5 Ways to Get Grounded in the New School Year
School has already started for most of you, and I imagine it probably feels like you’ve been back in the swing of things for a full year now, even though it’s only been a few months.
As I reflect on my time as a School Social Worker, I found the first year to be my grounding year. The year I was getting my bearings, building relationships, and figuring out what I wanted the Social Work program to look like on my campus.
The second year was all about clinical work. This year, I focused on running support groups, working with students individually, and ensuring that teachers and administrators had the information they needed to best support the mental health needs of the campus.
My third year felt like a time when I could focus on expanding; expanding services offered, expanding our Social Work team to 2 (we needed more), taking on more of a leadership role, and concentrating on macro and micro- services.
When I think about the efforts that sustained me in my role no matter what was going on, I think of the following:
Be intentional about relationship building.
It is important to have a strong rapport with teachers and administrators on your campus. Otherwise, it can be challenging to get buy-in and support around the mental health needs of your students if you don’t.
Fortunately, there were many strategies at my disposal that enabled me to build strong connections with others.
Stand outside your office door during passing periods
Go to the lunch room and say “hi” to students and staff
Walk the halls during the day and pop into classrooms to learn more about what students are learning.
Stand outside during arrival and dismissal time to greet students and parents.
Host “office hours'' and let folx know when they can come by and see your office.
Schedule individual check-ins with teachers to assess what the needs are and get an understanding of what they’re noticing within the campus culture.
There are so many ways to go about building connections, and it doesn’t happen all at once. Relationships are built over time through small bids for connection. Be intentional and authentic.
2. Set strong boundaries around your work and time.
There is so much your job requires of you, and there are so many things you want to do. Unfortunately, doing both doesn’t always support you and what you need to sustain your role.
Breaks are important. Having lunch is important. Making time for documentation and emails is crucial. All those things mean you have to set boundaries around the time you spend meeting the needs of others.
Take a look at your schedule on a weekly basis and plan ahead. I found value in printing a weekly calendar with hourly slots; for each hour, I would map out what I wanted my day to look like. When was I meeting with students? When was I meeting with parents, teachers, or administrators? When was I documenting? When was I planning and prepping for the next day?
Every minute counts. You cannot do the work you do without having a solid foundation that grounds you.
3. Educate Your Staff and Administration
One of the most important things you can do is educate your teachers and staff on who you are and what you do. Most people don’t know what a mental health professional is, what a social worker is, or what student support services look like.
Take the time to provide psychoeducation on mental health and trauma basics. Also, how you plan to serve your community, how people can reach you, and what is, or is not, within your scope of work.
4. Be Visible
As I previously mentioned, it’s important for your school community to know who you are and understand what you do. When you spend time showing up at the school pep rally, the pickup line, and especially back-to-school parent night, it shows your community that you are a consistent presence and someone they can count on.
This time does not have to be hours of standing around. It can be 5 minutes at a time. The goal is to be intentional and supportive.
5. Evaluate Your Systems and Policies
Your Social Work/Mental Health practice will change. The needs of your school community will change. The structure of your school staff will change.
Take the first week of the new school year to evaluate the systems and policies of your mental health program.
Ask yourself, “What went well last year?” “What didn’t go well?” “What do I hope will be different?” “How do I want to be spending my time this year?” By the same token, get feedback from your staff, parents, teachers, and administrators on what they hope to see this upcoming year. You are not going to meet the needs of everyone. The goal is to build a universal program that can meet the needs of the students while knowing that each student is different and adjustments can be made over time.
Give yourself permission to change what is no longer working and make adjustments that support your time and capacity.
Wishing you all a wonderful school year ahead!