Spotlight on Our Social Worker

As I mentioned in my last blog post, April is "Stress Awareness" month, which was brought to my attention by Mrs. Castaldo, our social worker at Pleasantdale Middle School.  Mrs. Castaldo is such an asset to our building, helping staff, students, and parents navigate a plethora of situations that impact student learning.  I want to take this week to both acknowledge and celebrate her contributions to our school community, as well as provide our community of learners with some insight into what Mrs. Castaldo does on a regular basis to help Pleasantdale Middle School be a great place to learn.  Read the interview below to find out more about Mrs. Castaldo and her role as our school social worker...

Mrs. Knapik: How would you describe what you do as a school social worker?

Mrs. Castaldo: I work with students and families who may be struggling with something that impacts the student's social and emotional functioning and/or their academic performance. When doing this I may talk with the student, their parents, and teachers. I also sometimes plan events or lessons that help students learn important life skills such as decision-making and perspective taking.

Mrs. Knapik: What do you feel has been your most valuable contribution to our school in the 3 years you have been here?

Mrs. Castaldo: I feel good that the kids have someone they know they can go to when they don’t know what to do about a situation.  I am able to help them when they are having difficulty dealing with emotions or relationships with others.

Mrs. Knapik: What is something you do as a part of your job that others may not know about?

Mrs. Castaldo: Send 100 emails a day, haha!  On a more serious note, I create a lot of behavior plans for students and come up with interventions and strategies for teachers and/or parents to use their kids.  I am not just working with the kids; I am working with the adults as well.  I am doing a lot of sharing of information so others know how they can help kids who may need guidance. Sometimes I help organize school-wide events as well like the Erin’s Law presentation and Career Day.

Mrs. Knapik: If you could give one piece of advice to every middle schooler, what would it be?

Mrs. Castaldo: Try to put yourself in the shoes of other people.  Realize that how you might feel about something might be completely different than how someone else feels about something.  I talk to kids a lot about making mistakes and help them to understand that everyone makes mistakes.  There is always something positive to be learned from every mistake, and mistakes are a part of life.  I also think it is important that they learn that everyone is different and that although they do not get a grade for how they treat others it matters a lot!

Mrs. Knapik: And if you could give one piece of advice to a parent of a middle schooler, what would it be?

Mrs. Castaldo: Try really hard to keep the lines of communication open with your kids so that they know they can come to you if they need help.  Be willing to let them know that you make mistakes also.

Mrs. Knapik: Any final words you would like to share with our community of learners?

Mrs. Castaldo: I feel lucky I get to develop positive relationships with the kids here.  Although being a social worker can be stressful at times, it is so rewarding to know the kids feel comfortable coming to me.

Mrs. Castaldo, we thank you wholeheartedly for everything you do to make Pleasantdale Middle School a positive learning environment for our students, parents, and staff!