Office Manager of Aptos Junior High School for 36 Years to Leave
By Linda Waddle
Carol Roe, endeared at Aptos Junior High School as our “Queen,” will sadly be stepping down from her throne and relinquishing her crown on May 2, 2016. She has successfully held the position of Office Manager for 36 years and was Athletic Director for 7 of those years. Carol has been a friendly, helpful, caring, and supportive person to more than 25,000 students who have passed through these doors over those years. As a revered representative of the school she is often referred to as “the heart and soul” of AJHS.
A beloved personality in our community, Carol is well known for her good deeds and acts of kindness. She has an infectious laugh and wearing her rose colored glasses every day, she is slow to judge and quick to help, qualities profoundly effecting the lives of many students, parents, teachers, and staff members. Carol has the gift for finding the good in every person.
Carol has consistently made the office a positive environment and safe harbor for all who enter and her cheerful greeting is the norm. She keeps an iconic “I’m the Queen” candy dish on her desk to lure the teachers who stop by for a quick respite and a “sweet treat,” a double entendre because the interaction with Carol turns out to be the sweetest gift of all.
One of Carol’s many strengths is her resourcefulness. She solves problems with miraculous efficiency because Carol is one step ahead of the teachers and staff anticipating their needs with seasoned accuracy. She spoils the teachers by securing substitute teachers to spare them from the Sub Finder system. Of course, early morning phone calls to her are an inherent part of this generous offer of support. Carol wears many hats from managing payroll, budgets, and fundraising to organizing after-school functions and dances. She makes awards for every student, fills in as nurse when needed, and meets the day-to-day demands of running a school.
Many of us have benefitted from Carol’s generosity as she recognizes each teacher’s birthday. Her handmade and personalized gifts are coveted by the teachers and staff. A master quilter, knitter, and crafter she produces distinctive works of art that represent her love and passion for her craft. Carol shares her passion with the staff and the community and can often be seen enthusiastically sharing her textiles and ideas with people at school or at a local knitting bee.
Carol is focused on the needs of the students. Realizing the importance of having a place for kids to participate in sports, Carol always rises to the occasion when outside organizations such as AYBA Basketball, Aptos Soccer, or Aptos Little League need help securing a place to practice or play in the gym or use the fields. I’m sure many young athletes and their families had no idea that the gym or the field was accessible only because she opened and closed them when needed.
Thanks to Carol, many of the current and retired teachers remain a cohesive group who have shared their lives and supported each other over the years. When Carol’s colleagues express their heartfelt gratitude for her unwavering dedication, Carol humbly responds, “They’ve helped me as much as I’ve helped them. I’ve spent most of my adult life here. We’ve raised our kids together and gone through the highs and lows together all these years. My son and two grandchildren went here. From the bottom of my heart I thank the students, parents and staff for the memories. I thank them for the love I have felt for over half my lifetime in a place I call my home away from home.”
Carol’s personal mission statement is, “Never judge, treat each child with respect, enjoy their laughter, find help for their tears, and hope that in some small way I made a difference in their day if only by my smile. They always return the gesture.”
Carol started her decades-long reign and tenure at AJHS on October 14, 1980. She reminisces, “Laughter filled the halls most days and I can count on one hand the times I awoke in the morning and didn’t want to go to school. Every day brought a new experience and no two days were ever alike.”
With a renewed sense of purpose Carol looks forward to enjoying life, spending time with her family, doing her crafts and hobbies, Jazzercising, and “roaming down roads not yet traveled.” Carol will be deeply missed, but we’re hopeful that she will make frequent visits to AJHS because as we all know, ”Once a Sea Dragon, Always a Sea Dragon.”
Carol has touched many lives in the Aptos community. If you wish to express your gratitude to Carol, please send an email to [email protected].
Photo: Carol Roe