Chiriga Bogan-Garrett shared her experience joining Crossroads through the din of students coming in and out of the front office, asking for help, dropping off keys, signing out for lunch, and chatting with her about the school’s goings-on.
As Crossroads’s receptionist and an administrative assistant, Chiriga’s role includes managing the traffic of students, parents, faculty, and staff in the front office, routing phone calls, making announcements, managing student attendance, bookkeeping, and coaching Cheer during activity. But her first interactions with Crossroads came more than a year earlier, as a parent to 10th grader Jordan Bogan.
It was Jordan’s experience with Crossroads’s that piqued her interest in the position. “I was a little jealous of Jordan,” Chiriga says. “Crossroads really is a family. The feeling I felt when I would come through our doors as a parent is what I want other parents to experience. I understand how important it is to know your kids are in a safe environment with people who care about them.”
Chiriga adds that she interacts with students more frequently than with parents, which is a favorite part of her role. “Some days our kids need hugs, so I give out hugs! I really do like these kids,” she says.
Prior to joining Crossroads, Chiriga completed her master’s degree in nonprofit management and leadership from Webster University, while being a stay-at-home mom and an entrepreneur. When not spending time with her husband Jerry, four children (Jordan, 16, Jada, 13, Justice, 11, Jasper, 1) and her dog Oreo, Chiriga enjoys painting and working with herbs and crystals.