NEW PARTNERSHIPS
Professors-in-residence
Since 2009 the UGA College of Education and the Clarke County School District have collaborated on a partnership that brings faculty into county schools. In 2018, Associate Professors Jennifer Elkins and Michael Robinson became the first social work faculty to join the team. Together with Dawn Meyers (MSW ‘94), associate superintendent of policy and school support services, and Chrystal Gillis, director of social work, the pair focus on leading professional learning for school social workers related to race, equity, other sociocultural dimensions, and trauma-informed care to build their capacity to lead social justice initiatives in schools.
enhance public school capacity
Erica GilbertsonUGA
by Erica Gilbertson
Stephen Bridge/UGA
Professors-in-residence with the Clarke County School District for the 2018-2019 academic year include (from left): Beth Tolley, Morgan Faison, Amy Murphy, Michael Robinson, Sonia Janis, Richard Welsh, Jennifer Elkins and Lou Tolosa-Casadont.
Kristina Jaskyte Bahr
“So often, children struggle with issues outside of the classroom that interfere with their learning—issues like trauma, poverty, parental conflict— that can be targets of social work intervention,” said Anna Scheyett, School of Social Work dean. “Having Dr. Elkins and Dr. Robinson working with the school district gives us the opportunity to enrich the district’s capacity to address these issues through training, consultation and research.” The opportunity to work with the school district gives the faculty members a unique perspective. “School social workers are an integral and unique part of the fabric of our community,” said Elkins. “I am excited to be collaborating with the school social work team this year to facilitate their ability to enhance the well-being of students, families and schools where they are embedded.”
Associate Professor Kristina Jaskyte Bahr is honored to serve on the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) State of Hope Advisory Council. “I’ve been studying creativity and innovation for 17 years, and the work they are doing is amazing,” she said.
For more information, visit bit.ly/Professors-in-Residence
State Hope by Allison Salerno
The State of Hope is an effort designed to ensure all children in Georgia live in communities where they are safe and have the support they and their families need to thrive. The division is collaborating with nonprofits, philanthropies, government, businesses and communities to build or strengthen the local safety nets to prevent the disparities in conditions that could lead to child abuse or neglect. Jaskyte Bahr was delighted to be recruited to serve on the council and appreciates that this is a handson role that includes selecting regional State of Hope sites throughout Georgia and assisting them in implementing programs. She will serve as an advisor and mentor to any agency that has expressed interest in being a State of Hope site, or any that already is operating as such. “I really feel lucky to join such a high impact group,” she said. “It’s an amazing opportunity to see how a division functions at the highest level.”
Connect Winter 2019
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