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VOTERS GUIDE; ELECTION 2006; HARTLAND-LAKESIDE SCHOOL BOARD; Ex- Principal Challenges Incumbents on Turnover, Class Size

Posted on: Monday, 3 April 2006, 03:03 CDT

By AMY HETZNER

Hartland A former school administrator is battling two incumbents for two seats on the Hartland-Lakeside School Board, making an issue of employee turnover and class sizes in the district.

Voters will choose between the three candidates Tuesday for two three-year terms on the School Board.

Jack Magestro was most recently a principal and technology director in the Hartland-Lakeside School District before his contract was ended shortly before it was set to expire four years ago.

Now Magestro, 52, is criticizing the board for its administrative contract buyouts as he strives to unseat either Board President Dave Jonet or board member Pamela Erickson.

"This business of the revolving door for their top leadership, it's just not doing them any good," Magestro said. "There has to be a reason why it's happening, and there has to be a way to correct that."

The district ended contracts with its three most recent superintendents before the end of their terms, said Magestro, who now works as an author and publisher. The district has also forced out two principals in the last decade.

In addition to bringing more stability to school administration, Magestro said, he would like to reduce class sizes in the district's schools. He also proposed that instead of outsourcing the business manager's position as the current board has been exploring, it combine the duties of the curriculum director with that of its superintendent.

But Jonet called Magestro's class-size proposal potentially too costly for a district that is constantly looking for efficiencies. And he said the idea of outsourcing the district's business administration is feasible, given that some other districts the same size as the 1,300-student Hartland-Lakeside do not employ business managers.

Jonet, 46, a sales manager and franchise business owner who has spent seven years on the School Board, said he believes he deserves re-election because the district has been able to balance its budget while giving kids a good education during his tenure.

He also said he would like to keep the current board together.

"The School Board itself is very unified right now and very focused and, going forward, I would like to see it continue that way," Jonet said. "The current members in place are very good, very accountable and bring something to the table. And I would like to see these five continue."

Erickson, a school bus driver who has been on the board since 1994, also said she thinks the district has become stable after some rocky years.

She said she shared some of Magestro's concerns about the previous pace of administrative turnover. But Erickson said that changed with Jeffrey Gruber, who retired last year after serving for seven years as the district's superintendent.

Now, the district has three "great" principals and is negotiating a contract with a new superintendent to replace Gruber, she said.

Erickson, 44, also said she thinks class size is an important issue. But she said the school system's budget limits what it can do.

Because of that, she said, the board was only doing its fiscal duty by exploring whether it could save money by outsourcing the business manager's position.

"If we can do anything to the district to save money, let's try it," Erickson said. "And, if the business manager does retire, then if we can outsource some of his functions and we can save money . . . then let's do it."

Pamela Erickson (inc.)

Age: 44

Address; time in district: 710 Belshire Drive, Hartland; 17 years

Occupation: school bus driver

Elective office, government experience: 12 years on Hartland- Lakeside School Board

Education: graduate of Arrowhead High School, some classes at Waukesha County Technical College

Family: married; four children

Dave Jonet (inc.)

Age: 46

Address; time in district: W302-N1661 Crooked Creek Road., City of Pewaukee; 15 years

Occupation: sales manager for Cooper Visions, co-owner of Quizno's and All-Star Hockey franchises in Delafield

Elective office, government experience: 7 years on Hartland- Lakeside School Board

Education: bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin- Green Bay

Family: married, four children

Jack Magestro

Age: 52

Address; time in district: 739 Winston Way, Hartland; 15 years

Occupation: author and publisher, former educator

Education: bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point; master's degree from the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee

Family: married, four children

Copyright 2006, Journal Sentinel Inc. All rights reserved. (Note: This notice does not apply to those news items already copyrighted and received through wire services or other media.)

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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