Download Tides of Change Closing Session - Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit

Tides of Change Closing Session:
“Our evolving role in today’s school
setting” - Bob Spengler, Superintendent of Schools,
CASD
Or otherwise know as….”What would
our bosses do without us??????”
Overview
 Historical Perspective
 Today’s Role of Secretaries &
Administrative Assistants
 “Spengler’s 7 Habits of Highly
Effective Secretaries & Administrative
Assistants”
Historical Perspective
-Or, “How in the world did I get
here?”
Who Were the First Secretaries?
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Literate scribes and trusted advisors
Personal or “private” secretaries
Matters of state and commerce
Well educated and multilingual
Prominent position and status
Men only
19th Century United States
 Training for merchants and
manufacturers
 Personal secretaries in business
 Federal government clerks and
managers
 Predominantly men
 Civil War shortages forced change
 Invention of the typewriter
Women’s Entry into the Office
 Pre-Civil War
 Family businesses
 Government “piece
work”
 Social worker
scribes
 Civil War and After
 Government clerks
and copyists (1862)
 Treasury
Department
 Private industry
 Post war expansion
of bureaucracy and
industry
Women Become Typists
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First typewriter invented in 1867
Manufactured 1874-1878
Advertisements featured “type girls”
Copyist to typist
By 1900 90% “typewriters” female
“Sholes & Glidden
Type Writer”
Ilion, NY 1874-1878
“Mere girls are now earning from $10 to
$20 a week with the Type-Writer and we
can secure good situations for one hundred
expert writers on it in counting-rooms in
this city.”
Ad placed in a New York City Paper,
The Nation, 1875
“Young women are more contented
with their lot as private secretaries,
more cheerful, less restless, more
to be depended on, more flexible
than young men.”
Pernin’s Monthly Stenographer, 1883
IBM Selectric
1961
“100 wpm”
Secretary Needed
“Brite-eyed lassie to work in a “one-girl
office” in the Empire State Building
New York Times, October 16, 1966
The beginning of a new era…..
The transition begins….
 Tess:I've never worked for someone who is
younger than me before. Or for a woman.
 Katherine: Well, there's a first time for
everything. That's not going to be a
problem, is it Tess?
 Tess: No.
 Katherine: Good. Why don't you pour us a
couple coffees and come on inside. I'm
light, no sugar.
Professionalism Blooms
 Advances in office technology
 National Secretaries Association (1942);
changed to International Association of
Administrative Professionals in 2000
 Certified Professional Secretaries Exam
(1951)
 Expanded responsibilities
 School offices become much more
professional and confidential
 Schools become more concerned about PR,
perceptions, community involvement
Today’s Role of Secretaries &
Administrative Assistants
-or, “We do it all!”
-or “Anything Goes….”
Who are the Educational Secretaries and
Administrative Assistants of Today?
 One of the largest segments of the
office workforce
 Wide range of titles
 Shift in traditional clerical roles
 Handle advanced responsibilities in
today’s workplace
 More than 95% are women
According to U.S. Department
of Labor….
 Secretaries and administrative assistants are
responsible for a variety of administrative and
clerical duties necessary to run an organization
efficiently. They serve as information and
communication managers for an office; plan and
schedule meetings and appointments; organize and
maintain paper and electronic files; manage
projects; conduct research; and disseminate
information by using the telephone, mail services,
Web sites, and e-mail. They also may handle travel
and guest arrangements.
What else do we do today?
 Personal Assistant
 Manage multiple tasks
 Technologically savvy
 E-mail
 Internet research
 First level tech.
Support
 Copy machines that
have printing,
scanning, email,
etc.
 Keep your supervisor
on-time and prepared
 Public Relations expert
 Community relations…
 Lifelong learning
 Confidentiality
 Regularly changing
responsibilities
 Constant interaction
with varied publics
Skills for the 21st Century Office
 Project management
 Integrated software applications, both clerical and
student management
 Organization and scheduling
 Internet/Intranet communications and research
 Document preparation, storage and retrieval
 Customer service and public relations
 Community liaison
 Soft skills: communication, enthusiasm,
punctuality, pleasant nature, working hard and selfmotivation
Spengler’s 7 Habits of Highly
Effective School Secretaries &
Administrative Assistants
Be an Effective Communicator
and Organizer…
Relationship with supervisor
Direct communication
Pleasant and approachable
Know where you boss is….”some
things are impossible, I know”
 Utilize technology where appropriate
for organization, etc.
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Keep the Secrets!
 Being part of a SECRETary
 Confidentiality
 Personnel
 Student
 Be able to confide in your supervisor
 Comfort level (2-way street)
Learn, Learn and Learn
some more…
 Personal Development!
 Technology and application to existing work
flows
 Take advantage of every opportunity
 Be a pioneer!
 As Mark Twain once said, "I knew a man
who grabbed a cat by the tail and learned
40% more about cats than the man who
didn't! " Always be not one, but two steps
ahead of everyone else.
 Tides of Change!
Be a Juggler…
 10 tasks at a time…
 Keep your life and your supervisor’s
life completely organized – “You’ve
got to feel bad for my secretary!!!”
Have that personal touch…
 Schools are community-based
 First impressions are lasting
perceptions
 Friendly environment
 Everyone wants to be treated nicely
and individually
Network!
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Regular internal meetings
Avenues of expression and input
Seminars, conferences…
Tides of Change!
Have Fun! Remember to
Laugh…
 Keep things in perspective
 Establish friendship in which you can
“dump” once in a while
 Start a new tradition!
Closing Comments
My view:
-We create our own destinies re: future
opportunities, promotions, position
perceptions.
-You are true professionals!
-Proud to be a part of the Lehigh Valley
Educational Community
-Keep up the great work!
Thank you!