Polk County News
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • December 20, 2017 5A
School
LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer
Jim Dent gives a few Rope Busters some tips on Monday.
Dent
Continued from Page 1A
Even after “retiring” in
2000, he has served as a sub-
stitute teacher and brought
some of his clock collection
to share with students.
“He has really varied in-
terests,” Locke said. “He’ll do
these little classes. He’s into
gardening and brings in
plants to share with teach-
ers. He’s supportive of kids
who are Rope Busters, going
to their events when he can.
He’s done a lot for this dis-
trict.”
So much so that the gym-
nasium at Lyle Elementary
School will be named in his
honor.
Perhaps the thing he’s
most known for now, the
Rope Busters, wasn’t some-
thing he thought he’d be
doing to this day.
The Rope Busters began
in 1981, after Jim attended a
physical education confer-
ence.
“A lady there had a team,
and I got to talking to her,”
he said. “She said let me
come to your school and
perform. I thought, ‘Hey, I
could do this.’”
It wasn’t long before the
American Heart Association
contacted him to get in-
v o l v e d , a n d t h e Ro p e
Busters team was off and
running.
It’s not uncommon for the
team to attract around 100
kids each year. The kids find
a joy in the simplicity, yet
challenge that jump rope
provides, Jim said. He’s also
out to promote things that
he knows parents want to be
instilled.
“Behavior, responsibility, I
try to promote those things,”
Jim said. “I expect them to
be responsible. I expect
them to work. I also think it
basically comes down to a
three-lettered word — fun. If
they are having fun, then
they are going to put in the
work.”
Tiffany Crishman has
seen a noticeable difference
in her daughter, Audrey.
Seeing the thrill of per-
forming and mastering a
new trick never gets old,
Dent said.
“They will tell me that
they can’t do something,”
Dent said. “Then I say show
me what you can do. I give
them a few pointers and all
of a sudden, they try some-
thing, and they say, ‘Hey, I
think I did it.’ I say I think
you did too. Now, do it
again.”
Many jumpers stay in the
program for multiple years,
Dent said. Gumpinger was a
regular member until her
sophomore year and still vis-
its the team once in a
while — a testament to what
she took away from her time
with the team.
“You gain confidence in
yourself,” she said. “He
makes you work with differ-
ent people, so you get to
know new people and learn
to work with all kinds of
people. The older kids be-
iety.”
Johnstone said coun-
selors from Polk County
Mental Health are on site
to support anyone who
has anxiety, concerns or
fears.
Some toy guns are creat-
ed to look identical to real
ones. That was not the case
here, Mott said, as this gun
was made with clear plastic
and a clearly identifiable
orange tip.
Regardless, district policy
prohibits weapons in
schools, including replicas
of weapons, unless granted
prior building principal ap-
proval for certain circum-
stances or school-related
activities.
Mott said this toy gun
could not be considered a
replica.
This case remains under
investigation.
“I appreciate Dallas Po-
lice Department because
we have a great partner-
ship,” Johnstone said.
Mott said the Dallas PD
and Dallas School District
have conducted training
and safety drills together
for at least a decade.
“We do have a long histo-
ry with our schools, and a
long partnership with our
schools,” he said.
Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season!
— The Polk County Itemizer-Observer
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come mentors to the
younger kids. You learn how
to take care of people. We
even work with college kids
sometimes and we see how
to communicate with older
people when we wouldn’t
have had that opportunity
elsewhere.”
Jim is quick to point to-
ward others for the success
of the program.
“The secret to the success
of the program isn’t me; it’s
not the kids; it’s the parents,”
Jim said. “They teach kids
the right things. If it weren’t
for the parents I don’t think
the program would grow.”
To those who he affect-
ed’s, the real difference
maker is clear.
“I love the environment
he creates,” Gumpinger said.
“You can tell he really cares
about each kid.”
Continued from Page 1A
Jo h n s t o n e s a i d s h e
would hope that parents
would call the school or
district office and keep
them in the loop about
those concerns.
Mott said as the investi-
gation continues, there is
going to be a difference in
accounts in the case.
“The firsthand accounts
of this are going to look
different,” Mott said. “The
perceptions based on
some of the non-firsthand
accounts and the non-wit-
ness accounts are probably
creating circumstances
that are creating more anx-
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