When people imagine the job of a school secretary, they tend to picture keeping track of attendance and answering the phone. Freshmen secretary Diane Dragan, who has worked in Plain Local for 21 years, knows there is so much more to the job than that.
While most teachers, counselors and principals only see a fraction of the student body during their tenure at GlenOak, Dragan is in the unique position of getting to work with every freshman in the school.
As secretary she handles attendance, parent phone calls, preparing for the school year and anything else that people need throughout the day.
“It’s busy here, and no day is exactly like any other,” Dragan said.
During the course of the 10 minute interview there were 10 separate requests from students and faculty members in a 10 minute time frame. Some people were looking for passes, others for photos from picture day, yet others for a copy of their schedules. Her excellent time management and organizational skills aid her in performing her many daily tasks, and her colleagues can attest to the fact that she is always helpful and great to work with.
“She’s wonderful, she’s just really supportive and she usually has the answers for everything. I’m in communication with her almost every single day,” freshman English teacher Angela Beshore said.
Beshore stated she frequently contacts Dragan to ask questions about problems her students are having, from locating forms they need to fill out to turning in doctor’s notes to setting up meetings with their counselors. A lot goes on behind the scenes at GlenOak to keep everything running smoothly, and Dragan helps to keep the D Academy organized.
Dragan stated the transition from the office building where she previously worked to GlenOak provided a nice change of pace.
“After my kids started school I saw all of the staff there and I really wanted to be a part of it. This really looked like fun, and it is,” Dragan said.
If you enter GlenOak as a ninth grader, there is a good chance that you will end up working with Dragan at some point. There is so much more to the position of school secretary than just answering the phone.