In honor of National School Social Work Week, we are sharing the experiences and insights of three of our PWCS school social workers. Learn about their daily responsibilities, challenges, rewards, and the impact they have on their school communities.
Introduction and Background
Heather Moul, Licensed Clinical Social Worker at The Nokesville School
Experience: Six years
Inspiration: "My journey in school social work has been particularly intriguing and fulfilling because it has allowed me to integrate my case management skills with my counseling abilities."
Erin Hancock, Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Freedom High School
Experience: Eight years
Inspiration: "I worked as an intensive in-home therapist prior to entering the school system. I thought I might like working in a school, so I applied."
Cristina Villanueva Santos, School Social Worker at Penn Elementary School
Experience: Two years
Inspiration: "I want to be available for invisible children in our busy society and tell them I see them."
Daily Responsibilities
Heather Moul
"There is no typical day. I start and end my day with check-ins and check-outs with several middle school students. In between, my tasks can vary greatly. I might be distributing about 200 pounds of food bags to students, attending SPED, SST, or other meetings, providing IEP counseling, writing social histories for eligibility, meeting or calling parents, consulting with community resources, or offering behavior support."
Erin Hancock
"The best part of my job is that every day is a surprise. No two days ever look the same. I do a lot of crisis intervention for mental health, check in daily with my school psychologist, the school nurse, SRO, and APs. I work closely with the counselors to provide them and their students with support at the next tier."
Cristina Villanueva Santos
"Each day is a unique adventure, filled with unexpected twists and turns. I like to welcome students in the morning and receive a lot of hugs and smiles. Then I check my daily planner list and see what I plan to do for the day, if I have any meetings, or if I need to reach out to my administrators, teachers, counselors, parents, or conduct any counseling sessions."
Impact on Students
Heather Moul
"Supporting students can mean a lot of different things. For some students, my office serves as a safe haven where they can decompress or celebrate their achievements. In other cases, I provide essential resources, such as food or clothing, or mental health counseling to ensure their well-being."
Erin Hancock
"One example of having an impact is with a student who we believed was being labor trafficked. I was able to call our human trafficking specialist, who brought in the FBI. I was able to get the student a spot in a DV shelter so they could escape their current situation. A year after that, the student found my email address and sent me a thank you for all that I did."
Cristina Villanueva Santos
"Every positive encouragement from a simple smile to going out of your way to help a student or a family; those memories are all special to me. I helped a teenager who needed support filling out medical documents after being hospitalized. The teenager told me, 'I hope someone will someday help your family as you helped me."
Challenges and Rewards
Heather Moul
"Supporting students with timely and targeted interventions, whether it be mental therapy or basic needs support, is often challenging. However, they can also be the most rewarding moments for me as well because the student then starts to feel the potential for change and hope."
Erin Hancock
"There are many challenges and many rewards. For challenges, there are not enough resources for our families. Another challenge is when families may not want to accept your help for their child. The greatest rewards are watching a student start to lower their guard and start to trust you."
Cristina Villanueva Santos
"One of my biggest challenges is the feeling that I did not help enough and that my limitations often prevent me from helping more. The greatest reward for me is knowing that I did my best to help someone and the wonderful hugs I get from kids."
Collaboration and Teamwork
Heather Moul
"At The Nokesville School, I am surrounded by professional and caring administration, teachers, and staff who are always available to collaborate in order to understand a student's needs in school. However, to get a complete perspective on who the student is, it is essential to include parents in the collaborative process."
Erin Hancock
"I think communication is the key to providing families and students with support and assistance. I am in constant communication with counselors, admin, school nurse, security, teachers, and the school psychologist."
Cristina Villanueva Santos
"I collaborate with teachers, other staff, and parents or students by first listening and letting them know they are getting 100% of my attention without interruptions before I jump to help. Listening, understanding, respecting, and communication are very important skills for collaborating with your team."
Advice and Insights
Heather Moul
"I think a school social worker must be empathetic, versatile, flexible, a good listener, and knowledgeable. Empathy builds trust and support, while versatility and flexibility ensure they can adapt to changing needs."
Erin Hancock
"I think the biggest quality a school social worker can have is rapport building. This is essential for having students trust us, which will enable us to assist them."
Cristina Villanueva Santos
"Empathy and positivity are not just qualities but essential tools in our work; we can achieve more with honey than with vinegar. The world can be challenging, but if we maintain a positive outlook and approach every situation with empathy, we can make a significant difference in the lives of our students and their families."
Thank you to all of our school social workers for all you do to help students thrive!