Is she super human or just super determined? Jill Goyette, of the WHS Special Education department, seems to find a way to do it all. Whether it’s at Westborough High School or just in her spare time, Ms. Goyette is always helping other people.

As the head of the S.T.A.R.S program at WHS, she has taken on the duty of helping certain students with emotional needs or learning disabilities take full advantage of their time here at school.

As one of her students, I know, firsthand, that she makes the school day a lot easier for those of us who sometimes have a hard time with the challenges of the day.

With her cheerful can-do attitude there’s never a sad face in her presence. She claims that most of her resilience, determination, and gentleness come from her mother and grandfather; she continues to instill these values in her students daily.

With twins Paul Joseph and Jessica (age 9) and a three year old named Etta, Ms. Goyette’s care doesn’t stop at the end of the school day. Not only is she a single mother of three she also has two dogs, a cat, a bird, and many fish.

She takes great pride in being the amazingly talented woman she is. She is a great role model for students here at WHS and we’re lucky to have someone so determined to help their students.

Ms. Goyette is someone who can relate to students, as she dropped out of high school at the end of her junior year due to challenges in and outside of school. However, she proved herself by earning her G.E.D. then majoring in English at UMASS. She then went on to obtain a Masters in SPED at Framingham State.

She wasn’t always sure what she was going to do when she grew up, but after a job she had during college working for Grow School, a school where she worked with kids with the same types of problems as the kids in the S.T.A.R.S program. She knew it was a perfect match.

Ms. Goyette has high expectations for her students and makes it her duty to help them meet the standards of WHS while also making them realize their full potential. She is a leader, a mentor, and a friend to most of us here at WHS and her relationship with students here will only keep growing.

If you’re having a bad day and need some cheering up, or even if you just want to chat, stop by room B322 where Ms. Goyette will always make you feel welcome.