Figone drives bus routes across multiple campuses and neighborhood stops in the mornings and afternoons. Beyond transportation, she works to create a warm, calming environment on the bus, greeting every student by name and making the ride a place to relax amidst the demands of their daily lives.

“Our job as bus drivers is to make the kids feel safe, comfortable and happy,” Figone said. “Whether they’re coming from a hard day or stressed out, we do our best to always make it a safe spot on the bus.”

Kairui Sun

Figone laughs during a conversation in the driver's seat of her bus. “Our job as bus drivers is to make the kids feel safe, comfortable and happy,” Figone said.

Rios manages shipping and deliveries, processing packages from FedEx, UPS, Amazon and freight carriers daily. He sorts and distributes supplies across campus, moving through over 30 cases of paper each week.

“I used to get overwhelmed when I first started, but this is going to be my 25th year,” Rios said. “I’ve learned to separate it into stages and get my work done. I’ve seen people come and go, but it’s always nice seeing students who come back and say ‘hello.’”

Kairui Sun

Rios smiles in the cart he uses to transport packages around campus. "I’ve learned to separate it into stages and get my work done," Rios said.

Abellanosa works in the Mexican Fiesta kitchen, starting his mornings at 7:30 a.m. making fresh salsa and preparing dishes for lunch service. Since joining the culinary team in 2017, he’s found his place in the school community.

“I love everything about working here,” Abellanosa said. “Last year, I worked at the Boynton kitchen, and now I’m at the upper school, but I always love it no matter where I’m at.”

Tiffany Zhu

Abellanosa transfers marinating meat from one tray to another in the Mexican Fiesta kitchen. “I love everything about working here,” Abellanosa said.

Justo arrives at dawn each morning, preparing the campus and clearing leaves and debris before students arrive. He takes the most pride in new landscaping projects that reshape the campus, where his team works closely together, coordinating each step to deliver the best results for the community.

“My favorite part is all of it,” Justo said. “We are like a family here. We do our best to make this place look better. I’ve spent 25 years here, and I want to stay here until I retire.”

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Justo maintains the plants around a fence. “My favorite part is all of it; we are like a family here," Justo said.

Raaj oversees daily attendance, late arrivals and early dismissals, ensuring every student is accounted for. With a background in child psychology, she approaches each interaction with empathy and care.

“In my communication with students, I try to be more compassionate because I understand when they are going through things,” Raaj said. “When I feel that a student needs extra support, I try to give tools to manage their stress.”

Tiffany Zhu

Raaj smiles at her desk in the front office. “In my communication with students, I try to be more compassionate because I understand when they are going through things,” Raaj said.