Kari (Glenn) Fields '90

Kari Fields is the definition of a Minnehaha Academy legacy. She was a student at MA from 8th-12th grade. She has been the Middle School Dean of Students for the last 17 years. Her twin daughters started in pre-school and are seniors this year. Her father, David Glenn, was a history teacher at the Upper School for 42 years. And her brother, Scott Glenn ‘93, started coaching at MA and now manages the Ice Arena and Transportation department, and is the Boys Varsity Baseball coach. Scott’s children, Kari’s niece and nephew, attend MA as well.

There's No Better Place To Work Than MA!

“There is no better place to work than MA,” says Kari. After graduating from college and taking a job as a Spanish teacher, she also began working on her Master’s in School Administration. Soon she was the Dean of Students at Farmington High School, then an Assistant Principal at Columbia Heights High School, then the Dean of Students at Burnsville High School.  After receiving the MA Magazine and learning of an opening, she connected with principal Dean Erickson, who encouraged her to consider coming back to MA. The rest is history. She loved her job in Burnsville but prayed and felt that maybe God was leading her to accept the Dean of Students position at the Middle School. “I felt I would always regret it if I did not take the position.” 

Kari was now colleagues with her former teachers! They welcomed her with open arms as an 8th grader, and now were again welcoming her as their colleague. She remembers Ms. Fondell (History), Mr. Erickson (English) and Mrs. Elhardt (Phy Ed) all being so kind. “They were excellent teachers and I loved their classes. How fun to work with each of them when I came back! I was able to tell them how much I learned from them, and how much I respected them.” 

Why Does She Stay? 

Why does she stay at MA?  “Because of the Christian faith of the community--you don’t get that in public school.  But it is more than that. The teachers and staff I work with are like a second family.  We all support each other. The kids and families are a wonderful group of people to work with, to help and support.” She has never had a desire to look elsewhere because she is so happy at MA.  She believes 100% that MA is where she is supposed to be. “MA is my second home. Why would I go? Where would I go? It is a blessing and a gift to work here.”