As the new school year settles in, so has Aliso Niguel High School’s new Office Manager, Rosa Mendoza, who has recently been hired under Principal Dr. Mahindrakar following the retirement of longtime office manager, Dawn Stanley.
For a typical day as an office manager at Aliso Niguel High School under Principal Dr. Mahindrakar, there are many things Mrs. Mendoza has to take care of. Her main duties lie under the principal. When interviewed, she commented that one of her favorite things about the typical day at this job is that “the typical day here is awesome because it’s different every day.”
Mrs. Mendoza works closely with Dr. Mahindrakar, helping him with his calendar and scheduling time and appointments for him to see staff members, or even parents and students. She also helps the assistant principals, supporting them if they need any help with their work. She works with other employees and staff members too, helping them with any questions they might have concerning their payroll or their paychecks.
She even works with Human Resources to help job applicants who apply to work at Aliso Niguel. She assists them in scheduling their interview appointments or in getting all their paperwork done and ready. About her responsibilities, Mrs. Mendoza said, “I kind of have to do a little bit of everything!”
When asked to describe the atmosphere of the Aliso Niguel office, Mrs. Mendoza replied that the atmosphere in the office is great, “Everybody’s very positive and we have a smile on our faces every day! We’re here, we’re ready to work, ready to help students. We’re excited about seeing students every morning here. We get this school to keep running!”
In terms of her biggest challenge in her new position at Aliso Niguel, Mrs. Mendoza responded by saying that, “It’s not so much of a challenge as it is just an adjustment. I’m making some really good new coworkers and new friends here.” A wonderful thing about Aliso’s office is that they all work closely together and provide support to each other when needed!
Mrs. Mendoza has previously worked for the last ten years at San Juan Hills High School in their student services department. Before that, she worked at numerous elementary schools, including Hidden Hills Elementary, Marblehead, and Lobo Elementary in their offices.
Outside of school, Mrs. Mendoza has many ways to relax and entertain herself. She enjoys pilates, likes to walk on the beach and spend time with her family and friends. She also noted, “I’m taking golf lessons,” which gives her a helpful way to stay active while balancing work and home life!
Aliso Niguel is grateful to welcome Mrs. Mendoza, a fantastic and hardworking addition to the office for the 2025–26 school year.