Working closely in the front office of Canton Charter Academy, Sherri Buroker and Sharon Spiteri have teamed together to aid the staff and students for years.
Whether it’s onboarding new families or helping support teachers, they have worked in tandem for the past seven years to handle the details as Canton’s first point of contact. For their efforts, they were named the winners of the Administrative Excellence award as part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) Excellence Awards.
“Sharon and I work very well together I believe that we both understand each other's roles,” Buroker said. “We're very fluid. We both perform our roles very well and then we will crossover and support each other.”
Buroker, the registrar, was a substitute teacher at Canton and South Canton Scholars before joining Canton full-time. Spiteri, the office administrator, is in her 23rd year at Canton and started as a parent of three and volunteer before joining the staff.
It starts with onboarding new families by engaging with parents on the phone and answering any questions they might have while they tour their soon-to-be new school. It’s especially satisfying to welcome fresh-eyed kindergarteners.
“From the phone call to getting into the building to do a tour and then any orientation or engagement activities that we have, I definitely enjoy that whole process and getting to know them,” Buroker said.
Helping students is a naturally appealing aspect of their job. A bonus is that the staff have forged a strong, supportive bond, which Spiteri credits Principal Jennifer Conley for solidifying over the years to help Canton outperform the district for 16 years.
“I enjoy hearing staff in the background just laughing during their prep time,” Spiteri said. “That’s kind of like it was back when we first opened, so it’s very nice to see that come back.”
Being able to support teachers by taking attendance, collecting paperwork, and keeping them organized helps them maximize their time in the classroom with students. Buroker, for example, prepares class lists and keeps things on schedule with a structured, consistent line of communication. It’s just one example of the behind-the-scenes work they contribute each day.
“Everything I do is to help the teachers feel organized, so that is definitely a goal of mine,” she said.
Keep up the excellent work, Mrs. Buroker and Mrs. Spiteri!
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About Canton Charter Academy
Canton Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Canton, Michigan, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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