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Schools completing projects prior to return of students
Published 11:22am Tuesday, August 11, 2009August is a busy month for area schools, prior to the return of students for fall classes, and Ashby Public School is no exception.
On Thursday, Aug. 6, Lead Custodian Leo Ohren was busy with various tasks, as were other school district employees.
“We see ourselves as a really good small school with excellent staff and facilities,” said Ashby School Superintendent Allan Jensen. “The Ashby School is a very busy place the last month of summer recess.”
Custodians include Ohren and one full time adult and one full time student. They perform last-minute room preparations, painting, cleaning and other projects.
“Office personnel have a lot of unpacking and distributing new teaching material ordered this spring,” said Jensen, “along with preparing mailings for parents, handbooks for students and staff, organizing paperwork for student fall sport athletes, registering new students, assigning lockers and finalizing bus routes.”
Principal Tom Otte supervises the above mentioned office staff duties, is busy with last-minute scheduling details, preparing for teacher in-service days and planning for the first student day
Superintendent Jensen makes sure buses and buildings are ready to go for the start of the year. He also meets with food service personnel, bus drivers, and other support staff to insure a smooth start.
“Basically, it’s a little more oversight in these areas than usual,” said Jensen, “and then there’s the normal school business of budgets, board meetings, etc. I’m probably the least affected by the school start in terms of additional workload.”
He said that custodians, office personnel and principals are even much busier in September, when students are back in the classroom.
“But things always come together, with teachers and staff working together,” said Jensen.
