La Crosse teachers’ union president Jill Schams on school board candidates, Dept. of education, and Valentine’s Day in schools

Jill Schams, the La Crosse Education Association co-president, joins WIZM’s La Crosse Talk on Monday to discuss what it means when a school board candidate says they want to support teachers, the possible closure of the Department of Education, Valentine’s Day in grade school and keeping kids into music.

La Crosse Talk airs weekdays at 6-8 a.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 wherever you get your podcasts.

We began the show quick on the Monday after the Super Bowl and some updates on what’s happening in the district and getting ready for Valentine’s Day in school.

Schams, a music teacher at Southern Bluffs for kindergarten through fifth grade, shared insights on how to spark kids’ interest in music and keep them engaged over time.

Next, we explored the common claim made by school board candidates that they “support teachers” — what does that actually mean from the union’s perspective?

We wrapped up the conversation with a discussion on the role of the Department of Education and what its potential dismantling could mean for schools.