Marl Baroque

Marl Baroque, affectionately known around the school yard and front office as Ms. Secondopinionson, is the weary but steadfast secretary to the notoriously difficult Principal Fakey. Marl is a woman of deep, quiet resilience, defined by her immense empathy and the heavy burdens she carries outside of work. Plain-featured and physically unattractive, Marl has long accepted her rustic appearance, though she remains self-conscious about her voice—a striking, resonant baritone that is frequently mistaken for a man's. To cope with this, she has developed a bizarre, endearing habit of literally punching or pinching her nose when speaking in public to force her voice into a higher, more traditionally feminine register. Despite her own profound personal heartaches—including coping with infertility—Marl channels her maternal instincts into caring for others. She is the sole caretaker of her frail, aging father and her energetic twelve-year-old half-brother, Joe. Leading a completely sober life free of alcohol and smoking, Marl has earned a stellar reputation as a patient, compassionate listener. She is a natural confidante who geeks out on finding ways to lift others up, offering a supportive shoulder and invaluable, second-opinion advice to anyone navigating a dark patch in life.