Over a 30-year career in education, 20 of those at Clarkston Community Education, Fran Cashin has touched countless lives.
At least she hasn’t tried to count them.
‘You don’t count how many people you’ve helped,? she said. ‘You just keep helping.?
Cashin is secretary to Marilyn Allyn, Clarkston’s community education director. Allyn said Cashin is the ‘heart and soul? of the program, which includes everything from early childhood programs to community enrichment to adult education to Renaissance High School.
‘She helps everybody,? Allyn said.
Cashin answers the telephone, helps folks with class registration and is ready with a helpful smile to anyone who needs assistance.
She also has to be ready to renew old acquaintances, including an adult education graduate who just happens by to say hello during an interview.
‘They keep coming back to say hi,? she said, noting that some former students now have children who are Clarkston students. ‘It’s like family.?
Cashin hails from California, but came to Michigan about 30 years ago to take a job with the Oakland Schools Vocational-Technical Center. After about 10 years, she moved to Florida for six months, but came back and applied for the position with Clarkston schools.
She’s never looked back, and she literally beams when speaking about the students with whom she comes in contact each day.
‘These kids teach me a lot,? she said. ‘They keep you young.?
Also keeping her young are her real family, including four grown children (three of whom are Clarkston High School graduates), six grandchildren (ranging in age from one to nine) and two ‘semi-adopted? grandchildren belonging to a colleague.
Her office photo gallery even includes a photo of ‘PT,? a dog rescued from being tied to a picnic table and adopted by a community education teacher and used in a veterinary assistant class.
The family ‘keeps me going,? and with all four children living in Texas, Cashin tries to visit regularly. She’s currently working on a giraffe-shaped clock in honor of the youngest grandchild’s upcoming first birthday party.
She came from a large family, and is grateful to have raised ‘four good kids.? The family experience gives her lots of patience and understanding in dealing with today’s students. After observing a lot of changes in culture over 30 years, Cashin has a simply philosophy.
‘It’s a big evolution,? she said. ‘Some of it I don’t like, some of it I do. But it’s still people; it’s still kids.?
There’s an evolution of sorts going on at the Church Street building which houses community education and the Renaissance High School. They are in the midst of a two-year renovation in the historic building, and it has taken some adjustment to shuffling of offices and the sights and sounds of construction work.
‘It has worked out all right. We’re going to be inconvenienced for the next year, but that’s OK,? Cashin said. ‘It will be beautiful when it’s done.?
When it’s done, however, Cashin plans to enter retirement next fall.
While she may serve as a substitute in one of the children’s programs for the first year, she is looking forward to having more time for her personal projects such as reading (especially mysteries), needlepoint, painting, getting together with friends and, yes, doing things for the grandchildren. She especially likes jungle animal motifs.
‘I’m on the go all the time, and when I retire I’ll still be on the go. I think I’ll still be this busy,? she said. ‘On the other hand, I’m really going to miss this place.?
It will be hard to imagine how the place will run without her, but she said there is a real team spirit among the staff. She refuses to take any special credit for her work in the program
‘I’m not doing anything everyone else in this building isn’t doing,? she said. ‘It’s a nice big family.?
In the meantime, she is thriving on the work she does and the variety of people she deals with on a daily basis through the various community education programs.
‘I just like dealing with the public,? she said. ‘We get the whole community. It’s a great place to be.?