Laurie Mahrer
President’s Post
By Nick Archuleta, nick.archuleta@ndunited.org
Elections Matter to NDU Members
Greetings, ND United!
As I write this column, we are in the early days of summer. Wherever you are reading this, I hope you are enjoying the weather and making plans for rewarding experiences with family and friends. Here are a few things that we at North Dakota United are following:
It’s an election year, and all of us at ND United are following the action closely. There are, of course, important elections on the state level, for Governor, the House of Representatives and Senate, but there are also important and competitive races in many legislative districts. The outcome of those races will determine whether our Legislature focuses on investing in our public schools and services or remains mired in culture wars that distract us from crucial investments in our future. In the upcoming general election, please vote for candidates whose positions on K-12 education, higher education and public service mirror your own. It is critically important to elect a Legislature that will eschew the culture wars and focus on strengthening education and public service. Public employees, regardless of their job title, deserve the respect they deserve for providing the vital services our fellow citizens across the state need and deserve.
Just as a reminder, you can check out the voting records for all of the legislators during the 2023 Legislative Assembly at our website, www. reportcard.ndunited.org.
Another race that deserves your attention is the race for the Superintendent of Public Instruction. It is clear to me that there is only one serious candidate for the job and that is the incumbent, Kirsten Baesler. In the primaries, she faced a number of challengers. One of them, Jim Bartlett was the former executive director of the ND Homeschool Association and received a letter of support from the ND GOP Convention. Bartlett ran on a platform rooted in the false claim that our public-school teachers are indoctrinating students.
Following the primaries on June 11, Baesler’s competition was narrowed down to just Jason Heitkamp, a former far-right state senator, since only the top two vote-getters in this nonpartisan race move on to the general election. He would go back to basics, emphasizing the basics of “reading, writing, and arithmetic,” as if schools do not teach those skills already. Worse still, is that he would advocate for moving TFFR from a defined-benefit retirement plan to a defined-contribution retirement plan. Heitkamp has said that he would vote to eliminate property taxes that fund public schools and public services. It is clear that he possesses neither the skill nor disposition to effectively administer the state’s education system.
Friends, your value to North Dakotans is immeasurable and important. Thank you for all you do, and will do, in service to others. And thank you for your membership in ND United!
News Notes
NDU joins Keep It Local coalition to preserve local control
At the 2024 North Dakota United Delegate Assembly on April 20, 2024, NDU members approved a new business item, stating: “ND United will oppose any proposed legislation or constitutional amendment designed to usurp the power of North Dakota’s political subdivisions to levy property taxes based on property value to support public services in their counties and communities.” In that spirit, North Dakota United has since joined a new coalition of 62 associations and nonprofit organizations called Keep It Local, which is dedicated to defeating an initiated ballot measure that seeks to abolish property tax in our state.
NDU in the News
Keep It Local is launching a website, www.keepitlocalnd.org, as this issue of United Voices was going to press. We urge all our members to visit the website and learn more about their mission and the many reasons why eliminating property tax in our state without providing a thoughtful, well-vetted plan for replacing the $1.329 billion per year in desperately needed funding for our public schools and essential services is a bad idea.
Visit the ND United website to easily update your contact info
We recently launched a new look at our website, www.ndunited. org, and we’re adding incredible new features to it. One of those new features is a newly designed
Members of North Dakota United are frequently in the news, both locally and statewide, and sometimes even nationally. We will be featuring some of their quotes in each edition of United Voices.
– Mitchell Smette, former West Fargo High School English teacher and coach, in a story by the North Dakota Monitor on the reasons why he resigned from his position at the school to work in real estate. This story, “Why teachers leave: 2 educators share their experiences,” was published at www. northdakotamonitor.com on May 21, 2024.
“One of the biggest reasons that I’m leaving the field is the North Dakota Legislature. If we continue to legislate what teachers can do in their classrooms … and people who are not experts in education are making those decisions, and they’re ignoring educators in making those decisions, then I don’t know how you’re ever going to find good teachers – or keep them.”
storage space for United Voices magazine! Go to www.ndunited. org/united-voices and you will be able to view not just the newest written content we provide on these pages, but bonus audio and video footage with the stories, and back issues of the magazine.
Additionally, we are in the process of expanding the number of email newsletters we can offer to our members, centered around the issues and interests that matter most to you all. In order to do this, we need to know when your phone number, mailing address or email address changes, so we can help guarantee these materials continue to arrive safely and securely to you. We’ve set up an easy-to-use form on our website, at www.ndunited. org/update-contact-information.
Tenure rights under fire again for higher ed faculty
Despite the defeat of a bill in the 2023 North Dakota Legislative Assembly that would have decimated tenure rights for faculty at Bismarck State College and Dickinson State University, those same protections are again under fire. This time, the threat is coming from members of the State Board of Higher Education.
A Post-Tenure Ad Hoc Committee of the State Board has been reviewing tenure and post-tenure review processes at public colleges and universities for the past year, and recently released a report with findings and recommendations for tenure that could risk the ability of our institutions of higher learning to recruit and retain high-quality faculty. If the Board enacts these recommendations, it could reduce the job security of all tenured faculty and arbitrarily limit the number of tenured positions at two-year colleges by 2030.
Members of the State Board of Higher Education need to hear from you about the importance of tenure! Scan the QR code below to share what tenure means for you, your school and your students.
Scan to share what tenure means to you, your school and your students.
Register for upcoming Leadership and Advocacy Summit
Registration is now open for the North Dakota United Leadership and Advocacy Summit, which is scheduled for July 30-31 in Bismarck.
This year’s summit will be a great opportunity for members to learn more about how to become more active and involved in their union, and to develop their professional and leadership skills. The summit will cover essential topics including:
• Contract Negotiations Planning and Execution
• Organizational Leadership
• Threats to Public Education and Service, and Our Response
• Getting Engaged in the Legislative Process
• And much more!
To register, scan the QR code below:
Scan to register for the NDU Leadership and Advocacy Summit, July 30-31 in Bismarck.
United Voices Going
By Kelly Hagen, kelly.hagen@ndunited.org
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;
This poem, “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost, gets used a lot, I know. But it seemed fitting to walk it out one more time in sharing the news that our “small but mighty” member publication, United Voices, is going the way of becoming fully digital.
Writing for this magazine these last 11 years has felt very much like “the road less traveled.”
And I have truly loved every step taken in that journey. Every sentence, every word choice, every editorial decision has delivered us here to this point in the path where we will now diverge in our direction.
Progress starts with a single step, they say, or perhaps a giant leap forward. We’re taking that leap with United Voices this fall by moving away from printing and mailing copies of this magazine to all our members. Instead, future
issues of UV will be produced in electronic format and stored on our website, at www.ndunited. org/united-voices.
Going digital affords us a larger canvas upon which we can proverbially paint. In turn, we can embed deeper, richer media within our stories. With the click of a button or swipe across the screen, you can directly see video of our member events, hear the audio of our members’ voices while they speak on the important issues we cover. These expanded opportunities to tell stories with finer details and more engaging content is exciting to all of us who work together to produce this publication.
When it comes to producing good, timely and high-quality member communications, delivery of that content is just as important as compiling it, and this process is made more
efficient by moving to digital, too. We will be able to continue to send all of you these regular digests of collected materials through email, social media and other forms of electronic communication.
While we are reducing our footprint in print publications, we will in turn be expanding our capacity in electronic publishing. At the start of this migration to digital, we are going to continue our current schedule of producing four editions of United Voices magazine in an e-publication and sending to all our members through electronic means – email and text messaging platforms, primarily. If your current email address and mobile phone number are currently correct in our system, be on the lookout for the electronic version of this last issue in your in-box. If you can’t find it there, check any spam folders you might have set up. If you still can’t find it, contact our office at 701223-0450 or send an email to comments@ndunited.org, and our staff can help determine if we’ve got the correct contact information on file.
705 articles, 1,000+ photos, graphics and QR codes, and something close to 500,000 words.
I wish to thank everyone who has contributed to this publication’s continued success over the years. Most of all, though, I would like to thank all of you who have read our print magazine since its start! We, quite literally, could not do this work without you. Your membership in ND United has made all this possible, and will continue to, as we endeavor to utilize the resources you provide us with toward delivering even quicker, more timely, thoughtful and in-depth coverage of the issues that matter most to all of you.
While looking forward is always important, I think it also instructive to look back at what we’ve accomplished here at United Voices. For the past 11 years, it’s been all our great fortune and privilege to share with all of you, the 11,000+
To quote Robert Frost one more time, “Knowing how way leads on to way,” we hope you will continue to enjoy reading this marvelous member magazine in this new way. “Somewhere ages and ages hence,” I expect we all can look back with pride on “all the difference” it has made.
Education Support Professionals Honored at Ceremonies Across the State
Laurie Mahrer, of Mandan, chosen as 2025 ND ESP of the Year
By Joel Crane, joel.crane@ndunited.org
Laurie Mahrer, a speech language pathology assistant at Custer Elementary School in Mandan, has been named as the 2024-25 Education Support Professional of the Year by North Dakota United this year at our Delegate Assembly on April 20, 2024.
“Thank you,” she said upon receiving the award from ND United President Nick Archuleta. “As speech language pathology assistants, we’re the wanderers. I have worked with more than ten speech language pathologists over the last 26 years, and I appreciate all of them. They have allowed me to grow. And even though I don’t know where I’m going to be year after year, the kids are all the same. They want us to see them and hear them and to be there for them.”
This year’s contest for ESP of the Year was a special one, as a record number of nominations were received. For the first time, three finalists for this year’s award were named ahead of time. Those finalists included Mahrer; Julie Eiler, the lead paraeducator at Fargo North High School; and Dustin Brunner, a paraprofessional at Central Middle School in Devils Lake.
Each of our three finalists received a special recognition ceremony at their schools, where President Archuleta, administrators and colleagues spoke in glowing terms of the consistently amazing work that they all do in their important roles.
“Laurie consistently goes above and beyond to support the students she works with. She has such a
kind and gentle soul, and students and staff are drawn to her. She is nothing short of amazing. The education system needs more educators like Laurie,” President Archuleta said during Mahrer’s ceremony at Custer on Feb. 5, reading the words of one of her nominating colleagues.
“She’s well-known for her hard work, kindness, creativity, dependability, caring nature, enthusiasm, generosity, and so much more,” said Mercedes Jaskowiak, a speech language pathologist at Custer Elementary.
During both of her acceptance speeches, first as a finalist at Custer, and as this year’s ESP of the Year recipient during NDU’s Delegate Assembly, Mahrer made extra effort to lift up the work of her colleagues: ESPs from around the school, including fellow SLPAs, custodial staff, and nutrition staff, among others.
“[Growing up], we worked together as a family. And I consider you my family here. And coming from a big family, we had to share everything: our Christmas presents, our clothes, our food, three in a bed. I’m used to sharing, so, will you share this nomination with me?”
In her nomination for the award, one of Mahrer’s colleagues said of her: “Laurie consistently goes above and beyond to support the students she works with. She has such a kind and gentle soul, and students and staff are drawn to her. She is nothing short of amazing. The education system needs more educators like Laurie.” Near the end of her rousing
Laurie Mahrer, second from left, with colleagues at her ESP of the Year finalist ceremony.
speech at the DA, she compared students to lumps of clay on a potter’s wheel, who educators and ESPs work together to help mold: “We are taking care of the most precious natural resources this state has to offer. It’s our children. What legacy will we leave them? Who do you want behind that potter’s wheel?”
Each year, the NDU ESP of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding ESP member of our state association. ESP job categories include: paraprofessional, education assistants, secretarial or clerical, custodial, food services, maintenance and trades, transportation, grounds-keeping, security, technology services, health services and more.
Nominations for the 2026 ESP of the Year will be open September-December 2024. Please watch ndunited.org for more information on how to nominate an ESP from your school.
DUSTIN BRUNNER
Finalist for ESP of the Year
In February 2024, children and staff gathered at Central Middle School in Devils Lake to celebrate a very special person, Dustin Brunner.
“We want to make sure this is just a very special moment to recognize one of our great support staff, Mr. Dustin Brunner,” said Dan Kaffar, principal at Central Middle School.
The occasion? Brunner is a finalist for North Dakota United’s 2025 Education Support Professional of the Year.
“When some people ask for fewer challenges and less work, he often asks how he can do more to help make our school a more successful place for our students,” said Vanessa McLaughlin, special ed teacher at Central Middle School.
“Mr. Brunner exemplifies the spirit of dedication and excellence every day,” said Dan Kaffar, principal at Central Middle School.
According to his wife, Dustin isn’t one for the attention.
“I can speak for Mr. Brunner: he is not a person who enjoys flattery or compliments. He is just one of those individuals that, it’s his job. This is what he does,” said Brittany Brunner, Dustin’s wife and English teacher at Central Middle School.
“We have every other para here that sometimes, their work goes unnoticed. And every one of them come into school and they work very hard and do everything I do. And I just have to give them a round of applause for that,” said Dustin Brunner, paraprofessional at Central Middle School.
On top of his work as a paraprofessional, Dustin is a father of five, and he’s studying at the University of North Dakota to become a social studies teacher.
Dustin Brunner, a 2025 ESP of the Year finalist, with his wife, Brittany, and their five children.
given the award, she had to give a speech and her mind went blank. “I think I said ‘I like teaching,’” Katelyn said with a laugh. “That was my speech. They caught me so off guard. … I am still shocked.”
The Milken Awards annually honor educators across the country who are early- to mid-career for what they have achieved – and for the promise of what they will accomplish if given the resources and opportunities afforded to them by being given a $25,000 award. Gorder is the sole North Dakota 2023-24 Milken Educator Award recipient.
As to the surprise presentation, that’s exactly how the Milken Awards are designed to be. From their website: “Educators cannot apply and are unaware of their candidacy. … Recipients are surprised with the news of their Award at all-school assemblies before cheering students, colleagues, education officials, community leaders and media.”
To better understand what makes Gorder so special as an educator to receive what some call “the Oscars of Teaching,” we should start at the beginning of her story. She started out in life on a farmstead located about three miles away from the school where she now teaches. “I am originally from Grafton,” she said,
“and so are my parents, and so are my grandparents, and so are my great-grandparents. This place has always been really special to me.”
Her grandfather, William Gorder, helped start the North Valley Career and Technical Center in Grafton. “He was a counselor (in the 1970s), and they came to him with this opportunity of building this building, here in Grafton. It was kind of one of the first of its kind in this area, at least.”
Beyond her familial roots in Grafton, the seeds that would grow into Katelyn’s passion for teaching were first planted there, too. “When I got into high school, I took all of the Family Consumer Science classes that I could,” she said. “I just enjoyed baking and I enjoyed sewing, and I loved the hands-on. That was just where my heart was.”
Gorder got her Bachelor of
Continued on next page.
Katelyn Gorder, left, works with students in FACS class at Grafton High School.
Science degree in Family and Consumer Science education from North Dakota State University in 2015, and quickly found her first teaching job at Skyview High School in Billings, Mont., teaching FACS. She worked there for eight years and helped to launch several programs that gave students hands-on learning experiences in career exploration and development, including a student-run coffee shop and outdoor adventures club.
Like a lot of people who grew up in our state and left to find work, Katelyn kept one eye open toward North Dakota and any opportunities to come back home. So, when the superintendent in Grafton, who had been the principal of the school when Gorder was still a student, reached out to her in 2022 and said the FACS teaching position was open, she knew it was time again to listen to her heart.
“This is a place that my whole family grew up, and there’s just a lot of roots here,” she said. “So, I kind of had just reached a point in my life where I just wanted to be closer to my family.”
Since returning, Gorder has been given the latitude to craft the school’s FACS and careerpreparedness programs in line with her own vision of immersive learning. Enrollment in her FACS courses, including classes on independent living, nutrition and food preparation, and culinary arts, is surging.
Within these courses, students learn important lessons in financial literacy, child development, staying safe online, personal health practices, cooking techniques and a lot more.
She began a new course called Teaching Profession Class for students interested in pursuing a career as an educator. It’s offered both to students in Grafton and remotely for students outside of the district, through Northern Red River Interactive Television.
“I think the best thing for anyone considering (becoming) a teacher is to spend time with kids and get in the classroom,” Gorder said about the course. “I would encourage you to job shadow a teacher for a day and interview a teacher and sit in their classroom for multiple days and actually work with kids.”
Just as essential to developing a lifelong love for the profession of education is learning how to work well with the other adults in the same line of work. Gorder credits all her colleagues who have been there for her throughout her career, thus far.
“My first few years of teaching, I felt so blessed that I had the colleagues that I did,” Gorder said. “I had some pretty veteran teachers that had done it before and thoroughly enjoyed teaching. … I just feel like I had the perfect storm of all these people supporting me and pushing me towards education.
Katelyn Gorder speaks to FACS students at Grafton High School on April 5.
I feel really blessed because that’s not always the case, that everyone feels so excited to be a teacher.”
And that support system just continues to grow to this day. “Sometimes a FACS program can be a little bit isolating as nobody else in a small school is doing that,” Gorder said. “So, you don’t have a lot of people to ask questions, like (if) something goes wrong in the lab or your mac and cheese starts on fire, the math teachers might not know how to answer that. But I’ve always felt like I had a great support system, and they definitely gave me a lot of comfort in mistakes that I made and that maybe it’s not that big of a deal. It’s going to be okay. You have burnt mac and cheese, but that’s okay. We’ll do better next time.”
Receiving a Milken Award this year has helped Gorder
to feel even more confident in her abilities as a teacher, and it’s a feeling she wishes she could share with all her fellow educators.
“After winning the Milken Award, I had a lot of teachers that I had in high school or even in elementary school that reached out or sent cards or sent flowers, just congratulating me,” Gorder said. “It has been a really good honor for the year, and I think every teacher goes through years that they’re like, ‘I don’t even know if I’m any good at this … should I keep going? Am I even helping anyone?’ I’m at the point where I wish everyone could win an award because it’s a morale booster, and it’s definitely something that I will never take for granted. It puts a little pep in your step to kind of keep going, and know what you’re doing is working.”
Protect Your Membership with AutoPay
By Joel Crane, joel.crane@ndunited.org
Part of belonging to a member association, such as ours at North Dakota United, is paying dues. Ultimately, the dues dollars you spend on the local, state and national levels are what keeps our union running and advocating for the quality public services and public education that our families, friends and neighbors rely upon, each and every day. For years, union dues have been able to be paid directly out of paychecks for educators and public employees in North Dakota and around the country. But in more than a dozen states nationwide, antipublic education and antipublic services politicians have passed laws to outlaw payroll deduction. These laws are intended to weaken publicsector unions, ultimately impacting our bargaining power, lowering our pay and
benefits, decreasing our union protection, and enabling politicians to drive policies detrimental to our students, schools and classrooms.
Laws like these have not yet been introduced in North Dakota, but after a slew of bills meant to cripple public education (including, but not limited to, multiple voucher bills and bills banning books) were introduced in the last state legislative session, we believe they could be imminent. And the consequences could be dire: If we don’t prepare, we could find ourselves in the same position as the Tennessee Education Association, which went from about 28,000 members to 0 members in one day in 2023, when the Tennessee Legislature outlawed payroll deduction.
If you’re thinking, “Is there
anything to be done besides waiting for payroll deduction to be taken away?” the answer is yes. By proactively transitioning to AutoPay, or the direct payment of union dues either through your bank account or via credit or debit card, you can protect your membership in ND United.
As previously mentioned, there hasn’t been a law like this introduced in North Dakota – yet. But if we aren’t proactive about this, the anti-public education politicians will win. And if we let them win, we will lose our collective power to fight for decent salaries and benefits, protect educators from unfair treatment, and stand up to these politicians’ overreach into the classroom and our students’ education. Enrolling in AutoPay protects our ability to have input on decisions affecting our jobs, students, schools and public agencies. In some smaller local affiliates, the transition to AutoPay was spurred by a desire to maintain a healthy distance from their district’s business office.
The Wishek Education Association, for example, has fewer than a dozen members, and all of them have transitioned to AutoPay. They’re a small but mighty group, and they know their power depends on their numbers. “It’s about bargaining power, for us,” said Lisa Hendrickson, a fourthgrade teacher in Wishek. “I could just see [an administrator] saying during negotiations, ‘Well, if they have enough money to pay their union dues, we don’t need to give them raises.’”
Beyond that, Lisa is cognizant that the WEA and NDU have her back: “I believe school boards, school districts and teachers’ unions really do need to work together as a team in the best manner possible. But there is
BOTTOM: Shawna Knipp, a special education teacher and president of the Dickinson Education Association
Scan to easily switch your dues payment method to AutoPay.
TOP: Lisa Hendrickson, a fourth-grade teacher in Wishek
AutoPay continued from previous page
also that professional protection for us as union members. And that shouldn’t be overlooked.” It’s an important point. Together, our voice is stronger for our students, school funding, better pay and benefits. It’s important to protect our membership. In Wishek, the transition to AutoPay will do that, should anti-public education politicians in the North Dakota Legislature outlaw payroll deduction.
In another corner of the state, at another local education association – 20 times the size of Wishek – the Dickinson Education Association has also found huge success transitioning to AutoPay: As of this year, 100% of the more than 200 members of the DEA now pay their dues via AutoPay. “I think we had some members that were a little resistant, just because they didn’t want to have to change anything, but for the most part, we didn’t get much pushback,” said Shawna Knipp, a special education teacher and president of the Dickinson Education Association. “We, as an executive board, made the decision that the only options
you had were to either pay 100% upfront every year or you had to transition to AutoPay through North Dakota United.” Shawna says once the board explained their reasoning for the decision, which they said was primarily to make life easier for DEA’s bookkeepers, members hopped on board. Together, we are all standing together and building our numbers, so we have the collective power to bargain for the things that matter to us and stand up to these politicians’ overreach into our members’ worksites and our students’ learning environments.
Renewing with AutoPay is the simplest and most effective step you can take to protect your union membership, which ultimately benefits all North Dakotans who send their children to public schools and who rely upon the essential public services our members provide.
Thank you to everyone who has already made this easy, quick and one-time change, and to all those who will switch to AutoPay soon. And, most importantly, thank you for being members of North Dakota United!
Renewing with AutoPay is the simplest and most effective step you can take to protect your union membership.
Get Involved
With NDPERS Executive Director Rebecca Fricke
Rebecca Fricke, who has worked at the North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System since December of 1995, was appointed in February 2024 by the NDPERS Board to serve as their Executive Director. As a fellow member of North Dakota United, we asked Rebecca to answer some questions about herself and the important role her agency plays in providing retirement benefits, health insurance and other vital services to public workers and their families.
First, could you tell us a little about yourself and what you and your staff do here at NDPERS?
My start at NDPERS was as the front desk receptionist, which allowed me the opportunity to quickly learn about the benefits offered through NDPERS as I answered incoming phone calls on our main office line. My role quickly transitioned to be the first member service representative of the agency, as we pivoted to a call center where a majority of questions could be answered upon first contact. From here, there were many different positions within the Benefits team, each allowing me to gain knowledge and experience on the administration of the NDPERS benefits. I have considered myself very fortunate to be able to develop a career of 28 years (and counting) working in so many different capacities. Every single role I had allowed me to gain a greater appreciation of the importance in providing quality benefits to the dedicated employees and retirees of the State of North Dakota and its political subdivisions.
Looking ahead for NDPERS, I truly am excited to serve the NDPERS membership as our office administers their benefits. We have a great team at the office, one I am privileged to lead, working together to achieve our mission.
Can you provide a brief overview of the mission and objectives of the North Dakota Public Employee Retirement System (NDPERS)?
The mission of the NDPERS office is to: “Champion the health and financial
security of our members by providing comprehensive, innovative retirement and insurance benefit solutions through collaboration and personalized support.”
Can you share your thoughts on the importance of the role that you and your staff at NDPERS play in helping to provide quality public services to all North Dakotans?
I’m really proud to be part of this fabulous team that provides benefits to state and political subdivision employees across the State. The work that we do is important in that it allows those state and political subdivision employees to focus on the work that they need to do for the citizens of North Dakota without worrying about whether they have insurance that will help cover their medical needs if an accident occurs, or if an unfortunate medical situation arises, or whether they’ll be able to retire someday and have funds to sustain them.
How has NDPERS evolved over the years to help meet the changing needs of public employees and retirees?
Within the defined-benefit retirement plan, referred to as the Main plan, there’s been features added throughout the years to make the benefit more portable for short-term employees while ensuring the benefit is viable for long-term employees. It’s why we refer to it as a “hybrid” plan. More recently, the Legislative Assembly passed HB 1040, which closes the Main plan to future new hires as of Jan. 1, 2025, and requires their participation in the Defined-Contribution Plan. This change was driven in-part due to a concern of
legislators that the Main plan was not as attractive to younger employees that may be interested in taking employment within the state. In passing this legislation, the legislators ensured that existing employees and retirees would not be impacted by this change and also provided funding necessary to get the Main plan to be fully funded in 30 years. This funding is critical to ensure that the benefits promised to existing employees and retirees are received.
We also provide access to supplemental savings for retirement through our Deferred Compensation plan, which allows participants to set aside pre-tax funds to save for retirement.
From an insurance perspective, throughout the years, we have expanded the types of insurances that we offer to include not just health insurance, but life, dental and vision insurances. We also offer a high deductible health insurance plan that includes a health savings account for state employees.
NDPERS administers flexible benefits to allow employees to set funds aside on a pre-tax basis for eligible medical and dependent care coverage. We have an employee assistance program to help state employees and their families with life problems that counseling may assist with.
What are the biggest challenges facing the system currently, and how is your agency addressing them?
In 2024, our biggest challenge is ensuring that the transition from the Main plan to the Defined Contribution plan for new hires on or after Jan. 1, 2025, is completed and the provisions of HB 1040 implemented.
We have heard from states that have gone through similar transitions, that they had at least 2-3 years to implement changes of this magnitude. NDPERS is on a tighter 18-month schedule and is daily working on what is needed to get this change done.
Otherwise, I’d say that given HB 1040 provided the funding mechanism to ensure that the Main plan is funded in 30 years, that our other challenges are to ensure that we are providing quality, competitive benefits at an affordable price.
With the recent change by the Legislature to switch from offering the defined-benefit retirement plan to defined-contribution for newly hired
public employees, what are some tips you would offer to those employees and retirees who will stay in the DB plan?
I don’t know if they would be considered tips, but I would say that HB 1040, the bill that makes this change included the funding mechanism to ensure that the defined benefit plan becomes fully funded in 30 years. This is important as it will ensure that the existing employees and retirees receive the lifetime benefits that they are entitled to. Otherwise, the biggest tip I’d have is to do as much supplemental saving and investing as early as you can possibly do. With inflation and the rising cost of insurance and medical services, it’s important!
What resources and support are available through NDPERS to help public employees make informed decisions about their retirement and health insurance options?
NDPERS has a great team that is here to answer your questions about your NDPERS benefits. We have a member services team that receives our incoming calls and can assist with a variety of common questions. For those questions that are more unique or specific, the representative will refer the member to the appropriate staff who is best able to with their questions.
We also have information about our benefits on our website at www.ndpers. nd.gov. Members have access to our selfservice online portal to view their specific benefits details.
What initiatives or programs does NDPERS have in place to help promote wellness and healthy living among our public employees and retirees?
The NDPERS health insurance plan offers wellness incentives to subscribers (both employees and retirees), through the Dakota Wellness Program. Please visit www.sanfordhealthplan.com/ ndpers/dakotawellnessprogram for more information.
Employers participating in the health plan can also receive a premium discount for offering onsite wellness activities to their employees. In addition, we have ancillary benefits available including our About the Patient Diabetes Management Program and Healthy Pregnancy Program available to members that those programs may apply to.
2024 Delegate Assembly Held in Bismarck
The 2024 Delegate Assembly was a focused and energetic affair focused on the ongoing attacks from the anti-public education and anti-public service politicians and the necessity of our members to unite together to protect our professions, our students, and our communities.
The morning included reports and remarks from President Nick Archuleta, NEA Director Brenda Seehafer, and Executive Director Chad Oban. All three shared appreciation for tremendous work our members do every day in communities across North Dakota and challenged all members to reach out in their workplaces and communities to build the power that we need to win collectively.
In addition to the inspiring remarks, the morning also included an indepth budget conversation about our resources needed to address the challenges headed our way. Delegates ultimately passed a budget that invests in our three strategic priorities (Professional Development, Advocacy and Growth) and will ensure we can focus on the key opportunities and challenges ahead.
Next, President Archuleta presented the 2025 Education Support Professional of the Year award to Laurie Mahrer, a speech language pathology assistant at Custer Elementary School in Mandan. Laurie said she’s honored to receive the award, but she also used her acceptance speech to highlight the consistently outstanding work done by her colleagues: ESPs from around the school, including fellow SLPAs, custodial staff, and nutrition staff, among others.
Delegates also heard from
Superintendent of Public Instruction and longtime North Dakota United member Kirsten Baesler about the challenges and successes of our state’s great public school system.
Four new business items and three Bylaw Amendments were proposed and adopted at this year’s Delegate Assembly. For details on all these items, please visit the Delegate Assembly page in the membersonly section of our website, at www. ndunited.org/about/for-members/ delegate-assembly.
This year, elections were held for positions on our Board of Directors and for members to serve as delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly.
Board members elected for threeyear term (7/15/24-7/14/27) are:
■ Higher Ed Four-Year Director – Ernst Pijning, Minot State University (second term)
■ K-12 Less Than 600 Students Director – Angel Lindseth, HopePage EA (first full term)
■ NE Region Director – Darby Hart, Munich EA (second term)
■ NW Region Director – Bruce Schonberger, Minot Public Schools (first term)
■ SE Region Director – Sarah Lerud, Valley City EA (first full term)
■ SW Region Director – Alexis Rasset, Mandan EA (second term)
■ Higher Ed Support Director – Aaron Flynn, UND United (first full term)
■ Ethnic Director – Joshua Standing Elk, Bismarck EA (first full term)
■ Education Support Professional Director – Dana Mork, Mandan EA (first full term)
■ K-12 Greater Than 600 Students Director – Michelle Strand, Fargo EA (first full term)
Delegates to NEA RA are:
■ Monica Klein, Mandan EA
■ Dawn Hintz, Bismarck EA
■ Kala Christensen, Grand Forks EA
■ Hannah Erickson, Hope-Page EA
In the afternoon, delegates heard a challenging presentation from former Bismarck State College President Larry Skogen about the troubling history of Native American education in our country.
North Dakota United presented the Friend of Public Employees and the Friend of Public Education Awards to two well-deserved recipients. Sen. Karen Krebsbach of Minot won the Friend of Public Employees Award for her decades of advocacy for state employees, including being a key champion in our fight to protect the defined benefit pension. Longtime North Dakota United/ NDEA legal counsel Mike Geiermann received the Friend of Public Education Award for decades of service to the members of our great union and his tireless dedication to the rights and dignity of educators and working people.
TOP LEFT: Mike Geiermann receives Friend of Education award.
TOP RIGHT: Larry Skogen spoke on his book about NEA’s history with Native American education.
NDU President Nick Archuleta awarded outgoing board members Alan Leintz, top, Denbea McNally, center, and Ellie Shockley, bottom.
County Teachers of the Year 2024
22 ND United members received recognition
In early May, the Department of Public Instruction announced this year’s list of County Teacher of the Year. Of the full field, 22 are members of North Dakota United. We would like to extend our congratulations to all of these tremendous educators on achieving this proud recognition.
“Across our state, in rural areas and larger communities alike, our teachers bring their skills, compassion and dedication to their North Dakota classrooms. These County Teachers of the Year are examples of educational excellence, who have been recognized as such by their colleagues, their students and their families.”
— Kirsten Baesler North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction,
Barnes: Tresa Cruff, Barnes County North
Bottineau: Casey Mills, Westhope Public School
Burke: Whitney Rick, Burke Central
Burleigh: Kendall Bergrud, Wachter Middle School
Cass: Deb Pieper, West Fargo High School
Emmons: Kadie Walls, Linton Public School
Foster: Kristen Hewitt, Carrington High School
Golden Valley: Chelsey Erdmann, Lincoln Elementary
Grant: Kayla Tatro, Roosevelt Public School, Carson
Griggs: Kayla Danielson, Griggs County Central
LaMoure: Heidi Mathern, Edgeley Public School
Logan: Christina Gross, Napoleon Public School
McHenry: Emma Cook, TGU Towner
McKenzie: Tiffany Olson, Fox Hills Elementary
McLean: Seleena Briones, White Shield School
Mountrail: Erica McRae, Parshall High School
Ramsey: Kelly Anderson, Sweetwater Elementary
Ransom: Ashley Nudell, Lisbon Public Schools
Richland: Kristi Nordick, Zimmerman Elementary
Rolette: Brooke Zupan, St. John’s Public School
Stutsman: Charity Dosch, Montpelier Public School
Ward: Macie Harris-Nelson, Kenmare Public Schools
Executive Director Perspectives
By Chad Oban, chad.oban@ndunited.org
Time to Stand Up
Rhetoric by politicians are thinly-veiled threats to our public schools, educators
“If not us, then who? If not now, then when?”
Public schools in this country are under an unprecedented attack by people who believe unfounded conspiracy theories and by people funding these attacks for personal gain. This is not an exaggeration. Don’t take my word for it … take theirs.
Mark Enget is the Republican endorsed candidate in District 2 in northwestern North Dakota and just won a contested primary. When asked why he was running, he said: “I’m very concerned with the agenda and the ideologies that are being pushed onto the children in our schools, and so this nonsense of a man can be a woman and a woman can be a man, and men can have babies, and on and on.”
He stated this is the No. 1 reason that he is running. Not to strengthen our schools but to take care of an issue that is not happening. If he said he was running to rid public school of unicorns, would we take him seriously? I assume NO.
The Republican-endorsed candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jim Bartlett, who thankfully lost in the primary, received lots of attention for wanting to put the Ten Commandments in every classroom. Don’t get me wrong, public schools are not the place to push one religion over another, but it’s another thing he has said that has me more worried. In his campaign announcement, he said that we must “unhook from all federal
and state money.” His plan is to fund schools on hopes and prayers.
The person who gave a nominating speech for him at the NDGOP Convention, Charles Tuttle, repeatedly said that “public schools are evil.”
This same Mr. Tuttle is collecting signatures to get rid of property taxes. He has been known to attack public schools and teachers to get people to sign this dangerous petition.
If not us, who? If not now, when?
If the members of ND United don’t start standing up for their communities and their kids now, it might soon be too late. These folks that are running for office, many who will win, are telling us exactly what they plan to do. They plan to dismantle and privatize public education. They want to make teachers, librarians, support staff, school administrators and school boards into enemies. We must stick together. We must fight for what is right. We must act now before it’s too late.
ND United members are committed to bringing pragmatism, common sense and real discussion about the real issues our schools and communities are facing. We cannot do that until the conspiracy theorists and the problem creators, with their very loud voices, are drowned out by those of us who just want to do right by our kids.
New to NDU
The staff at North Dakota
United welcomed two new employees this past year.
Amber Haskell Field Consultant-Northeast
amber.haskell@ndunited.org
Amber Haskell was added to our team in January 2024 as Field Consultant-Northeast. She is based out of Grand Forks, and in her role as field consultant, she works directly with locals in the northeast region of the state with issues including members’ rights, member recruitment and retention, leadership training and development, professional issues, collective bargaining, political action and community partnerships.
Amber has her Association of Applied Science degree in Psychology/ Human Services from Itasca Community College, Grand Rapids, Minn.; Bachelor of Health Science degree, focused on community violence prevention and intervention from Metropolitan State University, Minneapolis; and a Special Education Licensure from University of Minnesota-Duluth. Previously, she worked as a special education teacher in Grand Forks, Grand Rapids and Deer River.
Amber lives in rural Grand Forks with her husband, Jason, and daughter, Zoe. She grew up in Deer River, Minn., and enjoys spending time gardening, fishing, crafting, spending time with her family, and traveling around North Dakota meeting with members of ND United.
Joel Crane Press Secretary joel.crane@ndunited.org
Joel Crane began in his role as ND United’s Press Secretary in July 2023. In his role, he leads our union’s media relations efforts and external communications initiatives. Before ND United, he was a TV news reporter in Bismarck, where he covered politics, energy and agriculture.
Joel grew up in Bismarck and graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., where he studied philosophy and music. He also has a master’s degree in philosophy from New College of the Humanities in London. Joel lives with his girlfriend and their two cats in Bismarck.
All NDU professional development courses are FREE to North Dakota United members through July 31, 2024.
NDU Professional Development Opportunities
Participants are responsible for the cost of the book and the $50 credit fee to UND to have your credit recorded onto your transcript. The fee to participate in an NDU professional development course for non-members is $100, plus the cost of the book and the credit fee to UND.
Book Studies – Summer & Early Fall 2024:
Book studies are typically one credit courses that last approximately six weeks. One credit equates to 15 hours of study. Expectations include reading the book, answering discussion questions, responding to others’ responses, and a reflection paper/action plan.
Behavior
> Teaching with AI: A Practice Guide to a New Era of Human Learning – Sept. 6
Anxiety/Trauma
> Rewire Your Anxious Brain: How to Use the Neuroscience of Fear to End Anxiety, Panic, Worry – Sept. 16
> Beyond Behavior: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral Challenges – June 3
> Unselfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our AllAbout-Me World – Sept. 16
Classroom Management
> Frustration Busters: Unpacking and Responding to Classroom Management Challenges – July 22
> Take Control of Your Noisy Class: Chaos of Calm in 15 Seconds Super Effective Classroom Management Strategies for Teachers in Today’s Toughest Classrooms – Sept. 23
Engagement/Poverty
> Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind: Practical Strategies for Raising Achievement – June 3
Equity
> We Got This: Equity, Access, and Quest to Be Who Our Students Need Us to Be –July 1
Instruction/Strategies
> Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balance Literary Classroom – June 10
> Plan Like A Pirate: Designing Extraordinary Learning Journeys for Every Student –Sept. 30
Mindset
> The Last Lecture – Sept. 30
Self-Care/Positivity
> Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen – June 24
> Work Less, Teach More: How to Be an Effective Teacher and Live a Life You Love –July 1
> The End of Average: Unlocking Our Potential by Embracing What Makes Us Different – July 15
> FISH: A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results – Sept. 23
Social Justice
> The Four Pivots: Reimagining Justice, Reimagining Ourselves – July 8
Student Success
> Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs – July 8
Trauma/Addiction
> Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal – June 17
To register, please visit: courses.ndunited.org.
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Bismarck, ND 58501-4020
