We all know that the principal isn’t really in charge of the school; the secretary is. The school secretary has the keys to the kingdom, and you’ve only to ask nicely. The school secretary easily works as hard as – if not harder than – any one else in the building, yet the position is often one of the lowest paid in schools. In spite of this, our secretaries show up to school with a smile on their face, day after day. Secretaries have the keys to our classrooms, the janitorial closet, and even the vending machine, and they certainly have the keys to our hearts. Here are 15 unsung jobs we should celebrate our secretaries for.

I see you, smile firmly pasted in place, asking teachers to submit their attendance for the 5th day in a row. How do you even do it? I somehow keep forgetting this simple task day after day, and yet you keep your cool when asking us for it over and over.

I see you opening the door for every late student each morning and every visitor to the school all day long. I often bemoan the fact that my teaching gets interrupted all the time, but really, you are the champion of working through interruption and interruption – and always with a smile for those who walk through the door.

I see you answering the phone for the hundredth time before lunch. Not only does the door buzzer interrupt you as you try to file my purchase order, but the phone rings incessantly, and I can hear the smile in your voice as you wish the caller a good morning. You deserve an award.

I see you talk down irate parents. Sometimes, the caller on the other end is angry, and you are a first line of defense to diffuse any tense situation. Thank you for taking the blunt force of all of the parents furious about confiscated cell phones and other disciplinary actions I’ve meted out. 

I see you pulling double-duty as the school nurse. You are the first responder for all booboos and owies. Any student who needs a Band-Aid or ice pack comes to you, and you patch them up with your kind words. Not only that, but you may be tasked with administering prescription medicine to students who need it throughout the day.

I see you, with toner all over your arms, unjamming the copy machine when I can’t figure out how to do it. Thank you for having the magic touch when it comes to unjamming my copies, replacing the toner, and refilling staples. I may be able to diagram a sentence, but sometimes the copy machine is beyond me.

I see you and your secret candy stash that gets me through those extra hard days. Sometimes, I just need a little pick-me-up, and you always come through with snacks or that piece of chocolate that keeps me running until the final bell.

I see you making sure the vending machine is stocked – and handing out refunds when the machine eats my money. What teacher doesn’t sometimes need a lunchtime soda or candy bar to boost their energy? I know I can depend on you to make sure the vending machine stays full of my favorite snacks.

I see you answering my late night or early morning call for a sub. I know your day often starts earlier than mine. How do I know this? Because when my son wakes up with a sore throat and I text you that I can’t make it in, you respond immediately. I never have to worry that my classroom isn’t covered, because I know I’m in your capable hands.

I see you, tracking down the principal with the skill of a bloodhound. Keeping track of the principal is a full-time job in itself, yet when I need to talk to an admin, you know right where to find one. Tell me the truth, did you sneak an AirTag into their briefcase?

I see you ordering my favorite supplies – and keeping them stocked all year long. You always make sure to order extra sticky notes because you know I need them for that project I always do in April. Pens, pencils, extra glue sticks, you name it, the school secretary can get it.

I see you coming in before teachers at the end of summer. When the end of summer rolls around and I’m dragged back into the building kicking and screaming, you’re already there. My mailbox has a fresh label on it, and the floors have been freshly waxed – all because you coordinate a massive “get the schools ready for students” effort every summer.

I hear you making announcements and manning the intercom during every emergency drill. Whether it’s the military precision needed during a lockdown drill or a gameshow host needed to draw winners in the no tardies contest, there you are, wearing one of your many hats again.

I see you buying the cake and cards. Thank you for being the person who organizes a group gift for special occasions, who buys condolence flowers, and who never forgets a birthday.

I see you as the starting point for literally every piece of paperwork in the building. If someone needs to order masking tape, who is the first person they talk to? You are. If a teacher wants to organize a field trip or buy bunting for the winter formal, who do they file paperwork with? That’s right, you. From permission slips to payroll forms, it all goes through you, and I do not know how you keep it all organized.

It's funny how school administrators think they are in charge, but we all know the school secretary is the boss.

School secretary, I see you. And I appreciate you. Separately, teachers are just individual cogs. You piece us together so that the entire school runs smoothly. Thank you for all that you do.

Dear School Secretary: I See You