Seven Candidates Running For Wauwatosa School Board: Voter Guide

WAUWATOSA, WI — Seven candidates are in the running for a seat on the Wauwatosa School Board, but on Tuesday, it will all come down to voters to decide who has earned a spot.

Four seats are up for election on the seven-member board. One of the seats has a candidate running unopposed, while the other three each have two contestants. Whoever wins will be elected to a three-year term where they serve without compensation.

Here's what to know about voting in Wauwatosa:

Polls will open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday and close at 8 p.m. If you get in line by poll closing time you can still wait in line to vote. You can find a list of Wauwatosa's polling places at the city's website.

Check registration, request ballots, and figure out where to vote at myvote.wi.gov.

Wisconsin has same-day voter registration, so as long as you get to your polling place on election day with photo identification and proof of residence, you'll be able to cast your ballot in the election.

If you still have an absentee ballot to return, make sure you get it to Wauwatosa's clerk inside city hall by 8 p.m. on Tuesday. It has to be in person and you can only return your own unless you have a disability. Also, note that the state's supreme court outlawed the use of dropboxes for ballots. It is too late to mail a ballot back and expect its safe return.

Here are some key things to know about each school board candidate:

Patch asked all seven candidates questions about their backgrounds and campaigns. Here are each of the candidates and a link to profiles for every candidate who responded, or a link to their campaign website.

• Phillip Morris for seat 4.
• Liz Heimerl-Rolland for seat 5.
• Christopher Zirbes for seat 5.
• Daniel Gugala for seat 6.
• Lynne Woehrle for seat 6.
• Jessica Willis for seat 7.
• Mike Zollicoffer Jr. for seat 7.

The list of candidates is full of newcomers for the board, except for incumbent Jessica Willis. Phillip Morris is running uncontested for seat 4, which Leigh Anne Fraley is vacating. Among the seven candidates, three have emerged as a coalition: Zirbes, Gugala and Zollicoffer Jr. The three candidates sent a joint letter to Patch in February after a fight at Wauwatosa West High School ended with citations for a parents and students. In the letter, the three pledged to:

• Implement a district wide discipline policy designed to prioritize safety within our schools;
• Support the district administration in fully enacting its disciplinary framework to progress in resolving the issues of fights and violence in our schools;
• Ensure the swift implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Wauwatosa Police Department to establish the long-term stability of the School Resource Officer (SRO) program;
• Retain an unwavering focus on the safety of our schools until students and teachers have the safe and supportive learning environment they deserve.

Meanwhile, Willis looks to defend her seat against Zollicoffer. Zollicoffer's campaign website notes three elements in his "playbook for success": academics over activism, listening over grandstanding, and prosperity over controversy.

"The students in our district deserve the best education available," said Zollicoffer's website, "that's why we need a renewed focus on academics. I’ll work with the board to create policies that challenge every student to be their best self, not just good enough for the middle of the pack."

Willis told Patch the most pressing issue facing her office is disproportionality in academic achievements, a teacher shortage and more.

"One of the unique perspectives that I bring that the other candidates do not is a fresh, independent perspective," Willis told Patch. "My family moved to Wauwatosa in 2021, and having worked in other thriving public school districts, I understand what it takes to be a top achieving district. Unlike any of the other candidates, I come with a background in K-12 public education, with a focus on special education. I was a teacher before the pandemic, during the pandemic and after the pandemic."

As for the sixth seat, Woerhle is running against Gugala, who touts his experience as an attorney as something setting him apart. Woerhle asserted it is her experience working with districts and as a co-leader of Tosa Together that sets her apart.

Woerhle said the most pressing issue facing the office is a serious disruption in classrooms caused by the polarization of society and the coronavirus pandemic.

"We need to focus on supports and resources that get us to thriving classrooms full of students eager to learn," wrote Woerhle. "This means that we need safe schools where belonging and community define the climate and culture of the building."

Gugala argued the most pressing issue is student and teacher safety, which he said he would try to improve "through the implementation of a fair and consistent discipline policy. I would also work with community partners to create a network of support, and consider alternative placements focused on ensuring students are provided the largest number of opportunities for success."

For Zirbes, the most pressing issue is the loss of teachers at the district.

"I have talked to numerous teachers at all 3 levels," Zirbes wrote to Patch. "The ones at the upper levels have too many kids in a classroom. They don’t have the room aids that they need to teach students. Teachers are spending more time doing 'classroom management' vs teaching our kids. They want to be included on curriculum and given the tools to help them do their jobs."

Meanwhile, Zirbes' competitor Heimerl-Rolland is running "to put our kids first," according to her campaign website.

"All students can reach their full potential if they have the support they need. I am running to put our kids first academically," Heimerl-Rolland's website said. "Outside interest groups are playing politics - disrupting communities and progress. I am running to put our kids first in policy. Our students deserve the best school culture and community. I am running to put our kids first in opportunity."