Candidate Q&A: Gibraltar School Board

Britt Maltby

Bio: My name is Britt Maltby, and I’m proud to announce my candidacy for the Gibraltar School Board. I’m married to Mike Maltby and have 3 children at Gibraltar ages 16, 13 and 10, representing elementary, middle and high school. We live in Sister Bay along with our super friendly 2 dogs and very productive 17 chickens. Currently I am a stay at home mom, although I handle a lot of different jobs (like most residents) throughout the year. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management from UW-Stout.

Why do you want to serve on the school board?

I want to have some influence on the board from a parent perspective.   I think that is lacking. I am pretty open-minded, approachable, and I think I have good judgment. I try to look at things from all sides. Most importantly, I have children that are influenced by the school the majority of the year. I want to make sure that all students have the best education possible.

As a member of the board, are there specific issues you want to tackle?

I want to make sure the choices made are fiscally prudent. I also want to push for community involvement and transparency. I’d like to ask what the needs and wants are from students.

In our free-thinking/health minded community, I would like to allow full period class times for electives such as music, art, gym etc. For some kids, this is the best part of their day. It allows the kids to express themselves and gives them a break from a regimented curriculum. I’d like to see more teaching time and less testing for the students. We are currently in an age where testing and charting is over the top.

I would like to give teachers more of a voice. Post Act 10, I think, has removed teachers from decision-making. In my opinion, their voice is critical to their happiness, and this plays a big part in students’ happiness as well.

What does the school district do well now, and what could be improved?

I am excited to say that they just approved a multi-age expansion for Kindergarten through 3^rd grade. This will allow a more individualized type of learning for all students including both ends of the spectrum. It uses a variety of strategies creating an enriched learning approach. It has already been sampled at Gibraltar in K-1^st grades very successfully.

Our school maintains a nice blend of seasoned teachers and young teachers. It is a very nice balance that complements our school well.

We have FOG (Friend of Gibraltar). This enrichment program is shaped differently each year. It provides stimulating learning via art, food, music, dance, culture and health. Sometimes it applies assemblies or field trips, and other times it is demonstrated with a hands-on approach.

Gibraltar offers many AP classes that are great preparation for colleges.

As far as improvement, I would again like to see more transparency. I would really like to see more community involvement and open communication. I know we have a great school that shines in comparison to other schools. The more we continue to make it shine, the more attractive it will be to new families at a time of declining enrollment. If we can attract more year round people to live in our area, we will benefit from that on many levels.

What would be your response to a constituent who says they don’t want to pay taxes for public schools because they don’t have any school-age children in the district?

The future of our county is dependent on public schools. It is a strong foundation for how our community develops. It will also help attract new families to the county. Graduates of public schools still tend to be better prepared and more successful. I would encourage that constituent to look at the big picture and realize that rural charter schools and private schools face more challenges due to smaller budgets and smaller support systems because of a lack of limited resources. At the very least, it is complicated to offer another alternative to our public schooling that exists here and now.

Communication has been a problem in the recent past, first with the resignation of the former high school principal, and more recently with a visit by a man that the school eventually took a restraining order against. The vague phone message that went out to parents in the second incident seemed to cause more agitation in the community than the incident warranted. While there may be legal reasons not to release personnel information to the public, it does seem a better means of communication is needed between the district and its public. Any ideas how this can be managed?

I think parents and the staff felt blind-sided by the resignation of our principal. That caused a deep wound. There was disappointment, anger, and uncertainty for the graduating class, not to mention the other students and educators finishing the year up without their turn-to person.   The timing could not have been more undesirable. In my opinion it created a lack of trust.   At this time, I can only look forward and to try and help and strengthen our school with more communication.

Regarding the restraining order, I would like to have seen the parents notified prior to having been at school a full day when this incident occurred. In this small community not much goes unnoticed. When there was a police car parked at school all day Wednesday, people raised an eyebrow and the chatter started. Some parents were receiving texts from their children all day, expressing fear. Gibraltar parents had pretty good knowledge of the matter through their own exchanges by the end of the day. I think parents were mostly agitated that they weren’t given choice in the situation whether to send their kids to school through earlier communication. Although the school was well organized and proactive, earlier notification could have been helpful.

I am hoping we can fill a communication void with parents, students, and staff. I would also strongly encourage parents to get involved and make their opinions be heard and attend meetings. Without feedback there is the assumption that things are just fine. Communication needs to improve both ways.

Mike Peot

Why do you want to serve on the school board?

I have lived in many states around the country (7) and in several communities in a couple of those states. When it was time for my son to start school and we had the opportunity to move back to the Gibraltar School District we took it; I had seen how other school districts were performing and felt this was the best place for our family. I think this is a great place to raise a family for many reasons including the school, the small towns, the tourism and arts climate. Our students have exposure to so many things as well as great seasonal employment opportunities that so many urban communities do not have. And they have the freedom that comes with living in mostly small rural towns in which they can grow and explore.

Serving on the School Board has been my way of giving back to the community that educated me, my son and now my daughter.

As a member of the board, are there specific issues you want to tackle?

The anxiety level in our students continues to rise. I see it in my daughter and her friends, and hear it in discussions I have with parents. I think we need to create an environment that is a little more relaxed while maintaining high academic standards. As a board we are currently starting a process to recreate our IMC space and make it a better place for our students to meet, work on their projects and have a place they can be proud of as well as provide a better class room environment. While the physical space is a small part it’s important to examine all parts of this puzzle, from curriculum to homework assignments to make sure our students are doing meaningful work and given the tools to complete their work.

What does the school district do well now, and what could be improved?

Gibraltar does a great job of preparing our students for continuing their academic career in college. Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that college is not for everyone and we need to have an alternate route for our students that are entering the workforce or tech school after high school. We have made some progress in this over the last few years but there is always more that could be done. We will always face the issue of small class sizes and limited academic tracks because of those small class sizes.

What would be your response to a constituent who says they don’t want to pay taxes for public schools because they don’t have any school-age children in the district?

Public Education is one of the founding principles of our Democracy. Everyone benefits from a vibrant school and an educated, productive population. I don’t think anybody wants to pay taxes but funding public education is something we need to do as a community so that every child has a chance to succeed. We need to work to make sure that our students take advantage of the opportunity that is offered!

Communication has been a problem in the recent past, first with the resignation of the former high school principal, and more recently with a visit by a man that the school eventually took a restraining order against. The vague phone message that went out to parents in the second incident seemed to cause more agitation in the community than the incident warranted. While there may be legal reasons not to release personnel information to the public, it does seem a better means of communication is needed between the district and its public. Any ideas how this can be managed?

There are many personnel issues that the school board deals with on an annual basis that are not discussed in public for a variety of legal reasons. On these issues the school board is legally bound not to discuss them in a public setting. It is hard to effectively communicate under those circumstances.

As for the recent incident, the District has an emergency plan that has been developed with local law enforcement over a period of months and that plan was executed. An incident like this is exactly why the school prepared the plan. I think the incident caused the agitation, not the message from the school.

Mostly the messaging system has been used to announce snow days. Hopefully these types of incidents will not become common, and we can continue its more mundane use for snow day alerts.

Stephen Seyfer

Bio: Retired public educator with 42 years’ experience as a teacher, athletic coach, elementary and high school principal, and district administrator. Most recently employed as the superintendent of the Gibraltar Area Schools (1997-2012). BA in social studies and English (Univ. of Iowa), MA in school administration and curriculum/instruction (Univ. of Iowa), PhD in school administration and curriculum/instruction (Univ. of Iowa). Married to Suzanne and parents to three married children. Consultant to CESA 7, educational grant writer, educational blogger (causinglearning.com).

Why do you want to serve on the school board?

I completed a career of work in public schools as a teacher, coach, principal and superintendent. On the day last of employment I knew that school work is in my blood and I would return to school service in a different and new capacity. As a principal and superintendent, I had the opportunity to work with many outstanding school board members and understand the board’s role of school governance. My education and experience provide me with a unique lens through which to understand the complexities of federal and state educational mandates, the evolution of curricular issues, the work and contributions of teachers and staff, and how board policy and regulations can craft an exceptional educational environment for teaching and learning. I want to serve the Gibraltar Schools and northern Door County as a team member of the School Board.

As a member of the board, are there specific issues you want to tackle?

The Gibraltar Schools are a beacon of small, rural district success in Wisconsin. The Board’s commitment to high quality academic, activity, arts and athletic (4As) programs has benefited our children and families for decades. The first issue is to sustain the commitment to the 4As through the employment of the best teachers and staff, provide the necessary physical and real supports for student participation and success, and assist the administration with the fiscal management necessary for continued success.

The second issue is to bind the educational professionals of the Gibraltar Schools with a new fabric of collegial relationships. Many pre-Act 10 dispositions remain on both sides of employer-employee relationships. Open mindedness, a commitment to listening with understanding, mutuality in problem-solving, and seeing the total “we” rather than the grouped “us” are essential elements to a new fabric of cultural respect.

The third issue involves larger scale thinking. While administrators and school staff necessarily focus on the daily and short-term life of the school, the Board must supply the opportunity for longer term planning and assessment. For example, the Board must consider school finances by looking at least two years backward and four years forward in order to understand a true cost of any school program and adequately project its future. Large scale thinking applies equally to personnel and human relations, curriculum and instruction, especially educational technology, and facilities management.

What does the school district do well now, and what could be improved?

The list of past Gibraltar commendations is long. The understanding that almost everything can be improved directs me toward polishing what is working rather than creating anew.

Top of the list – The schools and community created a unique bond that has provided almost two decades of locally-approved revenue beyond the state-allowed school revenue limit. Without this bond, the schools would be significantly less than they are. To take this bond for granted is to court disaster. Reconceived work must be undertaken annually to explain how tax dollars are related to successful school programs.

Gibraltar children enjoy a high degree of personalized instruction by teachers who are well-acquainted with students as individual learners and not just members of a class. Gibraltar students across the grades have access to arts and music education that is exceptional among small, rural schools. Gibraltar is recognized as one of the best schools in Wisconsin in preparing high school graduates for success in college and technical education. Our graduates demonstrate high levels of the academic and soft-skills preparation. This is not by accident but a result of high quality instruction and attention to students. Schools can always do a better job of acknowledging and reporting the great work of teachers and staff to the community. Spotlighting success shines children, adults and the community alike and we have a lot of light to shine.

Student performance in school is always a one-year proposition. How well will students perform next time is the constant question. The response to this challenge are school personnel and systems that continually look at each child as a unique learner with growing interests and talents, and, developing and implementing school and family strategies for assisting the child toward more success. We need to look for the next northern Door artists, conservationists, business and civic leaders, as well as the next graduating class heading to college or technical school. We need to polish these systems every year, because we never work twice with the same child at the same place in their learning.

What would be your response to a constituent who says they don’t want to pay taxes for public schools because they don’t have any school-age children in the district?

The easy response is that there are legal repercussions to the nonpayment of tax bills. The more enduring answer is to create an understanding that the quality of the school their taxes support is in their long-term best self-interest.

Most folks planning for their empty-nest and/or retired life understand the necessity of saving money in order to sustain a desired quality of life. In northern Door County, the status of the Gibraltar Schools also is essential to our “total” quality of life. Residents rely upon local service providers to meet their daily needs. For example, we need tradesmen, wait staff, and skilled technicians. As the current generation of “needed people” retires or moves away, our community must attract the next generation to fill their places. The quality of the local schools is one of the most important factors when young people consider “where” they will establish their careers and families. Our annual school tax is an investment not only in educating local youth, but in helping our high school graduates to learn and achieve the skills they will need if they want to assume their parents’ businesses or create their own enterprises. And, we need school qualities that will attract skilled young adults to move to northern Door and become part of our community.

Without a regeneration of these service providers, a person who does not want to pay school taxes may accrue more savings but find himself stranded when he needs a plumber, electrician, yardman, hauler, wait person, sales person, municipal employee, and emergency responder. School and community quality of life go together.

Communication has been a problem in the recent past, first with the resignation of the former high school principal, and more recently with a visit by a man that the school eventually took a restraining order against. The vague phone message that went out to parents in the second incident seemed to cause more agitation in the community than the incident warranted. While there may be legal reasons not to release personnel information to the public, it does seem a better means of communication is needed between the district and its public. Any ideas how this can be managed?

A need for clearer communication and transparency of decision-making are part and parcel to every contemporary public organization. These two concepts continue to be repeated, in particular, to elected officials at every level by a world that is both increasingly cynical about government and demanding to be better informed from the inside-out about the decisions of government. And, while elected officials would like every decision to be pleasing to the public, most decisions find favor and disfavor. Hence, better communication and transparency become the focus for improvement.

The first step to improvement is for the Board to understand and accept the above. It is the new reality.

The second step is to practice the art of better listening. Good communications begins with better listening and understanding of what others are saying. Good listening means engaged attention and question asking. These require the mutual commitment of those speaking to the Board and the Board. To ask the Board to listen better, also asks communicators to be more precise in their speech.

The third step is to use differentiated types of information distribution. A look in the trash bins in local post offices indicates what school mail goes home. For millennials, use Twitter and Facebook. For households with children, use school newsletters. For empty nesters and seniors, use the Advocate and Pulse. Same information, just different forms.

My response will work backwards regarding the recent school “security” event and its communication. I know two things today that assist my understanding: Judge Ehlers considered the facts of the event to be significant enough to issue a restraining order and then to seal the details of the order. And, the School Board, knowing the evolution of the event from start to finish, applauded the actions of school leaders related to this event. The first tells me that I may never know the facts and there are legitimate legal reasons for this. The second tells me that the people elected by the community acted as a Board in assessing the district’s actions and found them commendable.

Second, heaven help the school administrator who has knowledge of any event that results in school or community tragedy and did not communicate this knowledge. Hence, communication about perceived non-threats may be a necessity because of what they could become. I read the circuitous announcements as explaining that “something is going on, it has potential ramification for the school, and I want you to know, but I cannot tell you the details.”

My conclusions on this event are that information was communicated broadly, it was communicated so that the community was made aware of a potential event for which the details could not be disclosed, and the inability to disclose was upheld and applauded. Whereas, many are left with unanswered questions, it is not a lack of communication or transparency that hides these answers. Was it perfect communication? Every effort can be improved. Was it a good communication? Yes. This event may have disclosed a new era of school communicating.