What does a typical day look like?
Boston Latin School Director of Operations Ms. Jesse Kwan starts her day by rolling into campus at around 8:15 A.M. via scooter. She begins by checking the parking lot for interlopers, ensuring that only designated staff are using the space.
“I have a spreadsheet called ‘parking tomfoolery.’ If I catch them, I leave them a love note.”
She then touches base with Mr. Rob Jelley (school custodian), a trained carpenter whose expertise is especially useful in this time of year. He helps Ms. Kwan with various issues throughout the School, including plumbing and heating.
“During this stretch of the year, the central problem is heating, especially in an old building like this. Mr. Jelly and I tag-team.”
During the day, Ms. Kwan handles school permits and sends them to the central office, since the building belongs to the city. Here, she finds it important to foster good relationships between all constituents, which include BLS administration and teachers, vendors, plumbers and electricians.
Ms. Kwan believes an often-ovelooked part of her job, which is described as “build[ing] cohesive and functional systems” for the School, is the communication and relationship building. She notes that in an academically rigorous school such as BLS, there are gaps in learning sociability.
At the end of the day, Ms. Kwan puts on her crossing guard outfit and regulates safety along Avenue Louis Pasteur. With the current construction at Simmons University, it is essential that children cross with caution.
From 2:30 P.M. to 3:30 P.M., Ms. Kwan traverses throughout the building with a watchful eye in case students need her.
“[I walk around to see] who’s where and what [they] are doing.”
What previous experiences built skills necessary for your current role?
During high school, Ms. Kwan babysat and worked in customer service. She continued this during her time at Emmanuel College, working as a nanny. After graduating, Ms. Kwan dove into the restaurant and hospitality industry, managing restaurants throughout the Greater Boston area in her 20s and 30s.
“Working in restaurants, you really see the best and worst of people, you know, people who are hungry and people who are angry. […] You never know what you’ll deal with.”
Once she started her family, however, she sought a job that aligned with her son’s schedule. She eventually earned her license in elementary education, teaching the fourth grade at Young Achievers, now the Boston Teachers Union School, in Jamaica Plain. This way, she could work while the school year was in session and enjoy her summers off.
After teaching the fourth grade, she realized she wanted a slight change of pace. She reflects, “I know I wanted to interact with children, but I no longer wanted to teach.”
Ms. Kwan also attributes her knack for organization to her time at BLS, where self-discipline is vital.
“Going through six years of [BLS], I know what the expectations are. By going against the best of the best, it teaches you to do better.”
What are the highlights of your job?
“I like solving problems; it makes me feel good. And of course seeing kids here and there.”
As a former BLS volleyball player herself, Ms. Kwan attends as many BLS volleyball games as she can. If her schedule permits, she coaches junior varsity girls’ volleyball.
“I just like to go. I like to be an honorary coach because I love volleyball, so when the [fall and spring] seasons roll around, I just think ‘I’m going to be there.’”
Lastly, Ms. Kwan believes that it is important to have an Asian woman in an administrative position for students to look up to. During her time as a student at BLS, she had few Asian teachers and believes that it is valuable for students to see someone who resembles them with authority.
