Four candidates are running for the three available seats on the Owen-Withee School Board. They are incumbents Angela Greschner and Todd Nelson, former board member Charlie Milliren, and newcomer Robyn Renderman. Here are their answers to our questions. Milliren did not respond.
Angela Greschner
1. Briefly tell us about yourself (e.g. marital status, children, education, etc.)
My name is Angela Greschner. My husband Travis and I own a home south of Withee in the Township of Longwood. We have two sons who both attend Owen-Withee School District. I am a graduate of Owen-Withee High School. I received my Bachelor of Social Work at UW-Eau Claire and my Master of Social Work with a focus in Mental Health at UW-Madison in 2007. I am currently employed at Clark County Rehabilitation & Living Center as the Director of Social Services and the Woodland Care CBRF.
Why have you decided to run for re-election for Owen-Withee School Board?
I have been fortunate to serve on the Owen-Withee School Board since 2015 and have served as the board Clerk for many of these years. My intention has always been to do my best to represent the interests of the voters in our district while making decisions that promote quality education for our youth. I believe that education has a profound impact on a community and in many ways, I think that the school is the heart of the community. For this reason, we have a responsibility to ensure our public schools provide a safe and healthy environment that fosters learning.
3. What qualities about yourself do you feel would make/make you a good board member?
Along with my experience as a current board member and professional knowledge of public policy, I think that I am a fair person, a good listener and I care about people in general. As a parent and member of this community I am dedicated to continuing to serve our district and hope I am afforded the privilege to continue to do so.
4. What do you believe needs to be done to better fund school districts?
The current system does not do a good job of supporting rural districts. Rural districts like ours suffer due to a system that relies on property value and does not account for ability to pay. In 2023 Wisconsin did raise the amount that school districts can generate through property taxes per student. This still falls short of meeting the needs of rural school districts. Like surrounding districts, we face declining enrollment numbers but increased need due to higher numbers of students from low-income backgrounds, students with disabilities and migrant students. The state needs to do its part to reduce the reliance upon local property taxes. We need a funding formula that accounts more for need and not just student headcount on a certain day of the school year.
5. If re-elected, is there anything you would like to see changed about how the Owen-Withee School District is run?
I would like to see our district re-establish consistency in administration. We need a superintendent that is an effective leader and who has a strong understanding of school finance, planning and the budgeting process. We have been fortunate to find someone like Scott Winch to work with us in the short term, but we would benefit from more long-term leadership in the future.
6. What do you feel is the first priority for the coming year for the Owen-Withee School District?
The district has made improvements to provide much needed support that students were lacking in reading and math. Without support for the current referendum our district will be forced to make large cuts which will put us at risk of being right back where we started.
7. What do you feel is the answer to helping the Owen-Withee School District succeed even as enrollment has declined?
Districts across the state are facing declining enrollment for several reasons. This is not a problem unique to Owen-Withee. I think this goes back to some of the things I discussed earlier in relation to funding our school systems. No one wants to see a decline in the quality of education or cuts to sports and other extracurricular activities. To avoid this our school must receive the financial support needed from the state.
Todd Nelson
1. Briefly tell us about yourself (e.g. marital status, children, education, etc.)
My name is Todd Nelson, my wife Sarah and I have been married for 14 years. We have two kids that attend Owen-Withee School, which I am a proud graduate of. I have lived in the O-W community my whole life and own and operated a dairy farm for the past 24 years.
2. Why have you decided to run for re-election for Owen-Withee School Board?
I have decided to run for re-election for the Owen-Withee School Board because I have found the past three years very rewarding. I enjoy doing, what I feel, is best for our community, students, and staff.
3. What qualities about yourself do you feel would make/make you a good board member?
I believe that I am a very open minded person, who wants to research and hear input from all sides before making decisions that affect our school. Open communication is key to being an effective school board member.
4. What do you believe needs to be done to better fund school districts?
The fast and simple answer would be to increase enrollment. In the current political environment school funding seems to have taken a back seat. With that said, our current and future administrators will need to do their best at getting grants to supplement our current budget.
5. If re-elected, is there anything you would like to see changed about how the Owen-Withee School District is run?
In previous years, our school has seemed to focus on expanding infrastructure. I believe that the focus needs to shift to maintaining our current facilities to the best of our ability.
6. What do you feel is the first priority for the coming year for the Owen-Withee School District?
Our top priority for our district is to fill the superintendent position with a quality candidate. This person will need to focus on education first. The state of our DPI isn’t attracting any new students to our district. I feel the Owen-Withee School District has a lot of potential to increase their student population through open enrollment from surrounding districts.
7. What do you feel is the answer to helping the Owen-Withee School District succeed even as enrollment has declined?
I feel the answer to helping the district succeed is having successful students. A well educated and productive student body is success, no matter what your enrollment numbers are. If we can achieve productive members of society then we have met our goal.
Robyn Renderman
1. Briefly tell us about yourself (e.g. marital status, children, education, etc.)
I have been married to my husband, Ryan, for 16 years. We have two children; Riah is in 8th grade and Reid is in 6th grade. I have a bachelor’s degree in elementary education as well as a bachelor’s degree in special education. I also have a master’s degree in reading education.
2. Why have you decided to run for Owen-Withee School Board?
I am running for school board because I have a personal interest in preserving and improving the quality of O-W Schools. I would like to be an advocate for the educational needs of our community’s children.
3. What qualities about yourself do you feel would make/make you a good board member?
One quality that would make me a good board member is my ability to work well with and listen to others. I would be responsive and receptive to parents, staff, students and the community at large. I would also provide a unique perspective being that I currently work for a public school district.
4. What do you believe needs to be done to better fund school districts?
No response.
5. If elected, is there anything you would like to see changed about how the Owen-Withee School District is run?
No response.
6. What do you feel is the first priority for the coming year for the Owen-Withee School District?
The number one priority for the upcoming school year will be to continue to maintain a vision that provides necessary opportunities for students to reach their full potential. However, one hardship many districts are facing is the shortage of staff, so I would also like to see the board working together to empower the tremendous teachers and staff we currently have working with our students while also finding ways to continue to attract highly qualified employers to the Owen-Withee School District.
7. What do you feel is the answer to helping the Owen-Withee School District succeed even as enrollment has declined?
The priorities listed above will help the OW school district succeed.
