The Student News Site of Malvern Preparatory School

Friar's Lantern

The Student News Site of Malvern Preparatory School

Friar's Lantern

The Student News Site of Malvern Preparatory School

Friar's Lantern

Hero of the Issue: Mrs. Leonard

If you’re late to class, check in with Mrs. Leonard and grab some pretzels.

For Dean of Students Office Administrative Assistant Mrs. Christine Leonard, every morning is “very busy.”
“We have a lot of students that come in late. And we have a lot of people that come and go, and we have all the seniors that have to check in,” Leonard said.

Because of senior privilege, seniors who have open first period do not need to come to school until second period. Leonard said 20 to 50 seniors come to school late because of senior privilege each day.

“[Seniors] stroll in anytime between any of that time,” Mrs. Leonard said. “Some come right at first even though they’re open, some come at the end of break so they’re there for second period. Several days some of them have two periods open.”

“It sounds like a simple task, like here comes [senior] Sam Stroud,” Mrs. Leonard said. “Are you checking in or are you late?”

“I’m late,” Stroud said.

“Ok. So, it’s community time. You don’t need a pass,” Mrs. Leonard said. “That’s an example, except he’s just late.

While Mrs. Leonard checks in all the seniors like Stroud, she is also checking all the homeroom attendance to see who is absent. If a student is absent and his parent has not communicated if he would be absent, Mrs. Leonard looks for the student. If the student is not at school, she emails their first period teacher, and calls the student’s parents if they’re not at school.

“Usually there’s a reasonable explanation, and usually the parents are pretty gracious about it,” she said.

Mrs. Leonard was born in Philadelphia but grew up in Upper Darby in Delaware County. She went to high school at Archbishop Prendergast.

After high school, she worked for Philadelphia Electric Company where she then took night classes at Widener University. While at Widener, she also met her future husband.

Mrs. Leonard now has four children and is living in West Chester. She had two sons go to Malvern. They graduated in 2004 and 2006.

Mrs. Leonard also picked up a new Keith Urban guitar and is looking to teach herself how to play over the summer.

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