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Golden Heart Honoree Profile: Nate Bailey
Nate Bailey doesn’t believe in doing the bare minimum.
Bailey works at Cherry Creek Elevation as a school counselor and his colleagues see his tenacity and commitment every day. A champion for mental health, Bailey has dedicated himself to supporting students at the district’s online school. He actively works to remove barriers to student success and he never lets physical distance prevent him from going the extra mile.
“Nate is an absolute rock star,” Elevation Principal Kristy Hart shared. “Bailey seems to have an innate sense for how to connect with kids and he keeps going until the students have gotten what they need.”
Bailey shows his Golden Heart by helping hundreds of students every year, but his kindness and support is most clearly seen in the nomination written by a parent of one of his students, who shared an inspirational story of hope and healing.
“From the very first conversation with Mr. Bailey, something felt different,” the parent wrote. “I can say now that the difference was I began to feel hope. Mr. Bailey took his time in talking with us and showed concern for our son beyond what felt like the required level of information gathering. After talking with Mr. Bailey the first time, I actually had tears in my eyes. I felt that both I and my child were being offered a true partnership.”
After speaking with the parent and understanding the student’s story, Bailey worked to find the right program for the student and ensured the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) would be ready for the transition – even working over winter break! Bailey helped the family understand why the new school would be a good fit and helped the student process anxiety around restarting school. Bailey continued to stay in contact with the student, offering support and advice over the telephone.
“I cannot tell you enough how Mr. Bailey has gone above and beyond to connect with and support my son in his journey to heal,” added the parent.
Posted 3/23/21.