Thank You, School Social Workers!

The goal of every FCPS school social worker is to make sure every student can succeed. They assess and address social, emotional, and behavioral factors that may stand in the way of students learning and doing their best. 

Helping Students Feel They Belong at School

Ashley Van Gelder, a social worker at Herndon Middle School, and Lyzbeth Monard, a social worker at Bailey’s Upper Elementary School, are leading successful Belonging Projects at their schools. 

The Herndon Middle School project has more than 100 students paired with mentors. The mentors meet with the students once a week for 30 minutes to chat, play games, and connect as trusted adults in the students’ lives. Ashley plans monthly activities for mentees and mentors at the school, including pumpkin carving, gingerbread house building, and a trip to the Udvar Hazy Air and Space Museum. Since becoming involved in the program, there has been a documented increase in school attendance for those involved.

“Under Ashley's leadership, we are making a significant difference in the lives of our students by prioritizing student well-being, academic success, and social-emotional development,” a colleague said. “We are proud of our accomplishments and are committed to continuing our work to create a more equitable and supportive learning environment for all.”

The Belonging Project and Lyzbeth’s work at Bailey’s Upper are making a difference in attendance rates. The school reports one of the lowest chronic absenteeism rates in its region, and some at the school credit Lyzbeth’s work with the Belonging Project and making home visits to families to talk about attendance issues. 

Lyzbeth’s colleagues are also inspired by her belief in advocating for the needs of every student. She believes that if a student’s basic needs are not met, how can they be ready to learn? Similarly, she supports staff to create a safe, positive, and caring school environment that promotes student learning and well-being.

At Robinson Secondary School, one of the responsibilities of Social Worker Christyn Levy is sponsoring the Our Minds Matter (Rams Minds Matter) club. Our Minds Matter seeks to create a teen-led movement to change the culture around mental health. The club aims to change the culture at their school around mental health by creating space for conversations, leadership, activities/meetings, and campaigns to promote social connectedness, increase prosocial skills, practice self-care and healthy habits, and increase help-seeking.

“Christyn Levy’s dedication shines through her work with Rams Minds Matter,” said Robinson Principal Tracey Phillips. “Thanks to their efforts, the Calm Cafe has become a safe space where students can recharge, connect, and find support when they need it most.”

Robinson’s Calm Cafe is a sensory-safe place for students to visit during their lunch period. Students can hang out in comfy chairs while accessing calming strategies like fidgets, games, and coloring books. 

Across the school division, social work staff are also coordinating Sibshop classes to support siblings of students with disabilities. They are facilitating Parent Project classes, which help parents learn effective strategies for overcoming challenging behaviors in children. They also offer a class for FCPS staff to learn how to incorporate trauma-informed practices in their classrooms. 

The Work of School Social Workers

School social workers have the knowledge, skills, and abilities fundamental to social work, as well as specific training to provide social work services in an educational setting. All social work staff members hold a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree and are licensed by the Virginia Department of Education. 

Most school social workers are assigned to two schools, although high schools may have full-time staff, and secondary schools may have more than one social worker on staff. Some of the work social workers are involved in includes:

• Individual and group counseling for students to develop social-emotional skills, foster resiliency, and cope with crises and conflicts.
• Participate in student-centered meetings to address academic, mental health, and behavioral needs. This may include assisting in determining eligibility for  special education or  Section 504 services.
• Provide crisis interventions to include conducting  suicide risk assessments and  threat assessments . They also respond as part of  crisis teams to support schools impacted by traumatic events.
• Connect students who are unable to attend school due to illness or disciplinary action with  Out-of-School Support services and support their transition back to school settings through the  Return to Learn process.
• Serve as liaison between home, school, and community. Family and community factors can influence learning, and school social workers focus on linking students and families to community resources to address issues such as poverty, chronic absenteeism, trauma, and child abuse. This includes providing case management and collaborating with community agencies to help families access services through the  Children’s Services Act (CSA) , supporting students experiencing  homelessness , and supporting  military-connected youth .
• Support and lead initiatives, including mental wellness screenings and activities, mentoring, and school resource fairs.
• Provide education to staff and communities on topics such as trauma-informed practices,  Kognito , and  Youth Mental Health First Aid . 

Learn more about  school social workers and find out  who is assigned to your school .