Drew Niehans to retire from Oshkosh Area School District

OSHKOSH, Wis. (WISS) – The Oshkosh Area School District (OASD) is losing the executive director of business services.

OASD Board President Beth Wyman announced at the Oct. 8. meeting that Drew Niehans is retiring after five years with the district. 

Niehans is responsible for overseeing budget development and long-term budget forecasting, supervising payroll and employee benefits, overseeing student transportation, and managing the district’s insurance.

Board Member Barbara Herzog credits Niehans with several improvements to the district’s financing, including reducing healthcare costs for district employees, reducing the mill rate for taxpayers, and paying off debt. 

“And that was all done in five years, which I think is pretty remarkable. My overall takeaway,  I think, with Drew will be that he has really served as a good steward of the district’s resources,” Herzog said.

Wyman said Niehans was especially crucial in helping to pass the most recent $197.8 million referendum to fund Phase Two of the OASD consolidation plan for schools. 

“The greatest gift that you have given us is the ability for community members to be engaged in the process. And that certainly was apparent during the referendum,” Wyman said. “The numbers were easy to understand, and I think that’s what made for a successful referendum. So thank you very much for that.”

Recently the OASD lost another of the administrative team when Julie Conrad-Peters, an Assistant Superintendent, moved to Florida.

Niehans’s last day will be July 29, 2026.