by Dennis Dalman
Dr. Michael Rivard expressed optimism, excitement and pride after he began his new job July 1 as superintendent of the Sartell-St. Stephen School District.
Rivard, a Sartell resident, was chosen as superintendent in March of 2024 to take over from Tim Lee, who was the interim superintendent for one year. Lee had been hired to replace Jeff Ridlehoover, who resigned to become superintendent of the Rockwood School District.
Rivard had been employed by the St. Cloud School District in a variety of roles since 1995, including a job as assistant superintendent.
High regard
Rivard holds a high regard for the Sartell-St. Stephen School District. In an interview with the Newsleaders just days after starting his job, Rivard discussed the many reasons why he champions the district:
It has a 980percent graduation rate. Fully 75 percent of its staff have earned master’s degrees.
“That’s amazing to me,” he said. “It shows that strong commitment to educational excellence.”
He also noted there are strong supportive bonds between residents, teachers, staff and administrators and that his own two children benefited greatly from the education in Sartell schools.
“I see this job as a great joy,” Rivard said.
Family
Michael and Tammy Rivard and their two children, John and Hannah, have lived in Sartell for the past 20 years. Rivard was chosen to take over from Tim Lee, who was the interim superintendent for a year.
Rivard’s wife, Tammy, has taught first grade in the St. Cloud School District for many years. For the past three years, she has also done interventional teaching for students struggling with reading, helping them to develop their talents and giving them character-building challenges.
The Rivards’ son John and daughter Hannah graduated from Sartell High School – John in 2021, Hannah in 2024. John, 21, earned a degree from North Dakota State University and will earn a master’s degree in computer science this month.
Hannah is taking post-secondary classes at Winona State University where she is studying teaching.
Boost for children
The Rivards are proud of the Sartell-St. Stephen school system and how it helped their children to develop and boost their talents, giving them a head start on their chosen careers.
“John was able to take advanced-placement classes in high school,” Michael Rivard said. “He had great teachers who had high standards, and they challenged John. Hannah was able to take experiential classes in high school, working with children 4 and 5 years old.”
Background
Born in east St. Paul, Rivard has had a variety of interesting, challenging jobs.
After graduating from St. Bernard’s High School in west St. Paul, he worked (along with his mother, brother and sister-in-law) at the St. Paul Pioneer Press. He and his brother would drive to newspaper subscribers’ homes to pick up overdue subscription payments. His mother worked there for 20 years dealing with ads. His father was employed for 30 years by the 3M (Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing) Co.
Right after high school, Rivard joined the U.S. Army Reserves and served for six years as a Legal Sergeant for the Judge Advocate General Corps with a Civil Affairs Battalion attached to the 82nd Airborne Division. Through that job, he developed leadership skills, and he internalized the vital importance of service to others.
“We are all here for them – the country and the kids,” he said.
After earning degrees from St. Cloud State University, he was hired as a clinical children’s counselor in 1995 by the St. Cloud School District. The job included doing some therapy sessions with children and their families in the evenings. Later, he served as assistant principal, the principal at Oak Hill Community School and still later as assistant superintendent of education services in E (Early Education) through grade 12. He oversaw five departments in the district and supervised all E-12 buildings.
Goals
One of Rivard’s prime goals as superintendent is to help strengthen the bonds between the school district and families. That is because he is a strong believer that family involvement in schools and school-related initiatives and activities is a win-win for all concerned – students, families, teachers, administrators, staff, the school board and the community at large.
Rivard said he will always be seeking ways to work with teachers and staff to improve academic performance and outcomes.
The Newsleaders asked Rivard what he thinks about the sometimes rancorous divisiveness on the current school board.
“It’s important to acknowledge differing viewpoints because diverse perspectives can contribute to robust discussion,” he said. “The school board – all of its members – have been incredibly supportive of me and so have community members. They have been so good and so kind during this transition.”
Hobby
For relaxation, Rivard said he enjoys fishing, adding quickly, “When I can find the time.”
District overview
For newcomers to the Sartell-St. Stephen area, the following are some basics about the school district:
The district was established in 1966. Before that, St. Stephen and Sartell each had an elementary school but neither had middle schools or high schools. Therefore, area students would go to Sauk Rapids High School, St. Cloud Tech School or Cathedral High School.
In 1967, voters approved a bond referendum for the construction of a high school in Sartell. In 1969, a junior high school was opened (the north portion of the current Riverview Intermediate School).
The first Sartell High School graduation in 1970 was a class of only 18 students.
A new Sartell High School was built and opened in 2019.
There are about 4,100 students enrolled in the district with a student-teacher ratio of 17 to 1. It is a highly rated school district. When people who move to Sartell or St. Stephen are asked why, they often reply “great school district.”
It is formally known as the Sartell-St. Stephen Independent School District 748. Its buildings include:
Sartell High School (grades 9-12), Principal Shayne Kusler
Sartell Middle School (grades 6-8), Principal Angela Safran.
Riverview Intermediate School (grades 3-5), Principal Dr. Zachary Dingmann.
Pine Meadow Primary School (grades 1 and 2), Principal Sara Nelson.
Oak Ridge Early Learning Center (Pre-K, Kindergarten, Early Childhood programs), Principal Julia Bjerke.