Staff Spotlight: Staying positive and promoting a ‘CAN DO’ attitude among students is what Lynn Balkus does best

Over the past 17 years, Lynn Balkus has been working in the Stockbridge Community School District’s Superhero Classroom and Kids Club program. Photo provided by Lynn Balkus.

by Amy Haggerty

Lynn Balkus has been working with our youngest populations in the school district’s Superhero Classroom and the Kids Club program for 17 years. Being a paraprofessional with the 11-years-old-and-under set is not an easy job. You need to be patient and creative and have lots of fun activities planned to keep the young ones engaged and learning.

Balkus had this to say about working in Stockbridge, “I love that it’s a small town and that you know almost everyone. It’s personal! The students are blessed to go to a smaller school district because the staff and community care about them and their families.”

Balkus grew up in the Westland, Mich., area and attended Livonia Franklin High School. She credits her Family Life teacher at Franklin—Mrs. Mehock—for being the person who has had the greatest influence on her life.

In July 1990, long before she became a parapro, Balkus married Phil Balkus. They have five children together. She considers her family her greatest accomplishment in life, and is happy to share their progress as young adults. Mary, their eldest, attended Kendall College and Ferris State University and now lives in the Kalamazoo area. Phil is 28; he attended Kalamazoo Community College and lives in Kalamazoo. Nick, 26, attended Ferris and also Columbia College. He re-enlisted in the Navy and married Abby Devlin from the Stockbridge area. Chris is 24; he works at Elastizell in Dexter and lives in the Stockbridge area. The Balkuses’ youngest, Charlotte, is 22 and a senior at Michigan State University. She is pursuing a degree in psychology and a double minor in youth and society and human behavior and social sciences.

Over the years, this capable and talented paraprofessional has had many other occupations. Waitressing, office work, and catering were some of the jobs she performed before coming to the Stockbridge Community School District. She made the switch to working in Stockbridge schools when her children were still young and attending school. It was important to Balkus to be home in the evenings with her family.

Balkus likes to encourage our young children to stay positive and focus on what students can do, not what they can’t do. “There is no limit to what they can do. We are all cheering for them to be their best and successful!”

Balkus has made a positive impact on many of our children in the community. Her encouragement leaves a lasting impression on our children, including many who have grown into successful adults. We are fortunate to have her influence in our early childhood programs!