I am blessed with terrific people in my life. Every place I've lived or visited, I've been touched by amazing people.
Today I want to tell you about one of them.
We met more than ten years ago, when I landed my first principalship. She was the office manager at the school.
Now, the most important person on any school campus is the office manager. She keeps things running smoothly through all of the normal school days, but especially during the wild and crazy ones. She is the anchor of the building.
This lady was that and so much more.
She could teach a class on organization. Her system was impeccable. She had a folder or binder for everything, and could find things at the drop of a hat. I know seeing my piles caused her heart to palpitate a little faster, but she was patient and kind, as she rolled her eyes at my messy areas.
She was a wiz with the school finances. Schools have several funding sources with each having specific guidelines on how the money is spent. She was a walking encyclopedia of budgeting knowledge.
She was an excellent ambassador for the school, the community, and me. She was the first person someone saw when they entered our building, and they were always greeted with a warm, genuine smile. You see, whoever is out front, the first person that folks see when they enter your world, is a reflection on you. If they're friendly and helpful, it reflects on you. If they're snotty and rude, that reflects on you, too.
She had this incredible sense that allowed her to know what I needed before I knew I needed it. She anticipated my needs, and had things prepared for it, before I even knew what to ask for. This was an absolutely amazing gift.
She was my sounding board. She provided a level-headed, objective point of view. I trusted her judgement and knew she would tell me the truth, whether I wanted to hear it or not. Everyone needs someone like this in their world.
And . . .
She was the absolute best when it came to the 50 cent bets. We would bet about silly things, like whether the next person walking through the door would have on glasses or not. Really silly stuff, but it was so much fun. Actually, the bets started off as five dollar bets, but after loosing the first ten dollars to her, it was changed to fifty cents. We both kept a supply of quarters on our desks because the bets had to be settled immediately. No IOU's allowed. I know it all sounds silly, but that little game helped to keep the office a fun place to be in the hotbed of stress that was an ever present thing.
I've had office managers before and after this lady, and I loved them all . . . but she was one of a kind.
Please join me in raising a glass to my dear friend Deb.
Today I want to tell you about one of them.
We met more than ten years ago, when I landed my first principalship. She was the office manager at the school.
Now, the most important person on any school campus is the office manager. She keeps things running smoothly through all of the normal school days, but especially during the wild and crazy ones. She is the anchor of the building.
This lady was that and so much more.
She could teach a class on organization. Her system was impeccable. She had a folder or binder for everything, and could find things at the drop of a hat. I know seeing my piles caused her heart to palpitate a little faster, but she was patient and kind, as she rolled her eyes at my messy areas.
She was a wiz with the school finances. Schools have several funding sources with each having specific guidelines on how the money is spent. She was a walking encyclopedia of budgeting knowledge.
She was an excellent ambassador for the school, the community, and me. She was the first person someone saw when they entered our building, and they were always greeted with a warm, genuine smile. You see, whoever is out front, the first person that folks see when they enter your world, is a reflection on you. If they're friendly and helpful, it reflects on you. If they're snotty and rude, that reflects on you, too.
She had this incredible sense that allowed her to know what I needed before I knew I needed it. She anticipated my needs, and had things prepared for it, before I even knew what to ask for. This was an absolutely amazing gift.
She was my sounding board. She provided a level-headed, objective point of view. I trusted her judgement and knew she would tell me the truth, whether I wanted to hear it or not. Everyone needs someone like this in their world.
And . . .
She was the absolute best when it came to the 50 cent bets. We would bet about silly things, like whether the next person walking through the door would have on glasses or not. Really silly stuff, but it was so much fun. Actually, the bets started off as five dollar bets, but after loosing the first ten dollars to her, it was changed to fifty cents. We both kept a supply of quarters on our desks because the bets had to be settled immediately. No IOU's allowed. I know it all sounds silly, but that little game helped to keep the office a fun place to be in the hotbed of stress that was an ever present thing.
I've had office managers before and after this lady, and I loved them all . . . but she was one of a kind.
Please join me in raising a glass to my dear friend Deb.
Yea! deb!
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