Educator joins School Board

A longtime educator was appointed to the Cedar Grove-Belgium School Board on Sept. 23.

Stephanie Bernander was the only applicant to replace John Krechel, who resigned last month to coach the high school boys’ soccer team.

“Education has been my life’s work. Across my career in K-12 schools, higher education and educator preparation, I have seen firsthand the difference a strong public school system makes in the lives of kids and families,” she said in her letter of interest.

Bernander has a Ph.D. in philosophy from Cardinal Stritch University and a master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from Winona State.

She has worked as an education consultant, teacher, principal and professor. She  now works as the director of residency in teacher education for the Cooperative Educational Services Agency No. 6 in Oshkosh.

“I’ve been in hundreds (of districts) and this is a great district,” she told the School Board.

Bernander has lived in the area for years and in Belgium since 2020. She is married, has two grown children and recently became a grandmother.

Bernander said one of the biggest issues facing school districts is budgeting.

“The reason it’s so tricky is because you’re trying to balance what we know good educators are worth and what they’re worth to our kids. But you have to balance that with what people can afford,” she said.

Her vision for education in the Cedar Grove-Belgium community is simple.

“Students come here and they get what they need to succeed in life. We’re the people who help develop the children so that they can be successful. That’s what our job is,” she said.

Bernander is the fourth member of the board who works in education. Eric Meinnert teaches science at Ozaukee High School, Jen Schueller teaches special education at Dunwiddie Elementary School in Port Washington and Mike Sells teaches special education at Bayside Middle School.