In October, Dr. Brown announced the first ever Faculty Member of the Month. This award went to Mrs. Ford, the administrative assistant who works in the third floor office. Mrs. Ford has worked at Strath Haven for fourteen years. Before that, she worked in the school district at SRS for four years, as well as at SRA during the summers. When she came to Strath Haven, she was originally the dean’s assistant and worked in the cafeteria. Then she moved to the main attendance table on the third floor, working as a teaching assistant and giving out visitor passes. When Dr. Yannocone became assistant principal at Strath Haven, she offered Mrs. Ford the position of administrative assistant, where she continues to work today. Her job entails taking care of “anything that comes through the office”, such as taking care of teachers and students, directing phone calls to the right people, giving directions, handling early dismissals, and more.

“I have enjoyed every year here,” Mrs. Ford said to us. She spoke of all her jobs fondly and with enthusiasm. For example, when she worked in the cafeteria, she walked from one end of the cafeteria to the other. However, she made her job something more, making it her goal to check in on students and see if they needed help. This mentality is one of the best things about her, and it has only continued to grow.

Mrs. Ford talks about the evolution of Strath Haven and how the student population has increased over the years from only 800 students, when she first started, to the 1,200 Strath Haven has today. Despite the increase in students, Mrs. Ford still makes an effort to establish relationships with the student body and help every individual that comes through the office. She specifically mentions how special it has been to watch the kids from her work at SRA come to the high school and “blossom” into mature young adults.

Not only does she help students, she also helps the school. Mrs. Ford’s job is essential to the overall well being of Strath Haven. She knows how everything works, and everyone goes to her with their questions, whether they are students, parents, or teachers. This is especially helpful when Strath Haven experiences change. One change in particular this past year has occurred within the faculty. Mrs. Ford talks about teachers retiring and the new ones coming in. The office plays a key role in helping these new teachers settle in. Mrs. Ford’s position and personality, as well as her experience, clearly places her at the center of this transition.

However, even more than new teachers, the biggest change in this past year has been our new principal: Dr. Brown. Mrs. Ford talks about him fondly, saying, “He’s bubbly and all over the place and I like that.” Although, she jokingly adds, “Dr. Yannacone could give him a run for his money.” While no specific differences come to mind in terms of policy in our new administration, she believes Dr. Brown will definitely bring something new to Strath Haven. “Everyone has their own way of doing things,” she says, “We support him in everything he does.” Her support of Dr. Brown mirrors her enthusiasm for the school and students.

It’s clear that Mrs. Ford deserved to be named Faculty Member of the Month. The dedication she puts into her job as well as her caring and optimistic attitude makes her an incredibly important and prominent member of our school district. However, when asked about how she felt receiving this title, she was incredible humble. “I’m just doing my job,” she said. In addition to feeling appreciated, she also felt inspired, saying the award, “makes me want to do more.”