Mrs. Gramley impacts West

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Above is Mrs. Gramley working at her desk.

Victoria Melrose, Staff Reporter

The first thing a student sees when walking into the guidance office is Mrs. Michelle Gramley’s smiling face. Not only does this put the student at ease if he or she doesn’t know why they were called down, but it also helps create a welcoming atmosphere in guidance.

As an administrative assistant, Mrs. Gramley has many responsibilities. She decides when students are able to see their counselor, makes appointments, registers new students, coordinates testing set up, plans freshman night, and answers a multitude of questions. 

Mrs. Gramley takes that extra step to make sure students at West are comfortable. If somebody comes to the office in distress, she talks with the student to calm them down, then proceeds to guide them to their guidance counselor.

Mrs. Gramley said, “The thing I like most about my job is the students, and not knowing what will happen everyday. Each day is something different”.  It’s good to know that our school has an administrative assistant who actually cares about the students and their well-being.

When asked about her interaction with the students, she said “I especially enjoy watching you guys transition from freshmen into seniors,” She said it is so interesting to watch the students learn and grow as they go through the years. She even has gotten to witness the growth and development of her own daughter, Taylor, who also attends West.

Mr. Ostling said that what he admires most about Mrs. Gramley is her kind heart. “She genuinely cares about people,” he said. He said that each and every day she makes his job not only more enjoyable but less complex too. “She schedules appointments, sorts out which appointments are priorities, helps with homework requests, and always looks out for all the counselors’ health and well-being.”

She said her greatest accomplishment (besides being a mother) is the pride she takes in those certain students that come down to guidance everyday to tell her how they are doing. By those students coming and telling her about their progress and accomplishments, it proves that she has significance in their life, and that she has made a positive impact on them.

At West, Mrs. Gramley isn’t recognized enough for what she does here. She isn’t acknowledged for all the hard work she puts in, because most of her work is done behind the scenes, but she is certainly appreciated.