Editor’s Note: Administrative Professionals Day 2026 is today, April 22, and recognizes the vital contributions of administrative assistants, secretaries, receptionists, and other support staff. We honor this vital work throughout the district today and every day.
Logan Elementary Office Professional Christy Landefeld grew up in Rochester, Michigan, where she attended Oakland University for both her undergraduate and graduate studies. She earned a degree in Elementary Education and later completed a master’s degree in Reading Education. Landefeld went on to teach third and fourth grades in Rochester Community Schools for eight years.
She currently lives in the Logan neighborhood with her husband, Josh, and their daughter, Ej. The family relocated in December 2015 after her husband accepted a position with the City of Ann Arbor Parks Department. Shortly after moving, her daughter began kindergarten at Logan Elementary.
Landefeld quickly became an active and engaged member of the Logan community. She contributed her time through the PTO and regularly volunteered in classrooms, the art room, and the library.
She later joined AAPS as an Office Professional in the 9th- and 10th-grade class office at Huron High School, where she enjoyed the dynamic, fast-paced environment. When the Main Office Professional position opened at Logan Elementary, Landefeld recognized it as the perfect fit. She began her role there in April 2019 and has been serving the Logan community ever since.
Principal Will Wright says that Logan is fortunate to have such an incredible office professional.
“Office professionals have to be a ‘jack of all trades,'” says Wright. “They care for sick students, ensure teachers have the supplies they need, manage school data systems, and juggle countless other responsibilities. Christy has mastered it all. She balances the many demands of the job with remarkable kindness and patience.”
What do you like most about being an office professional at Logan Elementary?
My favorite part about being an OP is being able to work with all members of the school community – the students, the parents, and the staff. Logan is such a vibrant and diverse community, and I enjoy helping and feeling connected to the entire community.
What’s a typical day—if there is such a thing—look like for you?
Every day is a bit different – the beautiful thing about this job is that it is never boring!
Typically, I start my day by 7:45 – I like to get in early in an attempt to enjoy a few moments of quiet productivity before the business of the day starts. I always start by ensuring that all absences and vacancies are covered for the day and prepare any materials our substitutes need for the day. This usually takes up most of the time until students start arriving for breakfast and fifth graders for their safety posts at 8:30.
Once the school day starts, it is pretty much non-stop. Between answering the doors, greeting students and parents, accepting forgotten items, and then locating the child that forgot said item, checking in volunteers and visitors, fielding the phone, caring for students who may be ill, injured, or upset, locating supplies, responding to enrollment inquiries, answering questions, and solving problems.
The office usually slows down for a bit mid-morning and mid-afternoon. I try to take advantage of these times, especially in the morning when our teacher clerk is here, to work on some of my OP duties, like enrollment, CA60 management, transportation requests, payroll, purchasing, inventory, facilities requests, and trying to keep up with email.
What are the biggest challenges?
Keeping up with the demands and staying focused on tasks despite the many interruptions. It can be challenging to feel productive as the amount of time I allocate to tasks can often be considerably shorter, depending on the needs of others. I rarely accomplish everything I want to in a day and have had to really adjust my expectations and prioritize what the most important thing to do next.
What do you like about working for AAPS, and at Logan in particular?
I absolutely love Logan. It is my neighborhood school, and the elementary school my daughter attended. Living and working in the same community is pretty special. Students and their families are my neighbors, and I love seeing them out and about in the community.
The staff at Logan is phenomenal and truly some of my favorite people to be around. My daughter, who is a sophomore at Skyline, loves to come by and help out when she can.
Can you think of something funny a student has said to you recently?
I get a kick out of students who know me by face, but not necessarily by name. Ms. Landefeld and Ms. Christy are what I am called the most frequently, but sometimes students who struggle to pronounce these correctly rename me or make up titles for me. One year, I received a thank-you note addressed to the Office Doctor. One of my little buddies calls me Ms. Kiki, and perhaps my favorite example is the time a kindergartener who was bringing a note to the office came in saying she was looking for Mrs. Ladybug.
Would you say the job is stressful?
It definitely can be. Especially when it is really busy or in the afternoons when I am by myself in the office. It’s always less stressful when my teacher clerk and I are both here. I work hard to roll with the stress and keep calm amongst the chaos.
Do you miss teaching?
I do miss teaching. But I don’t miss all of the outside of the school day work that goes into running a classroom. Being an Office Professional is very busy, and my days are non-stop, but there are only a few times a year that I take work home with me. I am better able to balance work and home than I was when I was teaching.
Do you ever get together with other OPs from other schools?
Occasionally. Not as much socially as I’d like to. I am active in the AAEA-OP union and am one of the Elementary reps, so I am fortunate to know many of the Elementary OPs. We have established close working relationships with one another, and I know they’re ready to support me when I need it.
Most-used app on your phone:
Libby. I love listening to audiobooks. I average two to three a week.
Favorite thing to order at your favorite local restaurant:
The kale & beet salad at Rappourt.
What would surprise co-workers to know about you?
My co-workers are often surprised to learn that I walk to and from work every day. No matter the weather!
What in your professional life excites you most right now?
I love this time of year, when we are wrapping up one school year and planning for the next. Enrollment is one of my favorite aspects of my job. I really enjoy helping new families enroll and preparing to greet and welcome new students, especially the young fives and kindergarteners, which is always very exciting.
What’s most exciting in your personal life?
I spend most of my time outside of work cheering on my daughter and her soccer team. She is a dedicated athlete, and we are starting to look ahead at colleges and universities with strong women’s soccer programs. It’s going to be very exciting to see where her dream and drive take her!
How do you spend your summers?
The way I spend the majority of my time – traveling for soccer! This summer we will travel to Seattle. We will be there for two weeks, and I am hoping to do some sightseeing in between playoff games.
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