On the Spot SDOW will highlight, at random, two employees a month from Certified Staff and Support Staff from the School District of Washington. The purpose is to recognize and acknowledge the outstanding professionals we have in our District who are leading the way for our students.
The December 2021 On the Spot SDOW recipients are Amy Brinkmann and Joe Goodman.
Brinkmann is a kindergarten teacher at Augusta Elementary. Goodman is a maintenance specialist in the Buildings and Grounds department.
See the profiles of each On the Spot SDOW recipient below.
Amy Brinkmann
(Amy Brinkmann and her kindergarten students at Augusta Elementary).
Amy Brinkmann is a kindergarten teacher at Augusta Elementary. This is her 23rd year with the SDOW, all at Augusta, and her 31st year in education after previously teaching at the Orchard Farm and Francis Howell school districts. She will retire following the current 2021-22 school year. She grew up in Orchard Farm and graduated from Orchard Farm High School. She has a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree from Lindenwood University. Amy and her husband Jeff have been married for 30 years. They have three children and recently welcomed their first grandchild.
How would you describe yourself as a person?
“Most people tell me that I am a kind-hearted person. I’m always optimistic. I like to look for the good in things. I’m nurturing and I’m also good at listening.”
Describe your job duties
“When you’re a kindergarten teacher, you’re a mother, a nurse, a counselor, and a custodian. You’re constantly working with social skills and helping solve problems. I say that I’m an entertainer because I have to be able to hold their attention.”
Best part about your job?
“Seeing the joy from kids when they learn how to do something that makes them proud of themselves. You really get to see that in kindergarten a lot because they’re learning how to do things for the first time. When they spell their first word or write their first sentence on their own, or when they read their first book, they are very proud of themselves. I enjoy seeing their excitement.”
What would you like other staff members and parents in the district to know about Augusta Elementary?
“We love our kids. We work as a family here. Everybody supports each other. Because we’re small, that makes us unique. We really have to work together as a team. You have to be a team player to be at this building.”
Hobbies?
“Gardening, boating, swimming, reading. I like going on walks with my daughters and friends.”
Do you believe in ghosts?
“Somewhat, yes. But they’re all good. We believe there’s a ghost in our school. Whenever I come here alone on the weekend, I always say, ‘Hello, I’m here.’ I’ve never seen her, but a lot of people have had strange things happen here over the years.”
Would you rather be rich or healthy?
“Healthy.”
Favorite music to listen to? Favorite artist?
“I like listening to country music. I’ve also become a fan of JOY FM. I like Faith Hill. I’ve always enjoyed her voice and her music.”
If you could witness any event of the past, present or future, what would it be?
“Seeing my past relatives coming here to settle in America and what that looked like would be interesting.”
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
“At first I wanted to be a hair stylist. As I got older and into high school, that’s when I decided I wanted to go into education.”
If you could trade places with anyone in the school district for a week, who would it be?
“Jamie Knight (Augusta Elementary counselor and SDOW social worker). It would be awesome to be able to go into the classrooms and talk to the kids about character building. I think it’s really cool that she gets to do that, and she does a great job doing it.”
What’s your favorite time of the school year?
“Christmas. It’s a joyful time with putting up decorations and helping the kids make gifts for their parents. They get excited about that. Plus it’s about the time where the kids are starting to blossom and get into their routine. They’re starting to read and write on their own. It’s like a turning point in kindergarten.”
How would you describe Washington, Mo., to someone who’s never been here?
“It’s like how the old St. Charles used to be before they had their population explosion. It’s a quaint town to visit. I love the downtown area.”
Who’s someone that you admire?
“My mom. She was always a giving person and a good listener. She was always the person that when you were down, you could call her and she would help you see the good and bring you up. She made you feel better. She always gave good advice.”
Plans for the winter break?
“Spending time with my family. We like to get together over the holidays and play games and just have a lot of family activities and get-togethers.”
Joe Goodman
(Joe Goodman, Maintenance Specialist with the School District of Washington).
Joe Goodman has been a maintenance specialist for the School District of Washington for 10 years. He hails from Spring Bluff, a small town between Beaufort and Sullivan, and is a graduate of Sullivan High School. He then continued his education and graduated from State Tech in Linn. Joe and his wife, Sarah, have four children.
How would you describe yourself as a person?
“Very blunt. Sometimes too blunt. I consider myself a team person who does whatever it takes to accomplish something. Family is very important.”
Describe your job duties
“My job duties entail a little bit of everything. That’s the honest truth. At the forefront, I’m an electrician. But on any given day, I could be anything. I can be a jack of all trades and a master of none. Whatever the job is that day.”
Best part about your job?
“The days where you get small victories and satisfaction. For example, there was a kid not too long ago who had epilepsy and was in a classroom where a light was blinking. I got to go in and fix it and stopped it. He thanked me and was very appreciative, which was pretty cool. There are a lot of people in this district who are very thankful for what we do. The district is so much bigger than the maintenance department. There’s hundreds of teachers and thousands of students in 15 buildings versus seven of us.”
What would you like other staff members and parents in the district to know about the Buildings and Grounds department in the school district?
“There’s not many of us, but we’re trying to give everybody the best quality job that we can knowing that we have to move on at a fairly good rate in order to meet the demands of the district. We’re going to give you a quality job and not just slam something together.”
Hobbies?
“Hunting. Tractors.”
Do you believe in ghosts?
“No.”
Would you rather be rich or healthy?
“Healthy.”
Favorite music to listen to? Favorite artist?
“Country music. My favorite artist is George Strait.”
If you could witness any event of the past, present or future, what would it be?
“I’d love to go back in time and watch my grandfather place the dynamite in the Pea Ridge Mine. That was his job – drilling the dynamite in and blowing it up. That would’ve been neat to see. The Pea Ridge Mine is 15 or 20 miles south of Sullivan on 185 out by Woodland Lakes. It’s one of the richest iron-ore mines and it’s just sitting there. It’s shut down now."
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
“I always wanted to be an electrician. My grandfather was one. My dad was one. My uncle was one. I was always helping them growing up.”
If you could trade places with anyone in the school district for a week, who would it be?
“Jeff Solter (Buildings and Grounds Director). One day I might want to be the Director of Buildings and Grounds. Depending on how that week went, I might not want to be.”
What’s your favorite time of the school year?
“October. I love fall. It’s pretty around here.”
How would you describe Washington, Mo. to someone who’s never been here?
“Washington has a lot of families who have been here for a long time, and a lot of tradition, which is great. The town wants to preserve its past, but also look ahead into the future. We have to continue to move forward.”
Who’s someone that you admire?
“Everyone knows I’m a John Wayne guy. I’ve always admired his values and how he sticks with his family through thick and thin.”
Plans for the winter break?
“What winter break? I will be here in the district getting more accomplished with the absence of certified staff.”
