After the long Bank Holiday weekend, we come back with a special edition of our “Teacher Tuesday” blog. Our guest today is not a teacher, but an incredible and skilful staff member who has been part of the Ealing College Community for six years: Maria.
Maria is currently our Absence Officer and Administrative Support team member.
If you are a parent and your child has ever been either off school or late in the morning, you would have heard Maria’s voice on the phone, asking politely to have more information about the absence or lateness to school.
But let’s start from the beginning, and explore how her role has changed over the years.
Having started in 2016, Maria had the challenging job of managing the Boarding House where we used to accommodate our International Students; the Boarding House was once in Ealing Common.
Her role included a wide range of responsibilities: from making sure that the students woke up at the right time, to preparing dinner and keeping the House tidy. However, Maria feels that her main duty was actually to make the house a welcoming and warming place, so that the boys who used the facility would still experience a homely feeling.
Maria worked at the Boarding House until the moment it closed in 2017.
However, after her role at the time ceased existing, she was asked and encouraged to move to the main building and take over a new role, as she was a valued member of the EIC Community.
Therefore, Maria took over the cleaner role, but proactively offered to help with Administrative tasks as well.
The College soon realised that her skills could be used in the Office too, and she has been an essential part of the Admin Team ever since.
Today, Maria supervises registers and checks absences. She is the main point of contact with families in regards to days off school. The frequent phone calls that she would make on a daily basis make her job always dynamic and never dull, and there is not one day that is similar to another.
What Maria enjoys the most about her role is, in fact, how varied and unpredictable every day is, other than the strong community feel that the College gives away.
Indeed, Maria believes that the College’s strength lies in its positive, inclusive and welcoming atmosphere, palpable from the moment a visitor comes in.
Maria states that Ealing Independent College “gives students a chance to start again, to do better, or sometimes gives just a chance to be themselves. And everyone deserves a chance”.
She also adds that there is a real loving relationship between teachers and other members of staff, that keeps alive a powerful sense of Community. This characteristic, in her opinion, makes Ealing College a different work environment from any other.
We believe that Maria’s answer entirely reflects her kind and loving personality. Whoever has ever had a conversation with her has surely found in her not only a great listener, but also a considerate person, able to provide wise advice.
In her life outside of the College, she is a loving mother of three and grandmother to nine (soon to become ten) children.
At the College’s Office, we love hearing Maria’s fun stories about her grandchildren, as well as, sometimes, about her pets. It has to be mentioned that Maria’s optimistic attitude and friendly personality has such a positive impact on the whole College community.
To complete Maria’s portrait, here’s a fun fact about her: if she ever wanted to start her own business, she would be an excellent “Event Organizer”, as she loves setting up her back garden to host perfect parties and events.