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A warm, welcoming smile is often the first thing people find when coming into the office at Vic West Elementary. Administrative Assistant, Shelley Baird, loves her job and is a valued friend of the Parent Advisory Council. Whether it’s getting the word out to parents about school events, taking parent phone calls when our kids have a sick day, or designing our lovely new bookmarks (pop into the office to get one!), Shelley plays an important role for families at the school. Shelley kindly took some time to tell us a bit more about what she does and why she loves it.
1. What is your favourite thing about your role at our school?
Well this is my third year here at Vic West and I would have to say the obvious answer: THE KIDS!! I get to be a part of their day and they get to equally be a part of mine (not that everyone is out of class all day long lol). The feeling you get when you walk into a classroom and hear 16-20 kids yelling your name makes everything worthwhile. For me, I get to be a part of every community we have here in the school; the staff, the parents and the students. I get to come to a job everyday where I am a part of something and it makes me feel really good.
2. How do you hope parents and students feel when they come into the office?
I hope that everyone that enters the office from the staff to the parents to the students feels warm and welcome. I have 2 children of my own that attend school and it is important to me that they feel supported and welcome at their own schools. For me, it’s an automatic piece of the job…I know what it’s like for parents to be away from their children all day and vice versa, and I think it’s really important that both the parents and the children feel good about where they are spending their day.
3. What is the first thing you do in the morning when you arrive at the school?
The first things that I do in the morning when I get to school are to check the phones and see who will be absent or late for both the staff and the students. Then I am at my desk taking all of the phone calls about mostly the same thing and fielding any questions that people may pop in and ask. The morning is the time that I sit and make sure that we know what the day is going to look like and we can anticipate any surprises before they happen.
4. What’s the last thing you do before you leave?
After the students are all gone home for the day, this is the time I spend working on projects that I don’t necessarily have time to get to during the regular parts of my day. Things like the Vic West monthly newsletter or the website. The last thing that I do at the end of my day is to check in with the supervisors to make sure that all students have gone home safely. Then I spend some time getting things ready for the next day and tidying up my desk so that when I get to the school in the morning it will be ready for me to begin my day organized.
5. When do you feel the most proud of Vic West Elementary School?
That is such a hard question to answer because the truth is I am always proud of Vic West! My favorite thing is when people ask me where I work because I get to tell them all about the wonderful place I get to come to everyday. I’m very passionate about the school and I feel so privileged that I have ended up with a job that I love to come to. The Vic West community of staff, students and parents are an amazing group of people who inspire and encourage me every day.
THANK YOU, SHELLEY!
