Nov. 7, 2022 12:30p
(WGTD)---New Kenosha Unified Superintendent Jeffrey Weiss has been on the job for a little over a month. In that time, he’s been visiting the district’s 40-plus schools and talking to staff, students and parents to gauge what the district does best and where improvements could be made.
Speaking recently on WGTD, Weiss said he aims to be the strongest advocate possible for the district’s over 19,000 students. “At the end of the day, that’s what a superintendent ought to be doing. These roles are designed to be the advocate—to be the one who’s looking out for our students to make sure they are getting the best we can give them.”
What’s his main message for teachers? “I could boil it down to one statement—just do what’s best for the students that are in front of you,” said Weiss, adding that there are obvious parameters. “There are some fences that need to be in place to make sure that we have an instructional program that’s viable—that’s guaranteed. Within them, there’s professional judgment that we’re relying on our educators to make. They know their students the best and we’re counting on them.”
Weiss succeeds interim Superintendent Beth Ormseth, who’s now back in her old role as principal of LakeView Technology Academy.
Weiss—who last served as superintendent of schools in South Milwaukee—is no stranger to Kenosha. He lived in the community for 16 years while working elsewhere. All three of his children graduated from Kenosha Unified. He has degrees from both UW-Parkside and Carthage and is a Racine native, having graduated from Park High School.
His first teaching job was as a substitute teacher in 1994 within Kenosha Unified. His first administrative job was at his alma mater—Park—beginning in 2003.
Weiss said his career path as an educator started forming as a third grader when his teacher instilled the love of learning.
It didn’t hurt either that both of his parents are teachers.
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