Melissa Vazquez, Operations All-Star
"I like to think of the entire Operations team as the "backstage crew" of the school...Every day is different for me, and there is never a dull moment!"
#SpringfieldPrepFamily
Ms. Vazquez has been with Springfield Prep from the very beginning, and that's no exaggeration! She was the first employee hired by Mr. Spirer - back when Springfield Prep was just a collection of cubicles, and not yet a school! She has been an instrumental and invaluable part of Springfield Prep's success, and has helped Springfield Prep grow to it's current size, with 4 grades, 216 students, and 36 staff members.
For many, she is the first person they meet when they walk into the school, and she is always there to help when a family needs it. Because of this, she knows every student (and most of our parents!) by name. Go ahead, quiz her! We promise she'll get them all right.
We sat down with Ms. Vazquez to get her thoughts on Springfield Prep's growth over the years. Here's what she had to say.
Why do you enjoy working at Springfield Prep?
We truly have the best staff, the best families and most importantly, the best kids. Not a day goes by without me getting hugs or pinky waves from the kiddos.
What makes Springfield Prep unique?
Springfield Prep is unique because we focus on college, and we speak to our scholars about the options they will have after high school, starting when they are in kindergarten. I think it is so important for our scholars to learn about different schools and the options they'll have so that they are prepared once they are in high school and understand the process of applying to college.
What has it been like to see Springfield Prep grow from an idea to the school it is now?
I started off as the first employee for Springfield Prep, working from a table outside of Mr. Spirer's cubical (in a rented office space) trying to make our first lottery happen. It's such a great experience to now see classrooms full of actual children learning, moving up in grades and building relationships with other students and staff.
What’s one of your favorite Springfield Prep memories?
One of my favorite memories is the first field trip we took as a school back in 2015. We planned a fall field trip to McCray's farm to pick pumpkins and EVERYONE in the building was able to attend! It was one of those unique experiences we were able to have as small, young school. The only downside of our growth is that it makes full-school events more difficult to plan. They're still my favorite though!
You’re pretty close with many of our families. What do you hear from parents about their children's experiences at SPCS?
I get positive feedback from parents all the time, and I never get tired of hearing, "thank you to everyone for caring about my child" and "my kids love you and this school". Parents have expressed that their children look forward to coming to school now that they attend Springfield Prep, and that they are seeing positive changes in their children's behavior at home because of all the great work our teachers and staff are doing here.
What are you excited about when it comes to Springfield Prep’s future?
I can't wait to see our first class of 8th-grade scholars graduate! At Springfield Prep we believe in all of our scholars, and I know they are going to go on to do great things.
I know "Operations" is a pretty general term for what you do. What's something you wish people knew about your role at Springfield Prep?
I like to think of the entire Operations team as the "backstage crew" of the school. We run the front desk, plan field trips, coordinate testing, do community outreach during enrollment season, communicate with families through calls/texts/flyers and so much more. Every day is different for me, and there is never a dull moment!