After 26 years of wear, tear and increasing rates of repair, the Williams Bay Board of Education on July 25 approved designation of $90,000 in district fund balance for the replacement of gym lockers at Williams Bay Middle School-High School.
The school, which enrolls 391 students in Grades 6-12, opened in 1996.
The project, which will see the replacement and configuration of the current locker system with 500 new all-welded lockers, also includes the installation of privacy stalls in the shower rooms.
According to district building and grounds director Ryan Quinn, the lockers will be placed so as to open up the locker rooms to provide a central gathering area for team meetings, something the current locker configuration cannot accommodate.
In response to board questioning, Quinn said the work will be performed during winter break in December to prevent disruption to school operations.
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In related news, the board approved the designation of $59,275 from fund balance to pay for two ongoing capital improvement projects at Williams Bay Middle School-High School, including replacement of the main entry doors and the repair of the maintenance department loading dock.
Busing
At the behest of district administrator Dr. William White, the board, following the lead of other area school districts, approved a request from Dousman Transport Co., Inc., to increase bus driver pay $1.50 an hour.
The increase is intended to aid in the retention and recruitment of bus drivers in a tight and competitive labor market, and to help Dousman stay competitive with the pay rates offered by other area bus companies.
The additional cost to the district, White said, would be $3,378 for the upcoming 2022-23 school year.
“Certainly we need drivers to drive our buses to keep those running,” White said. “We need to help the bus company a little bit. I think it’s in our best interest to support the bus company.”
Dousman, which serves a number of southeastern Wisconsin school districts, operates two busing hubs in Walworth County — a Lake Geneva facility at N1889 County Highway H, serving Lake Geneva Area Schools; and a Delavan facility at 1736 Hobbs Dr., serving Delavan-Darien, Walworth and Williams Bay schools.
In related news, the board approved a five-year contract extension with Dousman Transport, $86,137 for the 2022-23 school year, which calls for a 2.5% annual rate increase per year over the five-year contract period, which runs through the 2026-27 school year.
The new contract is effective Aug. 1.
Other news
In other action at the July 25 meeting, the Williams Bay School Board:
Approved the resignations of middle school-high school physical education teacher Joseph Hauser and varsity softball coach Jeff Kuespert, and the hiring of Matthew Landers as middle school-high school physical education teacher, Jessica Soskitch as assistant girls volleyball coach, and Nathan Borgen as varsity boys basketball coach.
Approved a $600 administration contract with Hartland-based Diversified Benefits Services, Inc. to administer the district’s COBRA insurance plans. In 1985, the United States government passed the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), which gives workers and their families the right to continue their workplace health insurance coverage after a qualifying event occurs where they would otherwise lose their health plan. The district has 64 COBRA-eligible employees.
Approved the designation of $10,000 in general fund balance to the district’s Fund 46 long-term capital improvement trust fund.
18 photos from Williams Bay Middle School's "Peter Pan Jr."
Mrs. Darling tucks Michael into bed in the nursery of the family's London home
Mrs. Darling (eighth-grader Piper Janssen) tucks son Michael (seventh-grader Keller Cook) into bed in the nursery of the family's London home.
Tinker Bell explores the London bedroom of the Darling Children
Flying pixie Tinker Bell (seventh-grader Gracie Pils) explores the London bedroom of the three Darling children.
Peter Pan sneaks into the Darling family home
Visiting from Neverland, forever boy Peter Pan (Williams Bay eighth-grader Shawn Campbell) sneaks into the Darling home in London in search of missing fairy Tinkerbell in the April 28-29 Williams Bay Middle School production Sir J.M. Barrie's musical play "Peter Pan Jr.," directed by Williams Bay Middle School/High School choral and musicals director Jessica Miles.
"Shall I give you a kiss?"
A love-smitten Wendy (right, eight-grader Ella Jans) anxiously awaits a kiss from visiting Neverland forever boy Peter Pan (left, eighth-grader Shawn Campbell) in the “Shall I Give You a Kiss?” scene from the April 28-29 Williams Bay Middle School production of the musical play “Peter Pan Jr.” For more play photos, see Page V3.
"I can fly!" scene with John Darling in the family nursery
John Darling (eighth-grader Jackson Wiley) creatively takes flight with the help of a little pixie dust - and stage magic - in the "I can fly!" scene in the family nursery.
"I Won't Grow Up" song and dance scene in Neverland
Outside the Lost Boy's Neverland treehouse, Peter Pan and his friends vow to stay young forever and never grown up in the Scene 4 "I Won't Grow Up" song and dance routine. Pictured, from left, are Peter Pan (eighth-grader Shawn Campbell), brothers Michael (seventh-grader Keller Cook) and John Darling (eighth-grader Jackson Wiley), and Lost Boys "Twin" (seventh-grader Ciara Benetiz), "Tootles" (seventh-grader Kaylie Patterson) and "Slightly" (seventh-grader Sasha Koledova.
The Lost Boys take shelter in Neveland, hiding from Captain Hook's pirate band
The Lost Boys (from left, seventh-graders Kaylie Patterson, Sasha Koledova and Ciara Benetiz) take shelter in Neverland as they hide from Captain Hook's villainous pirate band.
The ticking crocodile goes in search of his prey, the villainous Captain Hook
Tick-Tock the Crocodile (seventh-grader Zach Scott) goes in search of his prey, the villainous Captain Hook.
Neverland dance scene
Forming two Neverland tribes into one, the Lost Boys and the Brave Girls celebrate their becoming friends. Pictured from left are Tinker Bell (seventh-grader Gracie Pils), Wendy Darling (eighth-grader Ella Jahns), Peter Pan (eighth-grader Shawn Campbell), Michael Darling (seventh-grader Keller Cook) and Tiger Lily (seventh-grader Izzy Chamberlain).
"Hook's Tango" dance scene
"Hook's Tango" dance scene with the villainous Captain Hook (second from left, seventh-grader Josh LeBaron) and his band of bungling pirates. Pictured with Hook are his pirates (eighth-graders Paige Friberg, left, and Piper Janssen, right) and first made Smee (second from right, eighth-grader Mary Neiger).
Captain Hook's bungling pirate band
Captain Hook and his bungling pirate band plan their next dastardly scheme to try to gain evil control of the Neverland paradise. Pictured from left are first mate Smee (eighth-grader Mary Neiger), Captain Hook (seventh-grader Josh LeBaron), and the pirate crew (eighth-graders Piper Janssen and Paige Friberg and seventh-grader Zach Scott).
Peter Pan makes friends with Tiger Lily
Neverland's Brave Girls and Lost Boys band together in the Williams Bay Middle School production of the musical play "Peter Pan Jr." as Peter Pan (right, eighth-grader Shawn Campbell) makes friends with Tiger Lily (left, seventh-grader Izzy Chamberlain). She quickly becomes a loyal friend of Peter Pan in their common battle against the villainous Captain Hook.
Captain Hook on his pirate ship off the Neverland coast
Walking the deck of his pirate ship moored off the Neverland coast, Captain Hook (top, seventh-grader Josh LeBaron) brags to his crew (from left: first mate Smee, eighth-grader Mary Neiger, and pirate band, eighth-grader Piper Janssen, seventh-grader Zach Scott and eighth-grader Paige Friberg) about being the best villain of all time.
Swashbuckling adventures
Aboard Captain Hook’s pirate ship in Neverland, forever boy Peter Pan (Williams Bay eighth-grader Shawn Campbell) duels with the villainous Hook (Williams Bay seventh-grader Josh LeBaron) in the Williams Bay Middle School production of the musical play “Peter Pan Jr.” Directed by Williams Bay Middle School/High School choral and musicals director Jessica Miles, “Peter Pan Jr.” was staged April 28-29 in the school’s lecture center. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling their 2020 elementary musical, most of the 16 “Peter Pan Jr.” cast members were making their musical performance debut.
The villainous Captain Hook menaces Neverland with a bomb
Backed into a desperate corner, the villainous Captain Hook (Williams Bay seventh-grader Josh LeBaron) threatens to blow up the inhabitants of Neverland with a bomb.
"I Gotta Crow" song and dance scene, "Peter Pan Jr."
Peter Pan (left) and his friends celebrate their defeat of villainous Neverland nemesis Captain Hook in the Scene 6 "I Gotta Crow" song and dance scene from the Williams Bay Middle School April 28-29 performance of the musical play "Peter Pan Jr." Pictured, from left, are Peter Pan (eighth-grader Shawn Campbell), Brave Girls (seventh-graders Kaydence Warrenburg and Aubree Kunes), Wendy Darling (eighth-grader Ella Jahns) and Tinker Bell (seventh-grader Gracie Pils). Obscured from view behind Wendy and Tinker Bell are John Darling (eighth-grader Jackson Wiley) and Michael Darling (seventh-grader Keller Cook).
Watch dog Nana perks up with return of the Darling children from Neverland
Family watch dog Nana (seventh-grader Zach Scott) perks up excitedly upon the return of the Darling children from Neverland.
Playbill for Williams Bay Middle School's production of the musical play "Peter Pan Jr."
On April 28-29, Williams Bay Middle School staged the musical play “Peter Pan Jr.” The production of the Sir J.M. Barrie musical was directed by Williams Bay Middle School/High School choral and musicals director Jessica Miles. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling their 2020 elementary musical, most of the 16 “Peter Pan Jr.” cast members were making their musical performance debut.
Eric Johnson
Reporter
