Sue Nauman and Ann Glassey, office staff, Horace Mann Elementary

Kudos to Sue Nauman and Ann Glassey, Lake Washington School District’s “Staff Stars” for October 2010.

They have been described as the glue that holds their school together. Other staff members in the school say they could not do their jobs nearly as well without them. Sue Nauman, office manager, and Ann Glassey, secretary, are the office staff at Horace Mann Elementary. Their colleagues felt they should be recognized as valued members of the Horace Mann team because they have seen the school through many challenges - leadership changes, adjustments in student numbers and more.

The first friendly faces that you see when you come into the office at Mann Elementary belong to Sue and Ann. They work as a team to ensure that the school runs smoothly. Their humor and smiles make new students and their parents feel welcome and valued. New teachers have also commented that they have a “motherly” sense about them that makes you feel comfortable from the moment you come to Mann.

Office managers and secretaries throughout the district support the operation of their schools. Sue and Ann have faced a number of obstacles in the past several years. They have had three new principals in five years, an increase in student numbers and a large number of teacher changes each year. Through it all, Sue and Ann have been the support system for the teachers, students, parents and even the new principals.

Combined, the two have over 46 years of experience working in the district, with Sue working for the district for 26 years and Ann working for the district for 20 years. The two have worked together at Mann for the past 20 years.

Being an office manager or secretary is more than just buying supplies, bandaging skinned knees and answering the phones. These women serve as ambassadors for the school. Parents feel comfortable with them and often will open up to them about hardships that they are facing. That is how Sue and Ann often know if a student will need a scholarship or assistance getting funds for a field trip.

In addition to working at Mann, Sue and Ann also served as the office staff for the elementary summer school program held at Einstein Elementary during the summer. This was the fourth summer that they have worked in the summer school office.

Congratulations to Sue Nauman and Ann Glassey on being “Staff Stars.”