Archives: Staff

Joe has been a parent at the school since 2018 and joined the board in 2021. He enjoys helping out wherever he can at the school and looks forward to seeing what he can accomplish with other members of the board. In his spare time he likes to go snowboarding and play games with his family.

My teaching career began when I volunteered with AmeriCorps NCCC and worked at a YMCA in Arkansas.  Tutoring and working with those young men let me know that I wanted to become a teacher.  Over the years I have taught everything from Early Childhood Special Education to High School Government and Civics.  North Metro Flex Academy is the school that I have been looking for in my twenty years of teaching as the students are teaching staff are supportive of one another to bring the best out of all of us.  I continue to look for how to become a better person and educator through teaching inclusion and cultural awareness.  We need to devote the time to understand one another better in order to become a better place for our children, and our children’s children, to live in.

Mike Leary retired after working 35 years with Chevron as an engineer in California and has strong business and interpersonal skills. He was President of the Marin County Exchange Club for 5 years which sponsored charity events to raise money for community organizations and was Chairman of the North Richmond Neighborhood House for 5 years which provided support services for underprivileged people. He was also honored to receive the Man of the Year award from the community.  Mike recently returned to N. St. Paul which he considers his home and has a nephew in 2nd grade at NMFA.   Mike joined the Board in August 2018 and is the current Board Treasurer.

-It Director, North Metro Flex Academy
-Owner, Reboot Systems and Umbrella Systems

I have been with North Metro Flex since they opened.  Starting as the on site IT support, and eventually taking over the IT support in its entirety.  Since then, my company has expanded to other schools in the Metro area and, while we continue to grow, NMFA remains a home to me.

I have over 20 years of in the field IT experience.  I hold both a BA in Network Technology, and an AAS in Graphic Design.  Graduating both Magna Cum and Summa Cum Laude respectively.  In addition to my work at NMFA, I own and operate Reboot Systems LLC.  My company has partnered on projects with such fortune 500 companies as; Wells Fargo, Target, Best Buy, Bank of America, Taco Bell, and many others.

I hold certifications in A+, MCSA, Network+, HME, CCENT, and a variety of others.

A Philadelphia native, my son and I have been calling Minnesota home for the last 12 years.  When I’m not behind a computer screen, I can be found binge watching Netflix, cheering for my Eagles, or being dragged on an adventure with my significant other (traveling there by motorcycle during the too short summer).

Chelsea Smieja is the Operations Manager at North Metro Flex Academy. To students she is better known as “Mrs. Chelsea”, and you may have heard her voice if you’ve stopped in or called the front desk. Chelsea has been working at North Metro Flex Academy since 2016 and brings over 5 years of administrative experience in education settings. Before working at NMFA, she attended college and received her master’s degree in Psychology with a Specialization in Children and Adolescent development. During her off-time Chelsea enjoys spending time with her family and dog, completing various crafts, and being with friends.

I was born and raised on the East side of St. Paul. I attended St. Paul Public schools from k-6th grade, Transfiguration in Oakdale for 7th and 8th, and Hill Murray High School in Maplewood. I earned my B.S and teaching License at the University of Minnesota in Elementary Education, my Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Minnesota and my K-12 Educational Leadership and Administrative license through the University of St. Cloud.

For 10 years I taught at Clear Springs Elementary in the Minnetonka Public Schools System. I taught 2nd grade for 2 years, 3rd grade for 3 years, 4th grade, and 1st grade for 1 year each and 5th grade for 3 years. Throughout that time, I served on numerous school and district committees. Along the way I got married to Rick Kranz who was born and raised in the North St. Paul and Maplewood area. We started having a family and were blessed to have 4 sons. During my 10th year in Minnetonka, I was pregnant with our 3rd son and we decided to “downsize” and make changes so I could be home full-time with our children. We sold our home and moved back to North St. Paul in 2000. We raised our 4 sons in North St. Paul. We were a busy family keeping up with school, hockey, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, show choir and theater. All of our sons attended St. Peter’s in North St. Paul. Three of our sons attended and graduated from North St. Paul High School. One of our sons attended and graduated from Hill Murray High School.

My oldest son, Joe, was born in 1995 and graduated from North High School, went to UMD and St. Paul Technical school. He is working full-time in Construction, framing residential homes and decks throughout the suburbs of the metro area. He got married in the summer of 2023. My second son Jim, was born in 1997, graduated from North St. Paul High School, graduated from Hamline University with a B.A. in Marketing, and has been working for Target Head Quarters as a sales analyst since 2018. Jacob was born in 2000, attended and graduated from Hill Murray High School, and graduated from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management Spring of 2021 with a B.S. degree in Entrepreneurship. He launched his own Sports marketing consultant business in 2021. Josh was born in 2002 and graduated from North High School and is currently majoring in Chemistry at Iowa State University.

I was one of the first teachers hired at North Metro Flex Academy. This is my second place I call “home”. For the first two years, I was on the Board of Directors and taught 2nd grade. In addition to teaching, I worked to start many of the partnerships and events we have for our school. For three years I was the Assistant Principal at our school, supporting the teachers and instructional leadership of the school. Since February of 2021, I have been the Principal.

In my free time…I love spending time with family and friends, reading, cooking and baking, camping (in a tent) up on the North Shore, being at the cabin (relaxing/playing games/enjoying the water), traveling to places where we can enjoy the ocean and mountains (Florida, Out West, Hawaii, Mexico), riding around in my convertible, walking and hiking, especially around Como Lake, going to Farmer’s Markets, listening to many different styles of music, going to plays and concerts, pottery, knitting, and crocheting.