More than a secretary
Bryker Woods Elementary is like family for Ruth Hansen

BYLINE: Frank Campbell  AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN 
DATE: April 25, 1994

Ruth Hansen, the secretary at Bryker Woods Elementary School, has to wear many hats. In addition to running the school office, at various times of the day she has to be a mother, a nurse and a counselor while responding to requests from teachers and her principal. And she does it all with a smile and an upbeat attitude.

"I think she's just wonderful," says Sharron Standley, a third-grade teacher at the school. "I've never been in that office when she hasn't helped me out. She is always willing to help. If I was a boss, I'd want her as my secretary."

The work that secretaries do - taking phone calls, typing, filing, keeping the books and overseeing the smooth operation of everything from small schools to large businesses - is vitally important and often goes unrecognized. To make up for that in a small way, this week is designated as Professional Secretaries' Week, a time to pay tribute to secretaries for the job they do.

And in many cases, it's not just the work but the attitude they bring to the job.

Hansen, for example, is "always professional, always," says Ann Howell, another third-grade teacher. "From the beginning of the day to the end, she's always smiling and pleasant. I can't believe that she's as high stepping when she leaves here as when she arrives."

While Hansen's workday is scheduled from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., "she's usually the first one here and the last one to leave," says Bryker Woods principal Randy Thomson. "Sometimes I feel guilty about leaving at 4:30 because Ruth is still here, working on something."

Hansen has been at Bryker Woods since October 1991 and has worked for the Austin Independent School District for 12 years. Before that, she worked as a secretary in the private sector but says she prefers the school work. "It's more difficult, but it's also a lot more fun to be in a school," says Hansen. "I really enjoy the kids, and I like the challenge. It's never boring."

In addition to the daily school duties, Hansen is adept at putting out the small fires that spring up on a regular basis. When third-grade teacher Monica McCrory's purse was stolen, "Ruth was the first person I went to. She told me what to do and helped me call school security and the Austin police."

When some new portable classroom facilities weren't completely finished on the first day of school, Hansen was there to help. "Some of the chalkboards and bulletin boards weren't up, the restrooms weren't finished, and the blinds weren't installed," says Standley. "Ruth worked on a daily basis to help get everything finished."

"I'm very particular about what I need in my classroom," says Howell. "Ruth always works with me and takes care of things right away. I've seen her stop what she's doing to take care of something. Even if it's a little something, they're all important, and she handles everything gracefully."

Hansen also is called upon to act as school nurse and take care of sick children. She handles their illnesses with medicine, good cheer and patience. "Ruth knows the name of every child in school and their parents' names," says McCrory. "She is the cog in the wheel; everything rotates around her."

"She's really my boss," says Thomson with a laugh. "When I first came here last year, she was very supportive and made it easy for me to step in. She helped make a difficult task easy. Ruth knows the school finances better than I do. She knows how much money we've spent and how much we have left. She'd be very difficult to replace. In the few instances where she doesn't know something, she finds out.

"Even the most experienced school principal would want to have her working for them," says Thomson. "I have friends who are principals at other schools, and they would give anything to have Ruth Hansen as their secretary."

In addition to her work as school secretary, Hansen is active in her church and enjoys music and crafts in her spare time. "I don't have much spare time," says Hansen. "I do enjoy making things, and I have a teen-age daughter and a grown son. The six weeks off in the summer is time I devote to my family."

But from August to June every year, Bryker Woods is Hansen's family. With an enrollment of 370 and a staff of 40, Bryker Woods is a small, community-oriented school. "The children and their parents are very involved in the school, and I really enjoy the kids. Our small size makes it seem like a family."

"The people at this school are what make it seem like family," says Thomson. "And Ruth Hansen is a very important part of that family."