Week in Review

Sunday started with doors near the Packer game, a house party, and (once he got home) helping Kate set up her new classroom. As Christian put it: politics is important, but life doesn't stop.

Wednesday, a fresh wave of yard signs went out across the district, and by Thursday they were showing up on lawns from Sheboygan Falls out toward the county line.

Thursday afternoon Christian toured Oostburg Christian School and sat down with their administrator to talk about growth, special education, and teacher retention.

Two things stuck with him: how closely Oostburg Christian and the public school district work together, sharing services and solving problems side by side, and how much of a teacher's day gets eaten up by paperwork instead of the classroom.

He's heard the same thing from educators and superintendents across the district all year. More on that below.

Fallooza wraps up in Plymouth this weekend, a festival raising awareness for mental health and addiction recovery, causes Christian cares about and was glad to see the district show up for.

Civic Spotlight: How Wisconsin Pays for Schools

Property tax pressure isn't limited to one town, and it isn't new. This week, the Oostburg School District shared that it's expecting to receive over $560,000 less in state aid next year, a reduction driven by a mix of property values, enrollment changes, and how school funding gets divided across the state. It's part of a funding formula that hasn't been substantially rewritten in decades, even as Wisconsin's communities have changed a lot since then.

Sheboygan Falls is weighing a similar question right now with its own referendum. We'll have more from Christian on that soon.

Further reading on the statewide picture → CBS 58: Is it time to rewrite the state's funding formula?

Independent. Like Us.

The visit to Oostburg Christian School was a small reminder of something Christian keeps running into this year: the good ideas in this district don't come from one side of the aisle, and they don't come from public schools instead of private ones, or the other way around. They come from people who show up, compare notes, and stay focused on the kids.

That's really what independent means to Christian. Not undecided, not neutral for the sake of it, but accountable to the people he represents instead of a party platform. His support reflects that: Democrats, Republicans, and independents who want a state government that works. What they have in common isn't a party label. It's a belief that the district comes first.

Join Us: Educators Town Hall

Tuesday, teachers and school staff from across the district get the floor. Christian's holding a direct conversation about what's actually happening in classrooms, from special education funding to the paperwork load that keeps coming up in every school visit this year. If you work in education, or know someone who does, this is the one to make room for.

Want to hear where every candidate stands, not just Christian? The following night, Wednesday, September 30 at 6 pm, Sheboygan County's public school districts are hosting a Legislative Forum for Sheboygan County Public Education at the SFHS auditorium, moderated by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. Every candidate on the November ballot for State Assembly and Senate representing Sheboygan County has been invited to share their views on public education with the community. It's not a debate, and there won't be audience questions, just a direct look at where everyone stands. Christian will be there.

More Ways to Get Involved

Help the sign bloom keep growing. Yard signs are up across Sheboygan Falls and the surrounding area, but we want the same wave rolling through Manitowoc and Fond du Lac counties too. If your yard is on a busy road or corner lot anywhere in the district, or if you can spare a couple hours to help us deliver signs further out, this is a great week to pitch in.

Postcard writing and our ongoing phone bank are still open too. No experience needed for any of it, we'll pair you with someone who's done it before.

Key Dates

Chamber members can register at business.sheboygan.org.

Ballots are already landing in mailboxes for anyone voting absentee. If you haven't checked your registration yet, now's a good time: myvote.wi.gov

More people are meeting Christian for the first time every week, at school visits, at doors, through this newsletter. If you can help us get his story in front of more voters across Sheboygan, Manitowoc, and Fond du Lac counties before November, we'd be grateful.

Thank you again for being part of this effort.

Every doorstep, every event, every conversation helps us understand this district a little better.

The Ellis Community Team

Christian Ellis for State Senate District 9 • Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin

[email protected]

Paid for by Friends of Christian Ellis
christianellisforwi.com