Phones ringing, papers printing, and pens scribbling flow from the front office at C.M. Russell High School. Filled with many roles that play a hand in controlling the school chaos, a familiar face has taken on a new commitment as the front desk manager ready to assist and manage the daily flow.
“The office is like a machine; our job is to keep it running,” Rachel Packer said.
Now in her fifth year at CMR, former attendance secretary, Packer, fills the shoes of Toni Atchison as the first face visitors and students upon entering the front office. Her career has largely revolved around secretarial roles along with substitute teaching, but this position was a bigger responsibility than any she has ever had before. She said she enjoyed the upgrade and hopes to continue to improve in her career.
“I am a hand in making things work,” she said.
Tasks such as organizing information, monitoring cameras, managing paperwork, and always knowing the right answers to students’ questions have all been skills that Packer has needed to acquire. A lot is reliant on her organization to keep the office functioning like clockwork. Packer said she has adjusted accordingly in hopes of creating a trusted environment not only for her fellow staff members, but for her students.
“I love seeing the change grow and being a part of it,” she said.
Having been a member of the high school’s family for such an extended time, Packer has been a witness to the growth of students from their starts to finishes. Having a job that revolves around socializing with kids, over time it’s impossible not to get to know them, she said. She watches as they progress from the moment they enter as a freshman to the day they leave to achieve their dreams as a graduate. Having three kids of her own, she recognizes the beauty in it. The kids are one of the biggest parts of her job, she said. They are what give the school the personality and environment that it has. Packer hopes to leave the school each day a little better than she found it, in hopes of contributing the most support possible for her students.
“I hope they feel like they’re in a welcoming environment.”
