July 2, 2024

ISD 748 families and staff,

It is with great excitement that I greet you as the new superintendent of the Sartell-St. Stephen School District. As we prepare for a new school year of learning, growth, and community building, our dedication to excellence in education remains steadfast. 

As a resident of Sartell for more than 20 years, I know many of you as neighbors and friends and know firsthand that the Sartell-St. Stephen School District values unity, collaboration, and a shared focus on our students’ education. I am eager to continue to meet with community members to hear your thoughts, concerns, and ideas. 

Both of my children spent their entire K-12 education in Sartell-St. Stephen ISD 748. This personal connection deepens my commitment to our community's success. As your new superintendent, I am honored to have the opportunity to lead our school district and work collaboratively with our dedicated staff, students, families, and community members. 

Your input is invaluable as we strive to create the best possible educational environment for our students. Please feel free to reach out to me via email or introduce yourself when you see me at school and community events.

We deeply appreciate the strong community and family involvement that enriches our district. Thank you for being a part of our Sartell-St. Stephen School District family. 

Thank you, 
Mike

Dr. Michael Rivard  
Superintendent  
Sartell-St. Stephen School District

March 12, 2024

At a special board meeting on March 11, 2024, the Sartell-St. Stephen School Board voted unanimously to select Dr. Michael Rivard as the district’s next superintendent.

In addition to school board member evaluations of each candidate’s answers, 16 individuals representing stakeholder groups across the district also provided input on each candidate’s strengths and areas of growth. Reference check reports were provided by board members who had done additional vetting on the three finalists after the first round of interviews as well. School board members considered all this information during their deliberations prior to making a final selection.

School Board Chair Tricia Meling shared, “the school board was impressed with Dr. Rivard’s experience and his strong connection with our community. We are grateful for all of the candidates who applied for the position. We appreciate everyone who attended the interviews and our stakeholders who helped us make this important decision.”

The School Board will be conducting contract negotiations with Rivard and a contract is expected to be approved by the School Board at their next regular meeting on March 18. 

The pending start date for Dr. Michael Rivard will be July 1, 2024. Rivard is the assistant superintendent for St. Cloud Area Schools.

The contract for Tom Lee, interim superintendent for the District since July 1, 2023, will expire on June 30, 2024. 

Additional details are at www.isd748.org/superintendent_search. Please contact Barb Dorn, MSBA Director of Leadership Development and Executive Search, at 507-508-5501 with questions.

March 7, 2024

ISD Families:

After interviewing the three semi-finalists for the superintendent position over the last two days, the school board selected the following candidates as finalists. They will interview on Monday, March 11 as follows:

• Timothy Rohweder @ 4:15pm, High School Principal - Proctor Public Schools, MN

• Dr. Michael Rivard @ 5:30pm, Assistant Superintendent - St. Cloud Area School District, MN

• Dr. Kurt Stumpf @ 6:45pm, Superintendent - Pequot Lakes Public Schools, MN

Finalists will tour school buildings prior to their interviews on Monday, March 11. 

The Second Round Interviews are in person only and all are welcome to attend on Monday, March 11 at Sartell High School in Watab 101-102. The meeting will be called to order at 4:10pm and the first interview will begin at 4:15pm.

A very special thank you to our stakeholders who will provide feedback on Monday: 

Additional details are at www.isd748.org/superintendent_search. Please contact Barb Dorn, MSBA Director of Leadership Development and Executive Search, at 507-508-5501 with questions.

Thank you--

Tricia Meling

School Board Chair
Sartell-St. Stephen ISD 748

March 5, 2024

This update from School Board Chair Tricia Meling about the superintendent search process was sent to ISD 748 staff and families:

ISD 748 Families:

A reminder that First Round Interviews for semi-finalists for the superintendent position are Wednesday, March 6 and Thursday, March 7 at Sartell High School in Watab 101-102.

Interviews are in person only and all are welcome to attend. Kevin Grover accepted a position with East Grand Forks Public Schools so because we are within the 3-day posting requirement, we will interview the remaining three candidates with the following schedule: 

Wednesday, March 6
5:20p Call to order
5:30p Timothy Rohweder - High School Principal - Proctor Public Schools
6:45p Dr. Kurt Stumpf - Superintendent - Pequot Lakes Public Schools
7:45p Continue meeting to Thursday, March 7 at 5:20 p

Thursday, March 7
5:20p Call to order
5:30p Dr. Michael Rivard - Assistant Superintendent - St. Cloud Area School District
​6​:30p ​Break
​7p ​ School Board deliberates and decides on Round 2 interview candidates, questions, schedule, and reference checks

The Second Round Interviews will be Monday, March 11. If you completed the interest form to provide feedback at these interviews, the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) will contact you this week if you are selected for the stakeholder group. If you were not randomly selected, you are still welcome to attend the in person only interviews. We will send details to families on Friday morning.

Additional details are at www.isd748.org/superintendent_search. Please contact Barb Dorn, MSBA Director of Leadership Development and Executive Search, at 507-508-5501 with questions.

Thank you--

Tricia Meling
School Board Chair
Sartell-St. Stephen ISD 748

February 27, 2024

This update from School Board Chair Tricia Meling about the superintendent search process was sent to ISD 748 staff and families:

Sartell-St. Stephen families:

At our meeting last night (February 26), the school board selected four semi-finalists to interview for the school district’s superintendent position. The semi-finalists are:

• Kevin Grover, Superintendent - International Falls Public Schools, MN
• Dr. Michael Rivard, Assistant Superintendent - St. Cloud Area School District, MN
• Timothy Rohweder, High School Principal - Proctor Public Schools, MN
• Dr. Kurt Stumpf, Superintendent - Pequot Lakes Public Schools, MN

A reminder that if you would like to provide feedback on the second round of interviews on Monday, March 11, please complete this Interest Form before Friday, March 1 at 5p: www.isd748.org/March11_interest. Details about the online tool used for feedback are below.

Semi-finalists
The semi-finalists were selected from a pool of applicants based on criteria established by the school board, as well as survey input provided by Sartell-St. Stephen stakeholders. We are grateful to the Sartell-St. Stephen staff, families, and community for the input they shared in our stakeholder survey held earlier this year. Their input has been crucial to make sure the most qualified candidate is selected for our district. We also appreciate the continued guidance and support from the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) during the selection process.

New schedule for First Round Interviews on March 6 & 7
The school board has scheduled in person only interviews open to the public for the semi-finalists on March 6 and March 7 at Sartell High School in Watab 101 and 102). Interviews will not be livestreamed or recorded. Please be aware of a change in schedule:

• The school board's call to order will be 5:20p
• Interviews will start at 5:30p (they were scheduled previously to start at 4:15p)

March 11 Interest Form
There is an opportunity for public input during the second round of interviews on Monday, March 11 at 4:15pm at Sartell High School (in Watab 101 and 102). Those randomly selected by MSBA will receive access to an online tool at the second round of interviews. This online tool is for ISD 748 staff, parents/guardians, and community members to provide feedback about each candidate’s strengths and opportunities for growth. MSBA will notify those randomly chosen the week of March 4. Please indicate your interest in sharing this feedback by completing the form below by Friday, March 1 at 5p:

• Sartell-St. St. Stephen parents/guardians and community members: www.isd748.org/March11_interest 
• Staff: www.isd748.org/March11_interest_staff.

For additional information about the superintendent search, please visit www.isd748.org/superintendent_search.

Thank you--

Tricia Meling
School Board Chair

February 20, 2024 - Updated February 26 to reflect new interview times of 5:30p on March 6 and 7 (instead of the original time of 4:15p)

This email was sent to ISD 748 families and staff.

ISD 748 families and staff:

Our superintendent search process is nearing the interview phase. The Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA), our consultant during the superintendent search process, has compiled the confidential applications for school board members to review and prepare for our interviews in March. 

ISD 748 Community involvement
The school board will continue to reference the Stakeholder Summary Report (click to view) and are grateful for the parents/guardians, staff member, community, student, business owner/agricultural, and other individuals who completed it between December 11-January 15. 

The ISD 748 community is invited to attend interviews that are in person only. The interviews -  not livestreamed or recorded - will begin at 5:30p (updated as of 2/26/24) 4:15p at Sartell High School on the following days:

• Wednesday, March 6 - First round of interviews 
• Thursday, March 7 - First round of interviews
• Monday, March 11 - Second/final round of interviews

Another opportunity for public involvement is during the final interviews on March 11. At the February 8 training, school board members requested the group dynamic consist of 6 staff members (1 from each building); 5 parents/guardians; 2 community members; 1 student; 1 principal; and 1 staff member from the Sartell Education Association. 

Interest form to serve on Monday, March 11
Parents/guardians and community members who would like to serve on Monday, March 11 need to commit to the following:

• Attend all interviews on Monday, March 11 (approximately 4 hours)
• Arrive by 5:15p for interviews that begin at 5:30p (updated as of 2/26/24) 4p for interviews that begin at 4:15p 
• Share feedback about each candidate’s strengths and opportunities for growth via an online tool provided by the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) on March 11. The feedback will be collected by MSBA immediately following interviews and provided to school board members for review prior to their final deliberations. 
• Complete this interest form by 5p on Friday, March 1, 2024.

Staff from MSBA will inform those who were randomly chosen the week of March 4. 

Thank you for your commitment to Sartell-St. Stephen Public Schools and your interest in this process. 

Respectfully, 

Tricia Meling
Chair
Sartell-St. Stephen School Board

February 13, 2024

This email was sent to ISD 748 families and staff.

Hello ISD 748 families!

My name is Tricia Meling and I was elected the chair of the school board at our January 2024 organizational meeting. I have served for three years and look forward to serving you. My husband and I have five kids (one in each building this year!) and we have lived in the District for over 7.5 years.

Training recap
I wanted to provide a brief update about our search for a permanent superintendent. The application window for candidates will close today - February 13. Last week, school board members attended a training hosted by the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA), our consultant for the superintendent search. At the February 8 interview training session, the school board reviewed the Stakeholder Summary Report (available here) and will continue to reference it throughout this entire process. A recording of the meeting is on our YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjTlqBNoQao&t=4534s).

Stakeholder interest form 
Next week, I will email details about an additional opportunity for stakeholder input during final interviews on Monday, March 11. The group dynamic will be made up of parents/guardians, community members, and staff and will provide input via an online tool provided by MSBA and provided to school board members for review during our final deliberations. 

The estimated time commitment on March 11 will be approximately 4 hours and will depend upon how many candidates are interviewed, and stakeholders must commit to viewing all interviews of finalists in order to be eligible to participate. Please note: if you are not selected, you are still very much encouraged to attend the interviews.  

Public encouraged to attend interviews
The public is invited to attend the first and second round interviews. The in person only Interviews will begin at 4:15p at Sartell High School in Watab 101 and 102 on the following days:

• Wednesday, March 6 - First round of interviews 
• Thursday, March 7 - First round of interviews
• Monday, March 11 - Second/final round of interviews

For additional details: 

• Superintendent Search - www.isd748.org/superintendent_search. 
• School Board Updates - To opt in to receive email notifications from Boardbook, please click this link and scroll to the bottom of the page to the "Subscribe" area. After successfully submitting an email address, there will be a confirmation email to indicate your notification preferences.

Please check your inbox next week for details from me about the Stakeholder interest form and process.

Thank you--

Tricia Meling
Chair
Sartell-St. Stephen School Board

December 11, 2023

This message was emailed to ISD 748 staff and families from School Board Chair Matt Moehrle.

EDIT 12/21: To view the December 18 virtual Q&A session recording, please visit the MSBA's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgQff54osEk.

ISD 748 Families and Staff:

The school board is in the early stages of our search for a permanent superintendent to take over when Interim Superintendent Tom Lee's contract expires at the end of June 2024.  

Over the summer, the board hired the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) to be our consultant during the search process.  The school board members and MSBA recognize the importance of the full school board being involved at all stages of this hiring process, and each of our meetings and interviews will be open to the public.  

On November 16, the school board attended an MSBA seminar called "Hiring the Right Superintendent," which focused on the mechanics of the search process. If you'd like to know more about the process, a video of the seminar is available on  www.isd748.org/superintendent_search.

On December 6, the school board met with our consultant and set dates for all the events that will be part of the hiring process.  Our general plan is to:  

• post the position on December 20
• accept applications until February 13
• determine semifinalists for interviews on February 26
• conduct first round interviews and select finalists on March 6-7
• interview finalists on March 11
• approve a superintendent contract on March 18

An important part of the search process is gathering stakeholder input for the school board to consider as it moves forward in selecting the new superintendent and here are two ways to engage in the search process:

1. Superintendent Search Survey - December 11, 2023 through January 15, 2024
An anonymous public survey is available for all stakeholders to complete between December 11, 2023 and January 15, 2024. The survey is available online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SuptSearchSartell-StStephen in English, Somali, and Spanish; hard copies of the survey in these languages are available at the District Service Center (DSC) and school buildings. Please return completed surveys to the DSC by January 15 so they can be included with the online survey results. Following the survey deadline of January 15, MSBA will summarize and provide an overview of the responses for presentation to the School Board.

2. Search Process Virtual Question & Answer session with MSBA - Monday, December 18 at 4p
To ensure all district stakeholders have access to accurate information regarding search processes and expectations, MSBA will host a virtual Q & A at 4pm on Monday, December 18. Please visit https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85076027264 to join the Zoom session at that time. All stakeholders are invited to attend the live session; however, to accommodate busy schedules as well as ensure access to search information, the session will also be recorded and made available on the district website for the remainder of the search. Questions about the search process can be submitted anonymously in advance by clicking https://www.isd748.org/MSBA_SearchProcessQuestions. Deadline for submission of advance questions is Monday, December 18 at noon. Questions may also be submitted during the session using the chat box. 

Additional details are on www.isd748.org/superintendent_search. Please contact Barb Dorn, MSBA Director of Leadership Development and Executive Search, at 507-508-5501 with any questions. Thank you for your interest and participation in the superintendent search process!

Best wishes to everyone during this holiday season and upcoming winter break.

Sincerely,
Matt Moehrle
School Board Chair - ISD 748 

May 17

ISD 748 Families and Staff:

At Monday night's regular school board meeting, a contract for the 2023-24 interim superintendent position was approved for Tom Lee, a retired superintendent who served in Waseca Public Schools (District 829) from 2013-2020.

Since retiring in 2020, he has served in interim roles in multiple school districts, both as superintendent and principal. The one-year contract will begin on July 1, 2023.

Please visit ​www.​isd748.org/superintendent_search for previous updates.

Sincerely,
Matt Moehrle
School Board Chair - ISD 748

May 3, 2023

Dear ISD 748 Families and Staff,

I hope everyone is having a great last month of the school year.  I'm pleased to let you know that today the school board visited with Thomas "Tom" Lee, who is our pick to serve as interim superintendent for one year starting on July 1, 2023.  The school board plans to vote to approve a contract with Mr. Lee at our regular meeting on May 15.  

Mr. Lee is a retired superintendent who served in that role with Waseca Public Schools (District 829) from 2013 to 2020.  Since retiring in 2020, he has served in interim roles in multiple school districts, both as superintendent and principal.  We are excited to work with Mr. Lee and welcome him to Sartell-St. Stephen ISD 748.

If you're curious to get to know Mr. Lee further, a recording of the school board's chat with him at today's work session will be posted in the next few days at https://www.isd748.org/Page/110 under the "Recordings/Live Streaming" tab.

The timeline for finding our next permanent superintendent has not changed.  The school board intends to conduct the search during the prime hiring season of late fall to early winter of 2023-24.  We will begin organizing the search process this summer.  As in the past, stakeholder input will be a vital part of this search.  We look forward to working in partnership with the community during this process.

Have an enjoyable summer!

Sincerely,
Matt Moehrle
School Board Chair - ISD 748

March 24, 2023

Dear ISD 748 Families and Staff,

Hello and happy spring!  In my role as chair of the school board I'd like to provide this update on the upcoming superintendent search and hiring process.  As you've probably heard by now, Dr. Ridlehoover has resigned as our superintendent as of the end of our current fiscal year, June 30.  The school board approved his resignation yesterday.  We thank him for working hard for everyone in our district during his time here, and wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.  

At our special school board meeting last Thursday, the board decided to hire an interim superintendent for the upcoming 2023-24 school year.  We plan to post for that position in about two weeks.  The person hired for this role is expected to serve on a temporary basis for one year starting July 1 of this year.

The board intends to conduct the search for our next permanent superintendent during the prime hiring season of late fall to early winter of 2023-24.  That search would be for a permanent hire who would start on July 1, 2024.  We will begin organizing this search process this summer.  As in the past, stakeholder input will be a vital part of this search.  We look forward to working in partnership with the community during this process.

Have an enjoyable spring break!

Sincerely,

Matt Moehrle
School Board Chair - ISD 748

March 12, 2024

At a special board meeting on March 11, 2024, the Sartell-St. Stephen School Board voted unanimously to select Dr. Michael Rivard as the district’s next superintendent.

In addition to school board member evaluations of each candidate’s answers, 16 individuals representing stakeholder groups across the district also provided input on each candidate’s strengths and areas of growth. Reference check reports were provided by board members who had done additional vetting on the three finalists after the first round of interviews as well. School board members considered all this information during their deliberations prior to making a final selection.

School Board Chair Tricia Meling shared, “the school board was impressed with Dr. Rivard’s experience and his strong connection with our community. We are grateful for all of the candidates who applied for the position. We appreciate everyone who attended the interviews and our stakeholders who helped us make this important decision.”

The School Board will be conducting contract negotiations with Rivard and a contract is expected to be approved by the School Board at their next regular meeting on March 18. 

The pending start date for Dr. Michael Rivard will be July 1, 2024. Rivard is the assistant superintendent for St. Cloud Area Schools.

The contract for Tom Lee, interim superintendent for the District since July 1, 2023, will expire on June 30, 2024. 

Please contact Barb Dorn, MSBA Director of Leadership Development and Executive Search, at 507-508-5501 with questions

March 8, 2024

The school board selects all three semi-finalists to return for Second Round Interviews on March 11, 2024

March 5, 2024

Please click here for the revised schedule for Round 1 interviews. 

February 27, 2024

Please click here for the March 6 and March 7 interview schedule. 

February 26, 2024

At tonight's meeting, the school board selected four semi-finalists to interview for the school district’s superintendent position. The semi-finalists are:

• Kevin Grover, Superintendent - International Falls Public Schools, MN
• Dr. Michael Rivard, Assistant Superintendent - St. Cloud Area School District, MN
• Timothy Rohweder, High School Principal - Proctor Public Schools, MN
• Dr. Kurt Stumpf, Superintendent - Pequot Lakes Public Schools, MN

Semi-finalists
The semi-finalists were selected from a pool of applicants based on criteria established by the school board, as well as survey input provided by Sartell-St. Stephen stakeholders. School Board Chair Tricia Meling shared, “We are grateful to the Sartell-St. Stephen staff, families, and community for the input they shared in our stakeholder survey held earlier this year. Their input has been crucial to make sure the most qualified candidate is selected for our district. We also appreciate the continued guidance and support from the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) during the selection process.”

New times for First Round Interviews on March 6 & 7
The school board has scheduled interviews for the semi-finalists beginning Wednesday, March 6, 2024, and Thursday, March 7, 2024. The time for these interviews has changed to 5:30p (they were scheduled previously to start at 4:15p).  All interviews will be held at Sartell High School (in Watab 101 and 102) and are open to the public. Interviews will not be livestreamed or recorded.

March 11 Interest Form
There is an additional opportunity for public input during the second round of interviews on Monday, March 11 at 4:15pm. ISD 748 staff, parents/guardians, and community members interested in providing feedback about each candidate’s strengths and opportunities for growth using an online tool provided by MSBA should complete an interest form by Friday, March 1 at 5p. Sartell-St. St. Stephen parents/guardians and community members who are interested in serving on Monday, March 11 should complete the form at www.isd748.org/March11_interest and staff should complete the form at www.isd748.org/March11_interest_staff. MSBA will notify those randomly chosen the week of March 4.

February 8, 2024

On Thursday, February 8, MSBA held an Interview Training Session for school board members. The Stakeholder Engagement Superintendent Search Survey was reviewed and discussed.

December 21, 2023

On Monday, December 18, MSBA hosted a virtual Q&A regarding the superintendent search process. The Zoom session was recorded and is available at this link.

December 6, 2023

The school board met with our consultant on December 6 and set dates for all the events that will be part of the hiring process.

Additionally, a virtual Q&A session for community members (also hosted by MSBA) will take place at 4pm on December 18, and a video of that session will be available afterward.

November 16

The school board attended an MSBA seminar on November 16 called "Hiring the Right Superintendent," which focused on the mechanics of the search process.  If you'd like to know more about the process, a video of the seminar is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyqyPIi1r0I.