We're Celebrating Our Classified Staff!

RSD is celebrating Classified Staff Appreciation Week March 7-11! Our classified staff — nutrition services, custodians, secretaries, paraeducators, bus drivers, maintenance and grounds crews, IT and all other support staff — ensure our schools have the resources and support needed to make each day count for kids. If you see them around our schools, be sure to thank them for all they do!

To celebrate, we are sharing stories from five classified staff members.

Jefferson Elementary’s Kitchen Manager, Anne Merrill, serves up a bit of joy with each of the breakfasts and lunches she provides to students every day. Students get excited when they see her, both in and out of school, and Anne has been recognized as the “Jefferson Lunch Lady” all over town. She credits the students, her co-workers and lack of boredom for keeping her coming into work everyday. “The job can be challenging, especially the last several years, but the challenges keep the job interesting. I never get bored,” Anne says. 

Mirza Gusic has a long history with Hanford High School. Four years ago, the former Falcon became the school’s Building Foreman, helping to make the school a safe place for the next generation of students. He also coached the same soccer team he used to play for. Mirza said it was odd at first working with his former teachers, but he loves being able to help the Falcon staff. Mirza gives much credit to his hardworking team. “It’s all about teamwork,” he said. “I rely on all my guys to do the work, especially at night. We all work together.” 

April Hellfeldt works for a department rarely seen by students, but she and the district’s 20 other IT staff are vital for maintaining all the technology and infrastructure RSD students use on a daily basis. April, the IT Systems Analyst for the district, has the complex job of creating consistency between applications and data they use, among many other things. “I love being a problem solver. I get to figure out solutions for a variety of problems,” she says. 

Samantha Williams, or Miss Sam as she is known to her students, appreciates the flexibility and variety her job as a behavioral and mental health paraeducator brings. Miss Sam works with all schools in the district, going to where the greatest need is. When an issue with a student arises, she is called in to observe the situation. Then she develops a plan to address the student’s needs and stays at the school to help implement the plan and follow up with other staff as needed. “No day is ever the same, and that’s what I love,” she says. 

White Bluffs Elementary School’s April Gosney loves interacting with students every day! Her job as the schools lead secretary means she has a hand in much of the school’s activities (and means she gets to work so many amazing staff and students in the process) while also regularly being the first person folks see when they come into the school.  “Being needed gives purpose to what you do, whatever your job is,” she says.