SHAWANO, WI- The Shawano School District is looking to add another Dean of Students for the Elementary Schools in an effort to help with student behavior at the Elementary level.
The Shawano School Board was made aware of the District’s plan during their meeting on Monday. With the announcement of the resignation of District Behavior Coach , the District will look to repurpose that position as a Dean of Students when they fill it.

“Our administration and pupil service staff are being pulled to help with students who are having a difficult time, so what this will do is provide that consistent person who can work with our support staff,” said Superintendent Kurt Krizan.

In 2016, Brian Morstad and Matt Peterson were hired as Dean of Students after a study showed that the position was needed. In 2022, the Shawano School Board approved eliminating the Dean of Students positions due to what they were told were budget issues.

“We are fixing a problem that we never should have had to fix, “School Board President Mike Musolff told TCHDailyNews.

After the resignation of former Superintendent Randi Anderson, the Dean of Students position was once again discussed, and money was used to hire one position back for the start of the 2024-2025 school year.

“We are right back where we were and where we should have stayed,” Musolff added.

Board member Christine McKinnies echoed those thoughts.

“This makes me sad because we did have a Dean of Students at each building, and the district at that time decided that they were not needed, but we knew that we did need it and we know that we still need it.”

During the meeting, Krizan said the position would likely be a Dean of Students at Olga Brener. Currently, Ryan Stuber serves as Dean of Students at both Hillcrest and Olga Brener and splits his time each week between both.

“What we are seeing the most is that the needs of our students when it comes to behavior and mental health is growing and it is challenging,” Krizan said. “I feel we lost some of the relationships with our students and lost that person that can have that connection with a kid and we are looking to improve that.”

Board member John Arens asked about the behavior issues at the Middle and High School and what the plan was there.

“That’s a really loaded question John,” Krizan said. “We are trending in a more positive manor at those two schools and with the two Deans and two Associate Principals, one for each school, they will be able to work together.

Krizan said there would not be any financial impact on the district, and they are moving fast on this with January 1st being the latest that the new person would start. Krizan confirmed that it’s unknown if the new Dean of Students would be at Hillcrest or Olga Brener, and it would depend on where the better fit for that individual was.