What We Do
School social workers strive to connect the school, home and community to support students. There are many factors and situations that can make learning more difficult for students. School social workers are licensed mental health professionals who are knowledgeable about these barriers and who work with students, families, school staff, and community agencies to identify resources and strategies that will help students reach their goals. This may include:
- Collaborating with parents, teachers, staff, and community providers around individual mental health needs
- Working with students individually or in groups
- Connecting families to assistance for food, clothing, or housing needs
- Participating in collaborative planning with students who are struggling with attendance
- Working with building staff to become more trauma capable in serving students
- Leading mental health and sucide prevention efforts
- Providing crisis response after the death of a student or staff member
Social workers approach each situation, family, and student knowing that each is different, possess unique strengths, and are deserving of respect. Working to first understand these characteristics allow school social workers to build strong partnerships so that the best solutions can be identified.
Each elementary, middle, and high school has an assigned school social worker, some of whom are in the building daily or several days during the week. They work closely with other school staff, such as school counselors, school psychologists, nurses, teachers, and administrators.
