Staff Profile
Danielle Kincs
Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night keeps this loyal sentry from directing traffic or watching over the school with his golf cart. His name is Jon Pachkofsky, although to many he is simply known as “the security guard.”
Many students are familiar with Pachkofsky, who can be seen waving traffic into the parking lot every morning. However, few know his story.
With two college-age daughters of his own, Pachkofsky has begun to feel almost parental to the students here at BSM. He is courteous–always opening doors for people–and devoted to his work. “It gets in your blood,” said Pachkofsky, “It’s good to help people. Even if the people aren’t always happy about it.”
Pachkofsky has had a long history of protecting people in all different types of situations. “I’ve been doing security work for 25 years” said Pachkofsky, whose work has ranged from night-club security to airport security, to serving as an armed escort and bodyguard. “[I've done] mostly all armed security,” said Pachkofsky.
At one point in his life, he even ran an armed patrol in Florida. “[We] saved a few lives, threw bad guys in jail, saw a few miracles,” said Pachkofsky.
Back in Minnesota, Pachkofsky worked at Bearpath. He also worked for a security company, which eventually led him to BSM. Pachkofsky was hired because the school was having trouble with traffic. After serving as a part of the company, Pachkofsky was later asked to train other guards to fill the traffic position. “Traffic is the worst job,” said Pachkofsky. It was for this reason that no one could be found to take the permanent position.
Pachkofsky didn’t mind it too much though, because he ended up taking the job. “It’s a great group of young people,” said Pachkofsky. “If I didn’t [like it] I wouldn’t be standing in the cold.”
However, Pachkofsky’s job is not only directing morning traffic, it also includes watching over the entire school grounds. “I keep an eye on all three parking lots,” said Pachkofsky. He also makes sure the building and the fields are secure, sometimes to the annoyance of certain people. “People get mad at me,” said Pachkofsky, as he often locks doors, causing an inconvenience for the sake of safety.
But it is this extra caution that keeps our school safe. Many students and teachers remember the break-ins last spring, but many do not know the measures that have been taken to ensure that this does not happen. “Last year I kicked about 100 people out of the lots who were not supposed to be there,” said Pachkofsky.
Pachkofsky does not even get a break on nights and weekends from his security duties. “I’m on call 24-7,” said Pachkofsky. If there is a problem at the school or the alarm goes off, he will be there. He has also never missed a day of work, an impressive feat given the cold, brutal weather conditions.
So the next time he helps you cross the street or gives you a ride to your car when you leave your headlights on, show a little appreciation for Jon Pachkofsky, BSM’s “security guard”… and guardian angel.
Gotta’ get down on Friday
Danielle Kincs, Editor in Chief
May 10, 2011
Filed under Humor
Friday nights: the epitome of the high school experience. A time for dates, concerts, and rages (aka parties… see I’m not new to this, I’ve got the lingo down). Despite knowing this night wouldn’t live up to any Rebecca Black song, I tried to make it sound cool, telling all my friends, “Hey,... Read more »
I bought the beads! I promise!
Danielle Kincs, Editor-in-Chief
March 15, 2011
Filed under Humor
The smell of urine and garbage hanging in the air, the charming dance moves of the scruffy overly-enthusiastic man holding a mysterious drink in a paper bag, multiple shops claiming to sell “Voodoo spells and curses”… I knew immediately this was going to be a vacation to remember. Ah New Orleans,... Read more »
From bookworm to “California Gurl”
Danielle Kincs, Editor-in-Chief
February 22, 2011
Filed under Humor
I have a confession to make. I have a blue wig in my closet. I’ve showed up––rather, made an appearance––at a party with Pauly D on my arm. Yes, the quiet girl some think is named Daniel Kinks (that pronunciation is wrong by the way) who sits in the back of the class and––gasp––doesn’t... Read more »
Administration blocks Skype on student computers
Danielle Kincs, Emily Busch, and Emily Busch and Danielle Kincs
September 13, 2010
Filed under News, Top Stories
In response to students communicating across the school with each other via Skype during the day, the administration disabled the application on BSM laptops September 9. However within only hours of the school administration blocking Skype use at both school and home, students have already found... Read more »
Changes coming to BSM marketing and communications department
Danielle Kincs
June 22, 2010
Filed under News
Students may have wondered why the faces of their classmates have been turning up in their mail. This is only one of the projects the BSM marketing and communications department has been working on this year. However, with changes coming to the Website, logo, and other internal and external communications,... Read more »
What happened to genuine good deeds?
Danielle Kincs
May 14, 2010
Filed under Opinions
From a young age, children are taught to do good deeds for other people. This idea of goodwill is reinforced throughout students' lives from singing at nursing homes in Girl Scouts to organizing food drives in elementary school. The stressed importance of doing good deeds for others is even carried into... Read more »
BSM needs classes for “real-life” experiences
Danielle Kincs
April 19, 2010
Filed under Opinions
As I watched a certain friend of mine wander aimlessly in the halls after school one day, looking pitiful with jumper cables wrapped around her neck, I thought to myself: "Could this have been prevented?" Her car had died, and she did not know how to re-charge the battery and was scared of even attempting... Read more »
Heardontv.com
Danielle Kincs
April 19, 2010
Filed under News
Ever heard a really good song on TV and didn't know what it was called? Not to worry, the life saver that is the Internet once again comes through for us so that we all don't go crazy. Heardontv.com's purpose is in its name: a resource to find songs that were heard on TV. User-generated, heardontv.com... Read more »
Olympic obsession
Danielle Kincs
March 9, 2010
Filed under Humor
It was the first day of March and I had fallen into a deep depression. No, it wasn't because I realized that we were still at least two months away from some glimmer of spring (yes, the first official day of spring is in March, but who are we kidding? We're in Minnesota). The Olympics were over, and... Read more »
Italy tour update
Danielle Kincs
March 5, 2010
Filed under News
The world famous canals of Venice, Michelangelo's beautiful paintings in the Sistine Chapel, and the legendary Colosseum of Rome will all have to wait. BSM's planned trip to Italy has been rescheduled for spring break of 2011. "It gives us a year to plan and budget," said trip coordinator Mr. Robert... Read more »
Koshiol and Overbo saying goodbye to debate
Danielle Kincs
March 4, 2010
Filed under News
Starting next year, the debate team will no longer be graced with the same animated conversations or unmistakable fashion sense. Ms. Änna Overbo and Ms. Kari Koshiol will no longer coaching. After having coached for many years, Ms.Koshiol and Ms. Overbo have made the decision to discontinue due... Read more »
New student teacher is pursuing his dream
Danielle Kincs
February 19, 2010
Filed under News
For most of us, high school is the first step towards college, careers, and our future. However, for Mr. Alan McCarthy, going back to high school is the last step before his new career. Mr. McCarthy didn't come back to high school to learn the subjects again; rather, he came to teach them. Mr.... Read more »
So this one time in band class…
Danielle Kincs
January 25, 2010
Filed under Activities, Student Life, Top Stories
Sometimes they seem to go unnoticed--but they are always there, at every home football game in the fall. In the winter, they are cheering at the boys' and girls' basketball games, causing the Great Hall to resonate with the tunes of "Soul Man" and "Smoke on the Water." They are there at the closing... Read more »
Freshmen debaters sweep tournament
Danielle Kincs
December 17, 2009
Filed under Activities, Student Life
Kristian Evans and Adam Bamonti have been known to bicker like siblings, and as the only freshmen on BSM's debate team, they seemed to have taken up the roles as the younger brothers as well. However, on December 5, these two "younger brothers" proved that they were anything but the underdogs. On... Read more »
Battle of the brains
Danielle Kincs
December 4, 2009
Filed under Activities, Student Life
The average person probably wouldn't know the atomic symbol for antimony, nor the name of Medea's husband in Greek mythology, but at a Quiz Bowl meet, the contestants (and the questions) are far from average. Quiz Bowl requires the elite few of the trivia junkies and all-around brainiacs, many of whom... Read more »
22,000 bricks later: an Eagle Scout Award
Danielle Kincs
November 29, 2009
Filed under Student Life
On the cold morning of Halloween, volunteers sat huddled brushing off the excavated bricks of BSM's reflection path. Half of the bricks that once made up the winding path from the softball field to the track were already loaded on pallets. While many other students may have been planning out... Read more »
Enlightenment salon
Danielle Kincs
November 29, 2009
Filed under Student Life
Poets, philosophers, and royalty from all over Enlightenment-era Europe met on November 10 to converse and share ideas with marked British accents. Recalling their life stories and discussing the current issues of the era, the characters were convincing, seeming almost real--until one member of the... Read more »
Security guard devotes life to safety
Danielle Kincs
November 3, 2009
Filed under Student Life
Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night keeps this loyal sentry from directing traffic or watching over the school with his golf cart. His name is Jon Pachkofsky, although to many he is simply known as "the security guard." Many students are familiar with Pachkofsky, who can be seen... Read more »
Bowling team: the first “non-competitive” sport
Danielle Kincs
November 2, 2009
Filed under Activities, Student Life, Top Stories
The sound of crashing pins can barely be heard over Mr. Hawkins' laughter as the bowling team practices under the dim lights of the alley. For the nearly 60 kids who participate in bowling this year, this is just another day in the glamorous life that is the bowling team. Many students enjoy the relaxed... Read more »
ABC’s newest addicting TV engagement “Flash-Forward”
Danielle Kincs
November 2, 2009
Filed under A&E, TV Reviews
Dogs bark, people scream, buildings burn, then suddenly a helicopter falls from the sky. The highways and roads are littered with thousands of over-turned cars. There is death and destruction everywhere. The entire world is in utter Armageddon-grade chaos. There couldn't be a better series premiere. Immediately... Read more »
A day at the race track
Danielle Kincs
October 9, 2009
Filed under Humor
Some said I was crazy to go to Florida in the middle of the summer: the heat and humidity would be terrible, not to mention the threat of hurricanes. All I thought about was sitting on a beach, storing up sun for the long winter. I was driving with my grandpa and my brother on a three-day road trip... Read more »
