By MAGGIE MCMURRAY
Moapa Valley Progress
Perhaps the best kept secret of the 2016-2017 school year was the addition of social workers to many Nevada schools, including local schools such as MVHS, Mack Lyon Middle School, and Perkins Elementary.
A meeting was held by the local social counselors on Friday, May 12, explaining their purpose in the schools to parents, community members, and teachers. The meeting was to help people understand the services and resources now at their fingertips, as well as the goals that local counselors hope to achieve.
Prior to 2016, there were a total of 20 school social workers throughout the state of Nevada, most of whom were located in Clark County School District. After the passage and implementation of anti-bullying legislation in 2015, schools realized that there was nothing in place to help them deal with bullies or victims of bullying, or to help prevent such incidences. This led to the passage of additional legislation which provided 7.8 million dollars to provide social counselors for the schools. This program aimed to help identify potential emotional problems in students before they devolved into bullying or physical attacks.
Thanks to this Safe Social Workers in School Grant, in the 2016-17 school year, the number of social counselors in Nevada schools has risen from 20 to 140. That total is expected to rise to 260 for the next school year, based on funding.
Local social counselor for Mack Lyon and MVHS, Claire Griffin, explained the value of social counselors in the schools. “Until now we have had guidance counselors doing double duty at the schools and that is too much,” she said. “Guidance counselors are proficient at keeping students on track, but sometimes kids just have a heavy heart and a lot on their plate. That is where social counselors can help.”
Griffin was a licensed clinical social worker for many years and holds a master’s degree in social work. She is joined locally by Norita Espinosa, who works primarily at Perkins Elementary. Espinosa also has a master’s degree in counseling and educational psychology.
Together the two have worked throughout the past school year to help students learn to deal with the sometimes incredibly heavy weights on their young shoulders by giving them the support they need, putting them in touch with outside resources when necessary, and being a friendly and constant adult in the lives of students.
The community meeting was also attended by CCSD School Social Work Liaison, Tonya Hernandez. Hernandez helped answer questions about the program as well as explain how the program came to be, its purpose, and how it can help local families, teachers, and schools.
“These social counselors work with the student, but also work very very closely with the parent as well,” Hernandez said. “It gives families a confidential source to help them get the resources that they need.”
Getting the word out to students and their families has been the main challenge, despite all the programs that the counselors have enacted this year. But the program is growing and improving.
“Throughout the year we have been limited in the help we can offer,” Hernandez said. “But our resources are growing and now we can offer parents a choice in the resources that are available to them.”
Hernandez explained that it is a challenge identifying the students that would benefit.
“As a clinician, I don’t want anyone to think their child is being assessed,” said Griffin. “That is not how we work. Sometimes, kids just have heavy hearts for whatever reason. If they are feeling put upon, they’re going to take it out on their neighbor. The problem is not academic, it’s emotional and currently the school disciplinary system is designed for academic problems. We’re here to help teachers and kids learn to deal with emotional issues before they become a problem.”
Griffin and Espinosa have been proactive in their first year in the schools. Griffin has started a welcome committee at Lyon made up of student volunteers that help welcome new students and staff and make sure they get off to a good start. She has started a Girls Empowerment club, as well as other clubs, and is currently working on a boys version. Monthly community meetings are also held on the 3rd Friday of every month in the late afternoon/evening that focus on current issues and discuss any issues that parents bring to the table.
Griffin and Hernandez have also organized a UNITY team (United Now In Time for our Youth) made up of key community leaders that come together at least once a month to discuss the needs of the community and how a better support structure can be built and maintained.
Griffin and Espinosa welcome community involvement and are hoping to find a time for their Safe Schools community education meeting that better serves the need of the community. Anyone wishing to learn more about this program or give input on meeting times is welcome to contact Griffin at Mack Lyon at 702-397-8610, ext. 4351, or Espinosa at Perkins Elementary at 702-864-2444.
