Schools do a lot more than most students or even parents are aware of, yet so much of it flies under the radar most of the time. They would, anyway, without Nicole Moore working to document as much of it as she can.

Moore is the new Public Relations Coordinator for Elizabethton City Schools, though the position is not the first time she has worked there.

“I worked here about four years ago with special education and pre-K kids,” Moore said.

She was only working there part-time, however, so she ended up going to work at Niswonger Children’s Hospital in Johnson City while she pursued her degree in communications.

She said she always wanted to come back to ECS when the time was right, however.

“It is the people, the community,” she said. “It is coming back home to where I grew up.”

The job allows Moore to continue her love of interacting with children and their parents, she said.

As a liaison between the half-dozen city schools and the parents who send their children there, she always has a professional camera on her desk, ready to go to a school and take photos of whatever a school may be doing that deserves media attention.

“I want to be the spokesperson for the school system and highlight their strengths,” she said. “It is neat to work with the teachers.”

She said she knew what she wanted to do with the new job, but seeing how much there was to talk about was a surprise.

“I really did not know all the programs,” Moore said. “I did not know all of the stuff the schools had to offer.”

As per the title of her degree, her job involves a lot of phone calls and email conversations. She said one of the more difficult parts of her job is when that communication slows down.

“It can be hard having people get back to you,” Moore said. “You have to be diligent, keep your ears open to things and keep communicating with teachers.”

These challenges, however, are offset when she hears the positive reception to her work.

“It is rewarding taking the pictures,” Moore said. “You can really capture the moments, what is really going on.”

One example was the Back to School Bash in August at the Cyclone Stadium. She said it was incredible to see the impact the event had.

“You were seeing all the families in need,” she said.

Of course, the job itself was not the only motivation for working in the school system. Moore said she has a daughter at Elizabethton High School as a senior and another in the fifth grade.

“I can keep my kids in the school system,” Moore said. “The biggest thing is being on their schedule.”

All of this makes it easier, she said, because everything she does is on the same schedule. If school is in session, her kids are in school and she is working. If not, both are at home.

“My passion is to help parents and their kids,” Moore said.

Work is not the only aspect of her life, however. She said she is active at Valley Forge Freewill Baptist Church.

“I like hiking and travelling,” Moore said. “We love listening to music.”

She also said she and her family go to Charleston to go to the beach every once in a while.

In fact, she said her faith is part of her inspiration. When the job gets tough, she said her faith sees her through.

“I have compassion for people,” Moore aid. “I am a servant. I want to help other people.”

She said not many school systems she knows of have PR Coordinators, so she wants to make the most of this opportunity.

“It is important to keep that line of communication,” Moore said. “They have that phone they can call.”