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National Immunization Awareness Month

 

August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). This annual observance highlights the importance of getting recommended vaccines throughout your life. You have the power to protect yourself and your family against serious diseases [like whooping cough, cancers caused by HPV, pneumonia and COVID-19] through on-time vaccination.

This NC School Vaccine Fact Sheet is a great resource to keep on hand during the start of this school year. 

School social workers should work collaboratively to prevent student exclusions after the 30-day grace period.  Please see the insert below, taken from the Avoiding Exclusions DPI Memo:

The valuable contribution of childhood vaccines to the health of students has long been recognized.  Assuring vaccine compliance is not simply a ‘ticket’ to be in school, it is an investment in the health of the school and community. The obligation to ensure that no student is excluded from learning during the pandemic does not solely lie with our school nurses. We must work collaboratively to address the barriers that prohibit families from obtaining the required immunizations and health assessments. All school staff and stakeholders can play a part in assisting this effort and preventing student exclusions.

Some suggestions include:

• Under FERPA, school officials are tasked with determining what school personnel have a ‘need to know’ confidential student information. In mobilizing a collaborative effort to avoid student exclusion, it may be necessary to share that information with a variety of staff who directly work with student families. This might include student support and related service personnel being aware of the students in their caseload who are out of compliance with the requirements in anticipation of engagement with families.

• Encourage these staff members to be  intentional about including dialog about immunizations and health assessments in all interactions with families.  Ask parents/guardians about compliance and/or what barriers exist. Ask that barrier issues be reported back to administration for referral to directed assistance.  

• Post reminders around the school and community establishments.  Add taglines to signatures of emails and remote communications.  Provide a point of contact accessible to families if assistance is needed.  

• Explore options with local providers to organize clinics and/or be partners in ensuring that they communicate reminders of immunizations and health assessments when seeing students for other issues.  Our local health departments and physicians are valuable resources on this front.  They can promote messaging that encourages families to be compliant and offer convenient ways to address barriers in the community. 

• Organize a phone tree and engage school staff who have the capacity to make calls and communicate immunization and health assessment information.  Refer any issues with communication and barriers to the appropriate resource.  Ensure that communication with non-English speakers is available and offer to help coordinate services and referrals.

• Cross-reference with exceptional children caseloads to examine intersections of healthcare needs and combine messaging.  

• Engage food and nutrition services to expand the message.  Include reminder tags with delivered lunches, or have an information table at grab and go meal sites.    

• Utilize social media. Post reminders to social media outlets and provide a link for more information.  Consider kicking off a campaign following Thanksgiving break that expresses the importance of immunizations and health assessments.  Create a clever hashtag (examples-#ZeroOut, #AllPresent, #NoExclusions) to encourage engagement with the campaign.

 

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Anyone can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

 

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Homeless Education

The transition from high school to higher education can be daunting, especially for youth experiencing homelessness or with experience in foster care. These students may have developed strong relationships with high school staff, including liaisons, counselors, or teachers, but aren't connected with anyone on the postsecondary side. This webinar will highlight Georgia's EMBARK program and Kennesaw State University and participants will learn strategies for how K12 and higher education partners can support active recruitment of homeless and foster youth, and help ease the transition. Specific topics include how K12 systems can support college transition with ARP ESSER and ARP-HCY funds, as well as how to build partnerships, summer bridge programs, and campus support programs.

REGISTER

 

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NCDPI New Foster Care Program Coordinator

Welcome, Lisa "LJ" Von Dohlen! I began my service in public education in 1992 as a school social worker and have worked with or on behalf of students in foster care throughout my career. I have served in administrative capacities as a coordinator of social work services, McKinney-Vento liaison, and lead social worker. I’m a licensed clinical social worker and am licensed by NCDPI as a school social worker, principal, and superintendent. I have been an adjunct instructor in higher education and served on advisory boards in public education, higher education, and non-profit organizations.

In 2006, I was named the Social Worker of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers – Virginia Chapter. I was the 2013-2014 Buncombe County Schools’ Social Worker of the Year. In 2016, I was recognized as the NC School Social Worker of the Year. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Spanish from Lenoir-Rhyne University, a Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina, and a Post-master’s Certificate in Educational Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, kayaking, camping, and going to the beach, where you will find me looking for seashells. I look forward to meeting each of you in the near future to learn about you!

Lisa "LJ" Von Dohlen, MSW, LCSW
Program Coordinator for the Education of Children and Youth in Foster Care
NC Department of Public Instruction
District and School Support Services | Office of Federal Programs
lvondohlen@serve.org
https://serve.uncg.edu/projects/nc-foster-care/

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Attendance Tools

Download a new quick start guide. Attendance Works collaborated with the Western Educational Equity Assistance Center on a resource with six actionable steps that district, tribal, state and other leaders can take to improve student attendance, reduce chronic absence and close gaps in access to education.

Learn more about why students are missing school, or what can motivate them to show up every day, using free qualitative data collection strategies such as an empathy interview, 2 by 10 relationship building or surveys. 

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Reducing Student Absenteeism

The EdResearch for Action Overview Series summarizes the research on key topics to provide K-12 education decision makers and advocates with an evidence base to ground discussions about how to best serve students. Authors – leading experts from across the field of education research – are charged with highlighting key findings from research that provide concrete, strategic insight on persistent challenges sourced from district and state leaders.

What are evidence-based practices that schools can implement to reduce student absenteeism?

Find out here

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Please also take time to review the NC SASA Manual to stay current on attendance policy.

 

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Center For Safer Schools Events

Transportation Security Administration School Bus Awareness Training

(Registration is free)

• Thursday, Sept. 7, 9 a.m.-noon; Center for Safer Schools Training Center, 3600 Samarcand Road, Jackson Springs: Register

CFSS 10th Anniversary Mini-RISE

(Registration is free)

• Fundamental Principles of the School Resource Officer Program: Friday, Sept. 8, 12:15-12:45 p.m.: Register

Bullying Overview/Mitigation Strategies

(Registration is free)

• Tuesday, Sept. 19, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Center for Safer Schools Training Center, 3600 Samarcand Road, Jackson Springs: Register 
• Pachovial Lovett, NCDPI Social Work Consultant: The material presented will allow stakeholders the ability to recognize and respond to bullying; cultivate a climate where bullying is not tolerated; and establish learning communities that flourish through the foundation of mutual respect and understanding.

School Risk Management Plan Training

(Registration is free)

• Wednesday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m.-noon; Center for Safer Schools Training Center, 3600 Samarcand Road, Jackson Springs: Register

 

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Legislative Updates

View the K-12 Education Office of Government and Community Affairs Update from Friday, August 25, 2023.  View here.

 

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Receiving this as a forward? 

Subscribe to this NCDPI School Social Work newsletter here.

Enter your email, then advance to the next screen that will give you a list of subjects and scroll down to find School Social Work. 

 

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