Felisha Sena is the substitute coordinator at Santa Fe High School, meaning she is in charge of calling/assigning substitutes to fill in for classes that don’t have a teacher, getting coverage (from teachers) for classes, and doing attendance for subbed classes.
Ms. Sena also helps out at the front desk. She often checks students out or in for the day when they are leaving school early or arriving late. However, she says, “The main priority is always getting substitute teachers for classes.”
Ms. Sena says she enjoys both the work and the environment at SFHS: “So far it’s been nice; it’s busy,” she says. “I really do enjoy how busy it is [since] the days go by really quickly.”
She recounts that she’s been working with Santa Fe Public Schools since 2015, joining the staff of SFHS in the fall of 2023. She is planning to continue working here in the future.
Before coming to Santa Fe High, Ms. Sena worked as a front desk manager at Salazar Elementary School for seven years, and then at Nye Bilingual Early Childhood Center. She has always been the office manager or secretary.
She says, “I really enjoy working with the schools. When you’ve been with the schools as long as I have, it’s really rewarding. I get to watch these kids grow up. It makes me feel old saying that, but … some of these seniors I remember from preschool.
“I did enjoy Nye – it was just slower,” she explains. “Students are only there for preschool – they are only there for a short time. It was nice, but I missed knowing the families and students…. Making connections with the community is a good feeling. You get to know and meet all kinds of families. It’s rewarding.”
Along with the students, Ms. Sena has found enjoyment in the staff. She says, “I’m still trying to navigate and get to know everyone, but so far it’s been a nice experience. Everyone has been welcoming and very friendly.”
She explains that she went to college to study social work.
Born and raised in New Mexico, Ms. Sena attended Pecos High School. She says she enjoys this area. “It’s a small town,” she says. “It could be a good and a bad thing, but I do enjoy it here for the most part.”
In her free time, Ms. Sena says she enjoys doing fun things with her 14-year-old daughter, such as going to the thrift store to get materials for crafts and projects, baking cakes whenever they get the chance, and even doing flower arrangements. Ms. Sena says she is really close with her daughter and enjoys doing things with her. She says, “It’s just me and her, so we are very close with each other. I love spending time with her.”
