Written by Cecelia Gill.
It’s been a chaotic morning, students are running late for school and trying to get to their classes, and as they rush into the front office they are greeted with a calming smile from administrative assistant Patricia Zwyghuizen. Zwyghuizen works in the front office and when dealing with attendance issues, general questions or Chromebooks lost, Zwyghuizen is the answer.
Zwyghuizen has dedicated 22 years to the high school. However not all those years were spent in her current position. Before she started working at the front office, she taught English as a second language.
Students at the high school come from many different backgrounds, not all them live in English speaking households. Zwyghuizen volunteered to help further those students understanding of English.
“I taught kids how to read and helped them understand a lot of content that was being taught in their classes,” Zwyghuizen said.
Her love for the students has carried into her on-going profession. However she had to resign from her original position when she started homeschooling her youngest daughter. But quickly after she resigned Zwyghuizen began working with former band teacher Max Colley.
“[I did] all his computer work,” Zwyghuizen said, “He was an awesome teacher but computer skills are not his his thing.”
Zwyghuizen’s compassionate personality isn’t only shown through all that she did in her beginning years at the district, it is also revealed by what she does outside of work. After the school day, Zwyghuizen isn’t done looking after others, she spends her time taking care of her mother.
“We moved my parents in [our house] six and a half years ago because they were not able to take care of themselves,” Zwyghuizen said. “My mother needs help, so when I get home, I’m a caregiver.”
Zwyghuizen’s remarkable character has been affected by many important people who have had a great impact on her life.
“I’ve had some good mentors along the way,” Zwyghuizen said. “My dad was quite a selfless person.”
Front office paraprofessional Sarah Whipple is grateful for all that Zwyghuizen contributes to the school. Her dependability, organization and compassion for others makes her a fundamental part of the district.
“I feel that she brings grace,” Whipple said. “She is an extremely hard worker that sets the bar high for everyone else.”
Whipple isn’t the only one who shows a deep appreciation for Zwyghuizen. English pre-AP 9 and AP Seminar teacher Anna Reynolds has been working with Zwyghuizen for two years, and shares a strong connection with her.
“[Zwyghuizen] is always sweet and supportive, she’s always there when I’m feeling down, in the same way that she’s there for a lot of students,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds acknowledges how essential Zwyghuizen is to the district. Everything Zwyghuizen does for the school doesn’t go unrecognized.
“She’s the glue of the school,” Reynolds said. “She keeps us all together and keeps us all in line.”
I did not know that.