Mr. Raiford our Mental Health and Wellness Facilitator
By: Mya Gray
Mr. Raiford began here at Woodland High School March 2021 as a substitute teacher. Later that year in April a new job was posted. After getting to know some of the students and teachers, he instantly fell in love and became Woodland High School's “Mental Health and Wellness facilitator”. His job is to “make sure that every student has someone they trust at school who can help with their problems.” Which is aside from being the best dressed adult which he states is a full time job in itself.
After a long time Mr. Raiford enjoys baking, reading and spending time with his dogs. He also enjoys listening to music and driving around. He states that if he was not a teacher at Woodland he would “work in sales or finance. Ideally, I’d be one of those scene-stealing side characters in a workplace drama series who gets their own spinoff show after three seasons”. Little do some students know that he has a sister here at Woodland High School, Coach Raiford”, our athletic trainer. He states that “We support each other, and it means a lot that I get to have a family member who can guide me when I need help and trusts me to guide her when she needs it. Shout out Miss Leslie!”. Mr. Raiford loves his students and he knows that what he does is important and that students depend on him, he uses this to drive him and motivate him through the work days.
What Mr. Raiford does here at Woodland can be a really tough job at times, he wants to help students learn how to become more self-aware and build better relationships with themselves, other students, and adults. One thing that he would want all students to know is “Words are like bricks, you can build a house or sink a dead body and that choice is up to you on a daily basis. Every single one of you matter and have different talents to offer the world, but you have to decide whether you want to build people (and yourselves) up or tear them down.”
Mr. Raiford began here at Woodland High School March 2021 as a substitute teacher. Later that year in April a new job was posted. After getting to know some of the students and teachers, he instantly fell in love and became Woodland High School's “Mental Health and Wellness facilitator”. His job is to “make sure that every student has someone they trust at school who can help with their problems.” Which is aside from being the best dressed adult which he states is a full time job in itself.
After a long time Mr. Raiford enjoys baking, reading and spending time with his dogs. He also enjoys listening to music and driving around. He states that if he was not a teacher at Woodland he would “work in sales or finance. Ideally, I’d be one of those scene-stealing side characters in a workplace drama series who gets their own spinoff show after three seasons”. Little do some students know that he has a sister here at Woodland High School, Coach Raiford”, our athletic trainer. He states that “We support each other, and it means a lot that I get to have a family member who can guide me when I need help and trusts me to guide her when she needs it. Shout out Miss Leslie!”. Mr. Raiford loves his students and he knows that what he does is important and that students depend on him, he uses this to drive him and motivate him through the work days.
What Mr. Raiford does here at Woodland can be a really tough job at times, he wants to help students learn how to become more self-aware and build better relationships with themselves, other students, and adults. One thing that he would want all students to know is “Words are like bricks, you can build a house or sink a dead body and that choice is up to you on a daily basis. Every single one of you matter and have different talents to offer the world, but you have to decide whether you want to build people (and yourselves) up or tear them down.”
