What is your name, your position, and what are your preferred pronouns? My name is Jon’ta Frazier (JON-tae FRA-zhur), my position is Textbook Center manager here at Niles North, and my pronouns are she/her.
What does your job at the school entail? What do you do? My job entails ordering instructional material—as far as books, workbooks, online access, novels, student supplies, pencils and pens, goggles, etc. We give out resources while placing orders for replacement resources.
What did you want to be when you were growing up? I always wanted to be an inventor and work within the business field.
How did your previous experiences prepare you for this position? Each job I had growing up allowed me to learn more and more within the business world and that’s how I was able to fit into this role. I’ve worked as a secretary, I’ve worked for CPS, as well as other organizations in secretarial roles to prepare me for the position I have today. [That’s] as far as budgeting, ordering status, preparing, [and] being organized.
What do you wish you could do more of in your job? If I could, I would expand my job role, as far as recreating a system a little better that works for parents, students, and teachers to receive and return checked out materials.
What is the biggest difference between your job and that of a teacher? My job role is placing orders for any instructional materials the teacher needs to teach their class. While the teacher teaches the material to the students.
What is the biggest contribution you’ve made to the school community through your job? I would say my biggest contribution is organizing the bookstore a little more, talking to directors, and teachers about what they would like to use, versus just giving students unnecessary books.
What do you wish people knew about your job? How much work it takes to order instructional material for the entire school. It entails a lot of attention to details along with a lot of communication, [even] over summer.
How do you unwind after school? I unwind by listening to music, zoning out and cooking.
What do you enjoy doing over the weekend? I enjoy shopping and cooking.
What’s your favorite meal? Tomato soup and grilled cheese.
What’s your hidden talent? My hidden talent is the ability to read and recognize others’ emotions.
