Board of Trustees

Stephanie Aagenes

    Mrs. Stephanie Aagenes was raised in Aurora, Minnesota and graduated in 1992 from Mesabi East High School.  Mrs. Aagenes earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education with licensures in Early Childhood and Kindergarten from Bemidji State University.  She continued her graduate education at Bemidji State University and obtained her Emotional Behavior Disorder (EBD) and Specific Learning Disability (SLD) licensures.

     Mrs. Aagenes began her teaching career at the Red Lake Reservation Elementary School and taught fifth grade.  She then began teaching Special Education for 6 years at New Prague Primary School in New Prague, Minnesota.  Mrs. Aagenes also served on Governor Pawlenty’s Special Advisory Committee on School Finance.  She then went on to teach Elementary and Middle School Special Education in the Eveleth-Gilbert school district for four years, at which time she also served on the Board of Directors for the Chicagami Child Center.

     Mrs. Aagenes then relocated to Thunder Bay, Ontario for four years with her husband, Jason, and two daughters, Alexa and Hailey.  While in Thunder Bay, she taught with the Thunder Bay Catholic School Board and served on the St. Pius X Elementary School Parent Advisory Board.

     Mrs. Aagenes then continued her graduate education at St. Cloud State University and obtained a special education licensure in Developmental Cognitive Disabilities (DCD).  Most Recently, Mrs. Aagenes has been working for the Duluth Public Schools as a middle school Special Education DCD teacher for five years.  She is an active member on the Continuous Improvement Team at Ordean East Middle School, representing the Special Education Department. 

Robert Berg

I am a native Duluthian. I graduated from Morgan Park High School in 1970 and from UMD in 1974. I began teaching at Stowe School in January of 1976 and retired from Stowe in June of 2015. Since my retirement I substitute occasionally at Stowe School. 

Al Chepelnik, Vice-Chair and Secretary

     Al Chepelnik was born and raised in Duluth and is a 1971 graduate of Morgan Park High School and a 1975 graduate of the University of Minnesota - Duluth. He has worked for the Duluth Public Schools for 34 years primarily as a Work Experience Teacher-Coordinator with middle school and high school disadvantaged and handicapped students.

     Al has served as a member of the Duluth Teachers Relicensure Committee, helped to create and serve as the Chairperson of the Duluth Teacher of the Year Committee which recognizes outstanding Duluth Public School teachers and has served as the Chairperson of the Interagency Coordinating Council of Duluth which connects Special Education teachers, social workers and agencies in Duluth that work with students and adults that have disabilities.

     Al is eager to support teacher grants that will create innovative programs for teachers in the Duluth Public Schools.  He retired from the Duluth School District in 2017.

Ethan Fisher

     Ethan Fisher is a lifelong Duluthian, having graduated from Denfeld High school before doing his undergraduate studies at the College of St. Scholastica, earning a degree in Secondary Social Sciences, with a minor in History.  In addition, he received a Masters in Education from the University of Minnesota Duluth.  

     Ethan has worked in the Duluth Public Schools for 25 years as a Secondary Social Studies teacher, teaching high school history and government.  Ethan is currently serving the Duluth Federation of Teachers as President.  He and his wife are raising three children in Duluth.  

Rosie Loeffler-Kemp

     Rosie continues to be an active advocate of more than 25 years for our Duluth Public Schools as a parent, volunteer, and community leader where she has served in many capacities and on numerous school district committees. Her educational background includes a Masters Degree in Social Work; her professional work has included working as a Community Organizer on environmental and public health issues. Her support to children & families has been exemplary through several non-profits and community organizations: Community Action Duluth, Great Lakes Aquarium, League of Women Voters, Girl Scouts, CHUM (Churches United in Ministry), United Way, and KIDS Voting. She has served in numerous leadership roles for the several PTAs, including being a Mn State PTA President (2006-2009).

    Rosie serves on the ISD #709 School Board as the District One representative where most recently she was re-elected to her third term.  She & her husband, Ken, have four children. They are thankful for the excellent teachers and school staff at Lester Park, Ordean, and East who have worked together with them to instill a love of learning, respect, and the desire to be responsible global citizens.

     Rosie says: “It is a privilege to serve on the DPS Endowment Fund Board. As a parent and a school board member, I am in awe of the many diverse ways our Duluth Public Schools staff provides innovative and creative opportunities for our students to succeed and for our families to be more engaged in our schools. It is an honor to help provide additional financial support to our teachers through DPS Fund grants.”

Phyllis Makila

Phyllis Makila taught in the Duluth Public School system for 43 years, mostly in elementary school classrooms.  Now retired she is anxious to work with the DPSF to encourage and provide funds for teachers' innovative and creative ideas to provide enrichment and support to classroom learning.

EDUCATION: University of Wisconsin, Superior, University of Minnesota, Duluth, St. Thomas University, Concordia College,

EMPLOYMENT: Duluth Public Schools Teacher for 43 years

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Internal Coach for Americorps, reading corps, for 3 years President of ADK,Epsilon, a women’s education sorority for many years President of Lakewood Elementary School Foundation for 3 years, member for 6 years Supervisor for Lakewood Preschool for 3 years Volunteer for Grandma’s Marathon for many years Member of First Lutheran Church

ACTIVITIES AND HOBBIES: Quilting, scrapbooking, golf, and reading.  

Rachel Moseley


I am a retired elementary teacher who had the pleasure of teaching 3rd grade for over 20 years in the Duluth Public Schools, at Lincoln Park K-8 and Piedmont Elementary Schools. During my tenure I enjoyed working with hundreds of students, families, and educators, often learning as much from them as I hope they learned from me!

 

My husband and I are proud of our two grown sons and 3 grandchildren who all learned or are learning from teachers in the Duluth school system. 

 

I have been involved in many district trainings, committees, and workshops and always appreciated  learning new approaches and techniques to enrich my teaching. I am thrilled to be a part of this board, continuing to support the hard-working teachers in our district and allowing them the opportunity to be creative in their teaching strategies.

 


Rachel Payne


I’ve lived in Duluth for 28 years.  We raised our sons here and we are proud to call Duluth home.


I am a former Duluth elementary teacher and have spent the last 16 years working in the teacher training program at St. Scholastica.  I look forward to supporting all the hard-working and innovative teachers in our district!


Barbara Rodberg

I am a lifelong Duluth resident, married many years with 4 adult children and 12 grandchildren who keep us on the go and active. 

My education includes Duluth Parochial (elementary) and Public Schools (7-12); UMD (BS in Elementary Education) and

UWS (Remedial Reading Certification).

I taught in Solon Springs, WI for six years after college and before children. I then taught for 30 years in Duluth Public Schools serving briefly as a teacher in the ESL and Gifted and Talented programs; classroom teacher in grades 1-6 (Washburn, Merritt, and Stowe) and the last 14 years as Title I Coordinator/Teacher at Stowe.

After retirement, I worked part-time teaching reading in the Title I program and volunteering at Stowe and Bayview Elementary in Proctor.

I am proud to have been a Duluth Public School teacher. I met and worked with many dedicated, hard- working educators who serve this community so well. I am pleased to join the DPSF board to help support teachers' efforts to enrich their classrooms and offer more opportunities to students.

Steve Schoenbauer, Chair

     Steve is a retired high school special education teacher who currently works very part time for Duluth Parks and Recreation. Though not a Duluth native, he and his wife, Janelle, have lived in Morgan Park for the past 45 years and his children received excellent educations in the Duluth system. He spent 26 years in the classroom in Askov and Wrenshall and 15 years as the Secondary Transition Coordinator with the Northern Lights Special Education Cooperative working with students, parents, teachers, and community agencies preparing students for life after graduation. He has published curricula, organized events, and created collaboratives, all related to Secondary Transition.

     Steve has been involved in many Mn Department of Education committees including Secondary Transition Council, Work Based Learning Focus Group, Pathways to Employment: Camps to Careers, and Paraprofessional Competency Training development.

     Steve believes strongly in the capabilities and creativity of our teachers and welcomes the opportunity to assist, even in a small way, in their efforts.