By: Miriam Johnson

Abby Nagode, the new Mental Health Specialist/Living Skills teacher

Abby Nagode, the new Mental Health Specialist/Living Skills teacher, has joined Heritage’ faculty for the 2022-2023 school year.

Before coming to Heritage, Nagode worked in mental health residential and in home facilities, and last year, she worked at Options Secondary Program. At the end of last year, she decided that she wanted to stay within Littleton Public Schools, and was given the opportunity to work here at Heritage and took it.

Nagode is eager for the new opportunities this year will provide, especially the new Living Skills Class that she will be teaching. She is ready to embrace the new challenges in creating this class, including coming up with new dynamic ideas for curriculum. Nagode hopes this course will provide a break in a student’s day, as well as a safe space with class sizes being 5-10 students. She has the end goal to provide the space and time for students to grow as an individual.

“Students in the class [should] feel that they have grown and that they belong and are a part of the community and are capable to reach any goal that they decide to go after”

Nagode is also excited to be working at Heritage because she feels that Heritage has a strong sense of school pride similar to the high school that she attended. She appreciates Heritage seeing a need within the community, and has prioritized mental health through this new job position/class. 

“There is an openness and care for students, everyone wants students to succeed,” States Nagode.

Outside of work, Nagode enjoys doing, “all the basic Colorado things,” including hiking, running, camping and skiing. She also enjoys reading and spending time with her 2 year old puppy, Rue. 

Students can contact Ms. Nagode at anagode@lps.k12.co.us. Her office hours are 3rd/4th and 7th/8th.