Classified Staff Spotlight:
Hockey, dogs, and kids – those are Ann Pagely’s three great loves. Perhaps not in that order. A “Dog Wall '' in the Health Office at Kelly Elementary School is covered with photos of students’ dogs and a few of Ms. Pagely’s beloved dog, Stanley. And there are some hockey photos as well, including one of her friend’s son who plays for the Boston Bruins. But the students at Kelly are foremost in her heart. As the Health Technician at Kelly, Ms. Pagely is there for students who become ill, or get injured, at school. All Health Techs at Carlsbad Unified undergo CPR and first aid training, and most also have prior experience in a health-related field. For example, some have worked in a medical or dental office, or as an EMT. Ms. Pagely gained such experience in her home town of Victoria, Canada, where she worked as a registered nurse specializing in pediatrics and labor and delivery (and became a Vancouver Canucks fan). Healthy kids have always been her specialty, and her calm, caring demeanor and sense of humor are her calling cards. A few months ago the Carlsbad Police Department (CPD) selected Kelly Elementary for its “Shop with a Cop” program, where CPD officers take a group of third-graders shopping. Ms. Pagely helped organize the event and went out of her way to make it special. She put together a pizza party in the Innovation Lab a few days before the shopping day, welcoming the police officers and giving them time to get to know the students. She even made arrangements for a student from the special needs program to attend the shopping day. Ms. Pagely made sure that it was a great experience for all. At the school’s December 22 student assembly, Superintendent Churchill surprised Ms. Pagely by reading a very warm letter from the Carlsbad Police Department, commending her for her excellent work in making “Shop with a Cop” a success. Also, for four years, Ms. Pagely has been the Carlsbad Unified point person for the Assistance League’s annual shopping event for students. She arranged opportunities for students whose families needed extra financial support to shop for school-related items. And she continues to help with this undertaking. She also loves volunteering at the San Diego Humane Society’s Oceanside campus. For 10 years at the shelter she has been involved with training dogs (and their owners) to manage behavior issues. One day, when Ms. Pagely was new at her Health Tech job at Kelly, she was surprised by the number of students asking her for band-aids. She was even more surprised to receive the band-aids back from the students at recess, with “Thank you” messages written on them, in celebration of Kindness Week. “Ms. Pagely is encouraging and kind,” says Kelly principal Ashley Rossiter. “The staff and kids love her – she is fun and funny. She always takes time to talk with parents, or to let teachers know when she observes a student who is struggling. She is very flexible and a great team player, supporting the front office or wherever help is needed on campus.” Known for her sense of humor, Ms. Pagely keeps a copy of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” storybook in her office – as suggested reading for some of her “regular health office visitors.” “I love this job,” says Ms. Pagely. “I never have a day where I dread coming into work. The kids are hilarious, my co-workers are the best, and this is such a sweet school!” Ms. Pagely, who lives in Oceanside, has two grown sons and loves watching hockey. Julia Hart-Lawson, Carlsbad Unified’s Resource Nurse, says “We are lucky to have Ms. Pagely at Kelly Elementary. When parents send their children to school they are putting their trust in us. They can rest assured that our students are in good hands.”
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Carlsbad Unified School District
Email: cusd@carlsbadusd.net
Website: https://www.carlsbadusd.net
Location: 6225 El Camino Real, Carlsbad, CA, USA
Phone: 760-331-5000
Facebook: facebook.com/CarlsbadUnifiedSchools
Twitter: @CarlsbadUSD