School Social Workers serve as the link between students' families and the school. I collaborate with parents, guardians, teachers and other school officials to ensure that students reach their academic and personal potential to be globally productive citizens in the twenty-first century. Support services are provided to students to motivate them to be their best when they are faced with barriers such as; absenteeism, abuse/neglect, pregnancy, addictions, poverty, homelessness, etc. Each situation is assessed and individual plans are developed with the student/family.

Everyone needs a helping hand in one way or another at some time or another. There are several resources that I frequently refer families to when needs arise. I have listed a few of these below, but there are many more services available that are not listed here. (See 211 information at the bottom). If you need help finding resources that are not listed here, please give me a call at 828-775-2608.

         ABCCM                                       259-5300
         ABCCM Medical Clinic                 259-5339
         American Red Cross                      258-3888
         Asheville Housing Authority            251-5054
         Buncombe County DSS                 250-5500
         Buncombe County Health Dept.     250-5000
         Eblen Charities                              255-3066
         Goodwill Career Center                298-9023
         Helpmate (dom. viol. hotline #)      254-0516
         Juvenile Justice                              225-7330
         Mobile Crisis                                 1-888-573-1006
         Motherlove                                    254-7206 Ext. 116
         Mountain Area Job Link                 250-4761
         Mountain Mobility                          258-0186
         On Track Financial Services           255-5166
         Pisgah Legal Services                     253-0406
         Salvation Army                               253-4723
         Swannanoa Valley Christian Min.    669-9404
         WNC Community Health Services  285-0622
         Western Carolina Rescue Min.       254-0471             
                
    
         
You can also dial 211 for a free community referral service. It is available 24 hours a day and it can be accessed by computer at: www.nc211.org.

School Supplies

Our school has received generous donations from a very caring community that wants to support our students. School supplies and other basic need items are kept in the Guidance department when there is a need. Please call me at 828-775-2608 if I can be of further assistance.

Christmas Assistance

We all know that the Holiday Season can be joyful as well as stressful for many families! Between September 2 and Oct 13, 2014, families can contact the Salvation Army at 828-253-4723 to sign up to be sponsored for the holidays. Please contact me if you would like more information about holiday assistance.

Low Income Energy Assistance

When the weather gets chilly, many families have trouble keeping up with heating costs. There is assistance available to help with heating bills. Applications for the Low Income Energy Assistance (LEIP) program will be taken at Community Action Opportunities (25 Gaston St, 252-2495). There have been changes at the state level about who qualifies for this program, so call for details. Eblen Charities (255-3066) is also a resource for assistance.

Health Department

• Family Planning (birth control methods, Pap tests, pregnancy tests, emergency contraception)

• STD testing & treatment, HIV testing

• Communicable Disease

• Immunizations (Child, Adult and Foreign Travel)

• TB Services (skin tests, x‐ray screening & evaluation, treatment)

• WIC (Nutrition and breastfeeding support) WIC is also located at two other convenient locations.

• BCCCP (Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program) and WiseWoman programs

• Lab and Pharmacy for health services clients

• Nurse‐Family Partnership

• Family & Children’s Medicaid and Health Choice

• Adult Medicaid

• Food Assistance

• Work First

• Child Care Subsidy

Not only have they changed their location, they’ve also changed the way they do business. Now, the lobby staff will assess individual needs and connect people to on-site health AND economic services staff.

In the past, accessing these services meant explaining the need multiple times to multiple people in different locations. Now, access is a one-stop experience.

Besides the one-stop office at 40 Coxe Avenue, people can also apply for many assistance programs OVER THE PHONE at 250-5000 or 250-5500, or 24/7 online at buncombecounty.org/dss.

The County wants working people, homebound adults, and busy parents to be able to access the services they need in the way that best meets their needs.

McKinney-Vento

What on earth is McKinney-Vento and what does it have to do with me?!

McKinney-Vento is the name of federal legislation that helps students stay in school even if they “lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.” Research shows that kids who transfer between schools lose up to 4 months of academic instruction due to the transition. McKinney-Vento is designed to help keep kids in the same school despite being homeless.  This applies NOT ONLY to kids who are homeless, but also to:

• Children sharing housing due to economic hardship or loss of housing;

• Children living in “motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camp grounds due to lack of alternative accommodations”

• Children living in “emergency or transitional shelters”

• Children “awaiting foster care placement”

• Children whose primary nighttime residence is not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation (e.g. park benches, etc)

• Children living in “cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations…”

Students in the above situations qualify for extra support so that they can stay in their same school or their “school or origin.” Please let me know if you or a student you know qualifies for the McKinney-Vento program.

May is Cyber Safety and Cyber Bullying Prevention Month...

A lot of Cyber Bullying takes place via social networking sites such as Facebook. Did you know that it is against Facebook policy for people under 13 years of age to have a profile on their site? Learn more about Facebook through this 'Parents Guide to Facebook" by clicking on this link http://www.safekids.com/2010/11/08/a-parents-guide-to-facebook-provides-hands-on-tools-for-teens-privacy-and-safety/

What is Cyberbullying?

Young people are using the Internet more than ever and most have Internet access from home. For many children, the Internet isn't simply a convenient way to research or a fun afterschool activity - it's a big part of their social life. Emailing and chatting with friends are children's most common online activities, after studying and playing games. But like many other social situations, some kids bully other kids online.

Cyberbullying is similar to other types of bullying, except it takes place online and through text messages sent to cell phones. Cyberbullies can be classmates, online acquaintances, and even anonymous users, but most often they do know their victims.

Some examples of ways kids bully online are

• Sending someone mean or threatening emails, instant messages, or text messages

• Excluding someone from an instant messenger buddy list or blocking their email for no reason

• Tricking someone into revealing personal or embarrassing information and sending it to others

• Breaking into someone's email or instant message account to send cruel or untrue messages while posing as that person

• Creating websites to make fun of another person such as a classmate or teacher

• Using websites to rate peers as prettiest, ugliest, etc.

Both boys and girls sometimes bully online and just as in face-to-face bullying, tend to do so in different ways. Boys more commonly bully by sending messages of a sexual nature or by threatening to fight or hurt someone. Girls more often bully by spreading rumors and by sending messages that make fun of someone or exclude others.  They also tell secrets.

The Effects of Cyberbullying

Victims of cyberbullying may experience many of the same effects as children who are bullied in person, such as a drop in grades, low self-esteem, a change in interests, or depression. However cyberbullying can seem more extreme to its victims because of several factors:

• It occurs in the child's home. Being bullied at home can take away the place children feel most safe.

• It can be harsher. Often kids say things online that they wouldn't say in person, mainly because they can't see the other person's reaction.

• It can be far reaching. Kids can send emails making fun of someone to their entire class or school with a few clicks, or post them on a website for the whole world to see.

• It can be anonymous. Cyberbullies often hide behind screen names and email addresses that don't identify who they are. Not knowing who is responsible for bullying messages can add to a victim's insecurity.

• It may seem inescapable. It may seem easy to get away from a cyberbully by just getting offline, but for some kids not going online takes away one of the major places they socialize.

Cyberbullying can be a complicated issue, especially for adults who are not as familiar with using the Internet, instant messenger, or chat rooms as kids. But like more typical forms of bullying, it can be prevented when kids know how to protect themselves and parents are available to help.

For more information on cyberbullying, visit cyberbullying.us and Wired Safety.