Rachel Jablonski has worked as the secretary for Aylesworth Elementary School for six years now, but had been working at the school since 2006 as the school nurse. When she was in high school, Jablonski wanted to be a nurse and studied nursing at Ivy Tech Community College. She changed her major and became a medical assistant.
“Once I graduated with my medical assistant degree, I actually started working at a pharmacy at the age of 18,” said Jablonski. “I worked in the pharmacy for about 15 years when I had my two children with my ex-husband. I then became a stay home mom.”
After her divorce, Jablonski needed a job that allowed her to be home with her kids and attend their activities. Her daughter is a cheerleader and her son plays football and baseball.
“I wanted to still be able to go to all of their functions, but I’d have to have a job,” said Jablonski. “In 2005, I started as a Title I assistant at Paul Saylor Elementary School. I wanted to be the school nurse, but all of the positions were full. The following year, the school nurse position at Aylesworth opened, and I took it.”
As secretary, Jablonski answers the phones, takes care of parents' concerns, and accommodates new students. However, she will help the students and staff beyond what her title says.
“I don't live inside the title of secretary,” said Jablonski. “I do help when I can for our lunch and recess with students. If we have students that are maybe getting upset in class, I'll call down and help get that student calm down.”
She uses her own experience as a mom to help her in her work with the school. Coupled with the teamwork that goes on at Aylesworth, everyone is able to go beyond just their roles.
“It takes a team to do it all,” said Jablonski. “The kids have a special place in my heart. I love all these kids, and I treat them like my own. A lot of them see the mom in me where I am not their teacher but in a different role.”
An important aspect of what she does is provide students with someone that they can talk to.
“I want them to know they have someone they can come to if there's something going on in the classroom,” said Jablonski. “I want to be an extra person the students can feel comfortable telling whatever they have going on.”
Jablonski’s daughter and son are in their senior and junior years respectively. Between her kids and the kids at Aylesworth, she has a lot to keep her going.
“Everything I do, I do because of my kids and for my kids,” Jablonski said. “My daughter is a senior this year and my son's a junior, so we’re at that emotional stage, but then I come here where I’ve got the little ones that I have connections with. I get to watch them grow and see where they go.”
Since she was 15 years old, Jablonski has lived in Portage. She loves the diversity and opportunities that are available in the town.
“I know a lot of this community, and it’s a diverse city, which I enjoy,” said Jablonski. “That’s what I like having my kids grow around – all the different things that are in the different cultures, different groups, things that we can do, and the different clubs out there for the kids, especially at the high school. There are so many that I never knew existed, and I like that kids have the opportunity to explore if they are interested in something.”
Outside of her work at Aylesworth, Jablonski helps to coach the Portage High School cheer team that her daughter is a part of. She also has gotten into crafting things like the bows that the cheerleaders wear and mugs. In addition to her two kids, Jablonski has two rabbits, two dogs, and two cats at home.