When you enter the main office area at Clear Lake Elementary, you may be surprised to see a new face sitting behind the secretary’s desk.
After eight years of working as the school’s secretary and seven as a paraprofessional, Lori Dean decided to leave her large ‘family? at Clear Lake in December.
Now, Oxford resident and former middle school secretary Shelley Green will be taking over Dean’s duties full-time alongside part-timer Lisa Hock.
Dean and her husband packed up their things and moved down to Florida because of the poor economy here in Michigan.
She now works as a bookkeeper and collections person for an attorney’s office in the Tampa area, while her husband drives semi-trucks.
The couple’s three children, all in their early 20s, stayed in Michigan, which has been ‘difficult? for Dean.
‘I love the weather here and I’m sure someday I’ll feel like this is home, but it seems like an extended vacation so far,? she said. ‘It is still so surreal to me.?
Also difficult for Dean was her last day at Clear Lake on Dec. 21. She said it was ‘one of the most rewarding, exhausting, overwhelming and emotional days? she’s ever lived through.
‘I will miss the people, staff, students and parents the most,? she said.
Green now has some big shoes to fill in Dean’s absence, but she’s ‘looking forward to the challenge.?
Green has worked in the Oxford School District for 31/2 years and this is her fourth position.
She started in Oxford as a secretary for the district’s maintenance department, then became the secretary for both the maintenance and special education departments before moving to secretary at OMS in August of 2005.
Her goal as full-time secretary at Clear Lake is to ‘stay put.?
‘I plan on being here until I retire,? she said. ‘I love working in Oxford schools.?
Although ‘Mrs. Dean,? as she was always called, had no problem learning the names of the 517 students at the school, Green said she has more of an apprehension about learning all the teacher’s names and what they teach.
‘The parents and the kids will help me along,? she said with a smile.
Green has lived in Oxford for five years with her husband of almost 29 years, Robert. The Greens have two daughters in their 20s.
Ironically, when the Greens were first searching for a house in Oxford they looked at one across from Clear Lake Elementary.
Green remembers thinking, ‘oh, what a nice school.?
Now, she said, it’s like she’s come full circle. ‘I never dreamed I’d end up here,? she said.