Marilyn Peplau, Trainer

Marilyn “Pep” Peplau
Search Institute Trainer
Home State: Wisconsin

Professional Expertise
Marilyn Peplau is an educator, speaker, consultant, and trainer with expertise in the areas of:

Contributions to Search Institute
As a contract trainer for Search Institute, Peplau serves as a speaker, trainer, and training program designer for organizations (especially schools) and communities interested in building Developmental Assets for and with youth, starting a community-wide asset-building initiative, or creating community change on behalf of youth.

Peplau assisted Search Institute in developing the Building Developmental Assets in School Communities training, and Change of Heart school retreat. With a passion for writing, she’s contributed to countless Search Institute resources, including Great Places to Learn, You Have to Live It, Pass It On, and What Young Children Need to Succeed. Your Classroom: Simple Ways to Create a Positive Learning Climate fulfilled her 7th grade English teacher’s prophecy of writing a book(let) some day!

Major Workshops and Training Programs

  • Trainer at PIPfests, high schools, community, and state youth conferences (more than 500 training events)
  • Asset-building presenter at Wisconsin State Superintendents’ Conference
  • Facilitator of CESA workshops on asset building and resiliency
  • Lead advisor for natural peer helping program.

Awards and Honors

  • Wisconsin Secondary School Counselor of the Year
  • Wisconsin Home Economics Association “New Achiever” Award
  • Wisconsin Home Economics Association Teacher of the Year
  • Vision Training Associates’ Outstanding Relationship Building Award

Professional History
In addition to her long-term commitment to New Richmond High School and work with Search Institute, Peplau served as a Teaching and Learning Facilitator at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Master of Education program where she:

  • Proactively guided teachers pursuing a master’s degree in education as they identify, investigate, and transform their beliefs and practices about teaching and learning
  • Used the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards as primary content for the incorporation of best practices and theory as part of individual and community-wide learning experiences
  • Worked collaboratively and cooperatively to develop training and authentic assessments

Former positions include:

  • 26+ years as a high school classroom teacher and guidance counselor in New Richmond, Wisconsin, school community
  • Guidance counselor for New Richmond High School, New Richmond, Wisconsin
  • Family/consumer education teacher, New Richmond, Wisconsin

(She also values her middle school coaching experience and one day as a 2nd grade teacher!)

Professional Activities

  • Member of CESA #11 Assessment Development Team
  • Charter Member, School Improvement Management Team
  • Member, National Center for Research in Vocational Education
  • Member, University of Minnesota “New Design for Comprehensive High Schools”

Community Activities

  • 5-year leader, New Richmond Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth team
  • Liaison and columnist for weekly newspaper column on assets
  • St. Croix County’s American Cancer Society “Relay for Life”
  • Local United Way Board
  • New Richmond Area Foundation Executive Board Member

Education

  • Wisconsin Certification in Guidance and Counseling, grades 6–12, University of Wisconsin—River Falls, Wisconsin
  • M.S., home economics education, University of Wisconsin—Stout, Menomonie, Wisconsin
  • B.S., home economics education, University of Wisconsin—Stout, Menomonie, Wisconsin

Request Marilyn Peplau for the following trainings by calling Search Institute Training at 800-294-4322 (outside the United States, dial 207-642-6270).

  • What’s Up with Our Kids?
  • Everyone’s an Asset Builder
  • Sharing the Asset Message
  • Building Developmental Assets in School Communities
  • Deepening Asset Building in School Communities
  • Building Developmental Assets in School Communities TOT
  • Change of Heart: A Student & Staff Asset-Building Retreat (also available as a Training of Trainers event)
  • Powerful Teaching