By S.T. | Staff Writer

   Attendance Clerk Kevin Weir’s journey at Gabrielino will be coming to an end this semester. Described as a man who usually goes unnoticed for the work he puts in, his presence at Gabrielino will be missed.

   Weir received an opportunity to support the Director of Informational and Educational Technology, Eric Chau, at the San Gabriel Unified School District office. The position is relatively new and has been open for a year, which has left the district staff in urgent need of assistance.

   Before he bids goodbye, Weir is devoted to making this transition a seamless and comfortable ride for all. 

   “I might leave by March 1 or it might be at the end of the school year,” revealed Weir. “I don’t want to leave the student center […] and not have somebody here trained [to take over].” 

   Gabrielino’s lovely main office clerk started his career on campus 14 years ago. 

   “I always joke that attendance is my job title but there is a line that says ‘and other duties as assigned,’ that takes up about 99 percent of my job,” laughed Weir.

   Managing issues regarding attendance, creating daily reports for administration to send to the district, or helping ASB with bulletin announcements are only some of the array of duties his work consists of.

   Weir’s favorite part about his job are the students.

   “I often say I’ve had 1800 students a year, 1800 children of my own because I care about each one,” Weir smiled. “Leaving them will definitely be the hardest part.” 

   Apart from students, Weir will also dearly miss his colleagues. Though most of his conversations with faculty and staff have been through emails, it has allowed him to build close relationships that he will forever be grateful for. 

  “Weir is very knowledgeable […] and has been very helpful to me in getting to know the people and processes here,” said Eva Shin, assistant principal.

   When it came to challenges Weir faced at work, he revealed his greatest challenge was the inability to see students struggle. 

   “When [students] are down, I feel it too and I hurt,” Weir said.

   Weir also admitted to facing tough times when his reports did not work the way he wanted them to or when he had to learn a new formula for an Excel file. However, he views those as learning opportunities. 

   In terms of hobbies, Weir is a passionate musician and has been playing the drums since the age of 12. The music he plays is a diverse variety which ranges from oldies to current top 40 hits. 

   Weir’s favorite band is “Rush” and he aspires to play like their drummer, John Rutsey. 

   In 2016, Weir was a part of a faculty band created by a few musically talented teachers on campus. The members never settled on a band name and it fluctuated every time they played, but some of its titles included “Faculty’s Lounge” and “School’s Out”. 

   The band was at its prime the first two years, however, complications with scheduling and the pandemic sent them on hiatus. 

   Though the band has not performed in a while, Weir has not stopped drumming. He occasionally helps out the Gabrielino choir with concerts and is part of a punk band after school hours. 

   “I wish all students knew how good of a drummer he is.” expressed David Pitts, music teacher and bass player of the faculty band. 

   Through his time at Gabrielino, Weir has been able to handle different circumstances and tasks which have helped him gain more confidence. 

   Despite feeling devastated about his leave, Weir will endlessly treasure his experience.

   “A part of me will always cheer for every student that comes through, from the ones that I don’t know to the ones at the top of their class,” Weir stated passionately. “Every one of the students here is special.”