School

Sleepy Eye Elementary School principal candidates announced

Sleepy Eye Public School Superintendent John Cselovszki presented the names of six elementary principal finalists to the school board Wednesday.

The list includes New Ulm Public School special education teacher Crystal Ibberson, Fridley Public Schools Special Services Director Laura Seifert-Hertling, New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Learning Coordinator Jason Toupence, Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial math teacher Kyle Leeson, Eastern Carver County Public School Media Specialist Lorie Peralez, and Riverbend Education District Dean of Students Benjamin Westphal.

Cselovszki said the finalists will be interviewed March 24. He plans to present a finalist for consideration at the April 23 school board meeting.

As of July 1, Cselovszki will no longer be the elementary principal in Sleepy Eye, a position he has held in addition to being superintendent for a number of years.

Last December, the Sleepy Eye school board unanimously approved a three-year, 50-50 superintendent sharing agreement between Sleepy Eye and Cedar Mountain Public Schools. Cedar Mountain has a part-time superintendent who’s contract expires June 30, 2025.

Sleepy Eye board member Brian Nelson said he thought both school districts may be able to benefit from sharing a superintendent by learning how the other school district functions.

The school board unanimously approved a one-year leave of absence request for the 2025-26 school year from agriculture teacher and FFA advisor Mary Hoffmann.

“We should do this for her. She has built such a great (FFA and agriculture) program. I think we owe it to her,” said board member Casey Coulson.

Hoffmann was inducted into the 2021 Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame. She serves at the National Association of Agricultural Educators representative on the National Council for Agricultural Education. Sleepy Eye FFA teams and the chapter itself have won many state and national awards.

Cselovszki said Hoffmann meets requirements for a leave of absence request. Approval of the request came on a motion by board member Nelson, seconded by Coulson.