by Amelia Johnson (8th grade)
Each of our superstar principals have an amazing secretary to help them organize their hectic schedule. Ms. Gunning, Ms. Taverna, Ms. Santoni, and our new hiree, Ms. Koenig are the secretaries at CMS, but what do they do?
Each of the secretaries have special jobs that are personalized to the principal’s job. Ms. Gunning the secretary is responsible for Activity Period and PSSA’s. While Ms. Taverna, Mr. Lyle’s secretary, is in charge of athletics. Ms. Koenig is in charge of the Master Library, a district calendar to block off areas needed for a certain time to ensure no conflict.
All commented that broken computers were the most common issue they dealt with. Ms. Santoni, Mr. Kaplan’s secretary, is in charge of finances, and ordering of supplies. Many students don’t know what all happens around the scenes at our school, but being a secretary is more work than you may think.
“It involves a ton of multitasking,” Ms. Koenig comments as she motions to the many tabs on her two computer monitors with split screens, “I also have been getting nonstop calls that were meant to be for the main office not for me.”
These secretaries have many responsibilities that are in line with their principal’s area of authority, and most of the time the work they do isn’t fully recognized by staff or students. They continue to work behind the scenes and not get the full credit they deserve for their work.
Students might not also know that these secretaries love to see familiar faces and have kids come in just to say hi. Ms. Santoni and Ms. Koenig both started as lunch aides in the district.
Some might recognize Ms. Koenig from Whitemarsh Elementary. Ms. Taverna mentioned, “ I had previously been the attendance secretary, and I miss dealing with all of the students. The work up there was nonstop, down here it’s still busy, but not as bad.”
“I’m new to this school so the biggest challenge for me is learning everyone’s name,” Ms. Gunning reported, “also learning the way the seventh and eighth grade floors work too.”
All the secretaries noted that they love working with students. Many of us here just go to the principal's office to meet with the principal when the secretaries love it when you just stop by to chat with them.
Next time you walk by the principal's office don’t forget to wave or say hi to our sensational secretaries!