Q: Honestly, I did not even know we had school social workers always in the building. What are your responsibilities and why did the school hire you earlier this year to advise students?
A: IHS is lucky to have two full-time social workers. Students may already be familiar with Ms. Lyn Reitenbach, social worker, while I am new this year to IHS. Some students have counseling on their IEP (Individual Education Plan) and that service is provided by a social worker. We also see students who do not have IEPs for counseling. My education, training and experience are in Mental Health, and I am licensed by New York State to provide counseling to individuals, groups, and families that need support. I am also certified in school social work. As a school social worker, my responsibility (in broad terms) is to identify any barriers to learning, whether they be emotional, stress, family, behavior, or mental health, and to assist students in addressing those things that are getting in the way of their education and learning. This may be through brief individual counseling in school, group counseling, or by networking with the appropriate agencies within the community to get a student or family the right help. I am working closely with Student Services this year, and often a school counselor will help students get in touch with me.
Q: So if I wanted to come to you with a problem I’m having, could I go to your room anytime in the day? Would I have to schedule an appointment? Where even is your room?
A: This year, my office is located in Activities (room B4). I want students to reach out to people when they are having a problem; it is my goal to see more help-seeking behavior in our young people, as I believe it is an important skill to have. That being said, students cannot come to my office any time of the day. Rather, they need to go to an adult in the building and say that they would like to talk to someone. Most adults in the building know how to reach me. I do have appointments scheduled with students throughout the school day, and those occur during a student’s lunch or free period. If it is an emergency, such as having thoughts and feelings about harming yourself, having information about a friend harming themselves or someone else, or if someone has harmed you, then you need to make that clear to the adult; I or another mental-health professional in the building will be notified right away. If it is not an emergency, I encourage students to make an appointment with their school counselor or to email me directly. School counselors are also a great resource for our students, as they have been trained also to address social/emotional concerns with students.
Q: Where did you work before this, and what did you learn then that will help you support kids now?
A: After graduate school in 2009, I worked for Glove House, a residential group home for adolescents. Then, when I became a school social worker, I worked in Elmira City Schools’ special education 8:1:1 and 12:1:1 classrooms. Last year I worked as the school social worker for Corning Painted Post Middle School. I have learned something new in all my experiences that have contributed to my growth as a social worker, but working with kids that had been court mandated away from their families to live in a group home had the biggest impact on my worldview. I saw how different kids’ lives can be, I learned what builds resilience in kids, and I learned how people in my role have the opportunity to contribute in healthy, positive ways. I also learned that I cannot do that on my own. It takes teamwork and a multisystemic approach to support kids.
Q: How much confidentiality do you have? Do you report everything to the administration?
A: Confidentiality is important when working with people. Students should know that I respect your privacy and will keep what you say between us. There are two circumstances in which confidentiality can not be kept, and that is if a student reports wish to harm self or others or if someone is harming them. Aside from those circumstances, I use my judgment as to what I think needs to be shared with others. If I think I need to share something you have said with someone else, such as a parent, teacher, or administrator, I will always have that discussion with the student first. I also think it is important to note that often administrators will refer a student to me and they do that because they care about our students. They do not ask for specific information; they just want to help students get connected with support.
Q: What do you think the biggest social ill among high schoolers, especially IHS students, is?
I think high school is a tough age, and just being a high schooler and navigating who you are while juggling what others expect you to be is one of the hardest things you will go through. That being said, how students develop, in terms of self image, emotional intelligence, support, confidence, and coping skills, is where students either struggle or thrive with social decision making.
Q: What steps can we, the students, take to help stop this problem, and what are the administrators/you doing?
A: Because we are such a big school with great diversity, and because we are all human, individual problems are going to walk through the doors every day. To help, students and faculty can work on open communication. We can take the time to listen to each other. I know it sounds simple, but I think if everyone operated with mutual respect for one another, problems would be solved more quickly and effectively. I think students can take an active part in their learning—that means, if a student is struggling in school, they should be part of the plan to make things better. Some of the best progress in people that I have seen has been self-directed, from their own self reflection. Having control in life and the ability to solve one’s own problems can be very rewarding. I think the administration and I cannot stop problems, but we can help and support our students.
Q: Do you think second semester will bring its own set of problems to students because of all the tests come May and June, or will it be less stressful because people are inching closer to summer and we still can have snow days?
A: Honestly, I am still soaking it all in. I have a better understanding of IHS this semester than last, and will continue to learn and grow as your school social worker.
Q: What has your biggest triumph in social work been?
A: Working for ICSD! I have worked around in other communities for so long, it has been a goal of mine to work in the community I live in, spend time in, and raise my children in. That being said, I am not nearly done with social work. I would like to work towards my clinical license as a social worker and continue to learn about the best practice in mental health.