A picture of Julie Frank holding her medal at the Disney Half Marathon.

April 21, 2020

Meet Julie Frank, District Assessment & Federal Programs Coordinator. 

Adventurous and dream-filled Frank will leave you wondering what accomplishments you should put next on your list. She is a creative thinker, with life experiences that will keep you wanting to get to know her more! 

Joining The Spud Team

Frank joined Moorhead Area Public Schools after moving from Bismarck in 2019. As a Minnesota State University of Moorhead graduate, she knew she wanted to get back to the area where she went to college and be closer to family.

Not always knowing she wanted to be a teacher, when attending college at MSUM she fell into the career path explaining, “I just naturally found out that I do my best work when I am with kids.”

Before moving into an administration role, she was a classroom teacher. Her favorite age to teach was Kindergarteners. “I can’t think of anything I didn’t like about teaching this age group. Their minds are full of curiosity and love and they are full of possibility,” she says. “It’s not about the amount of information they retain, but inspiring the desire to want to learn more.” 

After leaving the classroom she spent four years as a K-5 Instructional Coach, before landing her current role as the District Assessment & Federal Programs Coordinator. In this role, Frank organizes, manages and monitors testing for the school district as well as working to secure and implement Federal grant programs. She is a part of the Assistant Superintendent Learning and Accountability (ASLA) team with Tamara, Amy, & Kari. She works to support Horizon Middle School.

Her favorite part of working for Moorhead Area Public Schools is the people she works with. Her team inspires and teaches her new things every day. She enjoys the challenge of her work, and helping others navigate the complex rules and regulations of federally funded grants. 

She says the work is rewarding because it helps support students above and beyond. Grants provide extra money that can allow for additional interventionists, more teachers to reduce classroom sizes and opportunities to engage parents in their student’s education.  

Adventures Await

Whether it’s finding a new adventure to conquer or traveling through time within books, when Frank isn’t at work she enjoys a little bit of everything.

This past January, along with her daughter Madison, the travel-duo ran a half-marathon at Disneyworld. The experience was one she will never forget, “Not only did my daughter and I get to achieve a goal together, but the magic of Disney was inspiring to me.” She was in awe of the brilliance of a large organization functioning at such a high level. From every happy interaction, to the technology and forward-thinking of the park, it is an experience that people of any age can appreciate.

Did we mention her family was also on Oprah? Her now 21-year-old son Jake had the opportunity to become involved in the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF). This organization provides opportunities and support to people with physical challenges, so they can pursue active lifestyles through physical fitness and competitive athletics. Jake was featured along with Rudy Garcia-Tolson on the Oprah show for their athletic accomplishments. The family would go to California every October to participate in a triathlon hosted by CAF. 

A recent book she recommends reading? My Dear Hamilton. This historical non-fiction tells the story of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton’s wife. Frank enjoys learning about historical elements through intriguing story-telling.

Excited to continue supporting students and staff on the Spud Team, we encourage you to chat with Frank. We can guarantee that you will leave thinking, what can I do next?