide monies that create equal funding for both public and private education, with equal accountability.

Doug Artus (Incumbent)
Star Journal: What prompted you to run for a seat on the Rhinelander school board?

Answer: Although I currently have a seat on the board, I was not elected by public vote. I was appointed by a vote of the board due to an early retirement. I put my name in the hat for that special vote because I have three children in Rhinelander schools. I want to be involved in the school district my children attend.
Star Journal: How should the School District of Rhinelander address its budget challenges?
Answer: Budget is an important topic for the school board. The district should provide a great learning experience for the future adult generation of our community. As well as be responsible of maintaining a health and above board budget. Much of the school funding is from the State. It’s the board’s duty to make decisions based on what the state aid is provided to Rhinelander.
Star Journal: What is your opinion on the relationship between public school funding and private school vouchers?
Answer: The state voucher system gets much attention for the amount of influence it has on the Rhinelander budget. It’s great to have a system that allows parents & students a choice of which school to attend.

Jacqui Zivko (Challenger)
Star Journal: What prompted you to run for a seat on the Rhinelander school board?
Answer: My experience as a parent and social worker in Rhinelander has motivated me to seek a position on the school board, offering a unique perspective on the district’s operations. I believe I would bring a balanced and diverse perspective to the school board, leveraging my open-minded approach to consider all aspects of a situation while acknowledging the need for ongoing policy and procedure refinement. My objective is to serve as a liaison between the administration and the community, ensuring open and honest communication regarding academic discussions and decision-making processes that prioritize the educational success of our children and students.
Star Journal: How should the School District of Rhinelander address its budget?
Answer: I firmly believe that the primary focus should be on staff salaries and student services. These two factors are inextricably linked in ensuring access to adequate and available education. I insist that the budget emphasis needs to shift towards enhancing our district’s internal operations and leveraging school funding to support this objective more. Notably, since the Covid-19 outbreak, I have witnessed multiple instances of students being denied necessary services/support due to reasons of inadequate staffing and educational funding. If we were to direct funding towards these vital areas, I would be curious to see if it would lead to a reduction in behavioral issues among special education students, improved grades due to an increase in support staff, and enhanced overall student enrollment and attendance. Although physical upgrades may create an impression of prosperity, our district is grappling with significant internal challenges that demand attention in order for the school to maintain.
Star Journal: What is your opinion on the relationship between public school funding and private school vouchers?
Answer: The specific needs of a child should drive the decision between public and private education. Private school vouchers introduce new educational avenues; but do they directly benefit the child or is the child engaging in private education for the right reason? Both public and private schools rely on taxpayer funding for financial sustainability. However, private schools have the added benefit of private tuition, in addition to other financial means. Educational funding helps to maintain staff, students support, and educational materials. The implementation of private school vouchers has resulted in decreased public school enrollment. Public school funding is based on school population, which decreases as private school enrollment increases.

Ron Lueneburg (Incumbent)
Star Journal: What prompted you to run for another term on the school board?
Answer: The reason that I am running for school board is essentially two-fold. I want to continue with the board to ensure our youth are academically prepared for life after high school, whether that be going to college, a vocational institution, or going into the work force. I am a proponent of seeing that the youth of the community receive instruction in the fundamentals of education and that they can do so in a safe environment. These should be essential goals for the district. Additionally, I very much supported the $26M referendum to upgrade the trades programs in both the high school and middle school. We are hurting in the trades area in this community and the area at large. To get young people interested in pursuing these skill sets and remaining in the area would be good for all of us in the long run. I think it is important to see this project through to its completion.
Star Journal: How should the district address its budget issues?
Answer: This question is difficult as there are many different views regarding how to address the budget issues the school district is facing. What the district is going through is not new to local government, which the school district is, a body of local government. Oneida County, like many other counties, Rhinelander, like many other communities, each face budget challenges frequently, like the school district, and must make necessary, but unpopular budget cuts at times. I know what it is like to run a department with constraints on the budget. It is difficult to deliver the same level of public service when financial resources are reduced. If the referendum does not pass the administration will have to critically evaluate how operations are managed and how funds are spent; this philosophy should be the same if the referendum passes, even though the district will be in a much better financial position. In short, streams of funding, both federally and at the state level have been reduced. It is difficult to continue delivering district services with fewer financial resources. This is a complex budget issue that will not be solved at the local level, state and federal legislators will need to develop plans which will benefit all their respective districts proportionately.
Star Journal: What is your opinion on the relationship between public school funding and private school vouchers?
Answer: The relationship is basically that public funds go to both public and private schools under certain conditions. Though opinions may vary, I think there is merit to some degree of funding going to private schools, should parents opt to place their children in a private school. Ultimately it is the state that determines how funds will be allocated.