Front office staff - why are some so rude?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Eh, it not really an FCPS thing. It happens in a lot of places/industries

And keep in mind, some people just have a prickly personality. Shrug..

+1, I dread interacting with my Dr. front office staff, so rude.

[Anonymous]

OP, the best thing to do is try to not take it personally and continue to be as nice as possible. When people I don’t know are rude to me, I just assume it is because either they’re having a bad day or it is their inherent personality trait. They can’t hate me when they don’t even know me. I always try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, especially when I don’t know them and they don’t know me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Underpaid, dealing with parents all day long

What are they paid?

Salary scales are public and readily available.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think you can generalize. It’s very much a function of the people in those roles at any particular point in time and the tone set by top administrators.

We had kids at Kilmer MS and the front office staff at the time was incredibly rude. Moved to another MS and was amazed at how much friendlier the office staff was. Could be the exact opposite now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Underpaid, dealing with parents all day long

What are they paid?

Salary scales are public and readily available.

I think office assistants are grade 004 here:
https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/FY23-unified-less-than-12-month.pdf

[Anonymous]

I'm a sub who has worked in various FCPS schools. I can't understand why so many front office staff (not all - but a good number) are so incredibly rude. I'm always punctual, undemanding, and friendly. Do they just not like subs? Because I'm rapidly feeling very unwelcome in these schools.

I laughed at this because my school has an unwelcoming front office staff so I avoid interacting with them unless absolutely necessary. I think sometimes people who take these public-facing jobs struggle with the stress of it--they are expected to do plenty that is not technically in their job description. Ours always seem to be locked in passive-agressive struggles because they resent all their additional responsibilities.

I suggest you develop strong relationships with those schools that do have welcoming staff. Once you consistently get jobs in those nicer schools, you can avoid the unfriendly ones. (It does not surprise me at all that we do not have a large pool of subs who enjoy working at my school). I've worked at schools where the front office was friendly and appreciative of subs and they had a long list of people to choose from when they needed jobs filled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh look: Another trash FCPS post. What is wrong with some of you? Go over to the Montgomery County forum. I don’t see threads bashing the underpaid office staff. Go to the other VA schools or even the DCPS forums. You don’t see threads like this.

Are you just that cynical and bored?

You sound triggered. You realize that FCPS teachers, subs, IAs, etc. are all horribly underpaid too, right? Yet most manage basic civility to their fellow employees and guests of the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t blame OP at all. Front office personnel is underpaid, but it’s a public dealing position. Don’t like dealing with people and their questions, get a new job, but don’t be rude.

The OP is a substitute teacher trying to help out the school. I believe there is a shortage of subs too. OP is certainly not doing the sub job for the pay or benefits. I think bus drivers get paid more than subs. So to deal with some rude office staff on top of the kids all day would turn me off.

+100
Exactly this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm a sub who has worked in various FCPS schools. I can't understand why so many front office staff (not all - but a good number) are so incredibly rude. I'm always punctual, undemanding, and friendly. Do they just not like subs? Because I'm rapidly feeling very unwelcome in these schools.

I laughed at this because my school has an unwelcoming front office staff so I avoid interacting with them unless absolutely necessary. I think sometimes people who take these public-facing jobs struggle with the stress of it--they are expected to do plenty that is not technically in their job description. Ours always seem to be locked in passive-agressive struggles because they resent all their additional responsibilities.

I suggest you develop strong relationships with those schools that do have welcoming staff. Once you consistently get jobs in those nicer schools, you can avoid the unfriendly ones. (It does not surprise me at all that we do not have a large pool of subs who enjoy working at my school). I've worked at schools where the front office was friendly and appreciative of subs and they had a long list of people to choose from when they needed jobs filled.

Great advice.

[Anonymous]

I was in the front office of two different high schools yesterday.

One office was friendly, helpful and lovely. Second office (which was honestly my first interaction with and first time ever stepping foot in the school for my junior) was flat out rude. I was dropping off a document. Document just needed to go to staff member mailbox. Boy - did I get chastised. They were not welcoming at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was in the front office of two different high schools yesterday.

One office was friendly, helpful and lovely. Second office (which was honestly my first interaction with and first time ever stepping foot in the school for my junior) was flat out rude. I was dropping off a document. Document just needed to go to staff member mailbox. Boy - did I get chastised. They were not welcoming at all.

+1
I’ve had similar experiences. You never know what you’re going to get.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know if he counts, but the man who works the check-in at Robinson is a piece of work. I appreciate having security, but assuming everyone who walks in the door is there for nefarious reasons is really weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know if he counts, but the man who works the check-in at Robinson is a piece of work. I appreciate having security, but assuming everyone who walks in the door is there for nefarious reasons is really weird.

Echo this. The set up feels crazy. I was trying to drop off something one time and he straight up refused to let me. Said I had to make and appointment and come back just for a drop off. Also normally sounds condescending.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t blame OP at all. Front office personnel is underpaid, but it’s a public dealing position. Don’t like dealing with people and their questions, get a new job, but don’t be rude.

The OP is a substitute teacher trying to help out the school. I believe there is a shortage of subs too. OP is certainly not doing the sub job for the pay or benefits. I think bus drivers get paid more than subs. So to deal with some rude office staff on top of the kids all day would turn me off.

+100
Exactly this.

+1. Our private had a horrible, mean, officious woman at the front desk. The headmaster - who was a weak-kneed simpleton did nothing. I thought it was a shame to put her out front and make her the welcome face of this school. Many families came into the school to pay good bucks for summer programs and were treated horribly. Not a goodwill ambassadress. We left. Next headmaster canned the woman but it was too late for a lot if families that marched away with their wallets

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t blame OP at all. Front office personnel is underpaid, but it’s a public dealing position. Don’t like dealing with people and their questions, get a new job, but don’t be rude.

The OP is a substitute teacher trying to help out the school. I believe there is a shortage of subs too. OP is certainly not doing the sub job for the pay or benefits. I think bus drivers get paid more than subs. So to deal with some rude office staff on top of the kids all day would turn me off.

+100
Exactly this.

+1. Our private had a horrible, mean, officious woman at the front desk. The headmaster - who was a weak-kneed simpleton did nothing. I thought it was a shame to put her out front and make her the welcome face of this school. Many families came into the school to pay good bucks for summer programs and were treated horribly. Not a goodwill ambassadress. We left. Next headmaster canned the woman but it was too late for a lot if families that marched away with their wallets

I find posts like these funny. How many times could you have possibly interacted with this woman in one school year that families decided to leave the school and go someplace else??