From The Desk of The Superintendent
by Ed Hawks
January 20, 2010
FEBRUARY 2010 DISTRICT DISPATCH
As I write this article, huge piles of snow form mountainous boundaries on the edges of the school parking lots and wind-whipped drifts of snow stand ominously in front of classroom windows. The winter of 2009-10 will be one to remember and the efforts of our school district’s support staff need to be remembered, also. Director of Buildings and Grounds Jim Ettleman and the members of our custodial staff have done an excellent job moving snow and making sure that our buildings stay warm. Harry Cowgill, Ron Reed, Donna Reed, Byron Bentzen, DeLon Naig, and Tom Shipp have all pitched in to make sure that our school district remains operational in spite of inclement weather conditions. Special recognition also goes out to Director of Transportation Harold Larsen and the bus drivers. Harold is up early every morning, but especially early on mornings that he and I need to make weather-related decisions regarding late starts or school cancellations. Dale Ausdemore, Randy Davis, Phil Feller, Gary Graham, Phil Henke, Don Hupp, Bill Klaudt, Phyllis Klaudt, Bambi Low, Deb Olofson, and Lois Waters all drive their buses with extra care over icy and snow-packed roads to make sure our students arrive safely at school. Our school cooks are also here early on cold winter mornings when many people are still sleeping. Sharon Incontro, our head cook, works closely with Kristi Danielsen, Marvel Green, Rena Kreeger, Jennifer Moore, Diana Nielsen, Thressa Petersen, and Rhonda Tiffey to make sure that our school breakfast program and lunch program provide students with the nutrition they need to do well in school on frosty winter days. Secretaries Dixie Pingel, Annette Koenig, Mary Jo Hough, Marsha Slobodnik, Susan Schmidt, Sandy Seidler, and Shelley Naig are often on the telephone making sure that messages regarding late morning arrivals and unexpected changes regarding where students are to go after school get properly relayed. Another important cog in our “school service machine” is the head of our latch-key and extended care program, Maralene Smario, and her staff. They begin their childcare duties at 6:00 a.m. each morning and are there at that early time even if we have a two-hour late start. It is sometimes easy to overlook the important contributions these people make to our school district and take their efforts for granted. The next time you see them, please join me in telling them “thank you” for a job well done.
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