08/15/2026
The First Hello: Nena Baker
Before a student ever reaches a classroom, before a parent finds the right hallway or a visitor asks for directions, there is one constant point of contact at Atlanta Middle School: the front desk.
It is where questions are answered, problems are solved and the unexpected is simply part of the day. For Nena Baker, that's part of the appeal.
"I would have to say the kids are the best part of the job, all the different personalities that they bring," she said. "They definitely keep me on my toes. I've never had the same day twice. There's always a little bit of excitement in that for me."
Now in her third year with Atlanta ISD, Nena started as a paraprofessional before moving into the front office. Before coming to Atlanta, she worked as an optometry technician.
Her desk may be one of the first stops for students, parents and visitors, but answering phones and checking students in and out are only a small part of the job.
"This job has many hats," Nena said. "It's keeping everybody in the school building safe. It's helping with coverage when teachers are out or substitutes are here. It's helping plan events. There's lots of ins and outs."
Among those responsibilities is making sure the office feels like a place students can come to when they need help.
"I hope that it feels welcoming and safe," she said. "I feel like there is a little bit of a stigma of the office being a place where somebody's in trouble, and I just hope they know that I'm here for them as much as anybody else."
One of her favorite memories came last year while supervising lunch rotations. Armed with a microphone and a question, Nena decided to find out what students dreamed of becoming one day.
"I went around the cafeteria letting them talk on the microphone," she said. "They gave me some really surprising answers. It was really cool to hear all the things they wanted to be."
For someone who enjoys the different personalities students bring through the doors each day, moments like that are part of what has made Atlanta feel like the right place to be.
"I'm just really glad I can be a part of this community," Nena said.
