Sutton School Employee Spotlight: Erika Worthing
January 23, 2025
Meet Erika Worthing, Sutton School, Special Educator
Erika Worthing, also known as Ms. Erika to her Kindergarten-4th grade students, has worked with Sutton School and ¾«¶«´«Ã½ East School District for the past 2 years. During high school Erika found out that one of her classmates had been in a separate setting their entire school career, which lead her to feel a deep connection of advocating for inclusion.
During college, Erika worked as a behavioral health professional in the home environment. Upon graduating, she moved on to become a paraeducator and immediately fell in love with being part of of the school community. Through her love for education and dedication to advocate for inclusion, she worked her way up to become a special educator so that she could help support and advocate for students with disabilities.
Ms. Erika was asked a series of questions regarding his time at Sutton School and with ¾«¶«´«Ã½ East School District. Below are some of the questions that were asked, followed by her answers.
Q: What is your favorite thing about working in a school?
Answer: "I love it when students have been working on a new skill or concept and have the ah-ha moment! Watching students learn and grow socially, emotionally, and academically is hands down my favorite thing about working at school. I am a strong believer in transferable skills and applying our lessons to everyday life so students can thrive as adults".
Q: What have been some of your favorite moments as an educator?
Answer: "My favorite moment as an educator was when the middle school students chose to recognize me in the yearbook. Sometimes, I can get caught up in my responsibilities as a special educator, so it was such a kind and thoughtful surprise for the students to take a moment and write a page in the yearbook recognizing my work".
Q: What are you looking forward to about this school year?
Answer: "I am looking forward to getting to know all of our students at Sutton and collaborating with staff, parents, and students to establish a solid foundation in this community".
Ms. Erika, thank you for your dedication to the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ East School District and Sutton School. Your passion for creating an inclusive learning environment and your advocacy for students with disabilities have already made a profound impact on the lives of our students in the two years you have been working with us. Your commitment to ensuring that every child feels valued, supported, and empowered is truly inspiring! Thank you for your tireless efforts, compassion, and the positive difference you continue to make in our community.