Ms. Callan spends her days working in the Principal’s Office. Her desk is surrounded by glass walls, allowing her to view the many students and faculty that pass by. She often peers out the window, wishing to build a deeper connection with others. Even though her office is visible to the public, few are aware of her vital role in the community.
Ms. Callan is the Administrative Assistant to Principal Rico at Bellows Free Academy. This role contains many moving parts as she juggles supporting the principal and coordinating tasks such as scheduling, documenting, communicating, and so much more. Additionally, She is the graduation coordinator. This means she works closely with the seniors up until graduation. This process begins as early as September as she carries out assignments in order to orchestrate a successful event for around twenty-two hundred people. As she navigates her seventh school year at BFA her excitement to interact with others is apparent.
In the past, Ms.Callan has often found herself gravitating towards high heels and other shoe options as a form of self-expression, however, due to her fast-paced schedule and a knee injury sustained in a skiing accident in 2012. She now prefers comfort. Her sneakers are a midnight black speckled with plum accents. To put oneself in these shoes, a feeling of radiant kindness and empathy would warm the soul.
Throughout her life, she has been told that her empathetic and caring nature sets her apart from those around her. Her genuine passion for helping others contributes to her attention to detail and organizational skills in her career and personal life. She finds comfort in her ability to assist her community. Ms.Callan prioritizes her support for the seniors at BFA, especially as they prepare to graduate. She hopes to be a beacon of light that guides the students through a stressful time. Her position also includes being one of the primary supports of the principal. The assistance she provides is slightly different in comparison to her role with students as she must constantly adapt. This is because the principals to whom she has been an assistant have often had differing management styles.
When faced with a bad day, Ms. Callan finds it helpful to use healthy coping mechanisms, like “dancing it off.” She goes on walks and takes a moment to step away because it is beneficial, allowing her to possess a clearer headspace. Having a good support system helps give her strength as it allows her to vent and release some of the big emotions she might be feeling. The Fab Five- her friend group, which contains a combination of friends from her early childhood and college- has managed to stay friends and keep in contact throughout the many years and experiences they have endured. She also finds support from her son, mom, dad, and brother. However, She finds that she is more often a support for them but she still finds their presence a reminder of the importance of family. She carries the belief that creating a network of community is highly important because it ensures that there will always be someone to look to and it allows her to be that person of support for others. Ms.Callan highlights the importance of having people to “share life with.”
An influential event that deeply impacted her life and challenged her resilience was when she lost her job at Mylan Technologies. After working at the company for 25 years, it was decided that the business would carry out a global strategic cutback and let thirty-five employees go including her. This was especially devastating as she had worked hard to gain a middle management position. After this event occurred she felt lost. After growing confident in her role in the company, the sudden loss shook her. She found that she experienced a lot of strong emotions that felt overwhelming. Instead of letting this negative experience consume her, she went to Cozumel, Mexico. During this time, she stayed in a bungalow and took the time to come to terms with what occurred and heal. Even though the future was unknown, she needed that time to start over and regroup mentally. A life-changing event can shake anyone up, but to possess the determination to grow and learn from the encounter takes strength.
Taking this notion to heart, she has found a way to prosper among challenges. Ms. Callan stated that her son is her proudest achievement in life. When her son was in high school, she assumed the role of the sole caregiver for her son. She understood that children need their parents to be there and support them so this led to her taking on both roles for her son. Now twenty-six years old, She takes pride in her resilience due to her ability to thrive as a single parent and help her son succeed.
At BFA, Ms.Callan recognizes this intense sense of community. When she first began her job as an Administrative Assistant she found many veteran teachers made her feel like a member of the BFA population. Their presence made her feel more welcome as they took the time to build a connection with her. She finds that this sense of connection and personal relationships is what encourages a positive environment. In her own experience, as an alumni of BFA, having positive teachers has truly helped her to where she is today. She reminisces about her previous teachers in the business department and their willingness to aid her and take the time to get to know her as an individual. Without their guidance, she believes that she may have had a different career path. The teachers who focus on student’s strengths and personality lead to the best outcomes. As the students have a safe, positive outlet that they can turn to.
One growing obstacle that Ms.Callan has witnessed at BFA is a sense of rushing that has caused a disconnect in the community. She wishes that there was more quality time that could be spent as an entire BFA population. In her experience in the Principal’s office, It can get very busy and hectic so she finds that it is hard to find time in which connections on a more personal level can form. In the hallways, she has noticed that the transition period is very short, leading to a minimal amount of connection outside of the typical classes. She is not sure exactly how change in this area could occur. However, she strongly believes that the fast-paced environment should be altered in order to build better relationships. Ms. Callan mentions how within the faculty, there are efforts to bring everyone together through pot-lucks and getting new staff better acquainted across departments. Taking the time to better understand each other and communicate builds a strong community. She believes that when communicating, listening is more important than talking. This is because it allows others to feel heard and seen. She finds that people feel rushed and don’t see/hear each other. She stated, “We’ve got to find ways to slow down and really hear each other. We have gotten away from getting people together and I think that is what is needed.” She believes that together as a community the disconnect can be healed.
As Ms.Callan reflects on her past she wishes that her younger self lived more in the moment. Throughout her life, she has often had a perfectionist mindset. As she has grown older, she finds that letting some mistakes go and enjoying the smaller moments in life allows her to have a more positive headspace. She finds that this act of slowing down was something she had to learn. This act of taking the time to enjoy life is something she looks forward to implementing more in the future as she hopes to become a “snowbird”. A “snowbird” is someone who lives up north but lives in the south to avoid the cold winter months. She hopes that this migratory lifestyle will allow her to avoid the societal pressures of living materialistically. She hopes to find a space where she can be immersed in nature and live life to the fullest.
Sitting in the glass office, the challenges and triumphs of her life fluctuate like waves of a vast sea. Wading through the waters of her life experiences, her coal-black shoes remain dry as her soul radiates positivity and warmth. Time slows as Ms.Callan imagines her future and the connections she will build with others as she continues to impact the BFA Community.
