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Oct. 30, 2023
Dear NWRESD Staff -
We are saddened to share with our Northwest Regional Education Service District family that longtime staff member Robin Lindsey has passed away. Robin worked for NWRESD for nearly three decades as an administrative assistant at our Hillsboro Early Childhood Center.
She was often the first person families would see when they visited our Hillsboro Early Childhood Center.
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As the administrative assistant at the site, she was responsible for greeting students and their families; making sure students were getting to the right classrooms; running the day-to-day operations of the front office; completing countless administrative tasks; and ensuring that staff felt welcome, included and appreciated.
“I’ve known Robin for 8 years and during that time as well as many years before, she was the welcoming face of our program,” says Liane Chappell, principal of the Hillsboro Early Childhood Center. “Along with many others, Robin was the first person I met when I started working at our site. She loved all the children in our building, knew them by name, and was often their favorite person to visit. She was beloved by many of her colleagues. My heart is with our HECC team as we navigate this loss.”
One of Robin's proudest accomplishments during her time at the Hillsboro Early Childhood Center was helping to fundraise for a proper playground for the kids to enjoy. She estimated she spent the better part of a year spreading the word about the need for a playground and then helping to bring in donations.
As a wheelchair user herself, Robin felt passionate about having a fully accessible playground that every child — no matter their disability — could access. The previous playground had a step down and was covered in bark chips, making it impossible for children with physical disabilities to navigate.
Reflecting back on that time, she shared that she and her team brought in a big water dispenser to raise money. And she involved the children as much as she could.
 Robin (bottom row on the left) and her team at the Hillsboro Early Childhood Center dressed up for Halloween in 2019. Photo courtesy of Liane Chappell.
“I would bring coins from home,” Robin shared in a video about the playground project. “Pennies, nickels, dimes, whatever. And we’d give it to the kids as they were waiting in the lobby, so they could put money into the jar and say that they were going to help build our playground.”
During the making of the video, she reflected back on her time at NWRESD. She shared that she had seen several supervisors come and go and had learned many skills. As the years went by, she lamented that her work became more computer-centric than it had been in the 90s or the early 2000s. But she said she would learn whatever skills were necessary because she loved her work and said her heart would always be with the kids and the families. Making sure they were enjoying their time and learning the skills they would need to go on to kindergarten was why she came to work each day.
“My heart is with the Lindsey family today,” says Stacy Rager, executive director of early learning. “Robin has touched the lives of thousands of students during her 28 years with us. We are so grateful for her faithful service to the children, families and staff in our program. Her absence will be deeply felt by all who knew her.”
Robin is survived by her husband, Wayne. He shared that after facing several health challenges in recent years, she died unexpectedly at their home in Aloha on Monday morning, Oct. 30.
Emotional support will be available on site this week at Hillsboro Early Childhood Center on Tuesday and Wednesday for staff needing a space to grieve, connect, offer or receive support, or for remembrance. Information about a celebration of life will be forthcoming.
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