A fond farewell

Saying goodbye to Miss Wendy, our favorite secretary 

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Angie Glass

Angie Glass and Wendy Skokan dressed as superheroes for a student assembly in 2019.

Claire Kisielnicki, Editor-in-Chief

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

— Maya Angelou

Wendy Skokan, the administrative assistant at Manitou Springs High School retired abruptly  over the summer. 

Fondly referred to as Miss Wendy, Skokan held the front desk position for 22 years and felt like the mom of the school. 

Miss Wendy worked at Manitou Springs School District for a total of 26 years. She initially wanted to pursue a career in special education, but she said she is happy that she found her position in administration, calling it the “best experience ever.” 

Skokan loved seeing the students every day and especially enjoyed participating in activities, such as assemblies and dress up days. 

Senior office assistants Rylan Dowling, Meg Colgan, Lindsey Dwinell, Lanna Searle, Aaliyah Brambila, Mahlia Glass, Laes Marquardt, Jesse Jorstad, George Cerneck pose with Miss Wendy in May of 2021.

“Miss Wendy is such a happy and optimistic person, and seeing her in the office could change anyone’s mood in a positive way,” office assistant,Ashley Magee(12) said. “During covid everything was so unorganized. Miss Wendy is a very organized person. You have to be [organized] to be an administrator. Covid just made everything very hard.”

Covid had a significant impact on Skokan’s job; It was really hard not seeing the students and staff every day, she said. Skokan was quarantined twice last year, which was especially hard. 

Skokan was nearing retirement, and after working through almost 2 years of covid, she decided it was time to let go. However, she regretted missing the opportunity to say goodbye to her colleagues and students. 

Skokan plans to keep busy running two small businesses. She has a space at Willowstone Marketplace where she sells up-cycled home decor items and recycled clothing for people in need. 

Miss Wendy’s parting message to the student body is “Do good. Be good. Be kind to one another. Even though I’m not working [at MSHS] I’m still there for [everyone], and I’m sorry I left the way I did. The last thing I’d say in true Wendy fashion is, How do you say goodbye to a math teacher?…Calc-u-lator.”