By: Bill Brewer
I’m Bill Brewer – a Christian, husband, parent, grandparent and veteran running for Slinger School Board this spring. I’m endorsed by former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, WI-59 Assembly Rep. Ty Bodden, Washington County Exec. Josh Schoemann, former Lt. Gov. candidate Will Martin, and the 1776 Project PAC.
“Two out of three ain’t bad; could be worse!” We’ve all said this before when an outcome fell short of expectations, things are temporarily fine and we know we can improve.
Since DPI started reporting K-12 English Language Arts (ELA) and Math scores for SY 2015-16, Slinger School District has had roughly two out of every three students at grade-level proficiency, ranging anywhere from 58.7%-69.6%. These scores are among the best in Wisconsin. However, real success for our students isn’t defined by our comparison to other districts; it’s defined by our performance to the standard.
Rather than celebrating our high rankings, let’s instead set a goal of at least 80% competency in both ELA and Math in five years. I propose that we create a committee, led by our Assistant Superintendent and comprised of department heads, teachers, paraprofessionals and parents, to discover root cause(s) for our gap to 80%, develop concrete action plans and execute them.
We also need to proactively open broader communication with the public. Several parents have publicly and privately shared their struggles to be heard. I propose quarterly public listening sessions attended by board members and selected staff to hear directly from parents and voters in an open, safe and productive environment.
We’ve all seen examples of educational materials containing destructive political and moral agendas; over time, they can gradually penetrate our schools, unrecognized. Let’s evaluate our materials for these agendas to ensure teachers and students aren’t distracted from classical technical education.
This spring, it’s important to distinguish the important differences between candidates in any race. Some races are easier than others. In this Slinger School District race, my opponents joined our county Republican Party in December and January after they chose to run this spring. The clear implication was to position themselves as conservative Republicans to siphon off some of my support.
Since then, they haven’t attended one of the many available opportunities to meet party members and make their case for election. I know this firsthand because I’ve been to them all. Fortunately, our electorate – YOU – can see through this ploy and recognize who has been active in conservative causes, holding officials accountable and consistently advocating on behalf of our kids.
Two out of three ain’t bad; let’s strive for true excellence instead. Let’s find ways to break through to better performance and a brighter future. Vote for Bill Brewer, Slinger School Board, April 2nd!
