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Work underway at Commerce Court "As part of the Prairie du Chien's downtown revitalization program, the shopping center is looking forward to updating its streetscape and parking lot, serving the community's needs with the stores they want and need, and offering a pleasurable shopping experience in downtown Prairie du Chien,'' said Dyer. "We're all excited about a large new tenant downtown.'' Teachers cram meeting room to prime school board for contract negotiations Teachers showed up in force at the Prairie du Chien School Board meeting Monday night as a primer to ongoing teacher-contract negotiations, which were scheduled for the following day. An overflow crowd of about 60-70 crammed into the City Council Chambers to have their opinions heard as to the apparent discrepancy between administrative salary raises and teacher salary raises over the past few years. Many of the teachers were from other school districts in the SWAL Conference and were on hand to show their support for the Prairie du Chien teachers. The vast majority of those in attendance carried bright-colored signs which read, "SWEA (Southwest Education Ass.) supports the Prairie du Chien Education Association." Towards the end of the open session portion of the meeting, the teachers were given their chance to speak. Bluff View teacher Jeff Ryder told board members that he had salary information that he wanted the board to consider and that the information showed why the teacher's association is so upset. High School teacher Dave Antoniewicz then referred to a handout that was given to board members. According to the handout, the minimum teaching salaries for Prairie du Chien ranked ninth of the 14 SWAL schools in 1999-2000. The maximum Prairie du Chien teaching salaries ranked sixth. The figures were taken from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). For the 2004-2005 school year, Prairie du Chien ranked 14th in minimum teaching salaries out of 14 SWAL schools and twelfth for maximum teaching salaries, according to the handout. As of Monday night, the Prairie du Chien School District's proposal would have the minimum teaching salaries still ranked last and the maximum teaching salaries ranked tenth. Antoniewicz then pointed out that, according to DPI figures, the Prairie du Chien superintendent position salary and benefits went from fourth to first among SWAL schools, an increase of 31.2 percent from 1999-2000 to 2003-2004. Business Manager Michael Coughlin's salary and benefits package went from fourth to second, an increase of 48.4 percent during that same time span, Antoniewicz said. "We just don't believe that as a staff we should be the lowest paid in the conference," said Antoniewicz to a round of hearty applause from the crowd. "We're better than that and we deserve better than that." Concerning administrative salary raises, Antoniewicz noted that at a previous school board meeting, board member Joe Atkins had said that if the district wanted to attract the best and keep the best it needed to pay salaries accordingly. "I would hope that you take the same attitude toward the teacher staff," Antoniewicz said. Bluff View teacher Jane Yeomans-Petrowitz asked the board, "Can you explain to me why administrative salaries went up 31.2 percent and 48.4 percent, while teacher salaries went up an average of 1.8 percent?" No board member answered, but Business Manager Michael Coughlin questioned the accuracy and thoroughness of the figures provided by Antoniewicz. Coughlin said that relevant information had been left out. Superintendent Jim O'Meara said that the figures for his salary and benefits were misleading because he had taken on the extra duties and responsibility of being the district's Special Education Director. His salary and benefits package would be quite a bit lower otherwise, O'Meara said, in noting that the teachers association should quote accurate figures. Board member Joe Atkins, who was the board's presiding officer, then put an end to the negotiations priming and baiting session by telling the teachers that discussion of teaching salaries and administrative salaries belong in the bargaining session scheduled for Tuesday. "It's very complex," said Atkins. "Let's get at it and get something solved. I think both groups want that to happen." Prairie du Chien teachers have not had a contract since the 1999-2001 school years. In other business, Bluff View Band Director Stuart Slaman spoke before the board about the proposed cut in the sixth, seventh and eighth-grade band program from five to three days per week. "It's not going to be the same band," said Slaman about the impending cut. At last month's school board meeting, numerous parents and grandparents spoke before the board in favor of Slaman's band program while asking the board not to cut the program. Board members said then that they would like to keep the band program at five days per week but no vote was taken and nothing has been done about the matter since. "I'd like to see it continue five days a week," said board member Barb Matejka at Monday night's meeting. Bluff View Principal Jo Ann Wick said that she would like the band to continue five days a week but that Bluff View doesn't have enough staff. Wick also said that she doesn't want any other program to suffer. Superintendent O'Meara said that he, High School Principal Andy Banasik and Wick would look into solving the problem and will report back to the board next month. If the band program is cut, it would be for one school year. In further business: €The board discussed the leaking roof problems at the high school and B.A. Kennedy. O'Meara said that the district cannot continue to "nurse along" the problems and that a roofing referendum might be a solution to solving the roofing problem. The issue will be discussed at the June meeting. €Following a presentation about the benefits of the district's newly-installed technology, the board voted unanimously in favor of switching from CESA to Keystone AEA, a media supply consortium from Iowa, for three years in order to purchase new equipment. The move should save the district thousands of dollars, said O'Meara and Business Manager Mike Coughlin. River Ridge valedictorian and salutatorian named Kimberly Stoeffler Kimberly Stoeffler, the daughter of Joe and Rita Stoeffler, took the top position as valedictorian of her class at River Ridge High School. Kim's academic achievements include a perfect 4.0 grade point average and placement on the honor and high honors list every semester of her high school career. In addition, Kim has been accepted into the United states Achievement Academy and listed in Who's Who Among American High School students. Kim has been involved in a number of clubs and extra curricular activities including drama productions and Drama Club, Biology Club, Art Club and Student Council. She also participated in the Friends Helping Friends peer mentoring group. Music has been another area of achievement for Kim. She plays the piccolo and flute and participated in Jazz Band and Pep Band. She has also sung in the Women's chorus and jazz choir. She lettered in band and choir in grades 10 through 12 and participated in several state Solo and Ensemble competitions. She was selected to participate in the prestigious Dorian Music festival for both vocal and instrumental performances. Kim's athletic accomplishments were found in her participation in the Dance Team during all four years of high school. She was a Just for Kix All-Star dancer and was selected to dance with the Just for Kix team that performed in the half-time show college football Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla., as a junior. She also lettered in Dance Team and as a football cheerleader. This past year she served as manager of the wrestling team, and was voted Most Valuable Wrestling Manager. In her community and school Kim has volunteered her time for roadside clean-ups, school club fundraising concessions, Red Cross Blood drives and visiting with nursing home residents at Orchard Manor. She has also held summer jobs working as a waitress at Home-a-Gins bar and grill, Yogi Bears' Campground and doing childcare. Kim plans to attend UW-La Crosse to study biomedical biology to become a physicians' assistant. Seth Barr 2005 River Ridge salutatorian Seth Barr is the son of Stacey and Barb Barr. Seth's outstanding academic achievements have earned him a high honors and a grade point average of 3.994. He is a member of the National Honor Society and listed in Who's Who Among American High School students. At school he was involved in Biology Club and forensics. In music, Seth sang in the Choir, Men's Choir and Jazz Choir, and Show Choir. He took first place in the vocal competition ar the state Solo-Ensemble music contest and participated in Honors Chorus. In athletics, Seth played football, basketball and baseball, lettering in football and basketball. He served as JV captain and Varsity co-captain of the football team. Last fall he received honorable mention by the Six Rivers Conference for playing tight end. Seth has been active in his community in a variety of ways. He volunteered as a sixth grade environmental ed. program counselor, and he taught basic basketball skills to elementary students in the Little Timberwolves basketball program. Last summer he organized his fellow football players to help out area residents in need of a hand to move furniture, make hay and other tasks. He was also active in the Friends Helping Friends peer mentoring and leadership program. Seth also held a part-time job tending a herd of 150 beef cattle for an area farmer. Seth plans to attend the UW-Platteville this fall to study engineering and mathematics.
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