November Support Staff Feature

“The school custodian is the quiet hero of the building. They are always the first to arrive each day and often the last to go, cleaning up messes that no one dares to touch and befriending everyone that passes by.”   ~Teresa Kwant

 

Kip Hanson joined the Clearbrook-Gonvick staff September 15, 2014, as a custodian. Kip and his wife, Patricia, have been together for 19 years. Together they have one son. Kip has a daughter and a son from a previous relationship. Patricia has one daughter from a previous relationship, and one son who passed away. Together Kip and Patricia have six granddaughters.

Kip and his wife now live in the area but grew up in Fergus Falls, MN.

 

Why did you choose to work at this school?  We moved to this area to be close to our granddaughters after the passing of their father. I wanted to work here to remain close to them.

What did you do before coming to Clearbrook-Gonvick? I have worked in many fields of service including security guard, maintenance, janitorial, care provider for the handicapped, and a few others.

What is the best part of your job at Clearbrook-Gonvick?  The best part of my job here at Clearbrook-Gonvick School is the people I work with and the students.

What is the biggest challenge of your job?  My biggest challenge of my job is caring maybe a little too much about getting everything done right.

If you could have any job in the world - what would it be? Why? If I could do anything, I would like to be retired, wealthy, and helping others.

What do you do when you are not working at the school? When I’m not at work, I love to visit the granddaughters and get the best hugs. Otherwise, I like to cook.

If you could play a professional sport, which sport would you choose and why? I always figured I would have been good at track and field. I use to be able to run like “Grease Lightning.”

What are your favorite aspects of the Clearbrook-Gonvick community? The community around here is quiet and very friendly.

 

And now a comment or two about Kip from the staff:  “Kip is always smiling and friendly to staff and students, and is also eager to help with anything that is asked of him. Kip has a great sense of humor.” “Kip always says hello in the hallway and is a good mood!”  “Kip is always friendly and willing to help in the classrooms with anything we need right away!” “Always ready to help with a smile on his face!  Fun to joke around with and laugh!” “Kip is SOOOO helpful!  There's always a smile on his face and great to work with!” “Kip is a bit of a prankster, which makes everyday that he is here an adventure, but Kip is also a very hard-working, easy-going, and a sympathetic co-worker.” “He goes above and beyond to lend a helping hand to everyone!” “He's always smiling and willing to help! “Have you seen his floor scrubbing skills....this guy has skills running that machine!  Also zero accidents on his record :)” “Kip does a great job at keeping our school clean and looking great.  He is always quick with a hello and a smile every time he comes into my room to clean after school.  I appreciate his effort and willingness to make sure our school looks the best it can at the beginning of every day.” “I really appreciate Kip's positive attitude! He always goes above and beyond, leaving my classroom sparkling clean!” “Kip is always fun to visit with when cleaning our rooms. No task is ever a problem for him to handle- he takes most requests!!” “Kip is a card! He has a sense of humor that can bring joy to any situation!  He brings so much positive energy to our building, he's certainly one of the favorites!” “Kip always has a ready smile & a joke to share.  He is always willing to do anything he is asked to do....no matter how busy he might be. Kip is a great asset to our team!”