There will be at least one new face on the Germantown School Board after the April 7 election, as three of the four candidates seeking two seats on the board are newcomers.
Incumbent Kimberly Higgenbotham is running against challenger Anne Utech for Seat 3.
Molly Bussie and Richard Yu are facing off for Seat 5. Eric Brown, Seat 5’s incumbent, is not running for re-election.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel asked the candidates three questions. Their responses were limited to 100 words and were subject to light editing. Here’s what the candidates said.
What is the most pressing issue the district faces, and how would you address it?
Bussie: Teacher and staff retention is a top priority, because our kids need a steady, consistent environment with experienced, committed educators. That starts with gathering accurate data on why people leave and making sure our policies actually support and make sense to teachers in practice. For example, policies related to curriculum should be developed with meaningful impact from the educators who will be implementing the policies. Competitive pay, strong benefits and a positive school culture all play a big role in keeping great teachers with our kids.
Higgenbotham: One issue public education faces is teacher retention. A consistent faculty is imperative to a strong school district, which impacts student outcomes. Through surveys, listening sessions and district comparisons, the district has been intentional in determining and addressing factors that impact employee satisfaction. This led to decisions that increased wages to align with surrounding districts, limiting classroom sizes to address teacher fatigue and student ratios and aligning curriculum cross district to better serve our students, allowing for effective collaboration between teachers. If elected for a second term, I look forward to continuing efforts to make Germantown a desirable district.
Utech: Lack of trust between the parents, staff, board and administration is the most pressing issue facing our district. A root cause of this is poor communication. I have three ideas to improve communication. First: a board email that is sent one week before each committee/board meeting discussing the agenda items in more detail. Second: a post-meeting podcast to explain and discuss the thought that goes into creating policy and making decisions. Third: Transcribe the meeting recordings so that people of all abilities can access the information within them. Transcription would also allow the recordings to be searchable.
Yu: Our biggest challenge is building trust between the board, staff and community. Despite recent progress, I want to further bridge that gap by setting clear expectations and improving how we communicate. My solution is simple but difficult in practice: Remain visible, approachable and actively engaged with the community. This means being responsive to constructive feedback – positive or negative – and understanding the group or person’s perspective. Trust is built through presence, and showing up matters. This includes a regular presence at schools, events and local organizations like the PTA and booster clubs.
What is your philosophy on what effective board governance should look like in your district?
Bussie: Effective governance means setting clear priorities, adopting policies and a budget that support those priorities, and regularly checking our progress with families, educators and the community. It also means explaining decisions in a straightforward way so people can understand what’s being decided and why. One key responsibility of the board is setting clear expectations for district leadership and keeping a pulse throughout the year on progress toward district goals. I believe this process could be strengthened with ongoing check-ins and clear criteria, rather than a once-a-year formality.
Higgenbotham: Effective board governance is a commitment to ensuring the longevity and growth of the district. Because a board member is the voice of the community it represents, it is imperative to understand the communal values of the district itself. A board member is called upon to be impartial to students, faculty or school when it comes to making decisions impacting fiscal responsibility, staffing changes and at times individual student outcomes. This involves attending all committee meetings, where in-depth discussions take place to fully understand each issue affecting the many facets of a school district.
Utech: Effective board governance centers around improving student achievement through creating student-focused policy that encourages critical thinking while emphasizing the core academics of math, science, history, reading and writing. The board is responsible for supervising the superintendent, stewarding the budget responsibly and creating policy that aligns with community values. The board should establish a clear strategic vision and build community trust through open communication and data-driven decision making.
Yu: My philosophy with effective board governance is first and foremost a policy-based approach to ensure our actions consistently reflect the shared vision of our school and community. In addition, the group provides a strategic direction for education, facilities, staff and budget. We would listen to the experts working in those district positions and work with them to ensure we are holding ourselves accountable to be in the best interest of the taxpayers, parents, staff and the community. Effective board governance requires community engagement; I expect members to be active, accessible and responsive to all stakeholders.
What should be the district’s key areas of focus for its upcoming budget and how would you address them?
Bussie: A strong budget should focus on staffing and retention, classroom needs and student supports. For the upcoming budget, I want to clearly understand how the budget is built and the assumptions behind it. I believe it’s important to look closely at what we spend, why we spend it and whether it’s working. Dollars that directly support students and classrooms should come first, and savings should be found in lower-impact areas. Clear, public budget communication helps families understand the tradeoffs. With financial discipline and measurable goals, we can keep the district stable and moving forward.
Higgenbotham: Even before I became a board member, Germantown has been fortunate to carry a zero-balance budget. This is largely through the efforts of the Director of Business & Auxiliary Services Brittany Altendorf. Staying fiscally responsible means the board remains conscientious of how taxpayer money is spent to maintain and improve the district, whether it be curriculum, facility maintenance or employee benefits and wages. Where many districts faced referendums for operating costs, Germantown was able to successfully self-fund its health insurance and is now able to offer two free dental cleanings a year to its participants.
Utech: Technology is going to continue to be prevalent in society in our future. Therefore, a large portion of our budget should be focused on keeping our schools’ technology platforms updated, maintained and safeguarded. We should also be creating safe learning environments for our students by investing in maintaining our buildings and updating as needed to prolong their use. Finally, we should strive to compensate our staff fairly and competitively to maintain high-level instruction for our students.
Yu: With all of us facing inflationary pressures, the district’s upcoming budget priorities should focus on three core areas: supporting staff, maintaining facilities and advancing curriculum development. To address these, I would support continuing compensation analysis to ensure Germantown offers competitive wages and benefits. For facilities, I would support the ongoing items in our five-year capital improvement plan so we don’t wait until something fails before addressing it while providing an exceptional physical environment. The third focus would be curriculum development to ensure that our students have the knowledge and skills to give them the best chance for success.
Molly Bussie
Age: 37
Previous political experience: I have not served in an elected role before, but I have served on a board for a private school.
Community involvement: Parent (and chauffeur) to three current Germantown School District students and active volunteer at school events and extracurricular activities.
Contact info: molly4gsd@gmail.com, Molly Bussie for GSD Facebook page
Kimberly Higgenbotham
Age: 55
Previous political experience: Three years on the Germantown School Board
Community involvement: N/A
Contact info: Facebook: Kim for Germantown School Board, Seat 3
Anne Utech
Age: 44
Previous political experience: No political experience outside of voting.Community involvement: Member of Amy Belle Elementary and Kennedy Middle School PTAs. President of Amy Belle PTA since 2023 school year (currently serving a second term that ends after the 2026-27 school year). Frequent volunteer for classroom help and field trips. Co-chair of numerous school and fundraising events for Amy Belle, including our largest fundraiser (fun run), book fairs, International Bingo Night and Dinner with the Arts. Volunteer coach for girls volleyball rec teams through the Germantown Park and Recreation Department; volunteer assistant coach for girls Jr. Warhawks volleyball teams. Classroom lead volunteer at Crossway Church (Sussex location).Contact info: onboard4anne@gmail.com; tinyurl.com/onboard4anne
Richard Yu
Age: 44
Previous political experience: No political experience
Community involvement: Rockfield PTA president: 2017-21; Kennedy Middle School PTA treasurer: 2024-present; Leadership Germantown: class of 2024; Kennedy Middle School Career Day presenter: 2024-26 – Careers in Infrastructure and Software Engineering; Rory, The Rockfield School Mascot: 2017-24
Contact info: Website: richardforgsd.com; Email: richardforgsd@gmail.com; Facebook: Richard Yu for Germantown School Board, Seat #5
Contact Alec Johnson at 262-875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Germantown School Board candidates address key issues before April 7 election
Reporting by Alec Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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