Mr. Ortiz hanging out at the front desk keeping our school safe. photo by Emanuel Morales-Gomez
Alejandro Ortiz ensures the safety on campus, aspiring to build connections, and showing care for students and staff alike throughout the school.
Being in charge of letting visitors into a school may sound like a simple job, but, in reality, the job is a lot more challenging. Alejandro Ortiz is playing that role for Thomas Jefferson High School during his first year. His job is to cautiously check in visitors in order to protect the building. Ortiz makes sure no dangers or threats enter, becoming a second line of security to help TJ continue to be safe for the students and staff. This role is often overlooked by students, but Ortiz deserves credit for the extra precaution and safety he gives to Spartans every day.
Ortiz is originally from El Paso, Texas, but he has lived in Colorado for two years. He was a registrar at College Career Technology Academy in Texas before coming to TJ. Ortiz has been in different school districts across the country over the past 15 years, but he did not want to miss an opportunity to come to Colorado. Ortiz is currently studying at Southern New Hampshire University, and has one more year left to get his Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design. When coming to TJ, Ortiz expected students to treat him with respect, the same way he planned on treating them. This was important to him because, as a new staff member, Ortiz wanted to build connections with the students, and without mutual respect this would not be possible. Ortiz now believes that the school met his expectations, stating “it’s very good to be able to have variety and engage with different kinds of people.” This helps Ortiz to build relationships and be there for students.
The biggest challenge that Ortiz faces is the uncertainty of not knowing who will try to enter the school. He has to make sure nobody with a weapon enters, nobody that poses a threat to the students or staff, and ensure anyone who is not supposed to enter the school in the first place does not gain access. Another struggle for Ortiz is the way some parents react to difficult situations. This can be a problem as some parents try to escalate situations, sometimes getting agitated. Oriz does his best to reassure them that everything is going to be okay as long as they cooperate with him and understand his concerns. Making sure TJ is safe takes lots of awareness, and though Ortiz’s caution may be stressful for some parents, these precautions ensure that school will remain a safe place for students to learn.
Some of the things Ortiz enjoys about TJ is the pride that students and administrators have. His favorite activity is learning about the students, including their backgrounds and the situations that they may be going through. Ortiz hopes to build trust with students and help them to feel confident talking to him. He wants to be an outlet for Spartans, helping them when they need to vent and showing up for them when things are difficult. If students are having a bad day and need time to unwind, Ortiz provides another place students can go to as he cares deeply about them. He shows this by protecting students every day, monitoring the visitors that come in, and also being present for them no matter who they are or what they are going through.
Ortiz has a safe place for students, and acts as another staff member who can support them. Ortiz will continue to protect TJ and provide a safe place for students as they begin to connect with and get to know him as well. Instead of overlooking his hard work and dedication to the safety of this school, students should give him a quick thanks on their way into the school, or stop by and have a conversation with him, building connections. Ortiz will remain an important staff member and part of the community, as he is a second line of protection and ensures that TJ can operate safely with no threats or troubles.
