Scott Hayden once said, “Teachers have 3 loves: love of learning, love of learners, and the love of bringing the first two loves together.” The six educators in this blog post certainly embody these three loves with their New Year’s resolutions, focused around student advocacy and equity.

Kristen Goodwin, Media Coordinator, Third Creek Middle School, Iredell Statesville Schools
My resolution for the upcoming year is to be more mindful of the trials our students face and increase my advocacy for them.  2020 has been a trying year for everyone, but especially for kids who already face difficult situations.  I want to reach out to them more, provide for them more, and love them more.

Caitlin Van Gorder, School Counselor, Lakeshore Elementary, Greece Central School District
My resolution as a school counselor is to create a more equitable environment for all of my students to feel safe, connected, and their voices to be heard in their classroom and school (in person and virtually).

Bill Moellering, Librarian, Simi Valley Unified School District
My New Year’s resolution is to continue finding opportunities to share reading virtually with all students. It has been challenging to be a librarian during these virtual times, but I am continuing to learn new things and find new resources that will help make reading accessible to all. I also hope that we will be back in school face to face this year and that I can welcome back students with a smile and a book to let them know how missed they were. 

Dana Zinnecker, Media Paraprofessional, Princeton City Schools
As a Media Paraprofessional, my role has changed dramatically this year. I have gone from managing daily operational needs of the high school library and classroom technology to managing a much larger scale of one-to-one technology and WiFi needs. My resolution for 2021 is to make sure every student has the technology they need it in order to be successful in high school and beyond!

Sarah Burk, Director of Alternative Education, Butler County Educational Service Center
In 2021, I will continue to research and implement methods for reducing recidivism for students with special needs.

Mallory Jerge, Parent Coordinator, Lakeshore Elementary, Greece Central School District 
My resolution for the New Year is to gain more connections not only with the children that I serve at Lakeshore Elementary, but to also build more connections with the families that I serve. I am the Community Schools Parent Coordinator at Lakeshore Elementary and feel that this resolution will help not only me, but our families as well.

This post concludes our series on educators’ New Year’s resolutions. We hope you enjoyed it! Many thanks to the incredible educators who are making the most of 2021, especially the ones who were willing to share their hearts and hopes with us.