Featured Career: District Secretary

In case you missed it this weekend:

• My First Brick Workout: I am looking for first-timer triathlon advice!!

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Time for another featured career! Here are the careers I’ve featured in the past:

• Assistant Editor at DiabetesMine
• High School English Teacher
• Project Manager and Senior Designer
• Account Executive
• Broadcast Reporter
• Sport Development Officer
• Nurse
• Newspaper Editor
• Social Media Specialist
• Event Planner
• Software Developer
• General Manager in Retail
• Kindergarten Teacher

As always, email me if you’re interested in being featured!

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This week, welcome Kaci from Kaci Johanna. I admit, when Kaci emailed me about being featured, I had NO IDEA what exactly her job was so I found reading about her job as a District Secretary really fascinating.

Thanks, Kaci!

1. What is your official job title and what exactly does your job entail?

My official job title is District Secretary – though there has been talk of changing that to Office Manager – of a small school district in Washington state. For privacy sake I’m going to refrain from mentioning which school district, or the area in which I live.

My job is actually a compilation of multiple positions – at a larger school district, there would probably be three or four (maybe more?) people doing what I do. I’m the school district secretary, high school secretary, elementary school secretary and food service secretary all in one. I’m the registrar, in charge of all student records, including scheduling and grades, and do a lot of reporting at the state and even federal level. I’m also our principal/superintendent’s secretary, so I manage a lot of different calendars. I deal a lot with the teachers (see: scheduling and grading) as well as students. Since we don’t have a nurse on staff full-time (we’re that small), I do a lot of basic first aid (think band-aids and ice packs). I prepare a majority of the school’s printed publications – the monthly newsletter, for example. Also, I’m the class advisor for this year’s juniors – soon to be seniors! – so I’m in charge of helping them prepare for graduation and raise funds for their senior trip.

2. How did you get into this field? Is it something you always wanted to do?

Not at all. I actually kind of fell into this job, after leaving my first job – at a newspaper – after I graduated from school with a degree in communication (I studied journalism in college). While that job was probably exactly what it should have been, I quickly learned it wasn’t for me because the hours made me miss out on so much family. So, I started thinking that it would be pretty awesome to work at a school – think of the possibilities! Weekends off! Holidays off! Job security! So, I started looking and BAM! I got lucky. So lucky.

3. Describe a typical day in your work life?

I typically arrive at 7:30 each morning at the latest. I check the phone messages, catch up on any emails I may have missed the previous afternoon and prepare the morning bulletin for teachers and staff.

After that, it really varies depending on the day of the week/month. There’s really no “typical day.” The first few school days of the month are always busy because that’s when a majority of the state reports are due, so I spend those days running various reports for the monthly food claim and the enrollment report, which is partially what our funding from the state is based upon.

At the end of each quarter, I’m busy finalizing grades and running report cards, then sorting them and sending them home.

I’ve sort of become the non-official school photographer, so any time there is a school function happening during the school day – pep assemblies, performances, etc. – I’m there taking pictures.

Other than that, a typical day involves me getting hungry at about 10:30 every morning even though my lunch isn’t until 12:30. I leave the office between 3:30 and 4:00.

4. What’s your favourite thing about your career? Least favourite?

I love most everything about my job – it really allows me to cater to the nerd in me and enjoy office supplies. But my favorite thing is probably my coworkers. I work with some of the most amazing, supportive people.

Which is funny, because my least favorite thing about my job is probably also my coworkers. While I love them, I also work with some irresponsible, selfish people… which isn’t anything specifically geared toward teachers, but is something I think you encounter in any workplace. It’s also pretty stressful being the only one who does everything I do, because when it comes time this winter to go on maternity leave (!!!!!)… well, that’ll be fun.

5. What is something about your job that surprises others?

The sheer number of jobs I actually perform. But really, it just makes sense for a small district like ours.

6. If you could describe your career in one word, what would that word be?

Fulfilling!

7. Anything else you’d like to add?

Go Blue!