Rightsize. Right Support. Right for Students.
Portland Public Schools is undertaking a districtwide rightsizing process to better align our schools, programs, and resources with the needs of today’s students and the realities shaping our future.
PPS school social workers are trained mental health professionals who bring specialized social work knowledge and skills to schools and student support teams. They support students’ social-emotional, behavioral, and academic success through counseling, consultation, crisis intervention, behavioral support, and connections to school and community resources. School social workers partner with students, families, educators, administrators, and community providers to help students access the support they need to participate and succeed in school.
School social workers work across the environments that influence student success. By connecting students and families with school and community supports, school social workers help address barriers to learning and strengthen the relationships and systems that support students.
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School social workers provide direct support, consultation, and coordination across the environments that affect a student’s experience at school. Their work helps strengthen connections among students, families, school teams, and community resources.
School social workers support students through crisis intervention, individual and group counseling, conflict resolution, social-emotional skill development, positive behavioral supports, and strategies that help students engage successfully in school.
School social workers partner with families to support students’ adjustment and success at school, navigate programs and services, address challenges affecting a student’s school experience, and connect families with school and community resources.
School social workers consult and collaborate with educators and school teams to understand factors affecting student learning and behavior, develop effective supports and interventions, provide professional learning, and strengthen school responses to student needs.
School social workers coordinate school and community resources, provide case management, contribute to special education and student support processes, and help connect students and families with the services and systems needed to support student learning and well-being.
