Lappeenranta school caretaker becomes trusted adult for students

Birgit Lindeman, the caretaker at Lappeenranta Lyseo upper secondary school, is known for organising the school’s practical affairs and for being an adult students can turn to with their worries, Yle reports.

Lindeman has arranged the examination halls for the Finnish matriculation examinations dozens of times. This year, she again moved benches and desks into place as the autumn examinations began on Monday.

Students often spend their breaks in Lindeman’s office. They discuss upcoming tests, joke with her and sometimes talk through more difficult issues. Some also sit quietly at her desk and work on jigsaw puzzles.

“Pimi is really the heart of the school. She makes the matriculation examinations possible,” said student Arttu Kurttila, using Lindeman’s nickname.

Max Mäkelä, who also studies at the school, said students could tell Lindeman about their worries and think together with her about how to resolve them.

“Pimi is like a mother figure to me here at Lyseo,” Kurttila said.

Lindeman said she tries to be an authentic and approachable adult for the students. She believes it is important for schools to have adults whom young people can talk to.

“It is of course good if you can be of help to them,” she said.

Decades of matriculation examinations

Lindeman has worked at Lyseo for nearly 40 years. She arrived in 1989 as a temporary holiday replacement after her mother suggested the job. A permanent position as a caretaker followed the next year.

She describes herself as someone who handles a wide range of tasks. The students, whom she affectionately calls “the kids”, are the most important part of her work.

“Because of them, you have the energy to keep going,” Lindeman said.

Some students discuss the matriculation examinations with her. Lindeman encourages them to persevere, saying she wants to see them complete the exams in the spring.

Kurttila, Mäkelä and Kasper Hannonen are sitting English and philosophy examinations this autumn. They said Lindeman is an important person at the school and someone they can talk to about both the examinations and larger questions in life.

“It is important to have people like Pimi whom you can approach even on bad days, because she always brings a smile to your face,” Hannonen said.

Concern for young people

Lindeman said she has noticed that students no longer seem as nervous about the matriculation examinations as they once were, although every young person is different.

She is also concerned about students’ wellbeing. Lindeman said young people are struggling today and that she would like to see more support and help for families.

“Perhaps then there would not be so many problems here at school. Teachers are struggling in the classroom these days,” she said.

Lindeman values the independence her work provides and said no one is constantly looking over her shoulder. She also believes students notice when an adult is pretending to be someone they are not.

She hopes everyone in the school community will be treated equally.

“I have tried to make sure that we are all on the same level. That is extremely important,” Lindeman said.