Staff Spotlight - Heather D'Agostino

There’s a lot in a hug. A hug can be an opportunity to regulate, a moment to pause, a quiet reset when things feel like too much. At Fairborn Digital Academy, that kind of presence matters more than most people realize.

Somewhere along the way, Heather D’Agostino became known by the students at FDA for her mom hugs. And as a mom to her own 15 and 7-year old, she is more than happy to oblige. 

As a mom to her own 15-year-old and 7-year-old, she knows the importance of a good hug.

Heather is the new EMIS coordinator at Fairborn Digital Academy, though many students already know her from her time as the special education secretary. Her role lives in the details of school data, records, and reporting, but her presence at FDA is defined by something much harder to quantify.

Safety.

“You don’t have to say the word ‘love’ for them to know you mean it,” she said.

At FDA, Heather is often one of the first steady, calming presences students encounter. For many of them, school has not always felt consistent or safe.  Heather’s goal is to change that in small but meaningful ways, sometimes through conversation, sometimes through a quiet check-in, and sometimes through a simple hug that helps a student reset before starting their day.

“At FDA, they have a place where they can feel safe, where they can be comfortable and talk to people,” she said. “It’s what makes us special. What makes us different.”

And while she appreciates the milestones like graduation, some of her favorite moments come much earlier in the year, when students are still finding their rhythm again.

“I love the first couple months of school,” she said. “When the kids come in. They are getting excited.”

It is in those early days that trust begins to build. Not all at once, but slowly, through consistency and care. Heather understands that for many students, feeling safe is the first step toward being able to learn again.

For Heather, that connection comes naturally. Being a parent herself helps her understand what it means to meet students with patience instead of judgment, especially when they are carrying more than they can easily explain.

“Because I have kids of my own, I can really connect with them,” she said. Some of the students at FDA have been through a lot, she said, and all of them have more on their mind than you might imagine.

“What we do is so important for the kids that need us,” she said.

At the heart of it, she keeps coming back to one idea. Students know when they are safe. They know when they are cared for. And at Fairborn Digital Academy, that sense of safety is often what makes everything else possible.

“They know I am safe,” she said. “They know FDA is safe. And that’s what matters.”