Barbara Akre, M.A.
Adjunct Instructor
Barbara taught biology, life and physical sciences, and anatomy/physiology for twenty years in the Duluth Schools. She received her B.A. in Biology from Carleton College, an M.A. in Biology from Rice University, and her teaching license from UMD. She wrote eleven seed chapters for an open-access, online Biology text for CK12 Foundation, and has worked on teacher advisory panels for the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments in Science. She teaches Secondary Science Methods in the GTL program, Duluth.
John Bauman, M.A.
Chair, Undergraduate Studies in Education / Instructor
John earned his B.S. in Elementary Education from Moorhead State University. His M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction was earned at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul. John taught elementary students in the towns of Wabasso, MN and Northfield, MN. He is currently working to complete his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership through the University of St. Thomas. John's wife, Pam, teaches instrumental band in the Duluth school district.
Sarah Bryans Bongey, M.Ed.
Academic Technology Coordinator / Adjunct Instructor
Sarah is licensed to teach high school English and she also holds MN State teaching credentials as a K-12 Media Generalist, with practical experience gained in the Wrenshall and Cloquet School Districts. She received a B.S. in Film Studies from Syracuse University, and also holds B.A. and M.Ed. degrees in Education and Educational Media and Technology from The College of St. Scholastica. In the area of Special Education, she holds a certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders. As Academic Technology Coordinator at St. Scholastica, Sarah has designed and taught numerous online courses and faculty workshops, and she has taught several courses for the School of Education. She is currently attending the University of Minnesota, where she is pursuing an Ed.D. in Teaching and Learning with an emphasis on special education and instructional technology. Specific research interests include teaching effectiveness, technology in education, and Universal Design for Learning.
Randy Bowen, M.Ed., Ed.S.
Coordinator of Educational Experiences / Instructor
Randy brings 34 years of experience as a principal, teacher and coach to our education staff. Before joining the CSS School of Education, Randy was the 7-12 Principal in the Esko schools, a position he held for 7 years. Prior to that assignment he was the 7-12 Principal and AD at the Willow River school. His secondary teaching experience was at the Hermantown High School where he taught Physical Science, General Science and Biology. While at Hermantown he coached football and basketball for 24 years. He earned a bachelor's degree from Bemidji State University, an M.Ed. from the University of Wisconsin-Superior, and completed his Education Administration Certification at the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis. Randy lives in Hermantown with his wife Marlene and they have two grown children.
Carol J. Bryant, Ph.D.
Adjunct Instructor
Carol received her B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Minnesota, MN. Her professional career includes elementary and secondary teaching, special curriculum project development, and administration as well as graduate program instructor, coordinator and adviser. Her interests include improving teacher training and facilitating continuous improvement of the professional skills of educators.
Arnoldo Curiel
Community Liaison, St. Paul / Asst. Professor
Arnoldo Curiel holds a B.A. in Human Service from Metropolitan State University, and a M.A. in Public Affiars from the University of Minnesota. He has worked with community and government organizations to reestablish the Frogtown community as a safe and vibrant multi-cultural family environment. Arnoldo has taught several classes with the current St. Paul Chief of Police, at Metropolitan State University. He has created and provided multiple trainings and forums, such as "Multi-Cultural Alliance Building" and "Getting kids through the door and keeping them there", and El Cruce De La Frontera, an experiential learning activity, which provides an oral presentation on the background of Mexican people, a history of Mexico and its relationship with the United States, a physical reenactment of an illegal border crossing, and the immigrant experience. He has provided encampments for youth that focuse on social justice and alliance building. He has done staff development for Americorp, Dunwoody Institute, the St. Paul Police Department and several St. Paul and East Metro Public schools focused on "Understanding the anatomy of the isms." He has facilitated workshops at the Minnesota Association for Runaway Youth Services conference. He has designed and implemented a transitional living program for youth who are transitioning from homelessness to living in a stable environment. He has worked with several community and government organizations to reestablish the Frogtown community as a safe and vibrant multi-cultural family environment. Arnoldo has also begun working on a curriculum that helps individuals become aware of one's own cultural approach to working with diverse youth in the community.
Scott Fodness, M.A.
Adjunct Instructor
After graduating from the University of Minnesota, Scott started teaching at Jefferson High School in Alexandria. He returned to the U to obtain Sp.Ed. certification, later receiving an M.A. in Education from St.Scholastica. He has enjoyed teaching English, directing plays, and coaching debate and speech. His primary interests in education are curriculum design and delivery as well as the philosophical debates/discussions that go back to Plato and Aristotle.
Gail Gaetz, M.L.S.
Coordinator, Graduate Teaching Licensure, Duluth / Asst. Professor
Gail has 15 years of elementary education teaching experience, 5 years as an elementary classroom teacher and 10 years as an elementary media generalist. She received a B.A. in elementary education from Central College in Pella, Iowa, and an M.L.S. from the University of Iowa. Gail is currently teaching courses in both the elementary education department and the educational media department. Her educational interests include literature-based reading, educational technology, and the Internet.
Thomas Gaetz, Ph.D.
Assoc. Professor
Tom graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Sociology. He worked in retail and wholesale sales for three years before returning to the University to earn a degree in Elementary Education. Tom has fifteen years of teaching experience in grades one through six. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in Curriculum and Instruction, with an emphasis in elementary reading. Tom's educational interests include the writing process, teaching poetry, and teacher research.
Jesse Hinrichs, Ed.D.
Coordinator of Educatoinal Experience / Asst. Professor
Jesse taught high school students for 13 years and served as administrator (Principal/Superintendent) for 13 years. He has a Minnesota secondary teacher's license and a superintendent license. Jesse graduated from Winona State University in Secondary Education, and received his Masters Degree from St. Thomas University in Training and Human Resource Development. He earned his Doctor of Education in Educational Administration (Ed. D.), from Bethel University. His Dissertation study title is: Policy Governance: The Impact on School Board Effectiveness and Turnover.
Jesse joined The College of St. Scholastica faculty in August, 2008, and works as the St. Cloud Graduate Teacher Licensure program coordinator, he coordinates student field placements in St. Cloud and in St. Paul, and teaches educational seminars, courses, and conducts teacher observations and program orientations.
Carol Johnson, M.Ed.
Adjunct Instructor
Carol received her Masters in Education from the University of MN, Duluth. She taught twenty-three years at the elementary level for Proctor and Superior Schools. Since retiring in 2005, she has continued to work part-time in education as an adult basic education instructor for Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, and as an adjunct instructor with the School of Education at the College of St. Scholastica.
Heidi Johnson, M.L.S.
CSS Librarian / Adjunct Instructor
Heidi is an adjunct instructor in the EDM program. She is also a librarian at The College of St. Scholastica, where she works in reference, bibliographic instruction, and archives. She graduated from Dominican University with a Master's in Library and Information Science. Previously, she taught high school English and German and coached speech for five years at Mora High School in Mora, MN. She received her B.A. from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. Heidi likes to learn about anything and everything, especially technology and the myriad of topics that students bring to her for reference assistance.
Meridel Kahl, M.Ed.
Asst. Professor
Meridel received her B.A. (English Major) at Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN, and her M.Ed. at Shippensburg State University, Shippensburg, PA. She has taught English and Speech to high school students for 18 years in Bloomington, MN, Newville, PA, and North Branch, MN. Meridel has been with St. Scholastica since 1986, and is currently teaching Secondary Education courses along with Human Relations, Women's Studies, and English courses. Meridel enjoys reading memoirs, walking, cooking vegetarian meals, gardening, weaving, engaging in stimulating conversations with friends, and trying to relate to her cat, Isadora.
Marie Kelsey, Ph.D.
Director, Educational Media & Technology / Asst. Professor
Marie graduated from Bemidji State University with a B.A. in English and American Humanities, a B.S. teaching degree in English and Library Science, and an M.A. in English. She also has a B.A. from The College of St. Scholastica, in Health Information Management, and is a Registered Health Information Administrator. She received her Ph.D. and Master's in library science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Marie was the catalog librarian at St. Scholastica for 20years. She also worked in the Madison, WI, public schools as a school library-media generalist while pursuing her doctorate. Her educational interests are intellectual freedom and censorship in school media centers, and the role of the school library media specialist in the Minnesota graduation standards environment.
Constance LaCombe, Ed.D.
Adjunct Instructor
Connye has taught every age of student from birth to adult in her 22 years of teaching experience as a day care provider, classroom teacher, and workshop leader. She has a B.S. and an M.A. in Mathematics Educationfrom the University of Minnesota, Mpls., and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Hamline University in St, Paul. Connye's special interest is in the application of cognitive psychology to mathematic seducation. Her hobbies include gardening, domestic crafts, reading, andwriting.
Doreene Langason, M.Ed.
Coordinator, Graduate Teaching Licensure, St. Paul / Asst. Professor
Doreene graduated from the University of Dschang, Cameroon West Africa, with a B.A. in English and French languages. Before and after her Bachelor's degree she taught English language, French Language and Religious Education at our Lady of Lourdes College, Bamenda, Cameroon. During her time at the University of Dschang, she assisted with research, provided training and coordinated local language development and adult literacy work with the National Language Development Association an affiliate of the International Institute for Linguistics. Doreene became interested in the concept of teachers as leaders of change and decided to pursue a Master's degree in Education. She holds a Master's degree in Human Resource Development from the University of Minnesota. She served as facilitator, consultant and mediator at the Center for Policy Planning and Performance, and the Leadership Empowerment and Development Group. She is an adjunct Instructor at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, where she is completing her Doctorate in Education. Her research interests include evaluating current professional practices, expanding views on developing human knowledge and skills to effectively address social justice issues and bridging the gap between higher education institutions and workplaces in developing professional capacity for evidence-based best practices.
Beth LaVigne, M.Ed.
Instructor
Beth received her bachelor's degree in Natural Science from The College of St. Benedict. She completed a teaching certificate at UMD, and an M.Ed.from St. Scholastica. Beth has taught middle and secondary level science classes including life, earth, and physical science for 13 years in the Duluth Schools. Her focus is on increasing teacher's abilities to use hands-on science activities that promote critical thinking.
Kathleen Lutz, Ph.D.
Asst. Professor
Kay has 29 years of elementary education experience. For 20 years she taught grades 1-5 in El Cajon, CA, and the next 9 years taught grades 4-6 in Vancouver, WA. In addition, she also taught at the Clark Community College in Vancouver for 4 years. Kay has been a mentor in a state "teacher-helping-teacher" program and a staff developer in the areas of reading, writing, literature, math and integrated curriculum. Kay received her Ph.D. from Capella University, MN, in 2006. She received her B.S. and her M.A. in education at San Diego State University. Kay also has a California Life Teaching Credential and a Washington State Standard Teaching Credential for K-12. Kay teaches courses in the ECI program, the GTL program, and the undergraduate program.
Laura Lyness, M.Ed.
Adjunct Instructor
Laura received her B.A. degree in Pre-Kindergarten and Elementary Education from the College of St. Scholastica. She also earned a K-12 Reading Specialist Certification from the Pennsylvania State University, and an M.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin, Superior. She brings 25 years of education experience to the College, while currently teaching for Cloquet Public Schools. In the past 15 years, she has taught Title I and sixth, fifth, fourth, and second grades. Laura has worked in the deep south, mid-Atlantic, and Midwestern U.S. as a classroom teacher, Science Specialist, and Reading Specialist. She was also employed by PBS for several years, developing an award-winning educational outreach program. She served as a consultant to the Sesame Workshop and public television stations in Minnesota and Wisconsin. She has also presented at national conferences on the topics of school readiness and literacy, and testified at both the Minnesota and Wisconsin state legislatures. She and her husband live in Cloquet and have four grown children.
Kevin Mackin, Ed.S.
Coordinator of Educational Experiences, St. Paul / Instructor
Kevin brings 27 years of experience as a teacher, coach, counselor and high school administrator. More recently, he has been an educational writer and consultant before joining the adjunct staff at the College of St. Scholastica. He earned a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, an M.A. from the University of Minnesota, and an Ed.S. from the University of St. Thomas. He is excited about returning to the classroom in support of the next generation of teachers.
Kevin McGrew, M.Ed.
Director, Library / Librarian, Periodicals & Electronic Resources / Adjunct Instructor
Kevin is the Library Director at the College of St. Scholastica. He received his B.A. degree from Bethel College in Arden Hills and his M.A. in Library and Information Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in 1991. In 1995 he received his M.Ed. Educational Media and Technology from The College of St. Scholastica. Kevin lives in the country near Duluth with his wife, Paula, and two sons, where he enjoys hunting and working around the house. The family has a Spinone (dogbreed), named Otis that Kevin takes on hunting trips in Minnesota and North Dakota.
Catherine Nachbar, M.Ed.
Adjunct Instructor
Catherine Nachbar graduated from Cornell College with a B.A. in Secondary Education, Sociology, and a concentration in American History. She started working with the Duluth Public School district in 1997 teaching a variety of social studies courses at Central High School. While teaching at Central she completed a Master's of Education with a concentration in technology at University of Minnesota, completing the program in 2000. Integrating technology into the classroom became an interest of Catherine's while studying at Cornell. She is currently a collaboratory member working with the University of Minnesota Duluth's Arrowhead Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to use Technology (APT3). The focus of this $1.4 million grant is improving technology integration within public schools. She is also a member of the Minnesota Social Studies Best Practice Network and is familiar with best practice teaching techniques. Teaching students to use technology is one of Catherine's favorite tools to use in the classroom but she wants to note that technology is merely a tool, not a replacement for the teacher. And, the learning process involved with technology continually humbles her.
M. Jo Olsen, Ed.D.
Dean, School of Education / Asst. Professor
Jo is a nationally certified school psychologist, having worked for over 20 years in Wisconsin and Minnesota public schools, and is a Licensed Psychologist in the state of Minnesota. She has been an assistant professor in the Department of Education; School Counseling; and School Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, teaching graduate courses, supervising school placements and developing a distance learning supervision model for interns. She has a B.S. in psychologyand sociology, an M.S. in school psychology and an Ed.D. in educational leadership. Her professional interests include organizational change, online teaching and learning, behavioral interventions, positive school climate, and play therapy.
Rachel Payne, M.Ed.
Instructor
Rachel earned her B.A. in English from the University of Rochester. She pursued a career in the media industry in Chicago until she moved with her family to Duluth in 1993. She earned her Bachelor's degree in education from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, and her Master's degree in education from St. Mary's University. She has taught in the Duluth public schools for the past six years. Her academic interests are technology integration, elementary math methods, working with at-risk students, and educational reform. She enjoys reading, gardening, traveling, theatre, and spending time with her husband Bill, sons Connor and Nate, and her dog Cosmo.
Betty Preus, Ed.D.
Assoc. Professor
Betty has taught students from age 6 to 60, including high school English, K-8 reading and special education, a college level special needs course, and numerous graduate level courses in research methods, organizational theory, teaching methods, and reflective practice. She was the School of Education Chair at St. Scholastica, before taking a subatical to conduct research. Previously she was at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, as a researcher, administrator and consultant. Her publications are on disability in higher education, organizational change, teaching action research, and technology in teacher education. Betty has a B.A. in English, M.S. in special education, and an Ed.D. in educational leadership. Her interests include innovation in teacher education, organizational change, qualitative research methods, and professional development of teachers.
Margi Preus, M.A.
Adjunct Instructor
Margi is an adjunct instructor in the EDM program. Besides teaching Educational Resources for Children in this program, she teaches fiction writing at UMD and has taught a variety of other English and theater courses. Her experience working in the schools includes years of performing and conducting theater workshops in elementary schools in the Midwest, artist residencies and author visits. Margi writes plays, short fiction and children's books and directs plays. She has a B.A. in Humanities and an M.A. in English and Creative Writing.
Sharon Pristash, Ed.D.
Adjunct Instructor
Sharon is the principal of St. James Catholic School in Duluth, Minnesota. She has 17 years of teaching experience and 5 years of administrative experience. Her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and English was obtained from The College of St. Scholastica, as well as an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction. She earned her K-12 administrative licensure and a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. Sharon recently published her first book, What People Think Principals Do. She lives in Duluth, MN with her husband of eighteen years, Robert. Her hobbies include reading, gardening and traveling.
Wendy Quade, M.Ed.
Adjunct Instructor
Wendy M. Quade graduated from the College of St. Scholastica in 2001 with a degree in Social Studies Education, Ojibwe Language & Culture, and a minor in American Indian studies. She completed her Associate of Arts degree at FondDuLac Tribal & Community College, and her Masters degree in Teaching & Learning from St. Mary's University, Winona. Wendy teaches full time at Cloquet senior high school; both United States history and the Ojibwe language. She serves as Student Council advisor, as a rotating Department Chair, and is currently the Union Representative for the high school. An adjunct faculty at the college, Wendy has taught Child Development and more recently, Social Studies Methods. She lives in Duluth with her two feline friends, Turtle & Bella.
Rebecca Rennicke, M.A.
Adjunct Instructor
Rebecca currently teaches Physical, Biological, and Earth sciences, grades 9-12. During her 25 years of teaching, she has also designed and implemented elementary science programs, taught at the middle level, designed and conducted staff development for science teachers, and worked with research professionals associated with her projects. Her educational expertise is in curriculum design aimed at integration of Inquiry, constructivism and technology in the science classroom. The Black Bear research project involves linking high school students with authentic field research professionals. Students learn scientific research methods first hand as they track collared bears in the field and analyze data back in the classroom.
Shelly Roy, M.A.
Adjunct Instructor
Shelley holds an M.A. in Education from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. She is a recognized leader in human resource development, having worked with thousands of adults in a wide range of learning situations since 1985. For over 10 years she provided ongoing facilitation to over seventy improvement teams in the areas of health, human services, education, and business. In her earlier career, Shelley taught in West Berlin, Germany, at a Navajo Reservation in New Mexico, in Junction City, Kansas, and in Leigh, Nebraska. She is past Chairperson and a Senior Faculty Memeber of the International Association for Applied Control Theory. Co-author of A Connected School and author of A People Primer; The Nature of Living Systems.
Diane Scully, M.F.A.
Adjunct Instructor
Diane received her B.A. and B.S. Art degrees from Bemidji State University. She went on to receive her M.F.A. in Painting and Drawing from the University of Oregon, in Eugene. She has taught visual art for the past 28 years in both rural and urban Minnesota settings. Her teaching experience has spanned K-college level. She currently teaches Visual Art at Columbia Heights High School and enjoys producing her own art, gardening, travel, reading, museums, and her involvement in a variety of art education organizations.
Cheryl Stephani, M.A.Ed.
Adjunct Instructor
Cheryl received her BA in Elementary Education, Science and Math, from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN in 1999. She began teaching in the public schools in 1999 at the Kindergarten and 4th grade levels. She received her MA Ed from Hamline University, St. Paul, MN in 2007, focusing her capstone project on self-regulation in a K-5 setting using current brain-based research in behavior. Other course work included further mathematics and science. Currently, Cheryl works with her school district at the building level to train staff in equity issues. Cheryl began as an Adjunct Instructor for the College of St. Scholastica in the fall of 2008, teaching the Science Methods course for the GTL program in St. Paul, MN. In her spare time Cheryl enjoys gardening, reading and traveling.
Chery Takkunen, Ph. D.
Chair, Graduate Education Programs
Chery Takkunen is the Chair of Graduate Programs for the School of Education at The College of St. Scholastica. Her Ph.D is from Capella University where she focused on educational technology. She received a B.S. in elementary education from the University of Minnesota, and an M.Ed. in science and math education from The College of St. Scholastica. Previously, Chery taught at Churchill Elementary School in Cloquet, MN. She has most recently served on the Minnesota Digital Learning Committee and the Minnesota Academic Standards Committee for Mathematics. Her research interests include educational technology, inquiry based learning, effective online teaching practices, effective assessment practices, and best practice teaching methodologies.
Valerie Tanner, M.S.
Director, Ojibwe Language & Culture / Asst. Professor
Valerie began her teaching career at the Bugonaygeshig School on the Leech Lake Reservation. She taught there for three years in a self-contained classroom for children with emotional/behavioral disabilities. Valerie then moved to the Cass Lake-Bena Elementary School in Cass Lake, Minnesota. The Cass Lake-Bena Elementary School is a public school withan American Indian population of 80%. In Cass Lake, Valerie continued to work with children with emotional/behavioral disabilities. After three more years in special education, she moved to regular education and taught in the fifth grade classroom. In 1997, Valerie accepted a position with the Department of Children, Families and Learning-Office of Indian Education. There, she worked with Indian Education programs throughout Minnesota. In the fall of 2003, she began to work as an assistant professor for the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN. Valerie received her B.S. from the University of North Dakota, her M.S. from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and is in the final year of her Doctoral Program, "Educational Leadership", at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Valerie is an enrolled member of the Leech Lake Reservation and the mother of two awe-inspiring children.
Sr. Clare Marie Trettel, O.S.B., M.A.
Coordinator, Graduate Education Programs
Sr.Clare Marie is a graduate of The College of St. Scholastica and the University of Minnesota, Duluth. Her concentrations were in administration and psychological foundations. She has had a variety of experiences in education that began with teaching upper elementary students. She served as a principal for fifteen years and then became superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Duluth. Her next experience was as elementary coordinator and teacher at The College of St. Scholastica. After leaving the College to serve as prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of Duluth, she has returned as coordinator of the ECI program.
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