School Board to look at survey numbers on Monday
By Tracy Ouellette
Editor
The East Troy School Board will hear the results of the recent referendum survey from the district’s communication’s consultant Joe Donovan, of Donovan Group, at a special working session on Monday.
The meeting begins at 6 p.m. July 7 in the East Troy High School library, 3128 Graydon Ave., and will focus on the data culled from the district’s survey, which was designed to give the board appropriate feedback as to a workable solution to the district’s facility needs.
Superintendent Dr. Chris Hibner said at the June 23 regular board meeting that the survey had about 525 respondents, and that the district had held it open a few days longer than originally intended to give community members more time to take it.
Hibner said at the meeting that Donovan had been hoping for around 700 people to take the survey, but he told Hibner that the 200-person difference would probably not really affect the overall results.
Monday’s meeting will be an informational session with discussion among the board and Donovan on what the survey results were, what they meant and what the board could take away from the information gleaned from the residents who took the survey.
The board will then have a week to consider all the information and come back for action at another working session on Monday, July 14. The time of this meeting was not set before press time, but the date was listed on the agenda for approval at the July 7 meeting. It will most likely be between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. as the board has a regular meeting at 7 p.m.
Resignations and new hires
The board accepted the resignations of four district employees on June 23. Tim Peerenboom, Mary Green, Kelli Grutz and Kimberly Penz all submitted their resignations before the end of the term.
Peerenboom had been on a one-year leave of absence from his job as special education director after the School District came under fire for saying it would allow Peerenboom to telecommute to his East Troy position when he would be living in Washington, D.C., for the 2013-14 school year.
Hibner said June 23 he had been in communication with Peerenboom regarding his status for the 2014-15 school, which Peerenboom was requesting another year leave of absence as he and his wife would not be returning to Wisconsin for another year. Hibner said that he told Peerenboom that a permanent decision needed to be made.
Peerenboom submitted his resignation on May 18, but Hibner said at the meeting, it was held as they were still communicating and trying to find a better solution but that, in the end, Peerenboom felt it in the best interest of the district and its students for him to move on.
“I would like to thank you for your consideration of allowing me an additional year leave of absence; which I am aware was not approved. I not only understand the challenge you had in coming to that decision, but agree it is in the best interest of the district, students and staff,” Peerenboom wrote in his resignation letter. “I fully understand the importance of having consistency and predictability in the district’s leadership positions.”
Katherine Harder, has been serving as the interim director of special education since Peerenboom’s leave began has been hired on permanently in the position.
Green resigned her position as the district social worker/pupil services coordinator as of June 30. She worked in the district for the last seven years.
Grutz, who took a leave of absence in December after having a baby, resigned her position as a Middle School counselor. Krista Louis, who has been filling the role during Grutz’s leave, has been appointed to the position.
Penza resigned at the end of the term to move to Sauk Prairie because of her husband’s new job.
Hibner said there may be some restricting in the student counseling department because of so many resignatio
