Vance Dalzin Chosen as New Fox Point-Bayside School Chief

After a roughly three-month search, school officials have chosen their next superintendent who will take over the post from resigning Rachel Boechler.

After a roughly three-month search, Fox Point-Bayside school officials have chosen Vance Dalzin to take over as district superintendent next school year.  Dalzin has been superintendent of Williams Bay School District in Williams Bay, WI since August 2011, which borders Geneva Lake in Walworth County. He will be introduced at Tuesday night's school board meeting, which begins at 7 in the Board Room at Stormonth Elementary School, 7301 N. Longarce Rd.  Before taking the helm at Williams Bay, Dalzin was high school principal for Whitewater Unified School District from 1999 to 2011, high school principal for Wilmot Union High School District from 1994 to 1999, and assistant principal for Wilmot from 1991 to 1994. He grew up in the Milwaukee …

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3 Emerge As Finalists for Fox Point-Bayside School Chief

The director of curriculum in Whitefish Bay Schools, a school superintendent in Walworth County, and the director of a career center in Illinois are invited back for a second round of interviews.

After six people were interviewed last weekend, Fox Point-Bayside school officials have whittled a pool of candidates for superintendent to three.   School Board President Debbie Friberg said the final candidates will be invited back for a second round of interviews Thursday through Saturday.  The district began its search for a new school chief following Superintendent Rachel Boechler's resignation in January. The board hired Illinois-based consulting firm, Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates to aid in the search, fielding 28 applicants. The candidates are: Burchell was the former principal of 11 years in the Kaneland Community Unit School District, before becoming director of the Fox Valley Career Center in July 2011, according to his …

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Parents, Teachers Scold Fox Point-Bayside School Officials Over Cuts

With the threat of a recall hanging over the heads of School Board members, school officials try to explain rationale for reductions to arts, music and other programs. But many teachers and parents weren't buying it.

Fox Point-Bayside School District officials saw a town hall meeting Monday night as a way to clear the air of misconceptions about proposed reductions in art, general music, technology and physical education programs. But after administrators spoke for 35 minutes on the reasons behind the move, many of the 100 or so parents and teachers still weren't satisfied, and several said the scheduling changes would reduce the overall quality of education offered by the district. Those at the meeting at Bayside Middle School also were concerned about the prospect of losing some quality teachers next year. The district has sent out 10 preliminary layoff notices to teacher, although school officials say that has little to do with the scheduling …

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6 Superintendent Candidates to Be Interviewed This Weekend

After whittling down a pool of 28 candidates to six, the Fox Point-Bayside School Board will interview the applicants in closed session this weekend.

The Fox Point-Bayside School Board will begin interviewing candidates this week, as it nears selecting the district's next superintendent. The district began its search for a new school chief following Superintendent Rachel Boechler's resignation in January. The board hired Illinois-based consulting firm, Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates to aid in the search, fielding 28 applicants. On Monday, School Board President Debbie Friberg said the pool of candidates has been whittled to six, who will be interviewed in closed session on Friday and Saturday. Three will be invited back for second interviews on May 2 through 4.  School Board Vice President Tim Melchert said, citing the consultant, that the candidate pool in the state is much …

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Mary Anderson

3:30 pm on Monday, April 29, 2013

Come out, come out ... Whoever you are, Bart Underwood!   more ›

Fox Point-Bayside Superintendent Announces Resignation

After 2-1/2 years as district administrator, Rachel Boechler has announced she will step down in August to further her work with an educational non-profit organization.

17 Superintendent Applicants So Far

The firm tasked with hunting for someone to replace Fox Point-Bayside Superintendent Rachel Boechler is ready to start screening candidates, using characteristics developed by the community to guide the process

The firm tasked with hunting for new candidates to fill the shoes of leaving Fox Point-Bayside Superintendent Rachel Boechler is ready to begin the process of screening candidates. Illinois-based consulting firm, Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, met with community members and district staff earlier this month to explore what they would like to see in the person who replaces Boechler.  Kim Perkins said his firm has fielded 17 applicants for Fox Point-Bayside superintendent, and he expects a big boost in interest over holiday breaks.  When asked by a resident if he felt the pool of candidates is watered down, with several districts in the state seeking new school chiefs, Perkins said the education field isn't as appealing as it once was…

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Public Input Sought in Fox Point-Bayside Superintendent Search

The district is holding a public forum Monday to field input from parents and community members as it continues its search for a new school chief. The district also has a online survey available.

What characteristics would you like to see in Fox Point-Bayside's next superintendent? School officials want to know.  The district is holding a public forum 7 p.m. Monday at Stormonth Elementary, 7301 N. Longacre Rd., to field public input as it begins its search for a new school chief. Search firm — Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates — has been hired to aid in the search for a new district head and will gather opinions of parents and community member at the meeting. It will in turn use that information in the recruiting process.  Additionally, the district has an online survey available on its website, which closes March 7 at 5 p.m.  Rachel Boechler announced she will leave the district at the end of the school year, in mid-January, after…

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Fox Point-Bayside Superintendent Announces Resignation

After 2-1/2 years as district administrator, Rachel Boechler has announced she will step down in August to further her work with an educational non-profit organization.

The district administrator of the Fox Point-Bayside School District has decided to resign in August, saying she wants to further pursue her work with a non-profit organization. The School Board accepted Rachel Boechler's resignation at Monday's meeting. In a news release, board President Michael Weiss said Boechler was an asset to the board during the adoption of Act 10 and other changes in Wisconsin's educational landscape. "Dr. Boechler successfully navigated the district through the adoption of Act 10, unprecedented school funding cuts, and sweeping new curriculum requirements," Weiss said. "She never let us forget that, despite the many distractions facing our district and other school districts in Wisconsin, we must always focus on …

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Bayside Middle School Students to Get More Math Instruction

Extra training will likely come at expense of electives, and a "flex period" is also being considered.

(Editor’s note: This story was posted originally at 11:45 a.m. Thursday. Superintendent Rachel Boechler pointed out a series of inaccuracies regarding the flex period and the article has been adjusted to reflect changes.) Bayside Middle School students are not receiving enough mathematics education to meet state recommendations, and this should be changed, even if that leaves less time in the school day for electives, the Fox Point-Bayside School Board decided Monday. The board approved plans to create a new middle school curricular program that would include extending the amount of time spent on mathematics instruction and building in a flex period for student support and extension. The particulars of how the extra time will be worked …

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Parents Urge FPBS School District to Install Buzz-in System at Schools

The front doors are unlocked and visitors need only to check in with a secretary. The shooting in Newtown, CT has district officials considering the expensive security measure.

Fox Point-Bayside parents and residents are urging the school district to improve safety, with some saying a buzz-in system is imperative at the local schools. “Although it’s not going to stop a mad man, there is no reason to have open doors for all to waltz in,” Melissa LeClaire wrote on Fox Point-Bayside Patch’s Facebook page. Superintendent Rachel Boechler told Patch that a buzz-in system is one enhanced security measure under consideration in the district after the Newtown, CT school tragedy. School officials are reviewing their security plan, which was updated in January. Boechler said Tuesday morning that officials were meeting today to review security; she did not have a cost estimate on a buzz-in system but said it would exceed $10…

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