Lenore Bridges pivots in her seat as the first of the morning’s buses arrives. By the time students alight and reach the C building entrance, she’s propped open the door and put on a welcoming smile.
Bridges, one of Chapel Hill High School’s Administrative Assistant and Attendance Secretaries, primarily corrects attendance and makes changes to excuse absences, including for sports and other school-related activities. The other two administrative assistants who handle student attendance, Teresa Sloan and Evelin Coronado, work in the front office.
When Bridges isn’t getting emails, she focuses on letting people into the C building from the student parking lot and making sure the doors are closed and locked.
Despite the demanding nature of her job, Bridges finds great joy in interacting with students each day.
“[My favorite part of my job] is seeing all of [the students] in the morning. The energy that they have is really good. It is for the students,” Bridges said.
Bridges’s sentiment is echoed by students such as senior Sofia Nadel, who passes Bridges every morning on the way into the building.
“Ms. Bridges is very nice and is always there to open the door for people coming into the buildings with a smile,” Nadel said.
Bridges also plays a key role in managing the flow of parents dropping off items for their children, which she says happens more frequently in the front office but does occur where she works.
Bridges says that her job differs from similar positions in the front office because she receives more phone calls geared towards teachers’ needs and from parents reporting absences, and she primarily sees senior and junior students who sign themselves out when they have emails or notes.
Junior Declan Harden attests to Bridges’s kindness, citing a specific instance where she complimented his clothes and allowed him to grab his track bag from the C building student parking lot without a pass.
“She seems like a nice person,” Harden said, expressing his appreciation for her positive attitude and willingness to help.
Senior Yichen Sun is also grateful for Bridges, praising her for being “very kind and attentive.”
“It’s always nice to see [Bridges] every morning when I get to school,” Sun said.
Bridges believes that regardless of students’ academic performance, they can still achieve great things.
“Sometimes it seems like there’s more energy for students who don’t misbehave, and sometimes when that energy is channeled, that’s where the greatness comes. I want everyone to do well academically, but if they don’t, it doesn’t matter. They can still achieve,” Bridges said.
