SPOKANE, Wash. – For students in Spokane Public Schools (SPS), every day they have a community of people trying to help them succeed, many of whom go unrecognized for their hard work and commitment.
NonStop Local asked SPS to connect us with a crossing guard and a lunch lady who are making their mark in Spokane. Let’s meet them.
If your kid goes to Jefferson Elementary on the South Hill, there’s a good chance they know Kandy Conrad.
For the past 27 years, Conrad has been a crossing guard at Jefferson and Sacajawea. She is also a paraeducator, but since she began as a crossing guard, she has woken up early every day to stand at a crosswalk with a neon sign and vest to protect kids as they head to school.
NonStop Local spoke with Conrad for about 20 minutes while she was working as a crossing guard right before school started on the second day of classes.
During that time, several kids and parents thanked her by name. One little girl brought her a flower to thank her for being a friend. Parents asked her if our camera meant that she was finally getting the credit she deserves for being such an awesome human being.
Conrad could not go five minutes without being interrupted—in a good way. Watch the video to see her interactions with these families.
Tami Forsman is the kitchen leader at Ferris. She has worked there for 3 years, but she’s been with SPS for 23. Every day she gets up at 4 a.m. to arrive at school by 5:30 a.m. and make 600 breakfasts for hungry students by 7:30.
Forsman thanks her team of eight morning staff members for helping her in all aspects of the kitchen. After breakfast, she preps lunch for students and does managerial work.
Forsman has a reputation for perfect attendance. She tells NonStop Local that she has saved up enough sick leave that she could take off an entire school year and still get paid.
That being said, she does what she does because she loves the kids and having a positive impact on their day.
“There are a lot of days that I am the first staff member they are going to come in contact with here,” said Forsman. “Sometimes it’s that first couple of seconds within the building that will make or break how successful you are going to be within that day in the school, so we’re looking to get them off to a good start and a healthy breakfast…”
Forsman loves the work she does and is grateful for her team who supports her through her hard work.
