An ‘A’ for Mrs. Giese

Every once in a while, something happens that causes one to pause and look for answers. While I realize that we do not live in an era when you have superintendents like the late Fred Harapat and Arlen Johnson spending the bulk of their careers at Kenyon, you know that when an unheard number of superintendents (four including the next one) come to town in eight years, something is wrong. When this happens as it did, one has to take a close look towards the inside rather than the outside. In this particular case, I have been looking at what has been going on at my old alma mater during the majority (five members) of this school board’s tenure. The picture has been bleak!
Until recently, I was unaware of the fact that Mrs. Giese distinguished herself during her military service. While I knew that she was a member of the Kenyon American Legion Color Guard, I had no idea that she was once Soldier of the Year while stationed with the U.S. Army.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is a big deal! Having been familiar with the process as an airman at Charleston Air Force Base in Charleston, South Carolina, these are the kind of people who know what it means to follow orders; the kind of people who follow the chain-of-command at all costs. So, what is the point? I now believe this is why she “rolled with the punches” until she could convince the school board that a single site at Kenyon was the best option for the school district.
As I look back on the past eight years and the three superintendents that served the Kenyon-Wanamingo School District, I now believe that Mrs. Giese brought a different skill set to the table. While it is true that we disagreed on a number of educational issues, it is also true that the creation of a single site in Kenyon for the 2025-2026 school year was not one of them. And yet, it is my sense that she was reluctant to pursue a change at this time. For some reason or another, she continued to promote the 2027-2028 school year even though it would cost the school district money they did not have. Knowing what I now know, I do not believe this was her decision. She was only following orders!
In looking at a career that includes knowing how to follow orders, I believe the fault lies with someone on the inside. You see, I now believe that her background caused her to remain loyal to the school board that hired her. A school board that has made the kind of decisions that have oftentimes been a detriment to the school district. Fortunately, something happened last Fall that changed the dynamics in the school district: a petition with 263 signatures calling for what Mrs. Giese was trying to create all along. Now that it will finally become a reality this Fall, we are going to lose her services in the mix.
In the coming days, the school board will begin their search for another Superintendent of Schools. While I appreciate the fact that finding the right person (it was Mrs. Giese all along) is not an easy task, we must pull out all the stops to make it work this time. With 36 years behind us; with the hope that the school board will put an end to the kind of decisions they have made over the past eight years, we must provide the kind of education that will bring new students to the school district, improve our existing outcomes when it comes to student achievement, balance the budget, and demand results we once enjoyed when we were one of the top school districts in all of Southeastern Minnesota. It is time for the school board and the superintendent to work in unison. Without it, you will get what you got!
In the meantime, we should all wish Mrs. Giese the very best as she begins her new job at Kasson-Mantorville Public Schools. From an old educator’s perspective, she deserves it!
Dr. James Russell Lehman, is a former educator and resident of Kenyon.