Position: Attendance Secretary
School: Arrowhead High School
School District: Arrowhead Union High School District
City, State: Hartland, WI
Katrina Wimmer was nominated by a student.
"It was Friday, February 9th, 2024, and everyone at Arrowhead High School panicked. Students were calling and texting home. I called and texted my mom; maybe she knew what was happening. No one truly knew what was going on," said the student.
"My mom told me she was going to call the office…, but there was no answer. She tried again, and there was no answer. She left messages for my brother and me, and I walked to sign myself out. There was a 10-person line to sign out. That had never happened before," said the student.
"I saw the attendance lady; she looked stressed. I heard the phone in the background, but no one would pick it up. Katrina Wimmer is her name. She has been in the attendance window every day since I came to the North campus. There were too many students trying to sign out at one time. Too many parents are panicking for Mrs. Wimmer to have time to answer their calls."
"I noticed the students just talking over her, not truly listening or acknowledging her time and efforts to help us leave. It was my turn, so I gave her my student ID number and name. I say thank you and move quickly out of the way to keep the line from growing too long. An additional five people walk towards the line. I feel her anger yet don't see much of it."
"I walk away, thinking of all the phone calls she must listen to once the day ends. The time she will have to spend listening to scared parents will be very time-consuming. People don't consider her job difficult, but today, I saw how difficult it can be. Listening to the voice mails for the students, hoping all the phone calls would match up with the names of the students she signed out."
"I wonder just how many phone calls she received and how long it took her to go through them all. Did many students say thank you? Was she aware of the rumored threat before we all began to leave in a panic? That's what her job entails, but was she thanked enough? Did she feel appreciated that day," said the student.