Meet Kevin Murphy. security guard at Minisink Valley Intermediate and Elementary schools.

What’s your favorite aspect of your job?

That is a difficult question because there are numerous favorite aspects to my job. However, if I had to choose one, it would certainly be the interactions that I can have with the students and teachers. It’s a great pleasure to see the excitement on an elementary student’s face when they complete a task or project in their classroom. It’s also very rewarding to be able to assist our gym teachers, (Ms. Uhelsky and Mr. Potter), help an Intermediate student go snow tubing for the first time. They typically scream all the way down. We know we have succeeded, when they come up the hill and want to immediately go again. One other favorite aspect is to talk to a student who has moved on to the middle or high school. It’s great to hear that they are working hard and getting good grades.

Why do you believe in and support the work of the Minisink Valley School District and what it does for the community?

Having the pleasure of working at the Minisink Valley School District and raise three children who have graduated from Minisink Valley, I know firsthand the hard work and dedication of the staff and faculty. As a community, we enjoy the traditional educational programs. The district also offers and supports other programs, such as art, drama, music and impressive athletic programs. These extracurricular programs are typically run in partnership with our community through the participation of parent/community volunteers and local business donations.

How has this pandemic refocused the work you do every day?

In general, the main objective is to still keep our buildings safe and secure for our students, staff and faculty. One aspect that has changed is visitors to our school. Due to obvious health concerns, parents and visitors are not allowed into the buildings. However, with the assistance of our building greeters, class work and supplies are distributed at the main entrance. Our parents are always cooperative and understanding.

What do you want to say directly to the community about the importance of your work?

I would like the community to know just how important the safety and security of our students and campus is to the Security Staff and school district. Bus Driver Lisa Yodice stated: “We make sure your most precious cargo gets to school safely every day.”  I would like to add that when they get to school, the Security Staff, supported by the Orange County Deputy Sheriff’s and the Mount Hope Police Department, work to provide a safe and secure learning atmosphere for our students, as well as a safe and secure teaching atmosphere for our faculty and staff.