The Arrowhead School Board approved the nonrenewal of three teacher contracts April 28, despite a show of support from Arrowhead parents and community members for those teachers.
Board members voted, 8-0, not to renew contracts for science teacher Brian Corry, math teacher Mark Leoni and social studies teacher Tim Tower. The votes, on three separate motions, came after the board spent five hours in closed session having private conferences with each of the three teachers. Board member Chris Adsit was not at the meeting.
The action finalized action taken earlier this month, when the board approved issuing notices to consider not renewing the contracts, a move that met with considerable pushback from the community.
After the board’s April 28 vote, Arrowhead School Board President Kim Schubert read a statement that said, in part:
“Public schools across Wisconsin are facing unprecedented budget challenges driven by a combination of an outdated and inadequate state funding formula and steadily declining student enrollment. Arrowhead High School is confronting a projected $1 million deficit for the upcoming academic year. This shortfall has required us to make serious, difficult decisions to maintain fiscal responsibility to preserve the stability of our educational programs.
“The board made these decisions after careful deliberation. The board has made a decision to reduce staffing levels for the 2026-27 school year. The teacher nonrenewal process has not been taken lightly – just the opposite. Every decision has been approached with the seriousness, thoughtfulness and deep consideration for the individuals affected and the students we serve.”
A crowd of 40-50 people, including students, parents, residents and former Arrowhead staff showed up to support the three teachers. Once the board went into closed session shortly after 6:30 p.m., the crowd worked its way outside. Their numbers dwindled as the meeting went late into the night. Only a handful of those who were present at the beginning – including Corry, Leoni and Tower – remained at about 11:30, when the board returned to open session.
Taylor Malec, a senior at Arrowhead High School, said she has enjoyed being part of Arrowhead’s Junior States of America chapter, which Tower has been an adviser for. She was also in one of his classes, and in one of Leoni’s classes.
“These teachers who have been here (are) the rock of Arrowhead and the tradition of Arrowhead and what made Arrowhead excellent are being non-renewed. It’s just ridiculous. These teachers are loved by all. I have not heard one complaint about any of them. People can complain all they want about teachers, but that’s just not the case with these teachers,” Malec said.
Will Hoffman, another Arrowhead senior, also was there to support the teachers. He was a student in Tower’s class and got to know Corry and Leoni from talking to them in the hallways.
“I feel called to be here tonight,” he said. “These teachers have had a strong impact on me throughout my four years at Arrowhead. I don’t think my experience would be the same without them.”
Neely Basich, a parent of two sons, one an Arrowhead graduate and another who is a current Arrowhead student, said the teachers are why Arrowhead has succeeded academically.
“The parents know that. We have students that open enroll from other districts to meet with these teachers. People move to this community and select this high school because the teachers are so strong, and it’s heartbreaking that they’re taking away the gift of these amazing teachers,” he said.
Contact Alec Johnson at 262-875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on X at @AlecJohnson12.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Arrowhead School Board votes to make teacher cuts official
Reporting by Alec Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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