Spring Green, Wisconsin
Thursday, October 3, 2024 | Vol. 5, No. 18 FREE, Single-Copy
Inside this edition
Wisconsin Examiner: Analyzing new districts
Huge Community Calendar: Fall events, Farm/Art DTour & more
Double header: Pestel ends, starts columns
Pages 1, 4
Pages 7, 8, 9, 10
Pages 2, 5
River Valley School Board approves resignations, transfers and business manager returns Luukas Palm-Leis, Reporter At its Sept. 4 special meeting, the River Valley School District Board of Education considered the resignation of teacher Ashley Kriesky and business manager Pat Mahoney, and extended an offer for the vacant business manager position. At the Sept. 12 regular board meeting, the district recognized Dr. Masaru Furukawa for the district community spotlight as well as received a health update, heard a report regarding staff morale and climate, and hired a business manager.
September 4 Special Meeting
The board considered and accepted the resignation of Ashley Kriesky, who had been hired in June for the position of business education teacher. The board also voted to waive Kriesky’s $3,000
liquidated damages fee, with all in favor. Liquidated damages fees are typically applied to teachers or other staff members if they resign from their contract prior to expiration, as to recoup the cost of finding a replacement. The board also considered and accepted the resignation of Pat Mahoney from the position of the district’s business manager. Mahoney was recently hired into the position in June, said in his resignation email to the district stated “The business manager position is a very challenging one. Especially when you are brand new to it.” The board amended the motion to accept the resignation to waive the $1,800 liquidated damages fee. Mahoney also had stated in his email
that after Krieski’s resignation, that he believed it would be best if he took up the vacancy for the Business education teacher. The board voted unanimously in favor of the transfer of Mahoney to the business education position. With 11 years prior experience and a Masters of Science in business education, Mahoney was hired on with a yearly salary of $66,000. The board proceeded to enter a closed session for discussion of the business manager position, including compensation package. After reconvening in open session, the board moved to offer the position to Brian Krey, who had previously been the district’s business manager prior to Mahoney. The motion carried with all members in favor.
September 12 Special Meeting
Community Spotlight and Health Update The board recognized Dr. Masaru Furukawa of the River Valley Medical Center for this months community spotlight. The board in June had voted to reappoint Furukawa as the district’s medical advisor. Furukawa also briefed the school board on health related topics. He noted 110 cases of pink eye, which the nurses responded to by scheduling hand washing lessons for October and helping to ensure better hygiene in the classrooms. The Early Learning Center is also doing hearing and vision testing through the month of October. Furukawa also noted from a sports medicine standpoint
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‘We have to listen to them’: Democrats reach out to rural voters in newly drawn districts Baylor Spears, Wisconsin Examiner Christy Updike, a farmer and full-time health care professional from Plain, Wisconsin, said she’s been avoiding the television and news this election cycle — she doesn’t necessarily trust the information being shared this way. She said she’d rather hear from candidates directly. One of Updike’s top concerns is bringing more resources to rural communities, especially mental health support. Updike also works with the Farmer Angel Network, an organization dedicated to suicide prevention and mental health for rural communities in Wisconsin. She said that she is open to hearing from candidates across the political spectrum. “I am not straight down ever. I look at individual people and if they happen to be a politician already, I look at their history,” Updike said.
Photo by Baylor Spears, Wisconsin Examiner Democratic candidate Sarah Keyeski, a mental health professional from Lodi, answering questions at a forum hosted by Main Street Alliance, the Wisconsin Farmers Union and Wisconsin Early Education. Her opponent, Sen. Joan Ballweg didn’t attend. Organizers set up a vacant chair in the Yahara River Learning Center classroom next to Keyeski.
With Wisconsin’s new, more competitive legislative maps changing the dynamics of state-level races this year, rural voters like Updike will play a decisive role in shaping the state Legislature. Democrats, seeking to pick up additional seats in the state Assembly and Senate, are looking to win them over in November by meeting voters where they are. Wisconsin’s 14th Senate District sits north of Madison, covering parts of Dane, Columbia, Sauk and Richland counties, including the cities of Deforest, Reedsburg, Baraboo, Lodi, Columbus, Portage, Richland Center and Wisconsin Dells. It is one of Democrats’ top targets this year as they look to lay the groundwork for flipping the state Senate in future election cycles. Democrat Sarah Keyeski, a political
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