What Are the Job Duties of a School Receptionist?
Are you interested in becoming a school receptionist, but you're not sure what the job requires? Read on to discover the responsibilities you'll take on if you work as a school receptionist. Schools offering Administrative Assistant degrees can also be found in these popular choices.
The Job of School Receptionist
School receptionists are often the first person students, families and visitors see when they enter a school. As a school receptionist, you're job duties are primarily communication based and so you'll need to be familiar with proper phone and email etiquette, and you should have strong interpersonal skills. Your daily tasks may include keeping records, scheduling meetings and facilitating communication. In some cases, you'll may be required to provide secretarial support in addition to reception duties.
Communicate With Administrators, Faculty, Students and Parents
You'll answer phone calls, greet visitors and provide information to students. You'll also facilitate communication between administrators, teachers and students' families. You will need to speak authoritatively on a variety of topics, including rules, disciplinary measures and day-to-day operations. You may also be required to present policies and regulations to school visitors.
Keep Records
Keeping records of phone and mail inquiries will be part of your job as receptionist. You might create reports and file records of school operations. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), if your receptionist job includes secretarial duties, you'll be responsible for managing the administrative issues that do not necessarily need the principal's attention (www.bls.gov). You'll maintain and keep confidential up-to-date information for all school records, including:
- Student registrations and class schedules
- Student immunizations
- Bus schedules and routes
- Academic transcripts
- Teachers' classroom assignments
- Payroll processing
Schedule Meetings
Many schools will require you to oversee the creation of the activities calendar, which means you will be responsible for scheduling parent-teacher conferences, back-to-school nights and Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. If you work directly for the principal, rather than as a general receptionist, your duties may include scheduling the principal's meetings and teacher observations, according to the BLS. The BLS also reports that you may act as the principal's representative in situations where your principal's presence is not needed.
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