Changes in tax levy and student enrollment at Crivitz School District discussed

CRIVITZ – The Crivitz School Board approved a $9.8 million record tax levy — about a 5% increase from about a year ago — that’s expected to impact property tax bills for many property owners.

Superintendent Kelly Robinson said the school portion of property taxes will rise for some property owners due to increased land values that reduced the amount of state aid the district receives and resulted in the higher levy. This year’s levy compares with annual levies of $9.34 million in 2024, $7.2 million in 2023 and $5.9 million in 2022, according to information the school district provided this past summer.

Although the property values have risen, enrollment has not followed suit. Enrollment was at 768 students as of Friday, Sept. 19, a 3.6% decline from 797 students in September 2024.

The school district released the numbers to a reporter upon request.

At the meeting, Robinson explained the implications of a roughly 25% decrease in state education aid. “It just means more revenue will come from local tax bills and less from the state,” Robinson said. “It will look like we raised taxes, but it’s just the equation. A higher percentage of that actual tax bill comes straight to the district from our taxpayers,” she said.

The district received voters’ approval in a 2024 referendum for capital improvements of $29 million, including $23 million for extensive elementary school renovations and $6 million for career and technical education in the middle/high school.

The board didn’t mention middle/high school principal Jeff Baumann’s arrest for driving with a prohibited alcohol concentration during the public meeting.

Robinson gave the middle/high school report without mentioning why Baumann wasn’t present. She also gave the elementary school report for elementary principal Kam Dama. All school board members were present at the meeting. At the end of the public meeting, the board went into a closed session to discuss several issues and took no action.

On Oct. 24, the school district sent a notice of a special meeting to be held Oct. 27 to discuss four issues, including Baumann’s employment status and the appointment of interim coaches for varsity and junior varsity boys basketball, following news of Arlin Grandaw’s retirement from coaching.

Board President Amy Grandaw, Arlin’s wife, abstained from voting on the motion to accept Arlin’s retirement, which the board approved.

During public input, four female student athletes expressed their gratitude for the opportunities they’ve received in cheer and sports teams. The cheer team requested and received board approval for a team trip during the meeting.

Senior Hadley Sherman, who has participated in cheer team, softball, track and volleyball, said, “The opportunities I have been given from these sports have been very helpful in my being brought up as a person.”

A junior named April, who has participated in cheer, volleyball and track, said she was “ grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given by every single one of my sports and the coaches.”

Students Kira and Kyla echoed these sentiments, mentioning the “loving community we have in all of our sports” and being “thankful to have coaches to support me and guide me.”

Teacher Jeff Ott recognized two retired Crivitz educators, Frank and Kathy Haeni, who received a lifetime achievement award from UW-Stevens Point.

Frank taught science, forestry and conservation for 25 years before retiring in 2003, while Kathy taught middle school and was outdoor education director before retiring in 2010, he said. They have established an endowment fund at college to keep the labs up to date in the Haeni Chemistry Biology Building and have established scholarships for Crivitz School District graduates, Ott said.

The board also heard from parents and community members who continued to request information about an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior among coaches.

Parent Justin Pusick referred to media reports about alleged sexual misconduct by teachers in Wisconsin and the Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI) lack of transparency.

As part of WBAY’s coverage they interviewed attorney Geoffrey Lacy from Renning Lewis and Lacy law firm in Green Bay, which is a law firm Crivitz School District uses, Pusick said.

“In our district, we currently have a teacher under DPI investigation for sexual misconduct. I believe the school board has heard preliminary results of our school’s independent investigation into his sexual misconduct, on Aug, 6, in a special closed session… I am also aware that multiple examples of sexual misconduct have been provided to the school’s independent investigator from multiple credible sources for this singular person. My question becomes, what is the administration’s response to parents who might be worried that their child is in close daily contact with a teacher and coach who is under credible sexual misconduct allegations?”

In the event a teacher is accused of misconduct, “Geoffrey Lacy, a respected lawyer from the law firm that represents our school, recommends immediately removing the teacher from the environment on paid administrative leave,” Pusick said.

Crivitz resident Jake Roberts, a parent of students who attend another school, said, “I’m here because a community member reached out and expressed concerns related to the actions of the athletic director at the school. They shared several statements that are extremely inappropriate for a man in a position of leadership to be stating around teenagers of either gender. There is a father of a student, who was also a teacher, who brought information related to inappropriate conduct of another employee to this board’s attention. The result: the whistleblower of the misconduct is terminated. You can call it a nonrenewal of contract, but it was a termination.”

Roberts continued, “Until there is clear change amongst the leadership of this school district, how can any parent recommend Crivitz as a school for their children? At a time of seemingly no accountability, there’s only a few things parents can be thankful for: school choice and open enrollment.”

Following his comments, Grandaw said, “Just for the record, we did a full investigation. We have the results of that investigation. We will be discussing those results. Throwing all these allegations does no good for anybody.”

Roberts asked, “Are those results shared with the community?”

Grandaw replied, “Once we see them, we will decide.”

Parent Damon Roman spoke about the board’s failure to keep the public informed.

“Many of us participated in the independent investigation, but we never got a response… This is the ultimate disrespect to the people who voted for you. With almost no changes made after the many credible complaints, we were forced to keep our children out of sports this year [for the] first time ever. Many of us parents have heard the school is cracking down on student behavior while there appears to be no additional crack down on staff’s inappropriate language and behavior. Vindictive and grooming behavior cannot be tolerated in our school district. Every child deserves better.

Damon Roman also confirmed he and his wife made multiple complaints, while the administration said they weren’t filed properly. He said he would support starting a formal process for hearing complaints “if it was transparent and there was record-keeping for the public to see.”

Parent Sara Roman said the district’s “failure to address legitimate complaints of inappropriate language, grooming and vindictive behavior…has resulted in a missed opportunity to unify the school community.”

She finished, “Now is the time for reform; let us not lag behind the rest of the state. Our children deserve and demand better.”

She also thanked the board members who have advocated for change.

During regular reports to the board, Building, Grounds and Transportation/Technology Director Tom White encouraged the board to accept C.D. Smith’s recommendations for bids for renovations of the elementary school and high school.

C.D. Smith said the $29 million referendum project is about $200,000 under budget with a 6% contingency at elementary school and 5% contingency at the high school. The contingency funds are available for “unknown expenses” that weren’t factored into the original plans and bids. Robinson said the funds could allow the district to tackle some other improvements on a “maybe” list that were pending funding.

The board approved the recommended referendum bids. It also approved Marshal Giese’s bid for the timber sale at an Oct. 13 School Forest auction.

She thanked the Crivitz Women’s Club for providing free books for fourth graders and the Crivitz Fire Department for its recent presentations. She said fifth graders attended a Youth Frontiers “kindness retreat” with high energy activities designed to boost self-confidence and empathy.

Robinson also recognized Colleen Zeitler, elementary school secretary, calling her a “rock star who goes above and beyond, does it all and makes it look easy.”

The board approved upcoming trips for Quiz Bowl, the cheer team and Skills USA. It appointed Kaitlin Deschane and Kim Hanson as delegates to a Wisconsin Association of School Boards convention. It approved a list of spring 2025 early college, dual enrollment and Start College Now credit classes.

Community education supervisor Julie Patefield said the craft show rented 86 spots, collected 1,500 pounds of food and about $700 in cash donations for the food pantry. She also plans to open a grab-and-go Wolverine store in the school selling merchandise such as sweatshirts and water bottles.

During the 77-minute closed session, the board discussed the middle school/high school principal, an employee DPI investigation, a discrimination complaint and an insurance injury claim. The closed session resulted in no action and the meeting was adjourned at 8:13 p.m.

Additionally, at a special meeting held at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 27, the Crivitz School Board approved the hiring of Bob Bernt as middle/high school principal substitute to be paid $50 an hour. Bernt served as a band director in Crivitz for about three decades and also was superintendent of Beecher-Dunbar-Pembine Schools.

In early October, Superintendent Kelly Robinson announced Middle School/High School Principal Jeff Baumann was placed on indefinite leave. This came after he was arrested for Prohibited Alcohol Concentration Oct. 2 in Wisconsin Dells.

At the same meeting, the school board approved Brian Arpke and Zack Franzmeyer as the junior varsity boys basketball co-coaches and Victor “Buck” Gehm as varsity boys basketball coach interim.

It accepted the resignation of an elementary school special education paraprofessional. It took no action on several personnel items discussed during a closed session.

Board member Kris Heidewald was absent from the meeting. All other board members attended.