Office workers oversee student affairs

By Victoria Groenewold and Martha Perez

Students on campus are unaware of the full duties of the staff members who work in the office, such as the attendance clerks, counselors and others. As tedious and recurring as their jobs seem to be, their work goes far beyond answering phone calls, replying to e-mails, processing paperwork and attending meetings.

“We process suspensions, assist teachers, and answer phone calls,” attendance clerk Nancee Reck said. “But what I enjoy doing most is interacting with all the students.”

At approximately 2:15 p.m. on May 8, attendance clerks were taking care of the senior files that needed to be discarded in preparation for the following school year. Attendance clerk Robin Barulich showed off ultrasound pictures of her future grandson who will be born this June.

“I feel that we are the frontline of the school,” Barulich said. “All I can say is that the students make our jobs.”

Besides making sure students are attending classes and meeting with staff members, assistant principal Sean Moffatt is the administrator in charge of the Athletics department. Moffatt likes seeing the positive results students obtain from handling school work and extracurricular activities, especially sports.

“I find it rewarding because sports is what got me to college and through college,” Moffatt said.

The counselors’ jobs include accommodating schedules according to the needs of every student and advising upperclassmen with college applications. They also meet with students with emotional problems and students in risk of failure. Counselors organze guest speaker events, counsel parents, and spend time with the students. The counselors’ most important task is to help students by giving them advice because they truly care about their welfare.

“The best reward is when I see my students who have been in risk of failure or have gone through emotional problems graduate or turn their life around,” freshmen counselor Annabel Chai said. “If I make a student feel that life is worth living, then it makes me feel good and accomplished to have helped.”

Attendance clerks Nancee Reck and Ann Campbell are responsible for processing suspensions and handling student attendance.

Counselor Carrie Merfeld works in her office. Merfeld, and other counselors, spend time with students.