KSHB 41 reporter Fe Silva covers education stories involving K-12. Share your story idea with Fe.
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School district administrators and teachers in the Pleasanton, Kan., School District not only do what you would expect them to do, they also do the unexpected.
Don Epps serves as superintendent of the tiny school district.
Serving lunch is not in his job description, but he spends part of his day dishing up lunch for the students.
“We all do a lot of jobs,” Epps said.
He greets every student and knows all their names.
With limited staff and financial resources, Epps says it’s a need — but a want, too.
“I knew what kind of position this would be and I embraced it" Epps said "I love it.”
He's been the school superintendent for two years.
Driving the school bus is another of those not on the job description duties he does.
“In one particular stop, it was a beautiful hill, and the kids were jumping with their hands in the air," Epps said. "I thought, ‘I am blessed, and it doesn’t get much better than this.’”
When asked if other people who work in the district also do more than what’s in their job descriptions, Epps had a quick answer.
“Everybody,” he said.
Social studies teacher is just one of the titles Ethan Sabine holds.
“I fill in for administration when they're out of the building, drive the bus, coach, and mentor,” Sabine said.
You can also find him helping in the kitchen during lunch break.
"You go into it for the teaching, but you end up knowing that you're going to have holes to fill,” Sabine said. “I find myself having to say no sometimes and feeling guilty about it, because I know there's a need, but we always have other people who are willing to step up.”
High school principal Sara Conley also spends time filling in.
“It’s sort of like being a jack of all trades,” Conley said.
She has a long list of assignments .
“Principal, probably counselor, sometimes a teacher, sometimes college and career readiness,” said Conley. “Cleaning floors sometimes.”
For each of them, as they wear many hats, it increases the feeling of community.
“There’s no me," Epps said. "It’s we, and together, we do great things.”
