Jan LaFountaine – Executive Assistant to the Superintendent

Location: Administration Building

Job description: Jan provides administrative and secretarial support to the superintendent and the board of directors. Her keys to success are communication skills and flexibility. “We all have our strengths,” says Jan. “One of mine is working with people. Someone else might have better technology skills than I do, but I’m confident that I can assist everyone, even if they are having a bad day!”

Typical day: Jan arrives at 7:30 a.m. unless she has an early meeting. She then goes through the phone and email messages that have accrued overnight. After that, she tackles the multitude of tasks and goals she has written on post-it notes and places them all over her desk. Some of her regular duties include keeping the superintendent’s calendar, board communications – board agendas, minutes, and board-packet preparation, and posting information to the website. Jan plans executive sessions and prepares talking points and minutes for superintendent committee meetings, as well as for the superintendent’s weekly meetings with his cabinet and with the board president and vice president. Jan is the “go to” person for the district’s administrative and board policies, which have just gone through a major overhaul and continue to be an on-going project. She interacts with district legal counsel and fields all calls and visitors to the superintendent’s office.

Best part of the job: The people. Jan truly enjoys people and loves the MISD staff. “Our teachers and support people are so passionate,” she says. “It is a pleasure to see the enthusiasm they have for their work. Teamwork is a priority in the district and makes things so much easier.” She is also impressed with Mercer Island parents. “I have never seen parents as supportive of their children’s education as they are on Mercer Island.”

Something people may not know: In her early 20’s, Jan was an assistant stockbroker and the youngest assistant vice president of the trust department of a large banking institution. After marrying and moving to Anaheim, California, she worked at Disneyland as the executive assistant to the Executive Director of Marketing. As part of her executive training, she spent one day dressed as a Disneyland character – in her case, as Doc, one of Snow White’s seven dwarfs. “You’d be amazed at how many little kids tried to stomp on my feet!” she laughs. “Also, those costumes are so hot inside!”

Years worked in the district: One year. Prior to coming to Mercer Island, Jan worked for 25 years in the Renton School District, where she was Executive Assistant to the Superintendent for the last eight years.

Outside interests: Jan and her husband, Mark, have been married for 35 years. They met on a blind date. They have two children, Jennifer, age 34, and Chad, age 31. Jan and Mark like to motor around the San Juan and Gulf Islands on their 34’ Camano Trawler. They also love to travel, camp, hike, and bike.