Coppell High School administrative assistant Anne Ruedi was selected by The Sidekick as the May Teacher of the Issue. She came to CHS after substituting in Coppell ISD, primarily Coppell Middle School East, for four years. Along with serving in a supportive role, Ruedi has six children, the youngest of which, CHS senior Joe Ruedi, is graduating this year.

What do you do as an administrative assistant?

The work I do here is work with the lead counselor and a few other counselors, and I support them in their role. I work with college transcripts, I work with the students needing them. I work with some of the data, uploading the data and getting that into Naviance. I work for the associate principal, Melissa Arnold, in discipline and attendance. I also do the same for Joseph Smith, the assistant principal.

Why did you decide to be an administrative assistant?

I decided to be an administrative assistant probably about eight years ago, but in my previous jobs, I’ve always been in a support role. I always feel that an administrative assistant, or secretary, is somebody who handles lots of moving parts and details for who they support and supporting their role of whatever they do. I’ve always been in that support role, so I always feel like that’s a role of service and support for whoever I’m assigned to. That’s how I took it on because I just felt like that was my call.

What interests you about your role?

I like to do projects. I enjoy learning new processes. I enjoy supporting the counselors and people I work for because it makes them more efficient. I enjoy the different learning abilities and learning lots of different things about the jobs. I enjoy working with the students who come here and are in need every day to come back into school with attendance, or need a transcript, or need to get to college, or need something specific. In that role, we’re always giving something to them and giving them the next step. I just enjoy supporting them and knowing they’re getting what they need.

Where did you attend college?

I got my degree from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Ill., where Tony Romo went, and met my husband there. I graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science in marketing and a minor in economics.

How do you balance work with being a mother?

I balance it by preparing and getting myself ready the day before I come to work. When I get home, I prepare for the next day. I prepare food for the next day, I do my grocery shopping after work or on the weekends and always meal prep. I try to get some of my at-home chores done. I always found administratively, it’s very helpful to have a list of things I actually do every single day. I might clean up a closet or bathroom or do laundry and all that so when I get home, I’m not overwhelmed, or my whole weekend is not spent doing that.

What do you think the future holds for Joe?

The future for Joe is going to be amazing. Joe is so ready for [Harding University], even though I’m sad to see him go. It’s going to be the next chapter that’s really going to help him come alive even more. He’s going to do some amazing things with his innate skills; he’s got a good common sense to him where he sees things, he’s very intuitive. That’s going to lend itself for him in being creative and marketing and his music. Joe works out every single day and trains himself so he can be the strongest and the best he can for what he’s doing. That’s why Joe can handle the running the way he does, because he trains himself, but he likes it, and he’s challenged by it.

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