Novi Schools Names 2013 Support Person of the Year

Each year Novi Community Schools selects one person to be honored as the Support Person of the Year, and this year it was Anita Saurer. 

"She's been a tremendous leader for all of us," said Carol Diglio, Novi High School principal and current interim assistant superintendent for Human Resources.

Diglio, who nominated Saurer for the honor, and a crowd of well-wishers flocked to Saurer's desk Monday morning in Novi High School's administrative office to give her the good news.

"It's very special and nice to work with people who notice your work," Saurer said.

Saurer has worked in the district for 19 years. She started at Novi High School as a secretary in the administrative office in 2002 and received a promotion to be the principal’s secretary in January.

The transition was challenging, she said, because there wasn't someone to replace her right away. She said it was a busy time of preparing course materials and getting read for MEAP tests.

Diglio said Saurer worked endless hours, coming in almost every Saturday.

“What I can tell you about Anita that her resume won’t show is that she is an amazing person who will go out of her way to help someone, but take no credit.  And she cares tremendously about her job and the people she works with," co-worker Kathy Donovan said in a press release from the district.

Saurer will be honored at the Novi Community Schools board of education meeting May 16.