Share the Love this Valentine’s Day
In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we asked five sets of public school employees to share what they admire about one another and why they love and support public schools.
From Grand Island to Ponca, educators shared photos with us and we followed up. Read the Q&A below and on Valentine’s Day, share a photo with #ILovePublicSchools and tell us about something you love about your school.
Public school teachers Kevin and Elizabeth Butters. Photo credit @MrsBButters.
Q: How are you and your partner involved in public schools?
A: I am an English teacher and my husband is a fifth grade teacher.
Q: What is something you admire about your significant other?
A: I admire how passionate he is about teaching and that he chose to go back to school to become an elementary teacher. It is important for young students to be able to look up to a male figure.
Q: Why do both of you love and support public schools?
A: Public schools give students from every background an equitable opportunity at achieving their dreams. This ensures that kids with great ideas, who would otherwise be overlooked, can contribute to this exceptional universe!
Grand Island educators Jordyn and Calvin Hubbard. Photo credit: @jmlinar10
Q: How are you and your partner involved in public schools?
A: I am a behavior consultant and reading coach and my husband is an assistant principal, both for Grand Island Public Schools. Go Islanders!
Q: What is something you admire about your significant other?
A: I admire the way that he helps kids problem solve when they are struggling. He is so patient in kind and makes sure that every kid has what they need to be successful.
Q: Why do both of you love and support public schools?
A: We love public schools because we feel even more connected to our community because of the opportunities to interact with students and their families. We have been blessed to meet and work with so many incredible, unique, and talented students, families, and staff members! We love public schools because public schools give everyone a future story!
Bill and Amy Bombeck; @luckyamylynn
Q: How are you and your partner involved in public schools?
A: I am an English Language teacher for Grand Island Public and my hubby teaches History and coaches football at Northwest Public Schools.
Q: What is something you admire about your significant other?
A: I really admire his patience!
Q: Why do both of you love and support public schools?
A: We believe that every child deserves an education!
Jeanne and Mike Brandt
Q: How are you and your partner involved in public schools?
A: My husband, Mike has been a 7 – 12 history teacher and coach at Ponca Public School since 1989. I started working at the school in 2003 as a special education para, and in 2016 took the position of administrative assistant in our high school office.
Q: What is something you admire about your significant other?
A: I admire Mike’s patience in the classroom and the way he keeps students of all ages engaged. He has continued, through the years, to stay enthusiastic about his role in helping educate his students.
Q: Why do both of you support public schools?
A: Being a part of continued learning every day, seeing students realize and understand what their education can help them achieve, and knowing our colleagues feel the same, will always keep us supporting our public school!
Calena and Andy Ohlson; @CalenaOhlson
Q: How are you and your partner involved in public schools?
A: I teach fourth grade at Holdrege Public Schools, and Andy is the media specialist and technology coordinator for Axtell Public Schools. Also, all three of our children attend public schools.
Q: What is something you admire about your significant other?
A: He always goes above and beyond in everything he does – as a husband, as a father, as a teacher, and as a coworker. He’s honestly the most amazing, caring, giving person I know!
Q: Why do both of you love and support public schools?
A: We are both products of public schools and so fortunate that we have the ability to give back [to] public schools. Public schools are quite literally holding our future in their figurative hands!
