Stories from Scott 2
Your story matters. You matter.
October 8, 2015
Retired SMS teacher gives back at VFES to encourage future generations of learners
Even though Rhonda LaMaster retired from the classroom at Scott County School District 2, she has not given up helping future generations of students learn the value of their education.
“The kids need to see positive faces outside of the teachers and the principals,” said LaMaster, who is a volunteer in the Watch Dads Of Great Students, or the Watch D.O.G.S. program, at Vienna-Finley Elementary School.
The VFES Heroes program gives parents, relatives and community members the chance to serve the students and the school all while creating positive role models for the students.
“As a retired teacher, I know it’s very important to have lots of volunteers,” LaMaster said.
Three years ago, LaMaster went back to the classroom to help and to show her two grandchildren, who were attending VFES, that their education was important to her.
“I like to be in the classroom,” the former middle school math teacher said.
Each month, LaMaster starts her day back at school, standing on the sidewalk in front of the school to help with the morning car line. She helps the students being dropped off to school exit their vehicles. She makes sure she greets them with a smile on their face and encourages them that their school day will be positive.
After the school day officially begins, she visits the school counselor, Holly Asdell, to see what she can do to help. Some days, it is cutting items for bulletin boards; other days, it is working in the classroom alongside the teachers; and sometimes, it is both.
“Last week, I helped make pine cone and peanut butter bird feeders,” LaMaster said. The bird feeder was an activity for the second-grade students as they learned about birds of prey and visited Hardy Lake to see the raptor rehabilitation center.
Even though she is not teaching middle school math, LaMaster is still helping students learn their arithmetic by using Accelerated Math at VFES.
“I love to watch kids learn, especially in my own grandchildren,” LaMaster said. “We want them to know that what they are doing is important.”
She also spends time with the students on the playground. She watches the children play, gives them a push on the swing, and plays with them. LaMaster wants the children to associate her face as a positive, adult one.
“Some children don’t have these positive role models at home,” LaMaster said. “We are helping our kids to grow up to be good citizens.”
At the end of the school day, LaMaster returns home until the next month when she can invest her time and talents into her grandchildren’s generation of learners. Her granddaughter is now in middle school, her grandson is in second grade, and she has another grandchild, who is not old enough to start school but will one day attend VFES.
“I have a long life at Vienna-Finley,” LaMaster said.
LaMaster continues to give back to the school district where she once taught, encouraging the next generation of learners to be successful. At Scott County School District 2, LaMaster’s story is our story. Your story matters. You matter.
SMS staff member helps students to keep moving forward
More than 40 years ago, Scottsburg Middle School staff member Hank Jentzen left his home state of New Jersey with $140 in cash and a backpack. Where he started his journey was not nearly as important as where he finished his journey years later.
With his ambition and his backpack, Jentzen set his sights on traveling the western United States, and when he reached his destination nearly 2,000 miles later, he began working as a laborer on construction sites.
“I enjoyed the freedom of the road,” Jentzen said.
Three years after leaving for the West, Jentzen became an installation repairman for a telephone company. He started as a lineman and literally moved up by climbing poles with a set of hooks and belt.
“After working various construction jobs in Colorado, I met a friend who was a telephone contractor,” Jentzen said. “He convinced me the job had a future with good pay, and if I could climb a pole at least 40 feet tall, he could get me a job.”
He took the challenge his friend said was a requirement for the job, grabbed some hooks and a belt, and learned how to climb a telephone pole.
“The following week, I was headed to Texas to start my career in the telephone business,” Jentzen said. “I have been in telephone operations my whole life since then, so my friend was my mentor and my inspiration.”
After working in the telephone industry a few years, Jentzen married his wife, Ann. The couple have been married for 37 years and have two children, Kelly and Kevin, who both graduated from Scottsburg High School. Kelly is an attorney for Catholic Charities in Washington D.C., and Kevin is attending Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, pursuing a degree in computer and information systems with a concentration in networking systems. He works part-time as an IT technician for Scott County School District 2.
Jentzen said starting a family was a defining point in his life.
“Parents think they are watching their children, when in reality, their children are watching them,” Jentzen said. “I enrolled in college and attended night classes and applied for management positions at Verizon.”
Twenty years after he began working as an installation repairman and after the company he worked for was sold to Verizon, Jentzen went to college to earn a degree beyond his high school diploma. In 1994, he earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University Southeast, and he also has a certificate in negotiation skills from the University of Notre Dame.
“What ‘Rudy’ is to Notre Dame football; I am to Notre Dame academics. I’m in the books,” Jentzen said.
With hard work and pushing himself to finish his education, Jentzen became a logistics supervisor at Verizon and was in that role when he retired. As a supervisor, he was in charge of 26 employees at 12 logistics sites in four states.
“I have had several managers help me with my career. I learned from each of them,” Jentzen said. “Our jobs were constant projects to be completed with deadlines and high-stress levels. In 1990 when we were sold to Verizon, my new manager was always calm with a sense of humor. His wisdom was stress is self-induced. There will always be deadlines and problems to fix. Planning, organizing, a sense of humor, and the right mindset reduces stress. I practice his philosophy daily.”
Later, Jentzen was elected to the Greater Scott County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, serving 10 years. He was named vice-president and president. As a board member, he worked with others to grow the organization, create an educational scholarship fund, and add high school students to the board membership.
“I was lucky to have great board members on the team who were goal oriented and could make things happen,” Jentzen said. “The Chamber is still doing great things for our community today.”
Now in his retirement years, Jentzen wanted to give back to his community and help at SCSD2. Last year, Jentzen signed up to be a substitute teacher and discovered his love for helping middle school students.
“I enjoyed being a substitute for the middle school and working with the students,” Jentzen said. “I enjoy helping students with their studies and homework.”
When a position as a teacher’s aide while helping with supervision became available, Jentzen applied for the job at SMS. In his new role, Jentzen enjoys helping the students with their schoolwork and helping them prepare for their futures.
“Everyone needs a helping hand at times, and hopefully, I can help students find what they are good at and encourage them to go after their dreams,” Jentzen said. “…There are three things I hope students take from their time working with me: where you start in life is not as important as where you finish, never give up, and education is a way out of poverty.”
Jentzen uses his life lessons learned to help the students at Scottsburg Middle School. At Scott County School District 2, Jentzen’s story is our story. Your story matters. You matter.
Upcoming Events at Scott 2
Events For Week Beginning Sunday, October 18, 2015
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
VFES Parent/Teacher ConferencesTime: Starting 10/20/2015 at 3:30 PM until 6:45 PM
Event Groups: Event Groups: Vienna-Finley Elementary Events
Location: Vienna-Finley Elementary [Vienna-Finley Elementary]
Thursday, October 22, 2015
VFES Parent/Teacher ConferencesTime: Starting 10/22/2015 at 3:30 PM until 6:45 PM
Event Groups: Event Groups: Vienna-Finley Elementary Events
Location: Vienna-Finley Elementary [Vienna-Finley Elementary]
Friday, October 23, 2015
VFES Fall FestivalTime: Starting 10/23/2015
Event Groups: Event Groups: District Events,Vienna-Finley Elementary Events
Location: Vienna Finley Elementary [Scott County School District 2]