For me personally, there’s no way I would have been able to walk away. It’s not part of the way I was brought up. You’re part of a team and you work on that team until everything is done. You make sure the team prospers.
In this year, I have probably interacted more with students in a virtual way than I have in previous years, primarily because they’re using technology more. Before I was the guy behind the curtain, which is what my preference is. If I’m doing my job correctly, they don’t know who I am because everything’s running perfectly.
Q: How does your work reflect the all-girls mission or environment of DSHA?
A: I am the product of a single-gender high school education. I went to an all-boys high school in Chicago. It’s easy for me to understand the environment. In this environment, we work within the realm of making sure the students are taken care of.
Q: What does it mean to you to work at a school where the Salvatorian mission is at the forefront?
A: Being Roman Catholic, I’ve been brought up in that way of thinking. You’re trying to make sure you’re doing things the right way. You’re trying to honor God. You’re trying to honor your commitment to your fellow man. That’s primarily what attracted me to this particular place.
Q: What is your favorite DSHA memory?
A: I have always been drawn to the theatre. Watching my daughter as one of the nuns in the Sound of Music was excellent. Being able to (volunteer before I started my role here and) build the sets, work in the theatre, and sit back and watch that all unfold and watch the absolute talent that we have here at school has been amazing. It’s unbelievable to think of some of the students that have gone through here. All of that talent, not only in the theatre, but in academics, athletics, etc. It’s an unbelievable place.
JEFF KMIECIK AT-A-GLANCE:
Years at DSHA: 17
What he will miss most about DSHA: The people that he works and interacts with; the noise the girls make in the building; and reading morning prayer.
Favorite quote: “Have you tried restarting your computer?”
Outside of IT roles:
• ALICE Active Shooter Coordinator
• Regular reading of all-school prayer
Family: Wife, Georgene Karkutt Kmiecik, DS ’67; daughters, Denise Kmiecik Kawczynski, DSHA ’85, Tina Kmiecik Leverenz, DSHA ’87, and Ashley Kmiecik-Wright, DSHA ’03; son, Joshua
Education:
Archbishop Joseph Weber High School, DePaul University, and Wright College in Chicago
“Having Jeff at DSHA made our IT team that much greater, and his vast knowledge
and skillset are without equal. Last summer would have been an easy out
to retire and skip all the craziness that was the 2020-21 school year. But luckily
for DSHA, Jeff’s dedication to the mission and the students inspired him to help
the school navigate through this year and its many unique challenges. I will be
forever grateful for his time. His impact to DSHA’s IT abilities will go on forever.”
– DSHA Director of Technology John White