MacArthur Middle School (MMS) Registrar Heidi Chadwick said she loves working with students, and that everyone in a school has something to contribute.
“You don’t have to be a teacher to teach, or help somebody, or affect a life,” Chadwick said. “I like being able to make a difference. Kids love you because you can be like a mom and you don’t have to be in a classroom to be important to a kid, even if it’s just for five minutes.”
Chadwick said she began working in education to be with her kids more, and the schedule helped with that. She works to make the atmosphere a positive environment – something she didn’t always see herself when she was a student. She said even though she’s not a teacher, she feels valued by the people she works with.
“When I started working for the school system back in those days, I found out it didn’t have to be like when I was in school – it was a positive environment,” she said. “The longer I was at the school, the more I enjoyed being there. I found out everyone has something to contribute … I was able to spend time with kids and teach them things that I knew as an individual.
“I was given opportunities that I would not have been given had I worked in other fields. It has been good to work with people who see value in you as a human being. It’s great to be around positive people; teachers, principals, and just a lot of good teachers.”
With her office in the MMS Counselors’ Complex, she said she enjoys seeing how students can come into the complex on a bad day and leave with a much better outlook for the day. She said she hopes the students “see that the world is a great place and they can make a positive influence on others.”
“They can go out and be mentors, teachers, good citizens and kind people,” she said. “They can go out and do the right thing and make good choices. No matter what atmosphere they have in their own home or neighborhood. They can go and be kind and good people that make positive differences in the lives of others.”
Chadwick said “working with people that are positive makes all the difference in the world, like having good leadership,” and her principal, Kelly Mims, is “one of best principals” she has worked with.
“I have worked for a lot of good principals,” Chadwick said. “Almost every single principal I have worked with has been uplifting and has shown exceptional skills. They have been positive, they interact with the students. This is probably one of the best buildings I’ve ever worked in and I have worked in a lot of good buildings. Ms. Mims is excellent at what she does.”