As she grins from ear to ear, waiting patiently for students to enter, attendance secretary Elizabeth Cooper welcomes students with a friendly face.
Born in Colorado, Cooper finds herself at Ocean Lakes after extensive experience working with young people with 15 years in private daycare administration and over a year as a social worker.
Although she has only been here for two months, her impact is noticeable.
“She has been phenomenal and has soared with every job opportunity,” Assistant Principal Jenna Flipowicz said. “Her personality is very compatible with everybody here, and we have enjoyed having her so far.”
Cooper is responsible for the new tardy system where students quickly complete a Google Sheet to sign into school. She notes that the tardy stations work very well for the first 15 minutes after every bell, allowing the attendance office to avoid being crowded.
“I love it here because of the friendly people, including the staff and students,” Cooper said.
One of her favorite parts of the job is being able to interact with students daily and to enjoy the small talk she gets when they arrive at her attendance window.
She mentions how she loves spending time with family and friends, planning events, helping others and thrifting on weekends with her mother.
“I honestly would just like to enjoy it here and really live in the moment,” Cooper said.
Students have already noticed how her friendliness improves their morning.
“It’s nice to be welcomed with a smile when you’re late,” junior Marino Purdue said. “Mrs. Cooper never fails to brighten my morning.”
