We Are All Educators: A Story About Unity, Purpose, and Belonging

As I continue reflecting on what strengthens a school community and helps educators feel truly seen, one moment keeps coming back to me. It was a simple shift in language that ended up transforming how we understood our shared purpose.

More than fifteen years ago, I made a small but meaningful change that reshaped how our school community understood itself. At the time, we often used the words faculty and staff as if they described two different groups with different roles and different levels of influence. We were one team, but the language we used sometimes created a subtle divide.

I knew we could do better. I also knew that every adult who walks through the doors of a school shapes a child’s experience. Whether from the classroom, the main office, the stage, the court, the counseling suite, or the athletic fields, every person contributes to what students learn, feel, and become. We all educate.

So at our first back-to-school meeting that year, I shared a vision for something new. One united group, all sharing the same purpose: to educate, support, and inspire our students and families. I talked about the power of identity and the deep respect owed to every person who shapes a child’s school experience. Then, when the new logo appeared on the screen, the room shifted. Gibbons Educator. A title for all of us.

I called up Annette, our longest-serving educator, and handed her the very first personalized shirt: Gibbons Educator, Est. 1978. The room erupted. Applause, cheers, even a few tears. What began as a simple renaming became a moment of recognition for decades of commitment.

I had the privilege of honoring every educator who joined us, year by year. Newer team members had no idea how long many of their colleagues had been serving the school. Seeing the years displayed brought a new appreciation for the people standing beside them. It connected us. It reminded us that our mission belonged to all of us.

The change caught on quickly. Students, families, alumni, and community members began referring to our entire team as educators. Not faculty. Not staff. Just educators. A single word that honored the shared purpose, pride, and joy of our work.

This shift reaffirmed something I have always believed: When educators feel seen, valued, and appreciated, they thrive. And when educators thrive, students soar.

That small change in language helped us become more united, more grounded in our mission, and more aware of the incredible talent and dedication in every corner of our school. It reminded us that every person matters. Every contribution matters. And together, we shape something extraordinary.