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Superintendent Jill Louters sees singular power in her North Dakota school district鈥檚 capacity to make education personal.

鈥淲e connect with each other. We have to,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e work, worship, dine, educate and play in the same community.鈥�

Now in her 11th year leading the 350-student New Rockford-Sheyenne School District, located 160 miles northwest of Fargo, Louters says she strives 鈥渢o create space for people to explore.鈥�

She鈥檚 taken advantage of the district鈥檚 small size to nimbly personalize learning so students can explore interests, both on the computer each is issued and in independent, small-group and one-on-one instruction. Her district, housed in a single building in the city of New Rockford, gives students a choice of experiences at every grade level.

The district offers students the chance to earn various credentials linked to careers, such as certified nursing assistant or emergency medical technician. Louters says she expects graduates to be 鈥渃hoice ready鈥� for the workforce, the military or college. About 40 percent each year choose the latter.

Louters, who grew up across the border on a farm in southern Minnesota, and the school board 鈥渦nderstand that society and children are changing, and you as an educator have to change with them,鈥� says board chair Mike Jacobson, who calls the superintendent 鈥渙ne of the smartest, most organized people I鈥檝e met.鈥�

The district鈥檚 student achievement gains on statewide exams and success in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups were underscored in 2019 when the U.S. Department of Education named its elementary school one of two National Blue Ribbon Schools in the state.

Louters considers one highlight of her work the community鈥檚 solid passage of a $3.2 million construction bond in 2017 to upgrade the school. Another triumph, she adds, was filling that school with quality staff willing to work on what she called 鈥渕eaningful change鈥� 鈥� innovations, best practices and models to ensure students, community, higher education and business work together.

As with student learning, Louters personalizes professional development, even securing grants for teachers to travel and explore successful schools elsewhere. After COVID-19鈥檚 isolation, Louters used some training time to reconnect staff through bowling, skating and ice fishing.

She also applied her leadership skills to higher education as a member of the State Board of Higher Education. During a four-year term that ended in 2022, she oversaw approval of 300 new credentials among the state鈥檚 six universities, five tribal and five community colleges. With her extensive knowledge of K-12 education, she pushed for expanded dual credit options for high school students, says Casey Ryan, state board chair and a physician.

In addition, Louters, who earlier worked in small Minnesota schools, brought a deep understanding of rural students and their needs to the state board, says university system chancellor Mark Hagerott.

Louters finds worthwhile opportunities in all corners of her rural world. She鈥檚 now parent education coordinator for a region of the North Dakota State University Extension Program. In 2021-22, she drove a school bus for her district and previously earned her certified nursing assistant credential to work part-time in a local nursing home, sometimes with students exploring health care careers. She also plays piano for local churches, serves on local organization boards and judges horses for 4-H. She sees it all as education.

鈥淚t鈥檚 her life,鈥� says Joan Heckaman, a state senator who formerly taught in the district. 鈥淏ecause of her dedication, I know our school is better and our community is better for having her.鈥�

Bill Graves is a freelance education writer in Beaverton, Ore.