Jennings High School secretary finalist for state’s Outstanding School Support Employee of Year 

Published 9:02 am Friday, February 2, 2024

Jennings High School secretary Deidra Reed has made the finalists list for the state’s Outstanding School Support Employee of the Year.

Reed, who is a front office secretary at Jennings High School, is among 10 state finalists who will be recognized by the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Education on April 10 in Baton Rouge.

The finalists were selected from over 700 nominees from across the state.

Reed is believed to be the first state finalist to represent Jennings High School as a support employee of the year.

“We are so proud of Mrs. Reed for this accomplishment,” Superintendent John Hall said.  “She is among only 10 others in the state that have this distinguished honor.”

Reed is the face that you see when you walk in the front office, Hall said.

“She is always smiling and always helping students,” he said. “She makes a connection with the students…She is a special person and always makes everyone feel welcome. We are fortunate to have her working in our parish and looking forward to many more years of her serving our students.”

Reed has worked 13 years as a part-time secretary and two years as a full-time secretary at the school.

She left briefly for three years and worked 23 years as a nurse and medical transcriptionist before becoming a school secretary.

“This is probably one of the only jobs that I have had that I truly look forward to coming to work,” Reed said. “Just the interaction with the students and the faculty – they really care about us as employees.”

As a secretary, Reed said she has an opportunity to encourage the students and make a positive impact on their lives.

“I want to encourage the kids to come to school to learn, grow and prosper,” she said. “Even if they don’t further their education, they need that high school diploma to be able to have a good job and be able to live a decent life,”

Reed is among the first ones to greet students at the door each morning.

“I am that smiling face they see when they come in every morning,” she said.“I feel like my attitude will cross over to them. So if I’m snippy with them, then that is what you are going to get back so I always try to smile, be kind and friendly.”

She continues to interact with the students and faculty throughout the day.

“As the secretary here, we are the eyes and ears of the school,” she said. “We’re the hub, so at all times we have to know what is going on and where things are happening. We have to be on our toes so the whole school runs efficiently. We have to be there for the students, administrators and the parents and you want to be that smiling face that makes everything okay.”

Her goal is to help in whatever way she can to make students feel important.

“Everyone has to go through their stages of learning and growing to become the person that they are meant to be and I hope I have inspired them to always do their best,” she said.

Reed graduated from Jennings High School as a junior in 1979. She attended business college where she graduated at the top of her class.

“The Bulldog spirit runs really deep,” she said. “This school means a lot to me. It’s part of who I am. My daughters and my husband graduated from here and it has always been an integral part of our community, so we try to make a very positive impact.”

She is active in the community having served as the former chapter president of the women’s Jaycees Club and on the Red Carpet Committee. She and her husband, Kyle, own a local martial arts school.

She also helps out with the Jennings High School and parish queen’s pageant, awards programs and graduation ceremonies.

In her spare time she enjoys photography.

Her work has been featured in photography competitions and magazines and is displayed in commercial businesses and residences.