Celebrating Pauline Mills,
KPBSD 30+ year secretary, 1984 –
In her words…
I started my first day of work on my birthday August 7, 1984, as a secretary for the Federal Programs, bilingual, small schools, and russian villages. Then the district added Migrant Education to our office that year with the SERCC office (Alaska’s Educational Resource Center) from Juneau. I stayed in this position for nine years before transferring to Tustumena Elementary School as a school secretary, where I am today!
My first task #innovation
When I interviewed for my first position, I saw an Apple IIe sitting on a cart! I asked the interviewer if I happened to get the job … would that be my computer? He got very excited and said, “Do you know how to use it?” I said, “Yes” and he said, “You have the job and that will be your computer!” We further discussed that I would computerize the whole office.
“You have the job and that will be your computer!”
“When I started, my first task was to create a database with the students and then put everything else on the computer. I went to the Apple Store and after talking to a salesman we decided that Filemaker would be the software I needed. The Bilingual Program’s Plan of Service was about 300 pages. They had so much white out on the document, I couldn’t fathom how the secretary before me used the typewriter and white out to make changes each year. Migrant Education was new as well, so I computerized that program and went from school to school and sometimes to other districts to help get the program started. I traveled a lot to the small schools and Russian villages either to help with office procedures or computer set up.”
Tustumena Elementary #golden
I remember being very nervous about applying for the school secretary position at Tustumena School because their secretary, Mrs. Jackinsky, had been there since the school first started. She was somewhat of a legend! If I got the position, I would be the second secretary the school ever had and there was going to be some pretty big shoes to fill.
It has been very nice to live and work in the community where your children were raised and went to school. It is amazing to see students return for a visit or come back with children of their own that will start attending the same school. They say, “Hey, Mrs. Mills, I can’t believe you are still here.” Makes me feel kind of old because I remember them from when they were in kindergarten.
There are so many stories and memories, etc. that I could share, but what sums it all up is the students, staff, parents, and our PTO have made this job one of the best jobs ever … that is why I stayed so long … over thirty years!
The students, staff, parents, and our PTO have made this job one of the best jobs ever … that is why I stayed so long … over thirty years!
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“I am very proud of our staff that have been with our district for so many years. The lives they have made a difference with are incalculable. I truly appreciate what they have given the children of this district and hope they continue their careers with us for many more years! Thank you so much for helping our students and schools grow!” –Sean Dusek, superintendent