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Leadership
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Rabehl Named Music Educator of the Year

was named High School Music Educator of here,” said Rabehl. “I stand on the shoulders
the Year by the Minnesota Music Educators of giants — Lee Kjesbo, Rolf Mohwinkel,
Association (MMEA). Mike Walsh, Mark Minkler — these were
When asked about the latest honor, incredible music educators.”
Rabehl said he couldn’t help but think of the Rabehl worked with Kjesbo for five
roles played by his fellow music teachers in years after a phone call from Kjesbo about
Buffalo, Hanover and Montrose. a job opening changed the trajectory of his
“I walk out on stage here and put my career from middle school to high school
stick up and wave my arms, and I hear the in 2003. When Kjesbo retired, Rabehl
instruction of all my colleagues coming back inherited a program that, then and now, is
at me,” he said, explaining that the bedrock generally recognized in musical circles for
of musical excellence so often exhibited its “gravitas” thanks to a long tradition of
by members of the BHS Concert Band was excellence.
established years before, as students benefit- “But I still think about it like it’s [Kjes-
ted from the instruction of their teachers in bo’s] program,” Rabehl said. “I’m just kind
elementary and middle school. of caretaking it for him and those who came
“I have all these colleagues with me who before.”
are represented in my musicians,” Rabehl
said. “To have my name be the one that gets A surprise
called out is humbling and does not recog- Rabehl was not aware he had been
nize, adequately, all the other people that are nominated for the honor until he received a
building the foundation for what happens phone call saying he had been chosen as High
here at the high school.” School Music Educator of the Year, a title he
Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools – ISD877 In 2006 he was named the Outstanding On a deeper level, Rabehl said that his shares with a choir director from New Prague.
Teaching music may not have been Scott Young Band Director for the State of Minne- way as a leader in the BHS music department “I was just really surprised,” he said.
Rabehl’s first career, but he has been recog- sota by the American School Band Directors has been paved by his highly regarded pre- “I was not aware of it until all was said and
nized multiple times for excellence since he Association. In 2018 he became the Schmitt decessors. done.”
traded the business world for a podium and Music Educator of the Year. And earlier this “This instrumental and vocal music
baton. month, the Buffalo High School band director program was established long before I got Continued on Page 30

2024 Minnesota Teacher of the Year Continued from Page 26

Chad Olsen, Robbinsdale Area Public *Jennifer Johnson, Shakopee Public
Schools Schools, Eagle Creek Elementary School
*Jenny Peterson, Robbinsdale Area Public Kristina Pappas, Shakopee Public Schools
Schools, Robbinsdale Transition Center Amy Rutter, Shakopee Public Schools
Gretchen Wurzer-Palm, Robbinsdale Area Tyne Grefe, South St. Paul Public Schools
Public Schools Robert Carrero, South Washington County
Kim Hill, Rochester Public Schools Schools
Jerald Ferdig, Rockford Area Schools Stacy Paleen, South Washington County
Jennifer Miller, Rosemount-Apple Valley- Schools
Eagan ISD 196 Paul Pressnall, South Washington County
*Susanne Collins, Roseville Area Schools, Schools
Edgerton Elementary School Elizabeth Stueve, South Washington County
Kristen Lonetree, Roseville Area Schools Schools
Emily Lockhart, Saint Paul Public Schools William Neiss, Spring Lake Park Schools
Samuel Northey, Saint Paul Public Schools Devon Bowker, St. Cloud Area Schools
Kathy Romero, Saint Paul Public Schools Angela Haus, St. Cloud Area Schools
*Jamie Williams, Saint Paul Public *Jean Voigt, St. Cloud Area Schools,
Schools, Capitol Hill Gifted and Talented Kennedy Community School Kari Klein, Waconia Public Schools Meredith Braget, Westonka Public Schools
Magnet School Julie Wieczorek, St. Francis Area Schools
Nicole Fuechtmann, Sartell-St. Stephen Heidi Wold, St. Francis Area Schools Courtney Gray–Kuschel, Wayzata Public Leanna Koepp, Westonka Public Schools
School District
School District 748 *Rachel Betterley, St. Louis County Schools, Mark Domschot, White Bear Lake Area
Aaron Johnson, Sauk Rapids-Rice Public North Woods School Shannon Kelly, Wayzata Public School School District
District
Schools *Joe Osowski, St. Michael – Albertville Melissa Wickert, White Bear Lake Area
Rachel Mehrwerth, Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools, St. Michael-Albertville High Kathryn Kottke, Wayzata Public School School District
District
Schools School Stephanie Frisk, Win-E-Mac Schools
Rebecca Garvin, Shakopee Public Schools Mark Bullis, Waconia Public Schools Jeff Prondzinski, Wayzata Public School Abigail Mooney, Winona Area Public Schools
District
Courtesy of Education Minnesota