Jan Wilcoxon
Question: When did you start working at Blue Valley?
Answer: Last school year, in August of 2011.
Q: Why did you choose to come to BV?
A: My daughter went here, but I had also volunteered in the office for three years. I knew the staff that worked here, and I knew what this job’s responsibilities were, aside from the computer part.
Q: What is your job?
A: I job-share with Cathy Porter. So we’re responsible for all the students as they check in and check out. We also record the attendance in the systems when the parents call in or students are gone from classrooms.
Q: What is your relationship like with the other staff members?
A: They’re great. I love working with the people in the office.
Q: And with the students?
A: I get to do brief interactions with the students. It’s all coming and going and ‘How are you?’s, depending on the reasons they are coming and going.
Q: What do you like about your job?
A: First of all, it is a job-share so I work two to three days a week, and Mrs. Porter works the other days. Cathy and I are friends, and we communicate well. I like the school environment because I loved high school myself.
Q: What do you dislike?
A: Sundays are very hectic. The new system [Synergy] is a little challenging to learn, but I wouldn’t say I don’t like it. It’s just new and different.
Q: Describe your schedule for the typical day.
A: We start at seven, and the first thing I generally do is listen to the messages that have come in since the day before. Then we’re responsible for entering all of the data into the computer, so I do that basically all day long. We write some reports to see who’s showing up absent in classes, and we haven’t heard from the parents. We will then send out emails to notify them if their child is not there.
Cindy Snell
Question: When did you start working at Blue Valley?
Answer: This is my eighth year here, so 2004.
Q: Why did you choose to come to BV?
A: I actually worked here one year when Mr. [K. Dean] Snell became a math teacher in 2000 and then, because my son was younger, I got a job somewhere else because it was easier. I came back later because I liked it so much here, and I knew it was a great place to work.
Q: What is your job?
A: I oversee the workings of the counseling office. I get to be the gatekeeper for the counselors and for the Registrar. I get to meet most of the students here in the building as they come through and ask questions. And [I] also help their parents if they have things they need to find out.
Q: What is your relationship like with the other staff members?
A: I hope they feel the same way, but it’s excellent. The people here are very easy to work with, and they have a lot of moral character and integrity. They are a lot of fun. So it’s really good to come to work every morning.
Q: And with the students?
A: It’s fun at this desk because by the time the kids graduate I know almost all of the students in the senior class. I enjoy getting to know them, encouraging them and watching them change and grow as they go through high school.
Q: What do you like about your job?
A: I love meeting people, and I love talking. It’s the one-on-one interaction with people everyday because everyday is a little bit different.
Q: What do you dislike?
A: I dislike when people have to graduate. Or when other staff members retire or have to take jobs somewhere else because you feel like you’re losing a part of yourself.
Q: Describe your schedule for the typical day.
A: Usually in the mornings, it’s just servicing students who come in and have different needs. And then, during the day, it’s just answering phone calls and doing specific duties. After school, there is always a lot of activity with students, also.
Margaret Upchurch
Question: When did you start working at Blue Valley?
Answer: In December of 1999.
Q: Why did you choose to come to BV?
A: I had worked here before when it was the only school in the district, and I had three daughters who graduated from here. I knew the secretary here, and she called me and said, ‘I’m retiring and my principal asked for a recommendation. I recommended you. Are you interested?’ I said, ‘Yes,’ because I just love this school.
Q: What is your job?
A: I’m the administrative assistant to Mr. [Scott] Bacon. I basically assist him in anything that he needs to get done. I’m also the office manager, so I put out a lot of fires. My job is 12 months, so I work all year.
Q: What is your relationship like with the other staff members?
A: I feel like it’s a wonderful staff. The office staff has an especially great relationship. We’re friends — we do a lot of things together outside of office hours. Everybody gets along and supports each other in their jobs really well.
Q: And with the students?
A: I don’t get to interact with students as much as I would like to. Just being in the back corner, and most of the things I deal with are not directly related to any particular student. But the ones I do get to interact with, I enjoy very much. I hope they feel like they can come to me when they have questions or need something.
Q: What do you like about your job?
A: I feel like it’s a wonderful atmosphere with a lot of energy. I love being around the students, because as you get older, it’s easy to lose contact with what’s new and exciting in the world. Being around high school kids keeps you enthusiastic. I feel good about getting up every morning and coming to school.
Q: What do you dislike?
A: Sometimes there is not enough time to really do a job as well as you’d like to. But, besides that, there’s not much I don’t like.
Q: Describe your schedule for the typical day.
A: I do morning announcements. I check with the people at the front desks to make sure substitutes are covered and that there are no problems that we need to deal with in the building. I answer emails. It really varies from day to day.
