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April 12, 2006
RANDOLPH — Over 200 area residents turned out Thursday for a community meeting concerning a proposed four-day school week for the Randolph School District.
School Board President Dan Backer opened the meeting by introducing the Randolph board members, and 16 panel members who traveled to Wynot to examine their four-day school week schedule.
Backer explained the history surrounding the four-day week. He said the seed to bring such a plan to Randolph was planted six years ago by then Superintendent Marlene Uhing, who brought the four-day school week to the board’s attention. The board, at that time, chose not to pursue it, but never discarded the idea all together.
When Ted Hillman became Randolph’s superintendent, the board looked to him for insight.
Backer said the four-day school week at Randolph is not a mission of Hillman’s but is an option the board is considering in their effort to try to do something different and better for the students in Randolph.
Wynot administrators, teachers, staff and parents also spoke. Those on hand from Wynot were: Rich Higgins, Wynot principal and Denise Olsen, Janice Higgins, Rhonda Tramp, Chuck Tramp, Steve Wieseler, and Duane Bair.
Higgins then presented the power point presentation given to the panel that had earlier traveled to Wynot.
After the presentation a questions and comment period followed.
At the meeting’s conclusion, surveys were passed out to those in attendance. Individuals were asked to fill out one survey per family marking yes give it a try, no stay with the five-day schedule or no opinion at this time.
Results of the surveys were tallied. The surveys answered the response of approximately 53 families, with 63 percent in favor, 17 percent against, and 15 undecided on the four-day school week.
April 12, 2006
RANDOLPH — An angel sent from heaven.
This is exactly how Kay Lynn Janssen would be described by her family and friends. Darlene Dowling, Kay Lynn’s sister-in-law, said “Kay Lynn has a habit of putting everyone else first.”
It is exactly this selflessness that motivated Kathy Gubbels to perform another selfless act.
On a tight, one-week time schedule, she transformed Kay Lynn’s house into the site of a mini-home makeover while she was away visiting family.
Kay Lynn had planned to make a few small changes in her home to aid her in the grieving process over the loss of her husband. Kevin, who died in December following an eight-year battle with cancer. Throughout those eight years, the couple often talked about completing some small home improvement projects.
Kevin, who entered the Colonial Manor in 2004 due to complications with cancer, urged his wife to go ahead with the projects; however, family and friends attest that Kay Lynn’s response was always the same: “we’ll work on it when you come home.”
“Kay Lynn was always by Kevin’s side,” said Dowling “and the Janssen family has always felt that she is truly an angel sent to watch over Kevin. Even during her own battle with breast cancer, she put Kevin and every one else first.”
