Stephanie Emmons, Gossler Park Elementary School’s staff, was recognized as one of the WZID 20 Outstanding Women Award for 2024. Emmons was nominated for her exceptional work in the Manchester community and recognized for her commitment to her school and community and to supporting students and families.
Although Emmons is humble and doesn’t seek attention, she agreed to be featured because of her deep love for her school and the local community. Raised in Maine, she attended Saint Anselm College and earned a Bachelor’s in Sociology before obtaining her Master’s in Social Work from the University of New Hampshire. Prior to joining the school district, Emmons worked with Waypoint and later became a part of the district working for Amoskeag Health as part of the Community Schools Grant. Following the grant, she transitioned to a full-time position within the district.
Aimee Kereage, Manchester Proud’s, Community Partnerships Director praised Emmons as an “amazing human,” expressing gratitude for the opportunity to work with her. Emmons herself acknowledges the uniqueness of the community, stating, “I’ve never worked at another school, but this community is so special…my goal and our goal is that people feel like a community—we are welcoming, we are not just a school.”
In her role at Gossler Park Elementary School, Emmons supports the entire student population of around 360 students, handling various tasks such as community and family outreach, attendance check-ins, individual counseling, and group kindergarten classes focusing on social-emotional learning skills. Additionally, Emmons plays an integral part in organizing the Parent-Teacher Association. During our interview, Emmons was organizing Popcorn Fridays where students receive a bag of popcorn and parent volunteers make the popcorn.
Emmons also takes on extensive community outreach efforts, including establishing the school’s food pantry, providing Thanksgiving baskets, arranging Christmas assistance programs, Earn a Bike, Leadership Day, and so much more. She works to establish community partnerships, an example of this she collaborates with The Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester to offer trauma support groups, facilitating stronger support for students and families. Emmons emphasizes the importance of connecting families with resources and building relationships to foster a sense of community.
Despite her many responsibilities, Emmons says, “I will never say no to an opportunity to support our school”. She truly embraces all opportunities to support the school and the community. She shares her excitement about having a new staff member join through the Federal Community School Grant, which will allow for greater community engagement and collaboration. Emmons envisions hosting more parent and family nights to strengthen connections with families.
While visiting with Emmons, the morning announcements came on which Emmons worked with three other staff members to create. This is a video message from students including the Pledge of Allegiance, weather, birthdays, lunch specials, and any other announcements. The editing of these videos was impressive with graphics and text overlay. Emmons shared that she and the three staff take turns in filming the announcements and editing them.
As our interview concluded, Emmons’s passion for the school and community was evident but she shared her recognition with the school community, “I want to give a shoutout to everyone in the school; everyone here cares and works hard”.
In recognition of her tireless efforts and unwavering commitment, Stephanie Emmons continues to make a lasting impact on the lives of students and families at Gossler Park Elementary School. Her pride in her work and the community is undeniable, as she proudly wears a “west side pride” button on her lanyard. As we walked out of her room together, she was greeted with smiles and hugs from students demonstrating her work in establishing relationships with her students.
Interested in donating to the Gossler Park Elementary School food pantry? Reach out to semmons@mansd.org
