WCR | MAY 11 | 2016

Page 1

W A S H B U R N   C O U N T Y

Register

wcregist eronline.co m

INSIDE

May 11, 2016

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 Vol. 127, No. 39 • Shell Lake, Wis.

We e ke nd w atch

• “Long Live the Squeezebox” @ Haugen • Spaghetti supper @ Barronett • Youth baseball car wash @ Shell Lake See calendar on page 6 for details

75 cents

Follow mom!

Get your hometown news delivered each week!

Pages 12-13

On the Yellow River, a mother goose leads her goslings away from what she perceives as danger. Canada geese are very protective and will defend their young from predators and have been known to attack humans if they get too close. It is wise to keep a healthy distance from a goose. — Photo by Larry Samson

Four vie for Miss Rodeo title Page 2

New compensation system for Shell Lake teachers in development Danielle Danford | Staff writer

Water Wise: Appreciating wetlands Page 11

SPORTS wrap-up BREAKERS

Pages 15-19

Got an idea for a story? Email us @ news@wcregisternewsroom.com

Subscribe to the Register for the latest news and features about your neighbors and you! Call 715-468-2314 or go online to wcregisteronline.com to sign up.

Students compete at state music festival

SHELL LAKE - Most people can remember their favorite teacher, the one that stood out, but few consider how that teacher, or teachers in general, are compensated for their efforts. Teacher compensation changed following Act 10, which limited collective bargaining and allowed school districts to break away from salary schedules in contracts. Five years later, school districts statewide are still determining how to fairly compensate teachers. “Everyone is just trying to figure out what this compensation is going to look like,” said David Bridenhagen, Shell Lake School District superintendent. The scrapped compensation model most districts followed generally rewarded longevity of service and provided a way for teachers to plan for their professional and financial futures. To regain some of that structure, the Shell Lake School District is in search of a system

that allows for staff to regain some of that assurance in their financial future while acknowledging their efforts in the classroom and professionally. To develop a new compensation model, the Shell Lake School Board authorized an ad hoc committee with school board members Nicole Tims and Joel Anderson, district administrators David Bridenhagen, Heather Cox and Laura Stunkel, and five teachers. “The terrain has certainly changed and when we talk about teacher compensation, districts vary widely,” said Bridenhagen. One of the challenges all districts face when figuring out teacher compensation is how to maintain competitive wages while facing zero increases in state aid and rising expenses. Bridenhagen reports that rising health insurance costs are eating up any savings the district has had from Act 10. This year the district’s health insurance went up 8.5 percent. The Shell Lake School DisSee Compensation, Page 3

Road closed

A farmer in the Town of Long Lake suffered only minor burns when his tractor caught fire. Measures were taken to contain the fire to the plowed field. Birchwood, South Spooner DNR Ranger and Washburn County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene. Fire danger has been extreme but expected rain this week is expected to lower the danger considerably. - Photo from Washburn County Sheriff’s Department

Find us on Facebook facebook.com/ washburncountyregister

The city of Shell Lake has indefinitely closed the Sand Road from 3rd Street in the city limits to Bashaw Street. Traffic has been diverted up 3rd Street past the elementary school to Merritt Drive to Bashaw Street then back to Sand Road. The road was closed by Public Works Administration Chairman Ken Schultz until the city is able to obtain hot asphalt mix to fix the road. Monarch is expected to start production of hot mix in the third week of May. — Photo by Larry Samson

T HE REGIS T E R I S A C O O P E R A T I V E - O W N ED N EWSPA PER


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.