Meet Cathy Daubert, who is a secretary at Otisville Elementary!
What’s your favorite aspect of your job?
In my position, I feel I have the best job of any in the district. As a secretary, you can be expected to deal with parents, students, administration, faculty and staff. I love to help a new family feel welcome, students comfortable, provide administration with necessary information, and assist faculty and staff with whatever support they may need on any given day.
Why do you believe in and support the work of the Minisink Valley School District and what it does for the community?
My husband and I have lived in this district since 1990 and our children both graduated from Minisink, starting in Kindergarten at Otisville Elementary. When I started working here, it was mainly because of the convenience – but I soon realized I would not be as happy working anywhere else. There is a special small town bond and in the 25 years I have worked here, there have been many events that cross between school and community, whether they are happy occasions, sad incidents or just hard times that everyone is going through. We have laughed together, cried together and have been there to lift each other up.
How has this pandemic refocused the work you do every day?
These are certainly challenging times for everyone. We get calls from parents and grandparents who are having difficulty helping their children with remote learning, faculty and staff who are dealing with all of the challenges that each day brings and our administration who are working to keep up with all the changes. Secretaries are sometimes the middle point for all of this and we do what we can to help keep it flowing smoothly – with a smile (because yes, you can tell if someone is smiling with a mask on – or while they are on the other end of a phone conversation).
Every one of our employees has stepped up during these difficult times and working together is what makes it work!
What do you want to say directly to the community about the importance of your work?
I am grateful for each and every person that I have had the honor to help, whether it was to answer a question, calm their fears or anxiety or pass along information regarding their children. We are all here to provide your children the best education we can, a safe environment in which to do so and to help them to become productive, responsible citizens and lifelong learners. It takes each and every employee of our district working together to do this and I cannot imagine anything more important than educating a child. I feel privileged to have played a part in your child’s life.