Meet the candidates running for Wisconsin Rapids School Board in the April 4 election
Incumbent John Krings will face newcomers Mike Derrie, Christopher Inda and Kathi Stebbins-Hintz for two open seats on the Wisconsin Rapids School Board in the April 4 election. Current board member Sandra Hett did not seek reelection.
School board candidates are elected to three-year terms.
To learn more about registering to vote and to find your polling place, visit My Vote Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune asked each of the candidates to address important issues in the district and why they are running for the position.
Mike Derrie
Age: 68
Residence: Wisconsin Rapids
Occupation and education: Retired heavy equipment mechanic, high school, four-year state of Wisconsin apprenticeship program. Senior journeyman mechanic after 10 years in the trade.
Relevant experience: Leader at Domtar Equipment Repair Center assigning jobs and working with vendors.
Campaign website/Facebook page: Mike Derrie for 2023 WRPS School Board on Facebook
Christopher D. Inda
Age: 37
Residence: Wisconsin Rapids
Occupation and education: Real estate agent/associate degree
Relevant experience: I have experience working with our children in many facets including Rotary Student Scholarships, as a volunteer with Incourage Community Foundation's Teen Leadership Program, and I have served as a member on the Council for Instructional Improvement with the Wisconsin Rapids Public School District. I further support our community by volunteering with United Way’s yearly campaign and fundraisers throughout the year such as United We Can. As a proud parent of WRPS students, I can understand what struggles our parents are going through, and I would be the only member on the board with kids in school.
Campaign website/Facebook page: Christopher Inda for School Board on Facebook
John Krings
Age: 60
Residence: Town of Grand Rapids
Occupation and education: Lubrication technician at ND Paper; graduate of John Edwards High School in Port Edwards, attended Mid-State Technical College
Relevant experience: I have served on the Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools Board of Education for almost 16 years, currently serving as board president. Past president of United Steelworkers Local 2-187.
Campaign website/Facebook page: John Krings for School Board on Facebook
Kathi Stebbins-Hintz
Age: 62
Residence: Wisconsin Rapids
Occupation and education: Educator from Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools for 35 years, retired in 2020. In those 35 years served as: social studies teacher at Lincoln High School, principal at East Junior High School and director of curriculum and instruction for the district. Adjunct professor at St. Mary’s University. Earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education in social studies and history in 1984, Juris Doctor in 1993 and Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy analysis in 2022, all from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Relevant experience: I am a mother of three children, all who went to and graduated from Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools. I was a soccer, hockey, tennis, dance and DECA mom, so I understand the nuances parents face as they navigate their children’s education. My education and my experience as a teacher, principal and director of curriculum and instruction, all provide me with knowledge, skills and experience in many areas including assessment, curriculum, instruction, school law, employment practices, budgeting and grant writing. As the WRPS Director of Instruction, I worked closely with the Board, drafting and revising policies and implementing program and curricular changes.
Campaign website/Facebook page: Kathi Stebbins-Hintz for WRPS School Board on Facebook
Why are you running for this position?
Derrie: After attending the School Board meetings for several years and listening intently, I did not hear solutions. I then realized with the test scores continuing to decline and the safety concerns continuing to rise, I needed to stand up and become involved. The taxes on the citizens in the School District seem like they are always going up and the School District is always looking for more money, which is not solving the problem. Where is the return on our investment?
Inda: I decided to run for the School Board as I see a disconnect between the current board members and the parents. There is strong support with our parents to be engaged in the curriculum. I believe in providing transparency so parents can be a bigger part of the learning process. My top priority will be improving the academic outcome for our students. Having knowledgeable and skilled citizens entering our workforce is essential in maintaining the stability of our country. I want to see our district become a top performing academic body where our kids can be the best possible.
Krings: Public school education is one of the cornerstones of our society, and there is no more important function of local government than the education of our youth. I possess the skills and have the time to commit to continue in this endeavor.
Stebbins-Hintz: My belief in the importance of education drives my decision to seek a position on the School Board. Schools are one of our most important institutions. They prepare students for work, for future academic endeavors and to be good citizens. Thomas Jefferson said, “An educated citizenry is a vital prerequisite for our survival as a free people.” This firm belief in public schools is why I spent 35 years in education, and why I am ready to jump in again. There is nothing more important than educating our children to be “…responsible contributors to a changing world” (WRPS Mission Statement).
What do you believe are the top two issues facing the district, and how should the School Board address them?
Derrie: Academic levels (student achievement) and disciplinary issues are on the rise. First, we need to acknowledge there is a problem. The School Board needs to look at other school districts that have tackled these issues successfully and implement similar policies that have been shown to be effective. Why reinvent the wheel? Review all policies pertaining to these issues.
Inda: I believe the experience for our children needs to be improved. Across the board we are seeing test scores decline. Putting the focus back on improving education is critical. Creating schools to be the place of learning again as well as a safe place for all. I will be a strong voice on our School Board with my background as a U.S. Army veteran. I understand what it takes to complete a mission and how to get a job done properly. I further recognize how proper discipline can make a positive impact on a young mind.
Krings: The COVID-19 pandemic changed many things in education. Some students thrived with virtual learning while others fell behind. We also are experiencing the use of technology like never before. How do we equip our staff to provide the best educational opportunities with the financial resources available? We also have to deal with an uncertain funding formula from the state. It is difficult to plan a budget when you are unsure of funding. We must maintain flexibility to address any necessary changes to our budget.
Stebbins-Hintz: The first issue is ensuring we are providing the best education possible for every student and doing this while being accountable to the taxpayers of the community. This means providing programs and services which ensure all students achieve success at a time when there are economic constraints and school funding challenges. The second issue is hiring and retaining excellent teachers and staff. Teacher shortages and limited budgets have made this challenging. The Board can address these issues by hiring quality leadership. A quality administrative team working together with a strong Board of Education can find creative answers to these questions.
How will you address issues of mental health in the district?
Derrie: There are seven school psychologists and four social workers in the Wisconsin Rapids Public School District. It’s necessary to make sure their abilities are being used to the fullest. The district needs to find ways to make sure they are using all resources available. We need to seriously look for long-term solutions, look at other school districts dealing with these issues and see if there are effective answers that can be applied. Review and update any policies and implement new policies required to address these issues.
Inda: We need to continue to support our staff to properly provide the assistance needed to our students. While COVID has provided an extra layer of issues to face, our children struggle in many aspects of life including navigating through social media. I want to see our teachers and staff have the up-to-date training and tools for mental health awareness and support. Evaluating the amount of mental health staff to ensure our children have plenty of access to the care they need is essential.
Krings: We currently have multiple mental health screeners in use throughout the district as well as partnerships with local mental health providers. We also do surveys of students to assess risky behaviors. Our staff are focused on the mental health of our students. We also attempt to work with parents to address students' needs. I feel that these are all good approaches, and we continue to look for ways to help students and staff in need.
Stebbins-Hintz: Supporting and expanding pupil services staff such as counselors and school psychologists is critical in addressing issues of student mental health. In addition, all staff should be trained in issues related to mental health so they are better able to understand student needs, challenges and behaviors. Partnering with local agencies that meet student needs and address student mental health issues, such as local counseling agencies and programs like the Boys & Girls Club, is another way to address issues of mental health in the district.
Data shows the number of behavior incidents in the district have increased exponentially, specifically at WRAMS. How should the district address this issue?
Derrie: Forming an ad-hoc committee involving local police, community leaders, students and parents to help come up with viable solutions. Although the district has policies in place, they are not effective. They need to be updated and revised to address all concerns. There is a new program that was put in place this year at Wisconsin Rapids Area Middle School, time will tell if is effective in resolving some of these issues. The district must stay on top of this and make sure students are safe. Many kids do not want to go to the restroom by themselves, this must change.
Inda: Addressing the bullying and high police calls to our schools is critical. Having a background from the Army I understand and appreciate the importance of structure and values. We need to work with our parents to address the source of these issues and devise a policy which provides assistance to students who are struggling but also removes any distractions from the classroom. We want to create a policy to discourage bad behavior and promote positive values.
Krings: The number of reported behavioral incidents has increased. I think it is important to understand what all is reported. Over 70% of reported incidents are for either absence or tardiness. As a district we do everything in our power to try to get our kids to be at school and to be on time, however that really is an issue that needs to be addressed at home. Most of our kids have no incidents, but the ones that do are dealt with according to district policy.
Stebbins-Hintz: Behavior incidents must be addressed by providing an environment of caring and support, alongside clearly communicated rules with consistent and responsive consequences. Having explicitly defined rules that students understand, and staff universally enforce, is essential. Appropriate student supervision, especially in places and at times where violations are likely to occur, is necessary. Creating a school culture that builds pride and relationships can be a game changer. Providing support for student mental health issues is another important piece of the puzzle. Parent involvement is also critical.
How should the district address the learning loss students experienced during the pandemic?
Derrie: Curriculum, curriculum, curriculum. We need reading specialists. There is no quick fix, and we need to implement programs that work for math as well. Forward Exam shows a decline in the ELA (reading) and math scores going back to 2015-16. There has been a steady decrease in student achievement, the pandemic only made this worse. It is going to take time and working together as a School Board to resolve this. We need a way to measure information quarterly to address the problems quickly.
Inda: We have become too engaged in social issues and have lost our focus on the curriculum. Our children are suffering when we look at their test scores from reading, writing and math. While the pandemic has not helped this any as this was an issue prior to COVID, the pandemic has put a spotlight on the issue. Currently our School District has about 70% of students not reading at a proficient level. I want to put the focus back on traditional curriculum.
Krings: We have hired extra staff to work with students to help them get back to where they need to be educationally. Our staff continues to work hard every day to help each and every student.
Stebbins-Hintz: Students must be assessed to determine whether or not they are lacking in knowledge and skills. These assessments should include not just state standardized assessments, but a variety of reading, math and other screeners. Students who have fallen behind must be provided not only additional support by classroom teachers, but support by content area specialists who provide academic interventions. The district is using COVID funding responsibly by providing additional staff who are supporting students who are struggling to achieve grade level standards.
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Editor Jamie Rokus can be reached at jrokus@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter at @Jamie_Rokus.
This article originally appeared on Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: Wisconsin Rapids School Board: Candidates on spring 2023 ballot
