If you’re anything like me then I am sure you understand oh so well how easy it is for some people to find fault in so many things happening around our community. I started writing this column for the newspaper and my internet column Hellooooo Brookfield !!! because those of us involved in the Brookfield Area Growth Partnership felt there was no way our community could survive and prosper unless we started focusing on our good attributes and the positive things happening around us everyday. As an example - having three of my family members working for our High School & Area Career Center provides me with a unique insight into some of the nice things happening there. Just recently wife Shane asked if I would have an interest in doing a story about a quiet, recently retired school employee, a person who rarely received any headlines but worked long hours and almost always exceeded her responsibilities as a teacher and district employee. Carol Robbins has been an art teacher and special services professional for some 24 years at BHS. Many of you probably know her appearance, having seen her walking to and from the school because she has a vision impairment that precludes her from driving a car. Carol has always been very accepting of her disability and never let it get in the way of her true love – teaching our children. This summer, having retired following the spring semester, she returned to the school to hand paint a beautiful Bulldog mural for the Counseling Center offices and an amazing FFA banner mural for the AG classroom. Both very worth the time it would take for you to run out to the school and take a peek. She was not paid to do this for her school and the kids but rather it was her way of thanking everyone for making the Brookfield R-III School system her home away from home for nearly a quarter of a century. We thank Carol and wish her well in retirement. The next time you see Carol Robbins I hope you will take the time to stop her and say thank you for everything she has done for our children.
I think it also very important for folks to know that while we always find it easy to criticize our school board and administrators you should also know that several of them have spent a good part of their summer volunteering on projects in the elementary school, childhood development center, mowing grass on the grounds, etc…all to help save money under very tight financial constraints. I applaud them for their leadership in this regard and we all should give credit when it is due!
Now it is time to give some of that credit to my employer Smith Motor and Ford Motor Company. Smith Motor will hold a Ford Drive 4UR School Test Drive project on October 16th from 8 a.m. until 5 .m. at the dealership. For each household test drive taken during that day Ford and Smith Motor will give $20 to our school (up to 300 test drives or $6,000). Under an agreement with the school system these donated funds will be utilized to support the football program at our school. Out of town second varsity buses which normally carry JV & freshman players and high school cheerleaders were originally scheduled to be cut because of a lack of funds but will now roll as planned, plus any extra funds not used will be allocated to the program to fund needed sports related items the school is not in a position to pay for this year. Remaining funds are expected to pay for new sideline and press box headsets to replace older one that are no longer working very well. Our thanks to this local retailer for filling an important funding gap and supporting our BHS kids!
|
|
|
If you’re anything like me then I am sure you understand oh so well how easy it is for some people to find fault in so many things happening around our community. I started writing this column for the newspaper and my internet column Hellooooo Brookfield !!! because those of us involved in the Brookfield Area Growth Partnership felt there was no way our community could survive and prosper unless we started focusing on our good attributes and the positive things happening around us everyday. As an example - having three of my family members working for our High School & Area Career Center provides me with a unique insight into some of the nice things happening there. Just recently wife Shane asked if I would have an interest in doing a story about a quiet, recently retired school employee, a person who rarely received any headlines but worked long hours and almost always exceeded her responsibilities as a teacher and district employee. Carol Robbins has been an art teacher and special services professional for some 24 years at BHS. Many of you probably know her appearance, having seen her walking to and from the school because she has a vision impairment that precludes her from driving a car. Carol has always been very accepting of her disability and never let it get in the way of her true love – teaching our children. This summer, having retired following the spring semester, she returned to the school to hand paint a beautiful Bulldog mural for the Counseling Center offices and an amazing FFA banner mural for the AG classroom. Both very worth the time it would take for you to run out to the school and take a peek. She was not paid to do this for her school and the kids but rather it was her way of thanking everyone for making the Brookfield R-III School system her home away from home for nearly a quarter of a century. We thank Carol and wish her well in retirement. The next time you see Carol Robbins I hope you will take the time to stop her and say thank you for everything she has done for our children.
I think it also very important for folks to know that while we always find it easy to criticize our school board and administrators you should also know that several of them have spent a good part of their summer volunteering on projects in the elementary school, childhood development center, mowing grass on the grounds, etc…all to help save money under very tight financial constraints. I applaud them for their leadership in this regard and we all should give credit when it is due!
Now it is time to give some of that credit to my employer Smith Motor and Ford Motor Company. Smith Motor will hold a Ford Drive 4UR School Test Drive project on October 16th from 8 a.m. until 5 .m. at the dealership. For each household test drive taken during that day Ford and Smith Motor will give $20 to our school (up to 300 test drives or $6,000). Under an agreement with the school system these donated funds will be utilized to support the football program at our school. Out of town second varsity buses which normally carry JV & freshman players and high school cheerleaders were originally scheduled to be cut because of a lack of funds but will now roll as planned, plus any extra funds not used will be allocated to the program to fund needed sports related items the school is not in a position to pay for this year. Remaining funds are expected to pay for new sideline and press box headsets to replace older one that are no longer working very well. Our thanks to this local retailer for filling an important funding gap and supporting our BHS kids!
