Megan Powell moving on from position at high school

For six and a half years, Megan Powell has helped others navigate through Wrangell High School as secretary. Now, she's moving on.

On Dec. 17, Powell will say goodbye to the students and staff that have become like a second family. She'll go to work as a teller at First Bank.

"I think it's just time for a change, and doing something different, trying something else out," she said. Powell came to the secretary position after leaving Crossings when she became pregnant with her first child and needed "more reasonable hours."

Powell said she will remain active in the educational community since she has two children of her own, and still is invested in the well-being of the 63 high school students and many middle school students she knows by name.

"It's going to be hard leaving that. The kids are going to be the hardest thing to leave," she said. "I'm going to miss that. It's really cool getting to see them grow up and develop and grow into adults, and see them kind of figure out life in middle school and work their way up."

She will definitely be missed by her co-workers as well, often taking on more responsibilities than that of secretary.

"She's been much more than a school secretary," said Bob Davis, assistant principal of the high school and middle school. "Because of budget cuts and staff shortages, she assumed responsibilities and duties usually assigned to counselors, tech directors, account clerks and school registrars, and she handled those responsibilities efficiently and with impeccable professionalism."

Powell's isn't the only position that is now available. The school has several jobs it still needs to fill.

"We have some secretary positions that have just opened up and we always need subs," said Schools Superintendent Bill Burr. "Our staff is doing a wonderful job of covering each other and making sure our students get the education is necessary. But we are always open to getting substitutes."

Much like the added responsibilities that Powell took on, Burr said it's common for other positions to be combined, if only "for an hour here or an hour there."

During her time at the school, Powell has been involved in the education of many students, seeing many leave, and some return. She was even honored one year with giving the commencement address at graduation.

"That was pretty cool," she said. "Last year, I was the graduating class' adviser and did their graduation for them. I tied into a lot of pieces for that."

But she's most proud of building a rapport with the students, making them feel comfortable and welcome at school.

"I had a student who said she was terrified of me, even to come (into the office)," Powell said. "Now, she's been babysitting my kids for years, she works at the elementary school now, she's working to become a teacher, so we've developed a really good friendship over the years."

Davis said Powell gave him advice and guidance when he became the assistant principal, helping him to find his footing.

"I often told her she knew my job better than I did," he said. "She always denied it, but in many ways it is true. They say no one is truly irreplaceable, but Megan is proof that they are wrong."