BY LARRY DUPEE
Special to the Times
LAKE BUTLER —åCourtney Edwards chose her job because she wanted more time to spend with her family and she loves the choice she has made. She takes great satisfaction in her multifaceted position as school secretary, answering phones and dealing with the students, as well as updating the school calendar, making maintenance requests and helping with supplements for summer teachers, coached and clubs. She is happy with the choice she has made and the people working around her are happy with her as well – happy enough that she has been voted the UCHS School Related Employee for 2021-22, an honor bestowed upon her by her peers.
The annual selections for teacher and school related employee of the year are true reflections of how co-workers view the person they select. Each is selected by others in their area, some of which have had the title bestowed upon them in years past. Selection means that the person knows their job, does it well and is a pleasure to work with.
Edwards has worked for the school district for two and one-half years, originally in the area of mental health with Steve Hoard and now in the office at UCHS. She holds a degree in dental hygiene and worked for a pediatric dental office for some time but found the hours and drive time kept her from what she loved to do best – taking care of her husband, children and others at home.
Edwards is married to RMC Warden Joe Edwards and rides herd on three kids, ages 19, 16 and six. In addition to spending time with them, she also likes to shop, go to the beach, go out to eat (preferably Mexican food), cook and travel. She is a Lake Butler native and attended Union County schools. She also enjoys working out, lifting weights with her husband.
While she said her job now is very different from her work in dental hygiene, she said there was a high degree of satisfaction in both.
“With the little ones, in the dentist’s chair, what I did was basically behavioral management,” Edwards said. “With the older kids it is more like teaching and passing on life lessons. I enjoy working with them and seeing them grow as people.”
Edwards said she was really surprised to be chosen as the school related employee for this year at UCHS.
“I don’t really like a lot of attention on myself,” she said. “I do always try to be helpful to others and always try to do so with a smile. This job is more challenging that the things I have done in the past…you never know who is going to walk through the door: kids needing to see the principal, or parents needing to see the principal, faculty members and sometimes members of the administration. I like the pace and no day is ever the same as the one before.”
Edwards said she is pleased and honored to receive the good opinion of her peers and to receive the honor they have bestowed on her. She was quick to say that she also admired them and the work they do and she was very grateful that they like working with her.
“I am so touched and grateful that these wonderful people I work with think this much of me,” Edwards said. “It makes me feel good to be honored in this way and I want to thank everyone concerned with my selection.”
