WOODBURY — Need somebody to talk to? Need somebody to advocate for you? Need someone just to be in the presence of? Sharon Gomes will do all of that and more for you. Gomes is Nonnewaug’s social worker. According to assistant principal Declan Curtin, she’s an asset to the school community.
“Mrs. Gomes is a consummate professional,” said Curtin. “She’s got many years of experience, and she’s always a very calming influence, always looking for the best result for students who are sometimes not in the best frame of mind or who need assistance. She is a go-to person.”
Curtin is an advocate for Gomes’ importance to the school community. Gomes shares her kindness with everybody no matter who they might be.
“I love my job because there’s something different every day,” Gomes said. “I don’t do the same thing every day, but the main goal is to talk to as many kids as I can within the day. The students and my colleagues are what makes me come to work every day. It’s fun to get to know every variety of students because everybody is so different from one another.”
Loving the job is what makes anyone feel successful. Gomes has a huge heart and is always there for everyone else, even when she’s having a hard day herself.
“I’m not sure I’m helping students every day, but at least I am a person that they can go to whenever they need to talk or if they need help within the school,” Gomes said. “I can advocate for them. I just want to help students make their day easier.”
Sophomore Jordan Kovach sometimes seeks Gomes’ help during tests or projects.
“Every time I go in there she helps me elaborate through hard assignments,” said Kovach. “She just helps me understand my work when I’m stuck on something.”
Especially with Nonnewaug having a lot of different personalities from teens, Gomes always seems to know how to get to the soft spot of every student.
“She’s been here for a long time, so she understands the flow of Nonnewaug,” junior Keira Zupan said. “She knows how to connect with the students, even with the school having such a diverse group of teens. She overall is a wonderful fit for Nonnewaug’s community.”
Zupan has changed throughout her first three years at Nonnewaug. Seeing that growth is what makes Gomes enjoy her role.
“My favorite part about my job is watching kids come in as a freshman and watching them grow into young adults as they go through the years until they make it to senior year,” Gomes said.
Gomes shows everyone they can trust her even when it feels like there could be no trust for anyone. She earns that trust every day.
“She’s a person that we count on, and students trust her,” said Curtin. “And in her field, trust is very important, and she’s always looking out for what is best [for] students. She’s making sure that their experience isn’t so negative and more so positive.”
