Gnewikow focuses on communication in superintendent role at La Crescent-Hokah

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On this episode of WisconsinEye's Rewind: Your Week in Review, Wisconsin Public Radio's Anya van Wagtendonk and WisPolitics.com's JR Ross discuss the passage of the 2025-27 budget which required bipartisan compromise on the following:

When Wally Gnewikow considered applying for the job as superintendent in the La Crescent-Hokah School District, he wanted to know two things: Does the community support public education, and does the district have a committed teaching and support staff.

"Had the answer to either one of those questions been 'no,' I wouldn't have applied," he said.

After getting a "resounding yes" to both questions, Gnewikow submitted his application. The school board selected him to replace Mindy Crowley, and Gnewikow began his new job July 1.

Gnewikow, a native of Tomah, has spent more than three decades in public education as a teacher, coach and administrator. He spent the first nine years as a math teacher in Tomah before accepting a teaching position at La Crosse Logan High School, where he taught for 10 years.

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In 2011, Gnewikow moved into administration at Logan. He first served as dean of students and then assistant principal before being named principal in 2018.

Gnewikow said his teachers in Tomah inspired him to pursue an education career.

"The teachers and the coaches had a positive impact on me," Gnewikow said. "They made sure they did whatever was necessary to keep hopes and dreams alive for kids. I thought I would like to do for the next generation what teachers and coaches did for me."

Gnewikow said the past decade has been challenging for education. He said schools are also dealing with the lingering issues of COVID-19 and the isolation it caused.

"Between COVID and overuse of technology, I've seen interpersonal skills decrease," Gnewikow said. "It's very important for educators to work on increasing those skills."

He said the interruption of in-person classes was "a setback for students and children." As a result, he said it's critical for school to teach communication as a basic skill just like reading, writing and arithmetic.

"I think it is very important that you're teaching human beings how to interact with other human beings," he said. "I've seen things come around; they've gotten better, but there's no doubt COVID had an impact."

Gnewikow said one way to mitigate the effects of COVID is through consistent attendance. He said the school district will place an emphasis on "educating and supporting parents on the importance of getting their child to school every day."

"Attendance is probably the biggest predictor of academic success, before you even get into anything else," Gnewikow said.

Another issue facing educators is artificial intelligence.

"It's the biggest new challenge in education," Gnewikow said. "It's not going away, so you want to teach students how to use it properly."

He said there are many positives as he assumes his new job. He said the district's two buildings -- a K-4 elementary school built in 2019 and the 5-12 middle school/high school -- are in good shape. He said enrollment is declining but hopes it eventually stabilizes between 900 and 1,000 students.

Gnewikow has been impressed with the district's staff.

"People have been very open in all the conversations I've had with them," he said. "I think a good superintendent tries to get their finger on the pulse of many different areas ... what's important to the students, what's important to the staff and what's important to the community."

Gnewikow said it's important as a new superintendent to reach out to the community and hear its thoughts and concerns.

"It's essential to listen to all of the stakeholders," Gnewikow said. "People here take pride in their schools whether they have kids in school or not."

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