Education
Community rallying for La Crosse’s food bank; Galvan running for school board
A two guest Thursday, as we discuss some big March events surrounding the Hunger Task Force of La Crosse, before one of the many write-in candidates for La Crosse School Board joins to talk about his priorities.
La Crosse Talk PM airs weekdays at 5:06 p.m. Listen on the WIZM app, online here, or on 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska). Find all the podcasts here or subscribe to La Crosse Talk PM wherever you get your podcasts.
First off, Shelly Fortner, the executive director for the Hunger Task Force talks about two big March events — 95.7 the Rock’s .01K down Pearl Street that raised $4,381 and the upcoming Food Drive Friday by Interact students from Central, Logan, Aquinas, Onalaska and West Salem.
The St. Patty’s Day event last weekend saw about 350 “runners” show up to race 32.8 feet to raise money for the Hunger Task Force. Over 19 years of the event, over $100,000 has been raised.
Food Drive Friday will happen from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. March 29 — Good Friday — at the Valley View Mall parking lot. The students who run iFeed in November asked Fortner if there was something they could do heading into summer, and this is it.
After that, Jeremiah Galvan joined to discuss the La Crosse School Board. Only two candidates are on the ballot for three open seats, so around a dozen people are now running write-in campaigns hoping to get on the board.
One of the big responsibilities of the next school board will be the passage of a November referendum to renovate State Road Elementary with eight new classrooms and a gym, as well as build a new elementary school at the Hogan Administrative Center site. The cost for both projects is about $54 million.
La Crosse School superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel, was on La Crosse Talk PM earlier this week discussing those plans.
Kevin
March 22, 2024 at 8:08 am
FYI – I won’t vote to renovate squat for the public school system. My feeling, and belief, we are not getting our money’s worth out the system. We, as a community, state and nation seem to be getting dumber and dumber! Don’t believe me, go check on reading levels, go check on comprehension levels, every single facet of what would be considered ‘knowledge’ has receded into the shadows of political and social correctness.
Why would someone want to throw money into this hole above ground that can’t seem to understand what it’s mission is! Get some new leadership, maybe some leadership that understands what the mission of an educator actually is, and perhaps I will vote for a referendum.
It won’t matter much what I vote for though as this city and county seem to be populated with folks that cannot embrace a reality that includes recognizing that their school system is broken.
Teacher
March 24, 2024 at 5:28 pm
Somehow the District’s dire urgency to cut costs by closing schools has turned into a $54 million spending spree with cost cutting now forgotten.
Taxpayers should reject this proposal soundly and demand the administration be replaced.
Regarding Kevin’s comment above, the School Board and administration have been consumed with spending money for the last three years. There is virtually no discussion at any school board meetings on how the District will improve student outcomes. No one is held accountable. The entire lot should be shown out the door. Pay off their employment contracts only if needed but be rid of them already.