DeKalb Community School District 428

In recognition of Administrative Professionals Week, April 21-25, we’d like to introduce to some of the District’s outstanding administrative professionals who are responsible for making everyone’s day better and keeping our schools running smoothly. With a wide variety of duties and when no two days are the same, we’re grateful for their knowledge, dedication, and willingness to go above and beyond for our students, families, and staff.

Debra Flavin - Office Professional - Brooks Elementary

Debra has been an office professional with District 428 for four years. She loves being a part of her “Brooks family” and making a difference every day. Debra enjoys being “a Grammy” and riding a Harley when she's not working hard in the office. Given one day to do whatever she wants, Debra would retire to Myrtle Beach.

Kim Miller - Office Assistant - Brooks Elementary

For 20 years, Kim has worked with D428 as an instructional assistant and, for the last three years, as an Office Assistant. Kim loves that there are days when she can still interact with the kids, noting that one student she used to work with even stops by the office to say goodbye daily. During her time off, she loves being with her family, and if she had the day to herself, she says she would spend it reading at the spa.

Amanda Wojcicki - Cheseboro/Menta

Amanda has done many jobs with D428, including instructional assistant, office assistant, building secretary, student services, office professional, and administrative assistant. She loves the staff holiday parties and the chance to help and work with people. In her spare time, Amanda spends time with her family, and if she could do anything she wanted, she would take a trip to the beach or Disney World.

Joanna Pantoja - Office Professional - Clinton Rosette Middle School

Joanna has been with D428 as an office professional for three years and enjoys the opportunity to “support a positive attendance pattern” and provide students with “greater educational opportunities and success.” She loves spending time away from work with friends and family and working on home projects.

Ronna Farrel - Clinton Rosette Middle School

Ronna has been with D428 for nine years: five at Cortland Elementary and the last four as an office professional at Clinton Rosette Middle School. She loves planning events that “spoil the staff,” and her favorite memory at work is helping a struggling student who eventually made the honor roll. Outside of work, Ronna enjoys watching her kids play sports and going on vacation – look for her on the beach with a good book.

Ally Kley - Clinton Rosette Middle School - Office Professional

Ally joined D428 in 2018 and has taken on several roles, including coach, instructional assistant, and office professional. At school, she loves interacting and creating a positive bond with students. She fondly remembers helping families with registration at the Education Center over the summer, noting how special it was to introduce new families to the district. Outside of school, Ally loves to read and relax on the beach.

Nicolle Norell - Cortland Elementary

Nicolle has worked 20 years with us in D428: eight as a student monitor and 12 as an administrative professional. She enjoys helping families, and one of her favorite things about the school year is when the high school seniors return to the elementary school to walk the halls. In her free time, she goes camping and would love to spend a day with friends on an island.

Tracy Woods - Cortland Elementary - Office Professional

Tracy has been with D428 for five years, two and a half years as a safety monitor and the last two and a half as an office professional. Her favorite part of coming to work daily is seeing the students. Outside of school, Tracy spends time with family, shopping, or exercising. If she could do anything she wanted for one day, she would “lay on a beach and enjoy the sunshine and the sound of the waves.”

Lisa Roelfsma - Cortland Elementary - Office Assistant

Lisa has worked with D428 for 16 years. She was a cook in food service for six years and an office assistant for the last 10 years. One of her favorite memories is participating in the Cortland Sneaker Ball and seeing the excitement it brought to the students. She loves spending time outdoors with her granddaughters and would love to kayak with her kids “in a beautiful location.”

Hallie Knutson - DeKalb High School - Attendance

Hallie began working at Malta Elementary as a health assistant in 2014 and has been in the attendance office at DeKalb High School since 2018. She loves seeing the seniors have “all of their lasts” at the end of the school year and getting to know the students and families. Hallie also loves reading and going on adventures with her family at the lake. Sitting on a beach with “beautiful blue water” would be the perfect day for her.

Carol Pope - DeKalb High School - Dean's Office

Carol has worked in the dean’s office at DeKalb High School for nine and a half years. Her favorite parts of her job include interacting with students and making connections with them “that last beyond their graduation.” Carol loves to read and dreams of one day seeing the Aurora Borealis in Alaska or Iceland.

Angel Smith - DeKalb High School - Music Department

Angel started in 2004 as an office associate for the music department at DeKalb High School. Memorable moments for her include alumni returning to support the music department and mentor current students. On her time off, Angel likes spending time near the water for fun, but she would also enjoy a trip to the bookstore and “a cafe for lunch.” With one day to do whatever she wants, she would take her son hiking out of state “around a lake and gardens.”

Kayla Salas - DeKalb High School - Attendance/Discipline

Kayla started her journey just over a year ago at DeKalb High School. She loves greeting the students in the morning and coaching the JV cheer team. One moment that made her feel at home was when her coworkers decorated her desk for her birthday. In her spare time, she’s gaming with “Hello Kitty Island Adventure” on Nintendo Switch and dreams of warm weather and tanning on a boat.

Kelly Baer - DeKalb High School - Registrar

Kelly has spent over two decades with District 428, starting at Huntley Middle School and eventually moving to DeKalb High School, where she now works as a registrar. She recalls a memorable moment from her first day on the job, where the principal commended her for the way she handled a difficult situation with a parent. Kelly loves her work's busy and unpredictable nature, saying, “Variety is the spice of life!” She loves spending time with her family and friends on her time off and looks forward to spending a day on the water.

Rosa Marquez - DeKalb High School - Athletics

Rosa joined D428 in 2017 as a substitute and has since held several office positions at DeKalb High School. She fondly remembers being a part of the Walk of Champions when student-athletes advanced to the State Championships and loves contributing to their success by providing necessary resources. Rosa enjoys spending time with family and visiting her daughter at UW Madison, and would love a self-care day that includes a movie, a massage, and a “mani/pedi.”

Audra Henderson-Sawyer - DeKalb High School - Office Professional

Audra has been with D428 for four years, three of them as an office professional. She loves building relationships with the high school students and says they are her favorite part of the job. In her spare time, she loves to read and travel. If she had one day to do whatever she wanted, you’d find Audra enjoying a trip to Greece.

Edelee Hester - Early Learning Development Center - Office Professional

Edelee has worked as an office professional at the ELDC and Huntley Middle School since 2014. She fondly remembers when, after a break, she was warmly welcome back by staff and families. She loves speaking with and helping parents and welcoming students into the building. On a day off, you can find Edelee shopping at antique and specialty gift stores.

Jennifer Hallaron - Ed Center - Registrar

Jennifer started at District 428 as an office professional 12 years ago and currently works at the Education Center as the District Registrar. She enjoys interactions with her co-workers at work and reading at home, where she hangs out with her family and dog. If she had one day to do whatever she wanted, she would go to Disney.

Jaclyn Phelps - Ed Center - Business Department

Jaclyn has handled student fees in the Education Center business department since 2023. One of her favorite things about working here is the holiday decorations around the Ed Center. She enjoys making crafts and bowling for fun and would love to spend a day relaxing on the beach while reading a good book.

McKenzie Scott - Ed Center - Student Services

During her three-and-a-half years with District 428, McKenzie has been an office professional at Jefferson Elementary and a system operator with Student Services at the Education Center. Although no longer at the school level, she cherishes the memories she made there, getting to know the students and being a safe face and voice for them. Her love language is “coffee,” and she enjoys dressing up with friends for a themed event.

Sylvia Hansel - Founders Elementary - Office Professional

Sylvia has been an office professional with D428 for five years. She says it makes her day when students stop by before school starts to greet her. Her favorite part of work is assisting the Founders’ families and seeing the students “happy and eager to learn.” She loves spending time with her family at home and would love a day at the spa.

Chrissy Weber - Huntley Middle School

Chrissy has been with D428 for 31 years! During that time, she says there have been “so many” favorite memories, including Christmas lunches where “everyone lets loose and just enjoys themselves.” She enjoys her job and helping her fellow employees. In her spare time, she loves being with her family and going to the beach.

Claudia Garcia - Huntley Middle School - Office Professional

Claudia has worked as an office professional for three years. She finds it humorous that students confuse her with her sister, who works in the building and looks like her twin. Claudia loves “being able to work with a great team” of administrators and office professionals. At the end of the day, if she’s not having a self-care day, she loves going home to be with her family.

Aimee Lewis - Jefferson

Aimee has worked in D428 for 13 years. Her favorite memories are working with the students and hearing the “things they say,” and she loves working with family and co-workers. In her free time, she likes shopping and hanging out with co-workers outside the workplace.

Mandy McKiness - Jefferson - Office Professional

After four years in D428, Mandy recently joined the Jefferson staff as an office professional. She has enjoyed getting to know the “amazing group of humans” there. Her favorite part of her job is helping parents, co-workers, and students “with whatever needs they have.” Mandy loves spending time with her husband and dreams of spending a day in Italy.

Eryn McFatridge - Littlejohn Elementary

Eryn has been at Littlejohn for one year. While she recalls having difficulty remembering everyone’s names at first, she says she enjoys getting to know the students and their parents.Eryn loves to spend time with her daughter walking or shopping. If she had one day all to herself, she would take a spa day.

Lala Harvey - Littlejohn/Mitchell - Office Professional

Lala has been with D428 for two years, and in that time, she has made what she describes as too many memories to name. She loves “the kids and the great bosses” she works with and enjoys eating and shopping in her spare time. When asked what she would do if she had one day to do anything she wanted, Lala replied, “SPA ME PLEASE!”

Nancy Leon - Littlejohn Elementary - Office Professional Assistant

Nancy joined D428 this school year as the HSL for Littlejohn Elementary and now works as the office assistant. One of her favorite memories at work so far has been the students’ Spring Sing. She enjoys being outdoors and would love an entire day “to go shopping and nothing more.”

Tina Moore - Malta - Office Professional

Tina began her journey with D428 11 years ago, starting as an office assistant and working up to her position as an Office Professional at Malta Elementary School. She says she loves it when the madrigal singers tour the building, noting how special and inspiring it is for the younger students. Tina loves her “Malta Family” and how they have the children’s best interests at heart. A full spa day with “all the treatments” is just one way she would spend a day all to herself.

Angela West - Tyler - Office Professional

Angela joined the Tyler team in July 2024. Her favorite memory is Halloween, when she dressed up as a pink crayon and was met with high praise and approval from the students for her costume. She takes pride in her work, ensuring parents, staff, and students feel welcome when they enter the office. Angela enjoys making memories with her kids and grandkids and would love a day to “go to the beach and just relax.”