Elevate-Ed: A Two-Year Mobile-Delivered Mentorship Program for New Educators & School Counselors

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Audience: Elementary, Secondary, CTE Educators; School Counselors; District Administrators


DESCRIPTION:

The Challenge

New educators and school counselors face a critical transition period in their first years on the job. Without consistent, accessible mentorship, many leave the profession before they ever hit their stride — and rural districts bear the greatest burden of this loss.

Program Overview

Elevate-Ed is a structured two-year mentorship program designed specifically for educators and school counselors in their first years of practice. The program provides dedicated content tracks for four distinct roles, delivered through a purpose-built mobile application that directly connects each mentee to their assigned mentor.

Conference Proposal

PRESENTER: Sarah Pilarski, Ed.S, is the co-founder of Elevate-Ed, Email: sarah@elevate-ed.net Website: www.elevate-ed.net

She began her career as a high school English and Government teacher in 2003 and was named Teacher of the Year in 2005, an early recognition of her commitment to relationships, coaching, and professional growth. After earning her master’s degree in school counseling, Sarah spent many years as a counselor before shifting her focus to strengthening the systems that support educators. In 2016, she co-created Wayne RESA’s “Ready to Launch” Workforce Development program, building partnerships and developing structures that elevated counselors’ capacity and confidence. She went on to complete her Education Specialist degree in Educational Leadership and is currently pursuing her Doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership from Oakland University. She has her professional teaching certification as well as school counseling and school administrator endorsements.

As a regional consultant, Sarah’s work centers on developing, mentoring, and elevating new school counselors and new teachers. She leads countywide professional learning, facilitates networks for professional growth, and has developed an alternative school counselor network. In addition, she provides targeted mentorship designed to build professional identity, skill, and self-efficacy.

Sarah is a passionate advocate for educator development and believes that mentorship is essential to building a strong, confident, and future-ready school counseling and teaching workforce. In 2025, she was honored with WDIV Channel 4’s Go For It Award for her regional impact. Her work continues to be driven by one central mission: “When educators rise, students soar!”

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