Wrenshall School District lands on new superintendent

The Wrenshall school district appears to have its superintendent for the 2025-26 school year, with Frank Schill accepting the job late Wednesday.

Schill and the school board will need to finalize an "interim half-time" contract in the coming days, reflective of the board's desire for a one-year term for a part-time top administrator. But in accepting the job, he has canceled another interview he had scheduled.

"If I'm the candidate, great," Schill told the board during a community-wide interview Wednesday in the school commons. "I'd love to lead the Wrenshall school district."

Board chairwoman Mary Carlson called it "a great day for the community," one that has seen its district and board create its first budget surplus in several years while growing its kindergarten through 12th grade student enrollment to approach historical norms - with this month's latest figure totaling 342 students.

"We are so excited to have Frank on the team," Carlson said. "In the end we had two candidates that would have been great in Wrenshall, which is a reflection of the wonderful district we have."

Carlson told the board she was "scared to go backwards," and believed that Schill was capable of the tough love needed to keep the district on task.

"It tips the scales just a little bit," she said of Schill's candor.

Schill is retiring from Edmore School District in North Dakota, and moving to Minong, Wisconsin to be closer to family. Minong is roughly an hour away from Wrenshall. Schill would replace outgoing superintendent Jeff Pesta, who has conducted the part-time role for two years and is beloved by the board for his effectiveness and mentorship. Pesta led the search for his replacement, using his Rising Tide School Board Services consulting firm - which won board approval with the lowest bid during a request for proposals process.

"It's 1A and 1B," Pesta said about the neck-and-neck deliberations over Schill and the other finalist Tom Rich.

Both Schill and Rich, retired from the Prairie Farm district in Wisconsin, achieved unanimous "viability" status from the board, meaning if one declined an offer the other would immediately receive it.

"This is rare," Pesta said. "But it makes it tough."

Prior to deliberations Wednesday, the candidates were interviewed for a half-hour each by a community panel represented by student council and junior class president Isabel Riley, fourth grade teacher Suzy Berger, and vegetable farmer and former school board member Janaki Fisher Merritt.

Rich called building trust and consensus "the most important part of the job," and impressed with his affability. Schill said it was a district's job to "educate the whole child ... to be a quality citizen."

That comment was recited during deliberations by board member Jon Beck and echoed by Carlson. Both said it reverberated in their decision processes.

An early straw poll showed a 4-2 edge for Schill. Board member Ben Johnson reflected on an anecdote Schill shared about being impressed by the old school respectability of his former student body.

Johnson said it felt authoritative and not in line with the district's student body.

"This is not a 'yes sir, no sir' community," Johnson said. "It's a very different fit."

But a discussion among board members quickly found a unanimous agreement to start by offering the job to Schill.

"Frank would stay focused," said board member Ashley Laveau, an early supporter of Rich.

The district's job posting outlined compensation in the $75,000 to $85,000 range, and sought expertise in operations, strategic planning and financial management.

The resulting contract figures to fall within those salary parameters, and will be for one year - thus the "interim" tag. It's possible the district could strategically return to a full-time superintendent as soon as the following year, in 2026-27.

In the meantime, Schill was direct with the board about how it can achieve further success and build on its current positive momentum.

"The most important job of a school board is right here tonight - hiring the leader to carry out day-to-day operations," he said.

Schill stressed staff development and said supporting the development of teachers and staff helps them develop the students. A school staff with successful students is a happy staff, he added.

Having just overseen the years-long dissolution of his former district, Schill said he "still has a lot of gas in the tank."

"Both would be great," Beck said. "Frank leans a little more into the box we're looking for."

Barring any hiccups, Wrenshall has checked that all-important box. With good timing too, as the Barnum, Moose Lake and nearby McGregor and Proctor districts are all in the market for superintendents.

"We have made awesome strides with the help of Jeff, of course," board member Eric Ankrum said, before going on to talk about "perfecting things" like budgets and enrollments.

"Jeff has been tough on us sometimes and we needed that," Carlson added, believing Schill was someone who could keep the board and district "hyperfocused" on tasks ahead. Incidentally, none of the night's questions asked about the ongoing but stalled consolidation negotiations with nearby Carlton.

For his part, Schill said he believed in lifelong learning. He finished his doctorate in 2019, writing a thesis that addressed relationships between school boards and superintendents.

"As an educator you should be a lifelong learner," he said. During his interview he talked about bringing high expectations, while also "listening to the mores of the community," on topics like operating an open campus for students to come and go during lunch break.

Schill seemed surprised by the end of the interview.

"I could answer more," he said. "I'm just getting warmed up."