Business education teacher named 2016 Moorhead Teacher of the Year
March 10, 2016
Mary Flesberg grew up in a family that values education so she chose a career that fit her values. Her dad was a professor at North Dakota State University for more than 35 years and her mom worked at the former North and South Junior Highs in Moorhead.
“For me it was a natural transition from Moorhead High student to Moorhead High teacher,” said Flesberg, a business education teacher at Moorhead High for 34 years and the 2016 Moorhead Teacher of the Year.
Flesberg graduated from Moorhead High and earned her bachelor’s degree from Concordia College. She later received a master’s degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead.
She began teaching for Moorhead Area Public Schools in 1982. Over the years she has taught law/ethics, small business management and entrepreneurship, sports and entertainment marketing, personal finance, community interactions, business mentorship, college prep and readiness, accounting, computer applications and elementary keyboarding.
“Business is an area of study that I enjoy, especially the fact that change is the constant,” Flesberg said.
Whether it is marketing, law, management, finance or technology, Flesberg finds that current events affect one or all of those subjects on a daily basis.
“I enjoy the challenge of integrating current and future trends and issues into each of my courses so students can relate to them in the present,” she said. “The courses I teach are all real world, and students realize that these relevant skills are ones they will truly use now and in the future no matter their career choice.”
Dave Lawrence, Moorhead High School principal considers Flesberg a leader at Moorhead High School.
“Her dedication to teaching and the students at Moorhead High has been instrumental for the growth and development of our business department during her tenure,” he said. “Mary has received state recognition for her contributions to business education.”
“My students are the most important reason for my love of a career in education,” Flesberg said. “Students all need people who care and want the best for them. They will never remember all the things I have taught them, but they will always remember how I made them feel and how it felt to enter and participate in my classroom.”
According to Superintendent Lynne Kovash, Flesberg is a dedicated teacher, leader and mentor.
“The respect and pride she has in her students shows through as she discusses classes or programs,” Kovash said.
Flesberg enjoys interacting with people and admires the dedication of the people she works with. She also appreciates the opportunity to exchange ideas and network through her state and national organizations.
Flesberg has served in many roles with Minnesota Business Educators, Inc., including president from 2007-10, awards chairperson, and western division co-president. She is a recipient of several MBEI awards, including Outstanding Business Educator – Secondary in 2003, Distinguished Service Award for outstanding contributions to business education in 2010 and President’s Award for outstanding service to the organization in 2014.
Besides her work with MBEI, Flesberg has served as department chair and on numerous school, district and community committees, including Instruction and Curriculum Advisory Committee, Moorhead High School Hall of Honor, and various advisory boards.
Locally, Flesberg is appreciative of the support from the community. Area bankers, judges, police officers and others working in law enforcement, and people in marketing and business have all been very giving of their time and expertise to enhance the education of Moorhead students, she said.
“We are very fortunate to be in a community that truly supports youth,” Flesberg said.
The Education Moorhead Communications Committee, which selected Flesberg as Moorhead Teacher of the Year, acknowledged her contributions both inside and outside the classroom.
“Mary Flesberg has been an outstanding member of the teaching staff at Moorhead High School for over 30 years. In the classroom, she connects her students’ interests and experiences to what she is teaching, and she constantly displays a positive attitude and a fun sense of humor. Outside of the classroom, Mary has served on several Moorhead High, district and Education Moorhead committees, and she has held several positions on state and national business education committees,” the committee said in a statement.
Other candidates for Teacher of the Year were Becky Anderson, third-grade teacher at Robert Asp Elementary; Gary Jensrud, fifth-grade teacher at S.G. Reinertsen Elementary; Molly Engstrom, learner support services teacher at Horizon Middle School; Chris Olson, music teacher at Ellen Hopkins Elementary; and Liz Fritel, kindergarten teacher at Probstfield Elementary. Watch for profiles on these Teacher of the Year building representatives in the coming months.
Photo caption:
Mary Flesberg, Moorhead High business teacher and 2016 Moorhead Teacher of the Year, discusses college planning with students in a college prep and readiness class.
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