Janet Stanley on her final day at Trenton High School.
BY MELANIE YOUNG
Longtime Trenton High School General Office Secretary Janet Stanley has written her final “Daily Announcement.” She retired at the end of the 2017-2018 school year. Her last day with students was June 14.
Stanley has been employed by the Trenton Public Schools for 29 years and at Trenton High School for 20 years. She also held positions as a lunch and bus aide and a health paraprofessional in the district. She is a 1973 graduate of Trenton High School.
After high school she worked as an operator and service representative for Michigan Bell until her son was born in 1980. She began her work in Trenton when her daughter was 3 years old.
“I wanted to get out of the house and have some extra spending money,” she said, adding that the hours were a perfect fit for her at the time.
Stanley said her main function at THS was keeping track of attendance. She also greeted visitors and had many other front office duties. She said when she was first hired, she did new student enrollment but that function has since been moved to the administration building. She also worked at many athletic events and sold tickets, such as football games, hockey games, basketball games and swim meets. She also created the graduation program and helped out with various tasks related to the ceremony.
In May 2016, Stanley was awarded the Trenton Public School’s Golden Apple Award for always going above and beyond for students, parents and staff. Stanley’s “Daily Announcement” was a well-liked part of the day at THS. It included student birthdays, lunch options, athletic schedules and any other important things happening that day. Each day, she also included a riddle that made it something everyone wanted to read.
One of many things she will always remember is the reaction each Friday to her weekly treats. Most Fridays, she made a special treat and brought it to school to share.
“The kids made a big deal of it. They said they’d miss the treats. Brownies were a popular thing,” she said.
The decision to retire can be difficult, but Stanley knew it was time.
“I want to have more flexibility to be with my family,” she said. Her mother is 94 years old and she has three grandchildren in Ohio she would like to spend more time with. Her husband also retired three years ago.
“She was the first person that staff, students, parents and visitors saw when they entered THS,” Trenton High School Principal Michael Doyle said. “Her ability to multitask is a great asset that will be missed.”
As far as plans for her retirement, Stanley said she is looking forward to doing some traveling, including a big family trip to Walt Disney World in February. She said she’d also like to play some golf, as her brother is a golf pro at a local golf course.
While she will miss being at the school, she said she hopes to continue to stay in touch by attending sporting events.
“I will really miss it,” she said. “I will miss my daily interaction with the kids and staff.”