Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Exceptional Friends Awards announced

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It has been my honor to serve as the special education director for the Cascade School District these past seven years. There are so many outstanding people who live in our community who make other people’s lives better just for having known them. The Special Education Team at Cascade School District recently recognized six “Exceptional Friends” who have gone out of their way to serve and bless our very Exceptional community members.

Dan’s Food Market

Eric, Lisa, and Wes Worthen have been serving our community in many unsung ways. They have contributed mightily to our backpack food program at our Elementary Schools. They provide food, bags, and whatever else is needed to ensure students have some good food to take home on the weekends when families need some extra support. They do this joyfully. They also employ our Exceptional friends, and they provide delicious lunches for our starving high school students. Eric told us at our award presentation meeting, “The students in the Cascade School District are a pleasure to serve. Great manners, great kids!” We consider Dan’s Food Market, Wes, Lisa, Eric, and their kind and caring staff to be truly Exceptional Friends!

Tim Bentz, Transportation Director, Cascade School District

Tim Bentz is a fabulous transportation director. Tim usually has to suck on a nitro glycerin tablet after our conversations, but after his heart slows back down, he gently and thoughtfully figures out ways to make impossible transportation situations possible. Tim has a heart of gold. The entire department’s embracing an Exceptional employee would never have happened without Tim, and that has proven to be a huge boost for all of us! The preschool move to IRMS was a great challenge, but Tim has made it work, and in fact even as it has expanded to include more students, Tim continues to provide quality transportation for all our preschoolers. Our drivers are the BEST! Without exception, they accommodate our Exceptional Students with unwavering grace. We are so grateful to Tim for all his good work on behalf of our Exceptional Students, and consider Tim truly an “Exceptional Friend”!

Marson & Marson – Ken Marson, Owner

The Marson name has long been connected to so much of the good work this community has done for our Exceptional Students and Young Adults for many, many years. Marson & Marson has been an open door for our graduating students who need a chance to have some practical work experience. Their support of so many wonderful projects over the years has helped make this community one of the gentlest and most inviting to families who have Exceptional sons and daughters. The Cascade School District wants to acknowledge and thank Ken and Margaret Marson for their many devoted years of being an “Exceptional Friend” to so many in our community.

Dwight Remick, Business Manger, Cascade School District

We have been able to accomplish many crazy things in these past several years as our staff has concocted numerous wild ideas that usually began as dreams; not something we could actually do. My job was to bring the staff’s ideas to Dwight, and try to make them happen. I have never worked with a business manager like Dwight. He is committed with his whole heart to doing whatever is necessary to support our students and staff to make the world a better place for anyone who is Exceptional. “We need to do what is right for the kids,” is what Dwight always ends up saying after he gets done pounding his “NO” hammer. He often says that with tears in his eyes when he thinks about our students. Dwight is the rare combination of genius business guy, and caring friend. Thank you, Dwight, for all the work you do behind the scenes to help our Exceptional students enjoy greater success. You truly are an “Exceptional Friend”.

Laurie Peek, Migrant Home Visitor, Mother Teresa Doppelganger

Laurie Peek is a name we say with reverence in our school district. She is a no-nonsense advocate for all the right things in education. The parents who work with Laurie adore and trust her and she is our best district representative for families who may not feel very connected for a variety of reasons. Laurie is a great listener, she is a fiery advocate, and she is so gushing with compassion and empathy I always feel inspired after spending time with her. We had a student who developed a scary medical condition and I will never forget the evening home visit we did with Laurie, the school nurse, and other school staff. Laurie arrived with a cake in her hands for the children in the home, she “just happened to have.” The meeting set in motion some very important interventions that have had lasting effects on the family, the student, and the school staff. We built relationship that night, we cried together, we let the family know the school district was in their corner, and Laurie was our messenger; heaven sent for the family. I truly do not know how we would get by without Laurie’s leadership and credibility in our community. She builds bridges for us every day, quietly, and often without thanks. Today we thank Laurie, and acknowledge her for the “Exceptional Friend” she has always been to our students, their families, and our school staff.

Ian Dunn, Editor, Leavenworth Echo

I have been wanting to publicly thank Ian for a long time. Ian is supposed to be unbiased and neutral when he reports the news, but he is not! Ian has a soft spot for students who have exceptionalities and he has filled the Echo with stories of our successes, accomplishments, and celebrations for many years. My favorite article of all time was when one of our Exceptional young adults was hired by the school district to serve in our transportation department. I have kept this article proudly posted for so long it has faded considerably. Proudly pictured is our new young employee with his mom, along with Bill Motsenbocker, Tim Bentz, and our Americorp transition specialist. We were just getting our work experience program off the ground, and Ian gave us a giant boost. This is just one example of many over the years. Thank you, Ian, your work has not gone unnoticed and it has benefitted students who need “Exceptional Friends” like you!

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