Sisters appreciate their caregivers
A year after the first signs of COVID-19 and the start of social distancing, sisters are especially grateful for the staff who show up to work every day. Notre Dame of Elm Grove, Elm Grove, Wisconsin, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Mankato, Minnesota, and Sancta Maria in Ripa, St. Louis, have sisters who live on site and need various degrees of support. Caregivers are all essential to keeping the School Sisters of Notre Dame functioning from day to day. Learn how three caregivers continue to inspire us all.
Notre Dame of Elm Grove
"I have enjoyed getting to know the sisters and everyone here at the School Sisters of Notre Dame. What a joy it has been working here!”
Jennifer Gozdowiak works as a Human Resource Assistant at Notre Dame of Elm Grove. She has been in her role for almost a year-and-a-half.On a daily basis she is recruiting, interviewing and providing orientations as needed. Jennifer shared her personal mission in working for the School Sister of Notre Dame, “I try to help people and assist them with their needs as much as possible, especially during this time both in the work-place and in my personal life.” As life has changed for most people, Jennifer feels her day-to-day has changed as well. Going into work every morning requires getting a temperature check, social distancing and doing more things over the phone than in person. When asked what motivates Jennifer, she shared, “I still need to fill positions in certain departments like Supportive Services and Food Service. I am committed to finding the best people for our open positions, for our sisters and the organization as a whole!”
Our Lady of Good Counsel
“SSND is a religious community and when you walk the halls you feel the loving, caring spirit of the sisters and staff. It’s a wonderful feeling to have God’s arms wrapped around you on a daily basis.”
Patrick Conley has worked in the Informational Technology (IT) department for over a year-and-a-half as a Senior Systems Analyst. His daily responsibilities include IT projects, hardware, software, infrastructure and helpdesk tickets. Working for the School Sisters of Notre Dame has been a wonderful opportunity for Patrick; however, the pandemic has made it more challenging. He shares, “I’ve never worked full time from home. My biggest challenge has been replacing the across-the-table interactions with people. I like getting out of my chair every so often and having a conversation with someone.” Providing the best possible customer service to the sisters and staff for technology is very important in our day-to-day lives. Patrick shared what motivates him to continue working during this time, “Our sisters are a high-risk age group for COVID-19. As a member of a great IT team, we are focused on providing the best possible service to the sisters and staff without compromising their health.”
Sancta Maria in Ripa
“I take great pride in being a staff member. The sisters make it worth it! I have never worked for anyone who has been more grateful and appreciative than SSND sisters for the things I do, no matter how big or small. Every day here has been a blessing.”
Kristen Level has been working for the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) for the past five years. She has been working as an Environmental Services Housekeeper. Her daily duties are to maintain the cleanliness of the facility while meeting health and safety codes, such as disinfecting restrooms, kitchens and all other common areas. During the pandemic, Kristen shared, “While cleaning is already a physically demanding job, it’s even more so now. There is a very high demand to keep all surfaces clean and disinfected. This becomes challenging when there are so many things that people touch on a daily basis, especially in a large facility.” Kristen shows great pride in the work she does. She comes to work every day ready to support the SSND mission. When asked what motivates her, she shared, “I know that I am providing a service to our sisters to give them peace of mind. Seeing me there completing tasks to decrease the risk of them contracting the virus also gives them a sense of ease. I am happy to go to work every day knowing that what I do makes a difference during this trying time.”
Read more from other staff members and COVID-19 related topics shared throughout the last year.