‘I want them to know that I am always there for them’




HERE TO HELP—Lindsey Boyd is a secretary at Moorpark High. Courtesy photo

HERE TO HELP—Lindsey Boyd is a secretary at Moorpark High. Courtesy photo

Everyone at Moorpark High School knows Lindsey Boyd.

A secretary in the assistant principals’ office, Boyd connects students to the resources they need and works hard to make even their toughest days a little brighter.

“I’m a friendly face in the office,” the Moorpark native said. “People know they can come to me and no matter what, I’m going to help them out with a smile.”

After graduating college, Boyd worked as a sales manager for a medical device company. Once she became a mother, she decided that she wanted to have the same schedule as her children.

“I’ve always enjoyed working with kids of all ages, so the school district was a natural fit,” she said.

She has now worked five years for Moorpark Unified— the same school district that she graduated from and that her three children now attend. She has enjoyed working alongside the same teachers who taught her and getting to know the teachers at her children’s schools.

“I hope to continue to be here when my kids come through high school,” she said. “I think that would really be a lot of fun.”

As a secretary, she is responsible for helping the school’s three assistant principals with whatever they need, from planning graduation to running the credit remediation program.

Boyd finds motivation in interacting with and helping the students who come into her office.

“Even if they are in trouble— no matter why they are there— they still get a smile from me, they still get a ‘Hi,’” Boyd said. “I want them to know that I am always there for them.”

Some students stop to say hello to her every day, which tells her that she is doing what she set out to do.

“I feel like I’m giving back to them. I remember being a student at Moorpark High School. I remember the challenges, and I remember what it’s like to have someone there who you can trust and go to if you need help,” she said. “My why is to be that person they can rely on.”

It has been especially rewarding, Boyd said, to see freshmen become seniors over the past four years. Students who previously struggled in school now come into the office not because they are in trouble but because they want to tell her about their new job, the college they hope to attend or their latest grades.

“I get to see the progression of the students,” Boyd said. “It’s been really wonderful to see that and to know that I’ve played a small role in supporting them along the way.”

Boyd said the pandemic has presented challenges to everyone in the district, and she finds it difficult knowing how to best support each student.

“Kids are struggling now more than ever,” she said. “The most important thing is listening to them.”

She has learned just how resilient students are.

“Even when they have challenges, they work really hard and they overcome them,” Boyd said, adding that she loves how they hold one another up.

Staff, she said, have demonstrated the same strength, adapting to the changes and working outside their job descriptions to provide a sense of normalcy for students. During the COVID-19 surge, she had to work in the health office and assist with coordinating substitute teachers.

“Unless you work in a school right now, I don’t think you could ever understand just how much everyone is doing to get through this,” Boyd said.

During a January school board meeting, Boyd was one of four district employees recognized for going “above and beyond” for MUSD.

The others recognized were school counselors Alex Buenrostro and Briauna Barnett, along with Kelli Burns, director of classified personnel.

Superintendent Kelli Hays said she admires Boyd’s work ethic and appreciates the positive affect she has on students and families.

“Lindsey goes above and beyond every day,” Hays said before presenting Boyd with a certificate recognizing her contributions. “She does it with a can-do mindset and a huge smile on her face. She is very approachable and is always willing to lend a hand.”

Boyd said she is grateful for the recognition and, more importantly, having a job she loves.

“We have incredible teachers at Moorpark High School and we have really amazing students, and I feel honored that I get to go to work every day and interact with these people,” she said. “I feel very blessed for the job that I have.”