High School Volunteering Pays Off

A couple of years ago, for security reasons, our high school installed an actual door bell, complete with an intercom system and a video camera. Now, to enter the building during the day, everyone must ring the doorbell, show their ID to the camera, explain why entering the building is a matter or life or death and wait to be buzzed in by one of the all powerful, all mighty school secretaries.

My third child is now at this high school. I never show my ID or say a thing to the intercom, because when the secretaries look into the video camera to see who has pushed the doorbell, they see me and they push the buzzer right away.

Last week I happened to approach the door just behind another mom who had already pushed the doorbell. She got no response, so I pushed it shortly after she did. Off went the buzzer immediately and in we walked. As we entered the office, one of the secretaries not so nicely told the other mom how the system worked and told her she had to go out to her car to get her ID. Her response, as she pointed to me, was "why doesn't she have to do that?"

The secretary looked at me and said, "Because she's been here forever."

I just shrugged, looked smug and thought, "ahhh, one of the fine perks of volunteering!"