Southgate Public School is proud to announce that Ms. Rachel Sullivan, our cafeteria assistant, has been selected as the March Staff Member of the Month.
Her nominator wrote, "Excellence is built with the quality of your actions and the integrity of your intent. These words are the perfect description of Ms. Rachel Sullivan. Ms. Rachel pours her heart into loving our students and brings so much positive energy and fun to Southgate. Her effort, pride, and passion can be seen in everything she does, and she approaches every task with a positive attitude. She is a ray of sunshine and greets staff and students alike with a huge smile and welcoming attitude each and every day. Ms. Rachel takes time to get to know each student and build a relationship with them. She’s there to celebrate their accomplishments and build them up when they’re having a bad day. She understands the importance of nutrition to the overall wellness of students and that students can’t learn if they are hungry. She works tirelessly in the cafeteria preparing healthy and nutritious options to meet the likes and dislikes of our students. We are truly blessed to have Ms. Rachel and her unwavering commitment to our students here at Southgate!"
We also asked Ms. Rachel to share her connection to Southgate and a little about herself:
My first encounter at Southgate was in 2011 when my oldest son, Jacob, attended his first day of kindergarten. Although I was nervous, the staff were very friendly and assured me that everything would be fine. The bond continued with my second oldest, Ciaire, and still continues to this day with my two youngest, LJ and Eli. My bond with the school grew over the years to the point that I wanted to feel like I was a part of something greater. In the 2022-2023 school year, I began my journey at Southgate as an employee.
Jacob thrived at Southgate and graduated eighth grade in 2020. He is currently a senior at Newport Central Catholic (NCC). Ciaire started kindergarten at Southgate and graduated eighth grade in 2021. She is currently a junior at Bellevue High School. LJ and Eli both started and still attend Southgate. LJ is currently in second grade and Eli is currently in first grade. The end goal is to have all four of my children graduate from Southgate Public School.
As for myself, I graduated with the Class of 2006 from Newport High School with studies in early childhood development eventually leading into a career, at the time, at Children Inc. However, over the years the bond I developed with the teachers and staff at Southgate made me feel like I was at home.
I chose to pursue my career further at Southgate due to how incredibly unique and diverse it is. From different cultures to different races, each bring something really special to contribute to the school. Offering a plethora of different opportunities to get involved and give back to the community that supports us. I’m proud to say that I’ve made an impact on the lives of Southgate students. I look forward to seeing them grow into the brilliant adults they can be.
My advice is: Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine.
Small school, Big pride!