Date: November 6, 2015

Contact: Sandra Cordie

Resource Training & Solutions

137 – 23rd Street S

Sartell, MN 56377

(320) 255-3236 (888) 447-7032

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“FIRST BRING POSITIVE ENERGY TO YOUR CLASSROOM THEN DEAL WITH CONTENT”

By Sandra Cordie

“We all know we are not in control of many situations. How we react to them is totally up to you. The difference between chaos and harmony can be directly related to the culture you have created in your classroom,” said Willow Sweeney. She was the keynote speaker at the Leadership in Educational Excellence (LEEA) event held on Wednesday, November 4, at the River’s Edge Convention Center in

St. Cloud.

Over 500 people attended the event to honor 155 educators who were recognized with a plaque and certificate from the Governor of Minnesota. The honorees were nominated by their school or district. Represented at the event are public, private, parochial, charter schools, the Meeker & Wright Special Education Cooperative and the Wright Technical Center. There were forty school districts / agencies represented.

“Culture is created consciously and unconsciously. You get to decide how your room feels when anyone enters,” continued Sweeney. “Bring your positive energy to classroom, then teach science,” she added.

The evening began with a welcome and congratulations by Mark Schmitz, executive director of Resource. “I have been a teacher, principal and most recently a superintendent. I look at my experiences as a teacher as the ones that have given me the most value in my life…and, often the most humbling,” he said. “Many times the gift you give students may not be about what you teach it is the relationships you create with children, he concluded.

The Presiding Superintendent for the evening was Scott Staska from the ROCORI school district. “I am honored to represent the superintendents in our region and bring their congratulations. The honorees here are often the reason many kids come to school. You make every child a priority,” he said.

A message of congratulations from Minnesota’s Commissioner of Education, Dr. Brenda Cassellius, was printed in the program.

“I want to congratulate all of the educators that are being recognized this year at the annual Leadership in Educational Excellence Banquet and Recognition Ceremony. Thank you for your hard work, dedication and commitment to the children of Minnesota. I encourage you all to keep working creatively to reach your students and to share with your colleagues what works. You are making a real difference.

I hope you have a wonderful celebration. You have earned it.”

“You many never know your legacy and the lives you have touched,” said Ken Anderson, Board Chair of Resource Training & Solutions. “I was recently at a restaurant with a friend and former teacher, Mr. Lutgen. The waitress recognized him and said that she remember when he told her she had a nice smile and gave her a smile pin. And, to this day she has it on her nightstand. “On behalf of the Resource Board of Directors, congratulations and keep up the good work,” said Anderson.

The event is sponsored by the participating school districts, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, the Horace Mann Agency and Resource Training & Solutions. It is coordinated by Sandra Cordie, Director of Educational Program. This banquet marked the 24th anniversary of the LEEA event. To date, there have been 3,499 educators in the Central MN region who have received this recognition.

“You have the most honorable occupation on the planet. Keep bringing that positive energy to all the people you meet,” concluded Sweeney.

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Editor’s Note:

Photographs may be viewed and obtained at:

http://www.resourcetraining.com/Pictures/leea

The photograph(s) are of the honorees from the school district, their superintendent and/or principal and Mark Schmitz, Executive Director of Resource Training & Solutions.

List of honoree’s below.

First Name / Last Name / School District
Jake / Eichten / Albany School District
Barbara / Fischer / Albany School District
Sheila / Kost / Albany School District
Lori / Young / Albany School District
Cindy / Jensen / Annandale School District
Kelly / Orvik / Annandale School District
Scott / Orvik / Annandale School District
Jean / Duffy / Becker School District
Tracy / Hare / Becker School District
Jen / Harmoning / Becker School District
Josh / Ihrke / Becker School District
Erika / Rusin / Becker School District
Sarah / MacDonald / Belgrade/Brooten/Elrosa School District
Renae / Melby / Belgrade/Brooten/Elrosa School District
Renae / Fischer / Big Lake School District
Daniel / Haley / Big Lake School District
Janet / Keister / Big Lake School District
Patricia / Morningstar / Big Lake School District
Kim / Beidleman / Braham School District
Karen / Prigge / Braham School District
Andrea / Carlson / Buffalo/Hanover/Montrose School District
Dan / Schneider / Buffalo/Hanover/Montrose School District
Ben / Watkins / Buffalo/Hanover/Montrose School District
Marci / Wills / Buffalo/Hanover/Montrose School District
Barb / Holm / Chisago Lakes School District
Peggy / Johnson / Chisago Lakes School District
Kellee / Knutson / Chisago Lakes School District
Melissa / Lideen / Chisago Lakes School District
Sarah / Schmidt / Chisago Lakes School District
Shelley / Wilmer / Chisago Lakes School District
Kerry / Zupko / Chisago Lakes School District
Naomi / Acosta / Dassel-Cokato School District
Mark / Lingl / Dassel-Cokato School District
Michelle / Melquist / Dassel-Cokato School District
Amy / Schultz / Dassel-Cokato School District
Nate / Peterson / Delano School District
Katie / Schmidt / Delano School District
Ginny / Schuelke / Delano School District
Charlene / Warne / Delano School District
Missy / Ecklund / East Central School District
Beth / Hillerns / East Central School District
Jennifer / Klocke / East Central School District
Kat / Wood / East Central School District
Mary / Huberty / Eden Valley-Watkins School District
Kathy / Pauls / Eden Valley-Watkins School District
Teresa / Janson / Foley School District
Josh / Raymo / Foley School District
Laura / VanDenheuvel / Foley School District
Katie / Pollock / Hinckley-Finlayson School District
Randy / Schoenrock / Hinckley-Finlayson School District
Breanne / Adickes / Howard Lake/Waverly/Winsted School District
Stephen / Boger / Howard Lake/Waverly/Winsted School District
Carol / Meyerson / Howard Lake/Waverly/Winsted School District
Mark / Bruzek / Isle School District
Tim / Honek / Isle School District
Mary / Bernardy / Kimball School District
Joe / Stangle / Kimball School District
Dave / Ceasar / Litchfield School District
Jen / Iverson / Litchfield School District
Joanne / Wheatley / Litchfield School District
Kris / Harlan / Maple Lake School District
Tami / Kolehmainen / Maple Lake School District
Karla / Mavencamp / Maple Lake School District
Jeanne / Omvig / Maple Lake School District
Tim / Staloch / Maple Lake School District
Elizabeth / Karels / Meeker and Wright Special Education Cooperative
Stacy / Kurth / Meeker and Wright Special Education Cooperative
Cheryl / Minor / Meeker and Wright Special Education Cooperative
Marit / Elliott / Melrose School District
Deb / Klaphake / Melrose School District
Nick / Sunderman / Melrose School District
Chad / Wehrman / Melrose School District
Annette / Bieniek / Monticello School District
Cole / Deibele / Monticello School District
Monica / Derby / Monticello School District
Chris / Greenwald / Monticello School District
Sonja / Johnson / Monticello School District
Jennie / Ellingson / Mora School District
Chad / Grahn / Mora School District
Peter / Larsen / Mora School District
Kay / Monson / Mora School District
Dede / Besch / North Branch School District
Amy / Carney / North Branch School District
Melissa / Kleschult / North Branch School District
Todd / Tetzlaff / North Branch School District
Kate / Cekalla / Ogilvie School District
Jen / Drost / Ogilvie School District
Ashley / Espeseth / Ogilvie School District
Jessica / Lang / Ogilvie School District
Amy / Korkemeier-Howard / Princeton School District
Steve / Milam / Princeton School District
Margaret / Miron / Princeton School District
Mary / Ward / Princeton School District
Kathy / Mattson / Rockford School District
Kevin / Neff / Rockford School District
Jennifer / Piehl / Rockford School District
Brad / Bauer / Rocori School District
Jeanne / Burtzel / Rocori School District
Kara / Linz / Rocori School District
Rachel / Neutzling / Rocori School District
Vicki / Burnside / Royalton School District
Rusty / Gwost / Royalton School District
Sara / Schreifels / Royalton School District
Robert / Skwira / Royalton School District
Eric / Hall / Rush City School District
Sue / Karvonen / Rush City School District
Carvel / Kuehn / Rush City School District
Brooke / Vandekamp / Rush City School District
Jason / Anderson / Sartell-St Stephen School District
Tiffany / Heathcote / Sartell-St Stephen School District
Diane / Roob / Sartell-St Stephen School District
Geri / Watkins / Sartell-St Stephen School District
Sheila / Flatau / Sauk Centre School District
Kelsey / Herickhoff / Sauk Centre School District
Amy / Millard / Sauk Centre School District
Meghan / Stadsvold / Sauk Centre School District
Beth / Gadola / Sauk Rapids-Rice School District
Kimberly / Genereux / Sauk Rapids-Rice School District
Dave / Hiedeman / Sauk Rapids-Rice School District
Amy / Meyer / Sauk Rapids-Rice School District
Karen / Musielewicz / Sauk Rapids-Rice School District
Mary / Barron-Traut / St. Cloud Area School District
Kenneth / Blattner / St. Cloud Area School District
Andrea / Coulter / St. Cloud Area School District
Heather / Ebnet / St. Cloud Area School District
Joan / Elton / St. Cloud Area School District
Jane / Engdahl / St. Cloud Area School District
Tony / Gellerman / St. Cloud Area School District
Lynn / Johnson / St. Cloud Area School District
Sue / Linn-Hasbrouck / St. Cloud Area School District
Danielle / Mehr / St. Cloud Area School District
Angela / Mitchell / St. Cloud Area School District
Holly / Nelson / St. Cloud Area School District
Carol / Ramler / St. Cloud Area School District
Justin / Skaalerud / St. Cloud Area School District
Nancy / Streng / St. Cloud Area School District
Sebastian / Witherspoon / St. Cloud Area School District
Jasmine / Wolters / St. Cloud Area School District
Corene / Bjorkedal / St. Cloud Diocese
Cheri / Burg / St. Cloud Diocese
Joan / Riedner / St. Cloud Diocese
Jennifer / Schwalbe / St. Cloud Diocese
Lance / Nydeen / Saint John's Preparatory School
Kelly / Fitch / Saint John's Preparatory School
Jodee / Butkowski / St. Michael-Albertville School District
Susan / Hermanson / St. Michael-Albertville School District
Janet / Peterson / St. Michael-Albertville School District
KC / Solum / St. Michael-Albertville School District
Jason / Fleege / STRIDE Academy
Nancy / Stellmach / STRIDE Academy
Chris / Fiscus / Watertown-Mayer School District
Steve / Hangartner / Watertown-Mayer School District
Connie / Irvine / Watertown-Mayer School District
Liz / Isaacson / Watertown-Mayer School District
Mike / McLain / Wright Technical Center

PLEASE SEND TEAR SHEET OR ELECTRONIC FORM TO:

Sandra Cordie

Resource Training & Solutions

137 – 23RD Street S.

Sartell, MN 56377

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