Unsung Heroes: Ms. Enters
Photo from Hamilton High School.
As a part of my Independent Study with Mrs. Kowalske this semester, I have decided to pick up an article series formally done by Sienna Kenney. The Unsung Heroes series appreciates staff members at HHS who do lots of work behind the scenes and deserve a little extra praise for their dedication to our school district. For the first hero of the year, our iconic main office secretary, Ms. Janet Enters was an easy pick.
Ms. Enters is a fixture of the main office, having vigilantly held her post for nearly 10 years. However, there was a time before Ms. Enters. Before she came to HHS, she worked in the Norris School District, for the Hartland Police Department, and with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), a mental health support network. Ms. Graziano kindly shared with me that, “I think one of her favorite jobs was working at NAMI. She enjoyed making a difference there. She has since volunteered her time there speaking in help groups. She is very knowledgeable about mental health.” I can guarantee that NAMI is grateful to have her kindness and expertise.
Since beginning her time at Hamilton, Ms. Enters’ impact has been obvious. She takes charge of attendance in the HHS main office, which may seem like a small feat, but is exactly the opposite when considering the vast size of Hamilton’s student body, totaling nearly 1600 students. The HHS student body is also a very involved population, with somewhere around 80% of students participating in sports or activities. At HHS, to be allowed to participate in athletics/activities, you must have a correct attendance record, which comes down to Ms. Enters’ diligent work and careful oversight of 1600 different schedules. She really is an instrumental piece of our district. Every day, like clockwork, she is the first face you see in the office when checking in, always ready to greet you (even if you’re late!).
She also manages the attendance email lines and the office phones, which is yet another demanding task she handles with grace.
Ms. Enters keeps Hamilton moving; the idea of HHS functioning as smoothly as it does without her is unfathomable. And if my prior testaments to her importance weren't enough, I also collected a few short memories and quotes about Ms. Enters from her fellow staff members.
‘‘Ms. Enters is an unsung hero because much of the work she does is behind the scenes and often goes unrecognized. In the front office there are a lot of constant demands, moving parts and she's the front line to EVERYONE coming into the building, as well as answering phones, manning the attendance system and filing a myriad of reports. Ms. Enters is the best juggler I know.” — Ms. Hinytz
‘‘Because she helps make our school run so smoothly and because she helps out so many in so many ways, Janet is one of Hamilton's most important employees. Knowing this, you'd think I'd be able to help her out by getting my attendance done promptly each period. When I don't, I appreciate her discretion in the variety of ways she lets me know. Whether it's an email warning with the entire message in the subject line, an all-school announcement asking for a phone call, or a phone call directly to the classroom, I know that I failed. I salute Janet's consistency, professionalism, and highly developed sense of humor. She's truly one of a kind.” —Mr. Tennessen
‘‘Ms. Enters is always so patient and genuinely interested in how I’m doing and the exciting things going on in my life. Despite having such a demanding job, she handles it with grace and excellence. Hamilton is truly lucky to have her.” —Ms. Ullman
“Ms. Enters has been extremely patient with me and my lack of attendance taking skills—which I am truly thankful for. As a parent in the district, she has been accommodating and helpful with my children's attendance as well.” —Ms. Wainio
“Ms. Enters’ attention to policy and procedure is second to none. Making sure every student is accounted for is necessary for accountability and safety. [My favorite memory of Ms. Enters is] the duck hatching, and how she assumed the Mamma duck role for their safety. All conversations turned to the ducks.” —Ms. Baumann
Ms. Enters is seen here with Mr. Tennessen’s French V class. Photo submitted by Tennessen.
“Ms. Enters is the friendly face who greets you when you walk into the building to check in. She holds high expectations for all students, genuinely cares about their success, and always goes above and beyond. If you want something done thoroughly and well, she’s the one to call!” —Ms. Goike
“Ms. Enters is always on top of her work! She is so helpful and quick to respond when I mess up my attendance. She fixes it right away, which saves the day for our students who really need to be at practice or games.” —Ms. Fields
“Having worked in this district for ten years, there's nothing that strikes fear in my heart more than an email from Ms. Enters reminding me (for the hundredth time) to take attendance. Or the second email. Or the dreaded third, all-caps email. OR the end of the day announcements for a bit of deserved public shame. Through it all, Ms. Enters is there, gently reminding me to do my job and helping keep us all accountable. I'm sure the stories she hears from kids as excuses for being tardy are legendary and I am eternally grateful to her for making sure I take accurate attendance. Hamilton couldn't function without her!” —Ms. Kowalske
“The necessary sidebar of Janet's job is that she gets interrupted all of the time, but never loses her patience with the students. She multi-tasks like a champ! She's got a gift when dealing with the public. She is one of our best kept secrets for success at Hamilton!” —Ms. Schroeder
“Ms. Enters is one of the pillars of Hamilton. Her steadfast nature ensures that everything operates smoothly! Additionally, her patience with teachers who are known to not take attendance on time is impressive and they're thankful for her! Thanks for all you do, Ms. Enters!” —Mr. Roth
“Ms. Enters is always willing to help staff and students. She is an invaluable asset to our school and to those who are fortunate enough to work with her.” —Mr. Schultz
Ms. Enters is a vital part of our district, and I am honored to recognize her many contributions and deep care for the students by naming her the first Unsung Hero of the 2025-26 school year. Try to make time to say hello to Ms. Enters and thank her for her hard work sometime soon!
