It is not uncommon for students to tell Toni Golden they love her as they enter the office of Tallassee High School.
Golden sees many students every day in her role recording tardies and absences. So those remarks from students might be seen as bribes by some but co-workers don’t.
“She is a just great person,” Tallassee High School principal Drew Glass said. “She is awesome at everything she does. We wouldn’t do what we do without her.”
Golden also helps in classrooms, has been a senior sponsor in the past and helps former students get transcripts. It is all part of Golden’s role as an instructional aide. Her compassion and performance led her co-workers to select her as support staff person of the year at Tallassee High School.
It’s an honor she said she doesn’t deserve alone.
“At the high school we are a team and help each other,” Golden said. “It sounds cliche but we do. It should have been all of us.”
If it couldn’t be the entire staff, Golden wanted to give to someone else.
“I’m humbled but there are so many others that deserve it,” Golden said. “It’s the truth. It’s how I really feel. I’m just doing my job.”
Some of her co-workers heard her say others were more deserving and they were so quick to respond.
“She is there for all of us,” secretary Christina Baker said. “She is always there doing a ton of things. She is a jack of all trades. She never seeks attention for what she does for us and the school.”
The Reeltown native sought a job at Tallassee High School 17 years ago.
“I have two boys. I wanted to be involved with them and know the school system they were going to,” Golden said. “I started out subbing when a part time position came open in PE.”
A year later she took a full time position in the media center.
“I worked in there for several years as a media assistant,” Golden said. “I asked to come out to work in the classroom and other ways.”
Golden’s children have graduated, gone on, gotten married and started their own lives.
But she remains, helping answer the phone, breaking up the occasional argument between students, just doing her thing making sure students and staff are cared for.
But Golden sees it the other way around. She doesn’t know how long she will stay, but does because she enjoys it.
“I’ve been blessed,” Golden said. “It’s exciting because you never know what each will hold. We just do what we are asked to do. I love who I work for and who I work with. It makes it easy.”
Cliff Williams is a staff writer for Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. He may be reached via email at cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com.