PCSS Looking To Add Social Worker For Pre-K Student Needs

Putnam County School System will add an additional social worker to meet the needs of Pre-K students.

Director of Schools Corby King said the position was originally funded by a grant. He said after seeing a growing need for someone in the position, the school board is looking to include it in the budget.

“Due to the increase in referrals in Pre-K for students who are coming in with some social emotional issues,” King said. “Some of those could be related still to the pandemic and some of those could be just related to society in general. Some of our students are coming in with more problems than they did in the past.”

King said those problems include having delayed speech development or having trouble adapting to being in a classroom setting. He said as families struggle, the students struggle and they see that in the schools.

King said the social worker helps the student, the family, and the school system navigate how to address student needs. He said the help from the social has proven beneficial and they want to continue having someone as a resource.

“They take on each case as it comes because each child, each student, each family has different needs,” King said.