Mikolainis, Butz Lead For Whitnall School Board Primary

GREENFIELD, WI — Results from the Whitnall School District primary election for the Whitnall School Board filtered in throughout Tuesday night. The election will narrow the field of candidates seeking to fill two seats on the board.

The leaders in the race will progress to the general election in April, when voters in Greenfield, Franklin and Hales Corners will decide who earns the responsibility of serving on the Whitnall School Board.

The primary comes with a mishmash of candidates, all with unique perspectives and goals for a district that has, like others across the country, been tasked with navigating the fallout of the pandemic.

Whitnall School Board Primary Election

Unofficial results as of 9:36 p.m. on Tuesday. Results will be added and updated as they come in.

• Karen Mikolainis - incumbent: 663
• Jon Cohn: 511
• Jason Craig: 416
• Steven Butz - incumbent: 555
• Alex Lopez: 221

Getting To Know Candidates

We asked each candidate what their priorities would be if they were elected to the school board, and what the most pressing issues are. Here are some highlights of what candidates for the school board had to say:

• Steven Butz:
  • "The single most pressing issue facing our district is student achievement, and this is what I intend to do about it. The board developed a strategic plan 18 months ago with 3 goals. The parts for school culture and financial responsibility make up a smaller portion of the plan. Comprehensive learning is the larger portion and the one that takes up most of our focus."
• Jon Cohn:
  • "The single most pressing issue facing our district is the need to ensure students receive the best education and experience that prepares them for their future."
• Jason Craig:
  • "Student achievement. I intend to examine the work on the edges. Are the students that have special considerations being taught in a way that they are able to learn, process, and retain in a way that they can demonstrate mastery of the subject matter? Also, is there enough challenge to the gifted and talented students that they will still be captivated by topics that will ignite their curiosity and lead them to become captains in their fields of study?"
• Karen Mikolainis:
  • "Increasing student achievement is my top priority. In the past five years, our student proficiency declined and our district average composite ACT score fell below the state average. I will push for detailed reports about our classroom-level improvement efforts. Our current early literacy curriculum is outdated. I recommend shifting to a science-based reading model with code-based, systematic, and explicit instruction that supports struggling readers and increases reading proficiency."

Patch also asked each candidate what the critical difference between them and other candidates. Here are the answers we got:

• Steven Butz:
  • "What sets me apart is I serve an officer of the board as treasurer. I lead the Finance and Facilities Committee. I also used my medical expertise to serve on the Medical Advisory Committee and helped to keep our school in person entirely this year and as an option for our district in the previous year ... I understand the role of a director and can work more effectively with my colleagues. My quality improvement experience is useful and will continue to be helpful on our continuous improvement journey to meet our strategic goals for comprehensive learning, unifying culture, and financial responsibility."
• Jon Cohn:
  • "Leadership. My professional life places me in a position of; leadership, oversight, creating mission/vision/goals, advocating, oversight and accountability. Everyday, I lead and manage our members and our organization. Our organization has been agents of change and innovation despite critics. We have become a looked to organization. I understand the general oversight responsibilities of a Board member (do not micromanage) and want to bring this insight to the district."
• Jason Craig:
  • "Working in the private sector for over 30 years, I have learned how to balance different performance indexes to hit metrics, limit at risk dollars, grow customer satisfaction, and strengthen team dynamics. I will bring those same skills to the board. I work well with others and will do my best to forge strong relationships with the community. I have high goals for proficiency, and I am good at working within the budget. I plan to help reestablish the district as the center of the community again and revitalize that community 'Falcon Pride.'"
• Karen Mikolainis:
  • "I ask questions. I am committed to accountability and two-way communication. I am an independent thinker, and I work for the residents of the Whitnall community."

Want to learn more about the candidates? Here is each candidate and a link to their responses to our questions:

• Steven Butz
• Jon Cohn
• Jason Craig
• Karen Mikolainis
• Alex Lopez

Editors note: Patch reached out to each candidate in this race.