How often do you thank the office ladies? Whatever your answer, it is not enough. Anytime you go into our front office, you are greeted by the lovely Mrs. Treinen, Mrs. Cunningham, and Mrs. Werderits. They assist countless students, parents, and staff every single day. Yet, I rarely hear anyone appreciate them. This is an issue that ends now.

Many people think they answer phone calls and write passes. But they do so much more. To quote Mr. Marshall, “They run the school.” Their work never stops. Even while being interviewed, Mrs. Treinen helped two members of the public. Mrs. Treinen even comes to school before six every day so she can get the day started and make Mr. Jelinek’s coffee. When you are greeted by a happy principal in the morning, you know who to thank.

“We answer the phones, take temperatures, take care of attendance, and send out transcripts. Some of us do work for Mr. Jelinek, and some do athletic work. We also work with the public,” Treinen said.

Their job must be so stressful with all of the responsibilities and tasks they all have to do in a day. But they are always up for the challenge and never complain.

“Sometimes it’s easy to get a little bit anxious. But I enjoy the juggling of things. Thats what keeps me hopping—that I might be taking a temperature but then talking to a community member,” Treinen said.

All of them are always so positive. But how often are people returning that positivity?

“We are told thank you by staff all the time. Students on occasion. We do remind them, and then they’ll quickly say thank you,” Mrs. Treinen said.

Not only do the office staff not get told thank you enough, in my opinion, but they also have to deal with kids who never come to the office when they’re called. They have some friendly reminders and warnings to give to students.

“You are not always in trouble. A lot of times, you get mail or a note from a parent, or a parent drops something off. But if it is mail and we have called you more than two times, we pitch the mail. We are calling you for a reason!” Treinen said.

So, go to the office when you’re called! Also, next time you are helped in any way by any of the office staff, make sure to say thank you! It’s a simple gesture that is not only well deserved but also greatly appreciated. Who knows, maybe they’ll do something nice for you like excuse a tardy or give you a birthday gift (this is not me bribing you to be nice to the office; they will not do either of these things for you, sorry).