Staff Spotlight

Brian Nutter, North Junior High School principal and 2023 MASP (MN Association of Secretaries to the Principals) Administrator of the Year, knew he wanted to do something exciting for a career. At 18, he narrowed his choices down to two: a United States Marshal or a kindergarten teacher. He attended the University of St. Thomas … Read more

Madison Elementary School has a dynamic duo, Brent Petermeier and Nathan Schutz. Both are behavioral support specialists (BSS) which means they modify teaching styles to provide intervention for students with significant social, emotional and/or behavioral needs. They work together in partnership with teachers to provide support to specialized instruction for students with individual education plans. … Read more

Dr. Eglantina Cenolli, EL (English Language) and mathematics teacher at North Junior High School, would say teaching is in her blood. Her parents, aunts, uncles and most of her sisters are all teachers. She considered becoming a medical doctor. However, civil war in her home country of Albania prevented travel to acquire a medical education. … Read more

Tech High School counselor, Erin Bloch, always had psychology in mind when she attended college, working full-time as a paraprofessional during the day at an elementary school and attending classes at night. Working with students day-to-day, however, made her rethink her direction of psychology. “[I started] looking at different careers and different areas where I … Read more

Nick Wells, paraeducator at Lincoln Elementary School, had no thoughts of working in education. His career was retail management. However, his wife (a teacher) noticed how well he interacted with his customers – particularly kids – and suggested that he switch careers to education. It’s a decision he’s never once regretted. “I’ve always been a … Read more

“Who you gonna call?” asks second grade teacher Stephen Browning to his class at Talahi Community School. “Ghostbusters!” they respond back to him. It’s one of Browning’s dress-up days for his class, and his call and response is themed to match it. He’s been dressing up in character and creating themed content to make learning … Read more

St. Cloud Area School District‘s new Supervisor of Nutritional Services Sarah Motl’s love and passion for nutrition and curiosity about its impact on the body came from a very personal place. Her brother’s severe ulcerative colitis diagnosis, while he was in high school, prompted a comprehensive change to her family’s diet to accommodate his illness. … Read more

Some jobs are trial by fire. Yet for St. Cloud Area School District‘s new Supervisor of Transportation Natalie Ratha, there was no hesitation to seize the opportunity and begin at full speed despite the national headlines about bus driver shortages. Ratha has been driving, operating and managing bus routes since her girls were young, and … Read more

With a work history spanning over 25 years in PK-12 public education, and the most recent of them directing assessment, research, evaluation, and continuous improvement activities at Edina Public Schools, many professionals might be looking forward to retirement and relaxation. Not the case with Donna Roper, the new executive director of research, evaluation, assessment and … Read more

Jordan McGreevy, science teacher at Tech High School, loves animals. As a young child, he wore clothes with animals on them and dug in the dirt to find obscure animals to bring home. So, as college approached, it felt natural for him to go into veterinary science. The further he pursued the career, however, the … Read more

While eating lunch in the commons one day at Apollo High School, then student Katy Reno said to herself that she would work in the Apollo kitchen one day. A couple of decades later, her dream came true. Now, as first cook at Apollo, she looks back on a career of cooking, with the majority … Read more

These days when the phone rings, Martha Christensen, school nurse for Talahi Community School,  Lincoln Elementary School, and Riverwoods, never knows what will come next. Whether questions regarding COVID symptoms or news of a positive case, the phone call is guaranteed to launch her into action. In all her years as a nurse, she says … Read more

Amy Laumeyer, language arts teacher at North Junior High School, always knew she would be a teacher. “I don’t know the why,” says Laumeyer. “I just remember whenever anyone would ask me in high school what I wanted to be I would always say, ‘A teacher.’” She went to college and entered the education program … Read more

Pamela Bilyeu, custodian at McKinley-ALC, walks the halls with a smile on her face (even behind the mask). She is exactly where she wants to be. In fact, she calls McKinley her second home. Bilyeu has maintained McKinley’s building for nearly two years and feels her job is more important than ever. She takes pride … Read more

Ellen Stewart, director of equity services for St. Cloud Area School District, has a story she likes to tell about being a child in North Minneapolis. For as far back as she can remember, she taught school in her backyard for the neighborhood kids. Every day, she’d line up lawn chairs and teach all day long … Read more

Sara Gangle, St. Cloud police officer and school resource officer for North Junior High School, Madison Elementary School and Lincoln Elementary School, did not originally plan for a career in law enforcement. Instead, she earned her degree in community psychology and chemical dependency. Gangle worked in a psychiatric unit in South Dakota for a year … Read more

Becoming a kindergarten Chinese immersion teacher at Madison Elementary School was the furthest thing from Summer Yang-Farmerie’s mind while growing up in China. Yang-Farmerie grew up in western China and began learning English in middle school, but she never dreamed she’d be teaching her native language as an adult. “When I went to college,” says … Read more

As part of its mission, St. Cloud Area School District prepares and empowers students to lead a successful life. That mission expands this year at Apollo High School with a new career and college pathways coordinator, Alisha Lacina. It’s her job to assist freshmen and sophomores to prepare for life after high school, and she’s … Read more

Breathe Easy* Well I’m heading back to school, cause I’m nobody’s fool, I’ve got education on my mind. One thing Mama told me, to be nice and friendly, making new friends is fine. I know it’s cheesy, but just breathe easy, don’t let the mask upon your face drive you crazy. Be kind, that’s what … Read more

Madison Elementary School’s special education teacher Celeste Hains didn’t plan on being a teacher. In fact, she was a social worker who was working on her marriage and family therapy license. It was her son’s principal, Kate Butkowski, who approached her about substitute teaching for St. Cloud Area School District. Hains gave it a try, … Read more

After 33 years with St. Cloud Area School District, Principal Sheri Rutar from Clearview Elementary School is retiring. It isn’t the retirement she imagined. The remainder of the school year has presented its challenges with COVID-19 for Rutar and her team. It’s been quite the ride navigating distance learning while transitioning the hand-off to a … Read more

Mark Weimer, technology education teacher at Apollo High School, comes from a family of teachers, the majority of them teaching math and English. However, growing up, becoming a high school teacher was the furthest thing from his mind. Weimer’s father, a previous industrial arts teacher, became his math teacher in seventh grade. “He [my dad] would … Read more