By Taylor Novella
Editor's note: This is part of a three-part profile in The Branford Buzz about the new administrative assistants to the school principals. Read about Trisha Simmons here. Read about Megan Bozzuto here.
Being the “new kid on the block” is quite difficult. Being Mr. Briganti’s new administrative assistant isn’t an easy job, but Beth Jenkins is making it look like it is.
Before joining us here at BHS, Beth helped our community in other ways – working as a juvenile probation officer.
Jenkins had worked with juvenile offenders as a juvenile probation officer, and worked out of the Superior Court of Juvenile Matters in New Haven. Jenkins used to write predispositional reports, supervised pre and post conviction juveniles, and made referrals to community based services. Her new job here at BHS is more education focused and she had also said that it is much easier since everything here is in one building.
Although she has never worked in the Branford High School building before, she has worked with the Branford Public Schools system for about 21 years. She said that when she was looking at this job, that she knew it was a good fit since it was education focused. “It was just the right job at the right time,” she said.
When asked what she would have wanted to do if she had not gotten the opportunity to work here she had said that she would’ve liked to still go into something with education, either working with teenagers or college students. Jenkins had said that she missed being able to change kids’ lives and help them for the better. She misses working with families and young adults whose lives were being changed.
The students who have had interactions with her expressed how polite and friendly she is. While visiting her office Bella Urbina, grade 9 said “She seemed like she genuinely wanted to be there.” Another student Dylan Royka, Grade 12 had said “she’s a really nice lady…but she was nice and made me feel really comfortable.”
Although the final decision was hers, Jenkins was encouraged to take this job. After finding out she got the job, Jenkins called the people that she knew to give them the news. Her supporters were happy for her and she was excited to start her new job at BHS.
Her job here at Branford High is to schedule appointments, answer the phones, write letters, she manages purchase orderings for the school, manages fines and fees, contacts students for assistance, and helps with the 9th and 11th graders.
“She was really nice and very helpful,” states Morgan Selander, Grade 10. “She was very supportive of International Women’s Day when I needed help to photocopy some posters.”
