Staff Spotlight: Amy Magoulas
Amy Magoulas is a secretary at O’Connell Elementary School where she has become the “go-to” person to help her school community stay informed and feel welcomed.
She came to O’Connell and East Hartford Public Schools eight years ago. She had administrative experience and was looking for a career change that allowed her to spend more time with her small children at home. She found a great fit for her schedule and her skillset as a school secretary.
“It’s a busy job, but I love this job. You come in every day and it’s a different day,” said Magoulas. “The day starts immediately as soon as you walk in the door.”
Her first task in the morning is working with the rest of her team to ensure all the classrooms in the buildings are covered. From there, she’s answering phones, greeting visitors, and keeping everyone up-to-date with the latest information.
“Being in the school office is like being a communications center almost. Taking the phone calls, making sure that the messages are getting to teachers from parents, or if the student’s going to be absent, just making sure that the flow of information is going throughout the school,” she said. “You tend to be the person that everybody goes to looking for information or if they have questions. You just have to be open. You have to be willing to help people and I love to help people.”
Assistant Principal Melinda Grunert says Magoulas is “what makes this building work.” She says Magoulas is an expert at multitasking and finishes every project she’s assigned quickly while ensuring it’s of high quality.
Grunert says she also does a great job setting the tone, as she is often the first contact new families have at O’Connell.
“She is kind, warm, welcoming. Every student, every teacher, every family member that walks in here, she makes them feel as though they belong here. They’re at home here,” said Grunert.
Magoulas, who grew up in East Hartford herself, says getting to know those families is one of her favorite parts of the job whether they’re just starting at O’Connell or if she’s seen them grow up year to year.
“I’ve gotten to know families throughout the years as they’ve had their kids, since this is my 8th year, you know seeing a lot of families growing up here. I’ve gotten to know moms and dads, grandparents, aunts and uncles, siblings,” said Magoulas. “I love the people. I love the people I meet.”