Social Work Services
by Laurie Jaeger
About Me...
Hello! My name is Laurie Jaeger and I am the Social Worker at Prairie Grove Elementary School. I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and my Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. I am very excited to be a part of the Prairie Grove team and look forward to the school year!
Voicemail: 815-444-4205
Email: ljaeger@dist46.org
SOCIAL WORK SERVICES
The role of the School Social Worker is to assist students, staff and parents with a variety of home or school issues that affect a students performance at school. Social Workers work with students in special education who have an Individual Education Program (IEP) and students in regular education. Service length varies from one session to an entire school year. Social work services are available to all students and families. As the school social worker, I work with students, teachers, and families to help support students' emotional, social, and educational development as they navigate their way through the elementary years. Below are examples of the some of the services available:
Individual Work
Teachers or parents/guardians who feel a student is struggling with an emotional or social issue or skill may refer a student to work individually with me. Children may also self-refer if they feel they need extra support for issues they are facing. Depending on the specifics of the situation, I generally work with the student to identify the problem and together develop a plan for how the student can better cope with or address this problem. Some issues I often address with students in individual sessions include divorce or separation, grief and loss, peer pressure, school anxiety, and other issues relating to emotional health.
Small Group Work
I can provide a variety of small groups for children that address topics such as social skills, family change, self-esteem, self-control, and anxiety. In the groups, students learn about and practice skills that they can then apply in other environments. Small groups (3-6 students) allow students to practice skills in a smaller, more comfortable setting. They also allow children to give support to and receive support from other students who are struggling with similar issues as they are.
Classroom Presentations
Periodically throughout the year, I may go into classrooms to conduct presentations and lead discussions on topics such as conflict resolution, teasing, anxiety, self-control, good decision-making, cliques, communication, and understanding and appreciating diversity.
Consulting with School Staff and Families
When a student is having a difficult time at school, either academically, behaviorally, socially, or emotionally, I am available to consult and work with teachers, parents, and students to develop intervention plans to help the student experience more success.
Resources and Referrals
As the school social worker, I can help refer children and families who are needing additional services not available within the school, such as individual or family counseling, financial assistance, or other social services, to the appropriate community resources.
