MTA Officers
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The Mankato Teachers' Association currently has 587 members. Our officers are elected for two-year terms. They are:
President: Robin Courrier, rcourr1@isd77.k12.mn.us, Bridges Elementary School
Vice-president: Virjean Griensewic, vgrien1@isd77.k12.mn.us, West High School
Incoming Vice-president for the upcoming two years:
Lisa Jackson, ljacks1@isd77.k12.mn.us, Roosevelt Elementary School
Secretary: Bob Ihrig, bihrig1@isd77.k12.mn.us, West High School
Treasurer: Paul Christianson, pchris1@isd77.k12.mn.us, Rosa Parks Elementary School
These officers, together with the following representatives, comprise the MTA Executive Council.
Elementary Representative: Terri Carroll, tcarro1@isd77.k12.mn.us, Roosevelt Elementary School
Elementary Representative: Jeffery Bjork, jbjork1@isd77.k12.mn.us, Garfield Elementary School
Secondary Representative: J. Scott Urban, surban1@isd77.k12.mn.us, West High School
Secondary Representative: Joanne Cramer, jcrame1@isd77.k12.mn.us, Central High School
ABE/ECFE Representative: Joni Gilman, jgilma1@isd77.k12.mn.us, ABE
Membership Chair: Susan Palmer, spalme1@isd77.k12.mn.us, West High School
A little bit about these teachers:
Our Mankato Teachers' Association president is Robin Courrier. A graduate of Deer River High School and Minnesota State University-Mankato, Robin is the lead teacher and fine arts teacher at Bridges Elementary School in Mankato. She has been in the Mankato district for twenty-two years. Robin and her husband, Chad, have two daughters in the Mankato Schools: Maddi, who's fourteen, and Jenna, who is ten.
The MTA vice-president for about seven years now is Virjean Griensewic. She is a New Ulm native and proudly embodies her German heritage. Virjean has been a media specialist in the Mankato district since 1989. Now at West High, she enjoys high schoolers' sense of humor and zest for life. Virjean is retiring at the conclusion of this school year.
The long-time MTA secretary , Bob Ihrig, takes the most thorough minutes ever! A graduate of Bloomington Lincoln High School, and Macalester College in St. Paul, Bob has taught U. S. History, Futurism, Debate, and Government at West High School for 38 years. He is passionate about our profession and our union. He sums up his existence this way: "I have been blessed in life with a wonderful life partner, Gail, and a great daughter, Heidi. Who could ask for anything more?"
Scott Urban is a secondary rep and teaches Advanced Placement Government and Advanced Placement U.S. History at West High. As a Wisconsin native, he graduated from New Berlin West High School. He cites the Packers to back up his claim that "Champions are made, not born!" and notes their 13 world championships from 1929-2011. Guess whom he roots for!
Joanne Cramer is our other secondary rep. Joanne graduated from Mapleton High School and Mankato State University. She has taught at Central High School for 23 years. Joanne covers English, Theater, Media, and Conflict/Resolution there.
As a sixth grade teacher at Garfield, Jeffery Bjork is one of our elementary representatives on the executive council. A graduate of Bloomington Jefferson High School and Minnesota State--Mankato, he has taught in the Mankato district for eighteen years.
Our other elementary rep on the Executive Council is Terri Carroll. Terri teaches second grade at Roosevelt Elementary.
The MTA membership chair, Susan Palmer, has many duties, especially at the beginning of each school year. She is responsible for getting all the new teachers into our union and much more beyond that. Susan graduated from North Kansas City High School and earned a B.S. at the University of Missouri. She teaches French and American Studies at West High, and has been in District 77 since 1997. Before that Susan taught in St. Charles, Missouri.
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