Marshall, Ohio County Schools Getting Social Workers
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Marshall County Schools will join Ohio County Schools in adding social workers to their in-school staffs this fall.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and first lady Cathy Justice announced Thursday that schools in five counties across West Virginia are being added to the roster of participants in the state's Communities In Schools (CIS) program.
In addition to Marshall and Ohio counties, other school districts new to CIS are in Logan, Monroe and Randolph counties.
The program is being paid for through the West Virginia Department of Education
The Justices started the program in three counties in 2018, and it has now expanded to 36 counties serving well over 70,000 students in 186 schools across the state, according to information provided by the Governor's Office.
The CIS program works to place social workers within the schools, who are then charged with forging community partnerships and matching available social resources with families who need them.
Marshall County is set to receive three full-time CIS workers. They will be placed at Washington Lands Elementary School, Moundsville Middle School and John Marshall High School, confirmed Superintendent Shelby Haines.
Casey Storm, the new director of pupil services is set to oversee the group.
"We are looking forward to great things in that program," Haines said. "The social workers will be used to support families and students in their school success."
Ohio County Schools had already announced they were joining the CIS program and putting four social workers within their school system.
Unique Robinson has been hired as one of the social workers, and will be placed at Wheeling Park High School.
Stacy Dietz, formerly the principal at Bethlehem and West Liberty elementary schools, also has been tapped to be a social worker in the schools. The hiring of two additional social workers and where they will be assigned has yet to be approved by the Ohio County Board of Education.
The Justices made the CIS announcement during the closing ceremony at this year's Communities In Schools Summer Institute. The three-day event was held at Stonewall Resort in Roanoke, WV, and had over 200 attendees.
"We eventually want to get to the point where we can run across the finish line with CIS in all 55 counties in the state," Cathy Justice said.
National CIS President and CEO Rey Saldaña also provided remarks at the closing ceremony and thanked the Governor and First Lady for their help in making West Virginia's CIS program one of the fastest-growing in the nation.
"To say first lady Cathy Justice and the Governor are our partners would be underselling what they mean to the program. They are champions beyond anything that we've ever seen," Saldaña said. "The scale of all we're doing in West Virginia is unlike anywhere else in the country and it's because of the fuel they're pouring into the program.
"I continue to be in awe of what is happening in West Virginia," Saldaña added.
The people who are a part of this program are "chosen to do what they do," First Lady Justice said.
"A lot of time, all our students need is to know one person really cares about them," she said. "That's what you are. You all are so involved in your students' lives, they know they can come to you and feel good about who they are."
"If all you've done is change the life of one kid it would be worth it, but you are changing life after life after life. It is absolutely incredible," Jim Justice said. "I couldn't be more proud to be a small part of it.
"One day, when you have white hair like I do, you will look back on this and have pride like you can't imagine.You truly are the best of the best," he continued.