| EARLENE
WARD - SPECAIL TO THE SIERRA STAR
SUBMITTED
Sally Condon, the 2003 Yosemite Joint Union High School District Employee
of the Year, with Yosemite High Principal Steve Raupp.
“Our
ultimate priority is for the teaching staff to have what they need to
do their job.” That attitude is part of the reason Sally Condon was named
2003 Yosemite Joint Union High School District Employee of the Year recently.
Mrs. Condon received the award at the district’s recent retirement/awards
dinner.
The nomination for Mrs. Condon noted that she “has one of the worst jobs
on campus; everyone always has a problem for her to solve or fix and you
never hear Sally complain. She always gets the job done like it's the
only thing she has to do.”
Mrs. Condon is the operations facilitator for the district, a job that
includes multiple responsibilities ranging from technology support to
supervising the warehouse, maintenance and grounds departments.
She does not agree that she has one of the worst jobs on campus. She enjoys
the challenges of her job and she appreciates the people with whom she
works.
She says having so many departments under her supervision allows her to
blend the tasks in a way that uses everyone'’ strengths. “These guys are
so knowledgeable, they can do so much, being able to use their talents
is important. These guys are fabulous,” she says. “I work with people
who care as much as I do about how things will work and look.”
Keeping the school operating smoothly is a constantly changing job. “I
never know what I will be doing when I come to work,” she says. “The job
rules me, it tells me what I’m going to do.”
Assisting the teaching staff is high priority for her departments. It
may be fixing a door lock, getting the air conditioning or heat to work,
or replacing a broken key. “Teachers have to have a support staff available
to them to do their job,” Mrs. Condon says.
While noting that she loves everything she does, Mrs. Condon says her
favorite part of the job is being able to bring things together for special
events such as graduation, playoff games, the American Cancer Society
Relay For Life that is held at Yosemite High, and other community events.
The school is used a lot over weekends and in the evenings by the community.
“Bill McCabe (district superintendent) wants the community to use the
facility,” she says, “and I get to help make that happen.” She works as
the liaison between community groups and the school.
There are many elements to Mrs. Condon’s job. They have to make sure the
buildings are safe, that they are warm or cool and that all equipment
is working properly. When there are weekend activities, everything must
be in order before quitting time Friday.
She is also responsible for part of the inventory system for the district,
she is responsible for telephones, fire alarms, intrusion alarms and keys.
She is involved with some of the large item purchases as part of her duties
as warehouse supervisor.
Mrs. Condon started working for the district in 1995 as a substitute classroom
aide. She moved from that position to substitute bus driver and then to
bus driver/custodian. From there she became a full-time custodian, then
warehouse substitute before getting the title of warehouse/purchasing/bus
driver.
Now, as operations facilitator, she maintains her bus driver’s license
but she says she doesn’t drive now, although she could any time she was
needed.
Mrs. Condon was praised at the awards dinner for her responsiveness and
her knowledge of the facility. “In her many capacities, she has become
extremely knowledgeable about nearly every aspect of the facility,” one
person commented. “If you need to know something, check with Sally; if
she doesn't have the answer, she will get it.”
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