E4-Interview with Bob Wedl

Bob Wedl Interview / Webinar

I apologize for the little delay in communication, but I'll keep getting things out to you via this channel. My wife and I have been homeless for a month and are just nearing the opportunity to move into a new house, maybe in a day or three. I work on these ideas daily, but you never know. Feel free to call me anytime...reiterate anytime. I do think about you just like I would as a student or a school building. 

I chose to interview Robert Wedl, ("Bob") as my first guest, as he has been one of my closest colleagues over the past five years, in this journey towards school change. As Bob shares in this episode, he is now 82 years old. I was invited to a group that Bob had been hosting during the pandemic (ex-Supts, MDE Personnel, thought leaders, etc) and ended up being closely knit to a few of them, including Wedl. I have high respect for him. It sometimes feels strange that Bob may care what we are doing, but he truly does. 

This interview took place on Wednesday, September 17, with no live audience as a precursor to having future live interviews. For those of you following this blog, these will take place routinely on Wednesdays (if there is enough interest). To think about the ways that Bob's career has spanned, some of the questions were softballs. However, when we contemplate how change is difficult, we have to acknowledge how it was EVEN more difficult twenty years earlier. He is one of the earliest innovators of Minnesota schools, including people like Rudy Perpich, Governor. Wedl Podcast  (Feel free to comment on questions or thoughts you have in this blog.)

Even my own Superintendent growing up, LeRoy Mackove from Osakis, was an innovator and a survivor of 30+ years as a Superintendent. I've never thought about it before, but he may have been one of the biggest influences on me. His son was a good friend and classmate of mine; I spent a lot of time with their family. We had good discussions when I was a kid. It had never dawned on me until now. It reminds me of the axiom that 'your network is your net worth'. My access to many administrators at an early age had an effect on me that I didn't realize until many years after. 

Rocori Visit

Last week, I spent a day at Rocori HS Principal Ryan Hauge gave me a tour of the Rocori HS Technology Center. It is basically a Robotics classroom and lab setting located off-site. They have an instructor w/students there virtually all day long. What an impressive facility and goal-focused realization this was! Literally, this building wasn't there long ago; and nearer that, the building wasn't a place that students could access. This was a place where vision was captured later by having a pre-conceptions of where you wanted to go emerged. Teacher Jay Femrite was instrumental in the development of this idea, but also Principal Ryan Hauge was poised to leap at this opportunity. 

Our next webinar is tomorrow, Wednesday, October 1 at 4pm with Joseph Goins from P2C Math, http://p2c.org  and October 7 with Cory Steiner, Fargo (ND) Superintendent.  We have a great deal of connections with P2C! I spoke with Luke Greiner today about how we dovetail the message to people that there is so much more to offer your students. He is from Hancock, but also has military experience. He is that rare individual that makes data fun and funny. He is one of the biggest innovators of high schools in Minnesota. Rocori has had Luke present several times. Would you like this in some format? Luke is a guy that can help you sell your initiative. I am confident that he would show up for your request! 

I am keynoting the MTEA (Tech Ed teachers) conference tomorrow in St. Cloud, so will have another opportunity to talk about you seven schools, as well as the importance of hands-on, student-led and personalized instruction that leads to higher engagement. The research on this is profound. I didn't conduct it, but had an internal sense of this outcome combined with a sharp eye towards existing practice that helped me to understand some of the main issues that led to this lack of engagement. Then, the opportunity to practice a change orientation for a number of years has given me some proof that engagement is King! 

NewTech Schools of 2026: 

There are currently seven schools that NewTech is working with. Frequently, people ask me who I'm working with, so now there is something solid! Connect with each other; show up at webinars on Wednesdays; go to one of the personalized learning conferences in Hunter or Philadelphia in February. Develop some like-minded partners even beyond my visits. I'm telling you that this improves your network and your ability to change whatever milieu you exist in. Here is a slight recap of what we have been doing! I'm really pleased with this first cohort. If you have partners that you would like to have join us next year, by all means, please have them call me, principal or superintendent.  The sum total of this experiment is that we will have 30-40 schools that stay as part of NewTech to the conclusion.

Brandon-Evansville: Working on their 2027 schedule. Contemplating changes to their graduation requirements. They are projecting major changes in 2027. Attending Northern Cass conference in October. 

Exploration HS: Principal Mary Wenstrom is working in her role as a first-year lead at this Metro charter. Working on a work-based learning program at a charter school named Exploration that has the ability for massive growth. Thinking of Philadelphia in February! 

Dawson-Boyd: Superintendent Holly Ward secured a huge grant this year to promote their Ag program. They are amid that change this year. Holly and Principal Ryan Stotesbery are attending Northern Cass in October. They are working on increasing access to CTE courses and their grant program. Interesting for them is that they have a FT Band, Choir and Orchestra teacher in this small district. Kids in D-B perform in music; that is their culture. There is nothing wrong with that, except for those that this doesn't speak to. Attending Northern Cass conference in October.

Ortonville: Working on their 2027 schedule. Contemplating changes to their graduation requirements. Ortonville is a novel single district amid many other combined districts. They are really land-locked, so their attempt at growth is tied to standing out in personalized learning amid near peers. The culture of innovation is very important to them! Attending Northern Cass conference in October. 

Osakis:  Working on their 2027 schedule. Contemplating changes to their graduation requirements. Osakis is like Ortonville in that their district is very tight land wise. However, they have had historic open enrollment gains from neighboring districts and have fared well in that equation. Now, Osakis is considering changes to their 9th and 10th grade rotations in FY27 to increase choice. May be attending Northern Cass conference in October. 

Renville County West:  Working on their 2027 schedule. Contemplating changes to their graduation requirements. Principal Peyton Mills has instituted a major MTSS initiative and is enrolled in a doctoral program leading to school improvement. Will be attending Northern Cass conference in October. 

Rocori: Working on their 2027 schedule. Contemplating changes to their graduation requirements. May be attending the Pittsburgh conference in Philly in February. I have been working with Rocori in some capacity for four years. They have a YST Grant to institute CTE-pathway oriented instruction and are doing a great job of doing so. 

Northern Cass Attendees (confirmed)

I am hoping to have one team of 8 attend Northern Cass in October and then another of 8 attend Philadelphia in February. These conferences are equivalent and are part of https://learnercentered.org/ of which we are partnered with. Katie Martin, co-CEO, is a future guest of NewTech! I am really impressed with this organization. They are leading both conferences. I am trying to get some pre-conference information for you direction from Learner-Centered.