September Staff Knight Line

As we settle into the rhythm of a new school year, I want to thank our families for your continued partnership, trust, and support. Our children are most successful when staff and families work together, communicate openly, and share a commitment to helping every child thrive. Your voice, perspective, and involvement matter, and I encourage you to stay connected, engage with us, ask questions, share ideas, and reach out whenever we can support you or your child. We are here to serve our students, families, and community.

At STMA, we believe we are stronger together. None of us does this important work alone, and our children deserve all of us working together on their behalf. Whether through a conversation with a staff member, participation in a school event, service on an engagement or advisory team, or simply staying connected to what is happening in our schools, your partnership makes a difference.

Thank you for entrusting us with your children and for being an essential part of the STMA family. Together, we will continue putting students first and ensuring every child is seen, heard, valued, challenged, celebrated, and inspired to reach their full potential.

The search for STMA’s next assistant superintendent/future superintendent continues to move forward. As part of the process, STMA hosted six stakeholder focus groups to ensure the voices of staff, families, students, and community members were heard and amplified. The leadership qualities and characteristics identified through these conversations were shared with the school board and helped inform the next phase of the search.

The district received a very healthy pool of qualified candidates, and the school board has identified six semifinalists to advance in the process.

Semifinalist interviews will take place on September 28, with finalist interviews scheduled for October 26. There will also be additional opportunities for staff and other stakeholders to meet the finalists and provide feedback to the school board, including a meet-and-greet with the finalists. More information about these opportunities will be shared as the process moves forward.

The school board remains responsible for selecting STMA’s next assistant superintendent/future superintendent, who will begin July 1, 2027, and work alongside Superintendent Foucault during the 2027–2028 school year before assuming the superintendent role on July 1, 2028.

We are grateful to everyone who participated in the focus groups and shared their perspectives. Your voice is helping shape this important leadership transition and the future of STMA Schools.

For the latest information and updates throughout the search process, please visit the STMA website.

At STMA, we believe our strongest decisions are made with our families and community—not just for them. Parents, guardians, caregivers, and community members are invited to share their voices by serving on one of our 20+ district and school engagement and advisory teams.

Whether your interests include academics, activities, finance, facilities, special education, community education, or another area, there is a place for you to get involved. These teams provide opportunities to connect with district leaders, share feedback and perspectives, and help inform decisions that support our children and schools.

Your voice matters, and your involvement makes STMA stronger. To learn more about our teams, meeting schedules, and areas of focus—or to express interest in serving—visit our Opportunities for Engagement webpage and complete the Interest Indicator. We hope you’ll join us!

We are proud to celebrate our incredible staff members who have reached 10, 20, 30, and 35 years of service to STMA! We are deeply grateful for their dedication to our children, families, schools, and community. Please join us in thanking and congratulating these remarkable members of our STMA family!

Congratulations to Julie Aandal (AP), Sarah Abendroth (BW), Kristin Barthel (Vision), Diane Beattie (BW), Douglas Birk (DO), Michael Cassin (ME), Chase Cayo (HS), Steven Foesch (SE), Melissa Kindgren (FE), Ryan Loecken (HS), Jeanne Lynch (CE), Andrea Mischke (ME/MW), Thao Phung (SE), Carman Russell (AP), Amanda Schlecht (MW), Laura Schneider (AP/HS), Jacob Shery (CE), Frank Simmons (ME), McKenzie Slama (MW), Lonna Sonenstahl (ME), Sheila Taszarek (MW), and Shelly Windel (SE)!

Congratulations to Patty Geraets (AP), Kelly Sorby (AP/CE), Debra Wahl (AP), Beth Brown (BW), Ashlee Mashek (BW), Chad Kragness (DO), Melita Cargill (FE), Lori Goutermont (FS/CE/FE), Jason Massmann (HS), Caroline Ness-Deden (HS), Tiffany Peterson (HS), Jared Simpson (ME), Nicholas Allerson (MW), Kelly Erdmann (MW), Janet Peterson (MW), Monica Gaulrapp (SE), Michelle Hinnenkamp (SE), Michael Hinzmann (SE), and Lisa Polinceusz (SE)!

Congratulations to Lynn Black (CE), Karen Zachman (DO), Melissa Rehovsky (FE), Jeremy Hoffman (HS), Melanie Paulson (ME), Jacqueline Jordheim (MW), and Dennis Kucera (MW)!

Congratulations to Renee Krupke (SE), Brian Mashuga (HS/MW), and Larry Zachman (CE)!

September is School Board Recognition Month, a time to recognize and thank the members of the STMA School Board for their dedicated service to our children, staff, schools, and community.

This year, our district theme asks a simple but powerful question: “How are the children?” Our School Board helps ensure that question remains at the center of our work and decision-making, while playing an important role in ensuring the answer is “The children are well.” Through their leadership, commitment, and thoughtful decision-making, they help create the conditions for every child to be known, valued, supported, and challenged to succeed. We are grateful for their service and dedication to STMA.

Congratulations to our incredible STMA staff members who were given a Noble Knight Award! At a recent school board meeting, the Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) recognized the Noble Knights Award winners to celebrate those who are leading the way in inclusivity for students with different abilities and learning differences.

Golden Knight Award – Ella Dwyer

FACS Teacher, Middle School West

Platinum Armor Award – Courtney Zachman

Support Staff, St. Michael Elementary/Big Woods Elementary

Champion of Inclusivity Award – Jesse Hackenmueller

Coach/Teacher, High School

Silver Shield Award – Jenny Welle

Special Education Teacher, Albertville Primary

Bronze Valor Award – Paige Armstrong-Hetterick

Choir Teacher, High School

Thanks to these amazing members of our team for their commitment to creating an inclusive environment for all of our students. Their dedication and leadership make STMA an even better place for every learner!

Minnesota law recognizes Indigenous Peoples Day and requires schools to devote at least one hour of the school day to its observance. On October 12, 2026, STMA students will receive age-appropriate instruction related to Indigenous Peoples Day, including one or more of the topics identified in state statute.

The beginning of the school year often brings with it many emotions, and this year is no different. As we dive into the new school year, we know the question of school safety may be at the top of your minds. Staff and families routinely ask us: Are our schools safe?

Considering the importance of this question and the understandable concern we collectively share, we want to answer it directly.

Safety Is Our Top Priority

The top priority of STMA Schools is the safety and well-being of our students and staff. While we cannot share all the ways we work to protect our children and staff, we can assure you that we utilize best practice safety strategies and work in close partnership with trusted agencies, including Wright County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota School Safety Center, Homeland Security, and FEMA to ensure our students and staff are safe and our buildings are secure.

Beyond protecting against tragedies, we also take a broader view of safety. Our schools are places where students are welcomed, respected, valued, and celebrated; where bullying and harassment have no place; and where the whole child is supported—academically, socially, and emotionally. Our staff work tirelessly to build positive, meaningful connections with students and partner with families to determine how we can best serve our children.

Drills and Preparedness

Throughout the year, students and staff participate in a variety of safety drills to ensure they are prepared for different situations. These include fire drills, lockdown drills, school bus safety drills, severe weather drills, and practicing safe walking and biking routines to and from school.

We encourage families to ask their child(ren) about these drills. Open dialogue, active listening, and observation are critical components of a comprehensive safety plan.

Standard Response Protocol (SRP)

STMA utilizes the “I Love U Guys” Foundation’s Standard Response Protocol (SRP), which is also used countywide. This protocol provides consistent language and actions for emergencies. You may hear terms such as Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter. Using this shared language helps ensure that students, staff, and first responders respond quickly, clearly, and effectively.

We invite you to watch this short video and check out the district website for more information about the five SRP actions and what they mean for students, staff, and families.

School Resource Officers

Our district is fortunate to have three dedicated School Resource Officers (SROs) who play a vital role in keeping our schools safe. Beyond ensuring security, they also serve as trusted mentors and positive role models, building strong relationships and connections with students. Their daily presence in our schools fosters a welcoming environment where safety, support, and trust go hand in hand.

Behavioral Threat Assessment & Training

STMA has Behavioral Threat Assessment Teams in place to respond when student safety concerns arise. These teams allow us to conduct careful, timely assessments and take appropriate action. In addition, we regularly participate in tabletop safety and security exercises led by the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota School Safety Center, Homeland Security, and FEMA. These exercises strengthen our processes and strategies to keep students and staff safe.

Visitor and Volunteer Protocols

For everyone’s safety, STMA follows strict visitor procedures:

• All exterior doors remain locked during the school day.
• Visitors must use the secured main entrance and ring the buzzer, state their name, and explain their reason for visiting.
• Those going beyond the office must present a government-issued photo ID, which is screened through a national and local database.
• Visitors and volunteers are issued a photo badge and, if volunteering or chaperoning, must complete a district background check.

Family Partnerships

Families play a vital role in school safety. Families are encouraged to:

• Keep contact information updated in ParentVue.
• Report concerns—if you see something, say something.
• Encourage their child(ren) to talk with their principal or a trusted staff member if something makes them feel unsafe.

A Shared Commitment

We deeply value the trust our staff, families, and community place in us, and we do not take it for granted. Our schools are safe, and with the support of our dedicated partners, we continue working to make them even safer. If you have questions or concerns about school safety, please reach out to your child’s principal or Superintendent Foucault. Together, we can ensure STMA schools remain places where every child feels safe, supported, and ready to learn.

STMA has an e-learning plan, called the STMA FLEX Learning Plan, that allows teaching and learning to continue when school is canceled due to inclement weather. Under Minnesota Statutes, section 120A.414, schools may use up to five e-learning days per year. At STMA, the first two weather-related cancellations will be designated as no-school days. Any additional cancellations may be designated as e-learning days. Additional information can also be found on the Flex Learning webpage.