Social Work

Social Work at Dike Newell School is provided by Mrs. Paule, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). My primary role is to address social, emotional, and behavioral issues that impact a student's ability to be successful at school. There are a wide variety of reasons why a child may be having difficulty at school, including personal emotional or mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, oppositional behavior, attention disorders, peer relationships, coping with a learning disability or physical disability, and low self-esteem. Children are also affected at school by family issues, much as separation/divorce, remarriage, illness or death of someone close to them, moving, and parent-child conflict.

Social work interventions include:

-individual counseling with students

-small group counseling

-meeting with parents at school or in their homes

-crisis intervention when a student has an immediate need

-teacher consultations

-facilitating communication between home and school

-referral of students and families to community resources

As part of the Special Ed. department, the social worker's primary responsibility is to Special Ed. students, but I also work with regular ed. students as much as possible. I am always happy to speak with parents in person or by phone, and encourage parents to call me with questions or concerns about social or emotional issues that may be affecting your child in school. Working together, parents and the school can help each child reach her/his true potential.