Attendance clerk Gina Parisi wants to be the friendly face everyone sees when they enter the office. She wants nothing more than to provide a safe place for SCHS students. Though she is new, Parisi said she likes the atmosphere.

“I like the energy of students,” Parisi said. “I’ve worked at district offices, and it just doesn’t have the same energy.”

Parisi’s transition from elementary to middle and high school was rough, and she felt she did not fit into a particular friend group, which influenced her accepting the job offer to be SCHS’s attendance clerk. Parisi wants to ensure every student has a good time in high school.

“I guess the real reason why I got into being here in the office,” Parisi said, “was I did not have a good experience in junior high and high school, and I didn’t want other kids to have that same experience.”

Prior to being a staff member of SCHS, Parisi worked for Cupertino Union School District, Mountain View High School and Foothill College, where she also earned her Associate in Arts degree in education.

Growing up, Parisi had not considered a career in education. The loss of someone extremely close to her, however, changed that. Parisi’s sister died in an accident when she was 36 and Parisi 31.

“It made me want to go on with education rather than private industry,” Parisi said. “It was obviously devastating for the family, and it really made me think about how I was spending the time I have left. I always wanted to work with kids, so I left my corporate job for the education field.”

With the comfort of her family and friends, Parisi said she was able to move forward and shape herself into an even better person. Her sister’s death is still a sensitive topic, but Parisi does not let it keep her down.

As the attendance clerk, Parisi wants to revise the system “so it’s not so punitive but still fair.” She wants everyone to be treated fairly, whether they are a student, a parent or a teacher. Parisi said she loves the district and it has a great community.

Parisi wants to stick with SCHS, and in ten years, she sees herself “hopefully, right here.”