Et cetera : We just had to ask... V-S School Board member Sue Gates

Sue Gates once sat on a roof to read a book, and is married to a gardener who pleads with her not to cook vegetables. She's also one of the newest members of the Vinton-Shellsburg School Board. Here are her answers to the questions asked by Vinton Today as we commemmorate School Board Appreciation Week.

Q. Is there anything that your husband, Dave, asks you not to cook, ever again?

A. Broccoli, cauliflower, & Brussels sprouts.

Q. Is there anything Dave wishes you would cook more often?

A. Boneless beef ribs with barbecue sauce.

Q. What happens to the missing socks in the laundry?

A. If we are missing a sock it usually turns up caught in another piece of laundry.

Q. Tell us about your favorite chair?

A. My favorite chair is a soft, small swivel rocker with an extra cushion.

Q. Funniest memory as a parent:

A. One of the funniest memories as a parent is that of trying to teach my daughter, Rita, to drive a car with a manual transmission. We were in the parking lot of Trinity Lutheran Church and she was jerking the car and stalling it so much all we could do was sit and laugh with tears rolling down our cheeks.

Q. Do you remember anything either of your parents said over and over?

A. My mother said many times, "Wherever you are, always look for ways to help others."

Q. How would your own children answer the previous question?

A. My daughter would probably remember me saying, "Always treat others as you want to be treated and be forgiving when this doesn't happen."

Q. Best fast food sandwich ever?

A. A Reuben.

Q. What was your first job?

A. My first job was when I was 13. I worked for a family with six young children. The mother wasn't well and the father traveled for work.

Q. If you were to get a traffic citation it would most likely be for….

A. Speeding, no doubt about it!

Q. One place in the world you really, really wish you could visit?

A. Hawaii.

Q. First pet you remember?

A. The first pet I remember is a black and white Cocker Spaniel named Lady.

Q. Who was your favorite teacher, and why?

A. Miss Bongartz, my country school K-3 teacher, was my favorite teacher because she made learning to read fun.

Q. Strangest thing you did at work that was not part of your official job description?

A. When students surpassed their reading goal one year I sat on the school roof and read a book to them.

Q. What book or author you have not read, but should?

A. “The Help,” a novel by Kathryn Stockett about how the help, particularly the African-American help, was treated in the 1960s. I have been told about it by two or three friends.

And our serious question:

Q. With the building project and the budget (for now) behind you, what other issues are most important for the VS School Board?

A. It is important that we always keep our focus on the teaching/learning process. This includes supporting the implementation of the Iowa Core Curriculum and the many other initiatives under way. We also need to continue to work together with our patrons to support the students in the Vinton-Shellsburg Schools.

Q. Is there anything you wish we would have asked you?

A. I wish you would have asked me what makes the Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District GREAT.