Four education commissioner finalists named
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By KEVIN ABOUREZK / Lincoln Journal Star
Three men, one woman. Two urban superintendents, two rural ones. All from Nebraska.
Meet the four candidates for the next Nebraska commissioner of education.
“All four finalists have strong communication skills as well as extensive experience in educational leadership,” said State Board of Education President Fred Meyer Friday in announcing the finalists.
Age: 51
Job: Shared superintendent for Laurel-Concord (since 1995), Coleridge (since 2003), Newcastle (since 2006) and Wynot (since 2007) public school districts
Work history: teacher and coach, Elkhorn Valley Public Schools in Tilden (1980-1988); principal, Coleridge Community Schools (1988-1994); superintendent, Ansley Public Schools (1994-1995)
Education: Bachelor of Arts, Kearney State College; Master of Science in school administration, Wayne State College; doctorate in education, University of South Dakota
Larry Ramaekers
Age: 58
Job: superintendent of Aurora Public Schools (since 1997)
Work history: middle school science teacher, Jones Middle School in Minden (1972-1977); secondary principal, Scribner Public Schools (1977-1981); superintendent, Sandy Creek Public Schools in Fairfield (1981-1997)
Education: Bachelor of Science in biology, Kearney State College; Master of Science in educational administration, Kearney State College; doctorate in educational administration, curriculum and instruction, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Roger Breed
Age: 59
Job: superintendent of Elkhorn Public Schools (since 1991)
Work history: Social studies teacher, coach for Lincoln Public Schools (1971-1974); social studies teacher, LPS (1974-1976); assistant principal, LPS (1976-1979); principal, York Public Schools (1979-1983); assistant director at Career Planning and Placement Center, UNL (1983-1985); superintendent, Axtell Community Schools (1985-1987); assistant superintendent, Elkhorn Public Schools (1987-1991)
Education: Bachelor of Science in education, UNL; Master of Education in secondary education and educational administration, UNL; doctorate in educational administration, curriculum and instruction, UNL
Virginia Moon
Age: 62
Job: superintendent of Ralston Public Schools (since 1998)
Work history: English teacher, Douglas High School in Douglas (1967-1969); English teacher, Mormon Trail High School in Humeston, Iowa (1969-1971); English teacher, Maywood High School in Maywood (1973-1976); library media specialist, Garden City High School in Garden City, Kans. (1976-1985); assistant principal, Garden City High School (1985-1990); assistant superintendent, Garden City Public Schools (1991-1992); assistant superintendent, Papillion-LaVista Public Schools (1992-1998)
Education: Bachelor of Science in English and social studies, UNL; Master of Science in curriculum and instruction, Kansas State University; doctorate in educational administration, Kansas State University
The board is replacing Doug Christensen, who retired in July after 14 years as commissioner.
The four finalists are:
* Roger Breed, superintendent of Elkhorn Public Schools;
* Virginia Moon, superintendent of Ralston Public Schools;
* Dan Hoesing, shared superintendent of Laurel-Concord, Coleridge, Newcastle and Wynot public school districts;
* Larry Ramaekers, superintendent of Aurora Public Schools.
A four-member board committee interviewed six semi-finalists earlier this week before narrowing the list to the four finalists.
A total of 12 applicants had sought the job.
The full eight-member board will interview the four finalists Sept. 22 in public meetings. The board plans to announce the new commissioner at its Oct. 3 meeting.
The next education commissioner will succeed one who fought with state and federal officials for years to keep testing and assessments district-based.
Christensen lost the struggle this spring after the Legislature did away with the STARS assessment system, which allowed school districts to develop their own tests on state and federal standards.
The Legislature replaced STARS with statewide tests for reading and math.
State Sen. Ron Raikes of Lincoln, chairman of the education committee, tangled with Christensen on the issue.
He said Friday that all four commissioner finalists are qualified, and all have represented other school districts before the Legislature.
Breed and Moon represented districts on issues related to legislation that forced Omaha metropolitan schools to work together and share their tax base.
Raikes said he served with Hoesing — whom he described as an innovator in distance education — on a legislative distance education task force.
Ramaekers has dealt with the Legislature on school finance and home school issues, Raikes said.
“I have very high regard for all of them,” he said. “I happen to know all of them. I think they’re all very able people.”
Hoesing has spent the past 13 years as a superintendent, starting with Laurel-Concord Public Schools before taking on shared superintendent duties for Coleridge, Newcastle and Wynot public school districts.
In an essay to the state board, Hoesing said the next education commissioner needs to possess knowledge of various assessment practices across the state and have an eye for innovation.
“I am ready to lead this change and believe the students and teachers in Nebraska deserve this chance to experience a world-class public education system,” he wrote.
Breed, who has spent the past 17 years as superintendent in Elkhorn, said he looks forward to the opportunity to serve Nebraska students and educators.
“I feel I happen to have the capability and the experience and the interest to positively impact all Nebraska students, teachers and school districts,” he said.
Ramaekers, who has spent the last 11 years as superintendent of Aurora Public Schools, said he would bring strong communication skills to the job, as well as an ability to work with those outside the Department of Education.
“All of those things I think need to be a high priority to the commissioner,” he said.
Virginia Moon, who spent the past decade as superintendent of Ralston Public Schools, said she would bring a wealth of diverse experience to the job.
“The Nebraska Commissioner’s job would allow me to use my experiences in small and large schools with poverty and English Language Learners to continue to make a difference for every student in Nebraska,” she said.
Reach Kevin Abourezk at 473-7225 or kabourezk@journalstar.com.
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That Settles It wrote on September 5, 2008 1:41 pm:
Breed and Moon come from the Omaha area. So they would probably both continue Raikes's trend of taking from rural areas to give to the Omaha and Lincoln areas. And promote policies that benefit those areas while continuing force any schools west to consolidate even more.
It sounds like Ramaekers would encourage legislation against homeschooling. We don't need less educational choices. For many in rural Nebraska that is the only other choice we have besides public, unlike those that live in Lincoln and Omaha.
That leaves Hoesing. Hopefully, he would see the problems of continued consolidation in rural areas that have already been consolidated to death. We sure don't need more schools forced closed by the state unless of course we are looking to have the whole western part of the state unpopulated. But I'm not sure I like the idea of Raikes's high regard of him. Could mean there's something there not to like. Hmm. "