Attendance secretary Jenny Vargas sits in her new office, which she moved into on Jan. 4. Vargas says the office is an upgrade from her old desk in front of the counselling department, and the new decor is only the first of many changes she hopes to implement. “What I’m looking forward to is making different changes for the people to come, as far as technology. Getting used to doing everything online and not so much on paper,” Vargas said.
By KATY MAYFIELD – Staff Writer
Former counseling department secretary Jenny Vargas replaced former attendance secretary Anna Lumpkin, who retired after 28 years at Clarke Central High School.
After former attendance secretary Anna Lumpkin retired in December after 28 years at Clarke Central, Jenny Vargas will temporarily fill both the positions of attendance and counselling secretary. The first day of the spring semester, Jan.5, marked Vargas’s first day as attendance secretary.
“It was very hectic, especially because I wasn’t able to be fully (in the attendance office) because I am still doing counselling,” Vargas said. “Today it was helping Ms. Glenn, doing the counseling, helping Ms. Anderson, because she was swamped with people so I just wanted to help her out over there. And doing nursing also because I also help out the nurse. It was very challenging, but I’m so glad I made it.”
Until a new counseling department secretary is found, Vargas will split time between her former and new job.
“(My replacement needs to have) lots of patience. Lots and lots of patience. And I guess, not to be so naive with students,” Vargas said. “They’ll see a new person and it’s just like, ‘Oh, it’s time to take advantage until she knows what this school is about and what we do here.’”
Vargas’s shoes in the counselling department may be hard to fill, but Vargas, too, feels that by proceeding Lumpkin she has a lot to live up to.
“That’s big shoes to fill. One, because she’s been here so long and then two, she does her job so well,” Vargas said. “Now that she’s gone they ask me ‘Do you know where attendance is?’ Then (they ask), ‘Who’s the attendance clerk?’ and I just think for a minute, ‘Oh, that’s me.’ I’m like, ‘I am the attendance person.’ It’s weird.”
Students like sophomore Maya Jones, however, are not worried about Vargas’s ability to adapt.
“(Vargas becoming attendance secretary) is fantastic. She seems like she does her job well because I walk into other people’s offices and they have piles and piles of paperwork that they haven’t done, and she doesn’t have that,” Jones said. “I’ve always had problems with attendance like my problem’s not being marked correctly… but since I’ve seen what she can do as a secretary I guess she can really perform as the attendance clerk.”
