The whole of Susie Hedalen’s life has been about education. This past week’s announcement that she is running as a Republican candidate for the Office of Public Instruction is in keeping with that mission. She is hoping to fill the position of Elsie Arntzen, who will be termed out as Superintendent of Montana Schools at the end of the year. Hedalen at one time worked for Arntzen as deputy superintendent.
Hedalen, a Montana native who grew up in Townsend, where she is now Superintendent of Townsend Schools, said the experience as deputy superintendent was a great opportunity that gave her insight as to how to meet many of Montana’s education challenges – challenges about which Hedalen has a broad knowledge.
Hedalen has had hands-on experience as an
educator and administrator in class C to AA schools throughout the state and with various Tribal Nations. From small schools like Warren Elementary to serving as a principal at Winans Elementary School in Livingston and as Superintendent at Grass Range, and Superintendent of Arrowhead School District, and now at Townsend, Hedalen believes she brings a depth of experience in education that is unmatchable. “I have been to almost every school district in the state.”
Hedalen is on the Montana Board of Education for which she serves as vice chairperson. She has also received the endorsement of Governor Gianforte.
Hedalen said that she wants to “bring education back to basics.” The two primary concerns parents have, said Hedalen, is student safety and what their children are learning. She said she will work to support parents and teachers and make sure parents have the opportunity for input. “I want to make sure families feel comfortable about the education their children are receiving.”
Assuring safety in the schools, “looks different in every community.” Each district has to work with their local law enforcement, said Hedalen. She pointed out that in Townsend, the railroad passes very close to the school and that requires additional considerations than what other schools districts may have. Each must have safety plans, she said. “I work closely with everyone in education …to do the best we can.”
Another issue which confronts Montana education is a serious teacher shortage. According to Hedalen, almost every district has unfilled vacancies because the state is short about 1000 teachers, especially those who deal with specialty fields like mental health. “Our colleges still graduate the same number of teachers, she said, but about half of them leave the state.”
At Townsend, “We used to get 20 applications for an open position. Now, we are lucky if we get two.” Hedalen points to the fact that Montana ranks the lowest in the country regarding teacher wages as a contributing factor, but the situation was negatively impacted by COVID when the stress prompted many teachers to quit.
Hedalen is supportive of developing pathways to encourage experienced people in other fields to become teachers and to create variances to rules for flexibility in getting endorsements for teachers already in the classroom. She also sees great value in helping schools establish relationships that are relevant to the workforce with local businesses and other enterprises.
One of Hedalen’s top goals is to improve the graduation rates in Montana.
Hedalen has a degree in education leadership from Montana State University and a certificate in Native American studies.
Her husband, Derrick Hedalen, to whom she has been married for eleven years, is an electrician and owns his own business. Hedalen said that they very much enjoy Montnaa’s great outdoors – especially fishing. She quite often takes groups of children out on camping excursions.
