“Sheila is the glue that holds this school together! She goes above and beyond every single day in hundreds of ways. She is the go-to person at our school and always seems to know the answer and what to do.” - Patricia Clark, teacher at Oxbow Creek Elementary.

School office supervisor Sheila Joslin has been with Anoka-Hennepin for 34 years, with the past 25 of them being at Oxbow Creek Elementary School. She’s often the first point of contact for new families enrolling at Oxbow Creek, or a friendly face for families and students with questions or concerns. 

Molly Schuster, paraeducator at the school, explained that Joslin handles all parent interactions with patience and positivity. “Sheila's smile brings a calm to new families changing schools as that is a scary transition for some kids and parents alike,” Schuster said. “We have students from so many ethnic and religious backgrounds and Sheila makes each one of them feel valued.”

Joslin was nominated for the Above & Beyond Award recognition this year not just once - but three times. Each nomination echoed numerous acts of kindness demonstrated in her workday regarding the ease at which she connects with students and their families. Examples of Joslins’ instinct to go above and beyond ranged from fixing broken zippers on winter coats (they say her nickname is the “zipper-whisperer”), positivity rewards with special education students passing through the school office and fixing the hair of a student upon the request of a parent experiencing difficulties at home. 

Joslin finds joy in each interaction, sharing, “These moments make my heart happy!”

The 2024 Above & Beyond Awards ceremony to honor Joslin and 14 other exceptional employees will take place April 3 at the Educational Service Center (ESC).