Former County Superintendent still helping schools

Former County Superintendent still helping schools

Zach White

The Hill County Superintendent of Schools office is still empty, as commissioners try to fill the position Gary Pfister turned down. But it seems someone forgot to tell former Superintendent Shirley Isbell.

Even after leaving the office, Isbell is continuing with some of the work she did as superintendent and is still helping Hill County's schools.

Isbell has been delivering books and other educational materials to schools in the county's districts.

Nancy Venable, teacher-librarian at Sunnyside Intermediate School, just received materials that Venable says are perfect for Sunnyside students, including video collections on the Civil War and books full of activities relevant to the school's math and science classes.

"They're very much appreciated, " Venable said. "They're all of excellent quality, and they fit right in our curriculum, and I'm sure she knew that. "

It's become something of a habit, since Isbell started doing this sort of thing more than 20 years ago.

"This is a project I started back in '89, " Isbell said. "I found out that quite a few of the kids didn't have computers. So I started a program where old government offices would give their old computers. We would clean them off and give them to the schools. "

It grew from there, to include equipment and supplies from the Montana Office of Public Instruction state office in Helena and eventually getting involved with a program called Books are Fun.

"I wanted to establish a lending library, but that never materialized, " Isbell said. "So I started distributing them. "

She wants no special recognition for the service, though.

"It's what I do, " Isbell said. "I don't expect anything from it. "

The Hill County Superintendent of Schools office is still empty, as commissioners try to fill the position Gary Pfister turned down. But it seems someone forgot to tell former Superintendent Shirley Isbell.

Even after leaving the office, Isbell is continuing with some of the work she did as superintendent and is still helping Hill County's schools.

Isbell has been delivering books and other educational materials to schools in the county's districts.

Nancy Venable, teacher-librarian at Sunnyside Intermediate School, just received materials that Venable says are perfect for Sunnyside students, including video collections on the Civil War and books full of activities relevant to the school's math and science classes.

"They're very much appreciated, " Venable said. "They're all of excellent quality, and they fit right in our curriculum, and I'm sure she knew that. "

It's become something of a habit, since Isbell started doing this sort of thing more than 20 years ago.

"This is a project I started back in '89, " Isbell said. "I found out that quite a few of the kids didn't have computers. So I started a program where old government offices would give their old computers. We would clean them off and give them to the schools. "

It grew from there, to include equipment and supplies from the Montana Office of Public Instruction state office in Helena and eventually getting involved with a program called Books are Fun.

"I wanted to establish a lending library, but that never materialized, " Isbell said. "So I started distributing them. "

She wants no special recognition for the service, though.

"It's what I do, " Isbell said. "I don't expect anything from it. "