We’ve made it. We’ve arrived at Friday—or as a wise high school student corrected me this morning, “Fri-yay.”

On this final day of School Social Worker Week, I’m thrilled to share something that brings me immense joy and pride: Baron Outfitters.

Baron Outfitters began as an inspired vision from my predecessor, who recognized the need for an in-house resource to serve the entire district. With grant funding secured, this idea blossomed into a tangible reality. This past summer, with the support of an exceptional team of summer staff and custodial workers, Baron Outfitters was brought to life.

I’d like to offer some insight into the heart of the needs-based closet and the journey that led Baron Outfitters to where it is today. Often, when we face a moment of crisis, the world can feel overwhelming, and this sense of helplessness is rarely a fault of our own. The inspiration behind the needs-based closet was to provide learners with an opportunity to regain control—allowing them to shop for what they need, rather than receiving a “handout.” Baron Outfitters was intentionally designed to offer a warm, welcoming, and non-judgmental shopping experience where individuals can select items that align with their personal needs and preferences.

None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of our Manheim Central school board members, staff, families, and the broader community, who have generously donated nearly every item in our closet. It is now stocked with new and gently used clothing, shoes, hygiene supplies, blankets, school supplies, and so much more.

In the few short months since Baron Outfitters opened its doors, it has transformed into much more than just a resource for clothing in times of need. What began as a simple idea to provide for our students has blossomed into a community endeavor, involving Manheim Central learners in meaningful ways, building skills, and spreading compassion. For example, the BNN club has created promotional videos to support our cause, while the Next Step House has generously helped with laundry, dusting, and organizing. I’ve also had students who enjoy folding clothes as we chat during a session—giving a new twist to retail therapy, if you will.

Baron Outfitters is a resource available to all Manheim Central School District learners, with no eligibility requirements. While it is housed at the high school, we have a discreet back entrance for those who value their privacy.

Currently, the closet is open by appointment only. Here is how to request an appointment:

Baron Outfitters Request Form

An opportunity we couldn't pass up was to help with any prom needs. We believe that every learner should have the chance to attend prom if they wish, regardless of access to formal attire. To ensure no one misses out on this opportunity, we are now collecting prom clothing. If you or someone you know would like to donate dresses, suits, ties, button-down shirts, gently used shoes, new socks, or other prom essentials, please reach out to Mrs. Thompson directly at thompsonjo@manheimcentral.org. Your generosity can help make this special occasion possible for all students!

Lastly and by happenstance, The Lititz Record Express published their news article about Baron Outfitters in yesterday’s newspaper. For your viewing pleasure, I’ve included the article in addition to updated pictures from the closet.

Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or Mrs. Evans.

Thank you for joining us on this five-day journey! We hope it’s given you a bit more insight into what we do as Certified School Social Workers, especially here at Manheim Central.

Who, you ask, is the Family and Student Resource Specialist at Manheim Central SD? Oh, I’m so glad you asked. wink wink

Mrs. Thompson took on this exciting, newly created role in March 2023. She serves both the middle and high school buildings, with the primary mission of bridging service gaps for our learners.

So, what exactly does that look like? Look at you, on a roll today with all the right questions. wink wink

Here’s one example: Imagine a learner's insurance has lapsed, but they still need services—and perhaps SAP (Student Assistance Program) is not an option. This is where a gap in service might exist. Much of the work Mrs. Thompson does is behind the scenes, making it a bit challenging to explain the full scope of her role. But in a nutshell, here’s how it works: Each situation is carefully assessed, and if appropriate, a referral is made to Mrs. Thompson. She then starts case managing, working with the learner either one-on-one or in small group sessions to bridge these gaps or until the gap has been resolved. This might involve check-ins or working with the family to connect them to community resources. Depending on the learner’s needs, these sessions could be held weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Learners have the option to continue their sessions over the summer, as Mrs. Thompson is available during those months too!

While it may not always be visible, Mrs. Thompson is always working quietly and diligently to ensure that learners are supported, even when the needs don’t fit neatly into existing systems.

Referrals to the Family and Student Resource Specialist usually come through administration and school counselors. But if you have a concern about a learner and aren’t sure where to turn, feel free to reach out to Mrs. Thompson at thompsonjo@manheimcentral.org for a brainstorming session. She’s always happy to chat!

On a different note, with the addition of Mrs. Evans in October 2023, we've been sharpening our focus on collecting data for the Social Work Department. For your viewing pleasure, the numbers gathered from October 2023 to May 1, 2024 are below.

Happy Thursday, Barons!

Welcome back 😊

On this rainy Wednesday afternoon, we dig into the role of truancy and attendance.

Mrs. Evans, MCSD's School Truancy officer is responsible for monitoring student attendance and identifying patterns of truancy or chronic absenteeism. With the support of each building's attendance team, Mrs. Evans works to ensure that students attend school regularly. She carefully monitors attendance and reaches out to families when absences arise. By partnering with families, she helps identify and address challenges—whether they stem from family issues, mental health concerns, or other barriers—that may be hindering a student's ability to attend school consistently.

In addition to collaborating with families, Mrs. Evans works closely with teachers, staff, administration, parents, and community resources to provide comprehensive support and develop tailored action plans aimed at improving attendance. Mrs. Evans participates in Student Attendance Improvement Plans (SAIP), attends court hearings and testifies in truancy cases, providing evidence and documentation remained to the learner's attendance. Her ultimate goal is to remove obstacles and ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed by being present and engaged in their learning.

Should you find you have questions, concerns, or simply want to consult with Mrs. Evans about truancy, you are welcome to reach her at evansm@manheimcentral.org

Today's focus is on Mrs. Evans' role as a Homeless Liaison and the McKinney-Vento Act.

The image below highlights Mrs. Evans' role as she takes on the

responsibilities of the Homeless Liaison!

MCSD's Facts:

In the 2023-2024 school year, 83 children in the Manheim Central School District were identified under the McKinney-Vento Act.

So far, for the 2024-2025 school year, 61 children have been identified.

Once eligibility is determined, Mrs. Evans, our homeless liaison, provides ongoing case management to the families. This involves connecting them with both community and school resources, and working to remove any barriers so students can fully access their education.

If you have any questions, need some clarity, or just want to chat with Mrs. Evans, don't hesitate to reach out by email at evansm@manheimcentral.org. She's always happy to help!

March is Social Work Month 🌎✌🏻💙

And March 2nd-8th is School Social Worker Week!

This year we bring you five days of what we specifically do here at Manheim Central School District to Unite to Ignite.

First things first, reintroduce ourselves for those who don't know us.

Melissa Evans is one of your Certified School Social Workers, and she wears many hats! In addition to her role as a social worker, she serves as the Truancy Officer, Homeless Liaison, and covers the entire district. Mrs. Evans joined the Baron Nation in October 2023, and you’ll often see her moving between buildings, attending meetings, supporting staff, and meeting one-on-one with students. She’s dedicated to helping connect students and families with valuable community resources.

Jovana Thompson is your other Certified School Social Worker and holds the title of Family and Student Resource Specialist (FSRS). Mrs. Thompson proudly became a part of the Baron Nation in March 2023 and serves both the middle and high school buildings. In her FSRS role, Mrs. Thompson works to meet the needs of students and families facing service gaps. She bridges those gaps by meeting with students individually or in small groups and helping connect families to essential community resources.

A lot of our work happens behind the scenes, but this week we’re excited to highlight the efforts we put in every day to support staff, learners, and their families!

Here is a video, courtesy of School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA), highlighting the foundation and values of not only School Social Workers but of Social Work as a whole. Enjoy!

This 2024-2025 school year we welcome our brand new and FREE needs-based closet, Baron Outfitters, proudly located within Manheim Central High School. Designed to support ALL students across the district, from pre-K through 12th grade, Baron Outfitters is now open and fully operational!

We provide gently used and some new clothing, shoes, accessories, basic toiletries, school supplies, and much more. Operating through the generous donations of our community, our mission is to ensure every student feels confident and prepared while fostering a supportive environment where all students can thrive.

At this time we are open by appointment only.

Please complete the Baron Outfitters Referral form listed below to schedule a visit or to make a donation!

For any additional information, please contact one of the following:

• Jovana Thompson, Certified School Social Worker: thompsonjo@manheimcentral.org
• Melissa Evans, Certified School Social Worker: evansm@manheimcentral.org
• Danielle Geissinger, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent: geissingerd@manheimcentral.org

Proud to be a Baron!

After a request is made, please allow 1-2 business days for a MCSD staff to reach out regarding specific needs and when a good time would be to come in for requested items!

To make a request please complete the form below:

You must register first, showing proof of residency in the Manheim Central School District. The head of the household must show a valid photo ID. After your registration is completed, you will receive an appointed day to visit the food pantry once a month. Clients must call Ruth Ellen each month before their scheduled visit and confirm their appointment in order to use the pantry.

The food pantry is open for registered clients on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Mondays and Thursdays of each month and the 3rd Thursday evening. Hours for clients to receive food are from 11:00AM until 1:00PM and 5-7PM, 3rd Thursday. The evening time is only for clients who are unable to come during our daytime hours.

Link below will bring you directly to their website for more info!

Welcome back to the 2024-2025 school year!

We are Mrs. Melissa Evans and Mrs. Jovana Thompson, your Manheim Central Certified School Social Work Department.

Mrs. Evans joined our district in October of 2023 and oversees all McKinney Vento, Truancy, and much more district wide.

While Mrs. Thompson joined the district in March of 2023 in a new role, Student and Family Resource Specialist. Mrs. Thompson works primarily on the secondary level, 5th through 12th grades, meeting one-on-one with learners and case managing on-going supports for families.

We hope to use this a space for information regarding news from the Social Work Department, updates, resources, and more.

Thanks for taking the time getting to know us through our smore page,

Melissa Evans, MSW, LSW, C-SSWS, EvansM@manheimcentral.org

Jovana Thompson, MSW, LSW, C-SSWS, ThompsonJo@manheimcentral.org

Both Melissa and Jovana hail from Governor Mifflin SD where we worked together as their School Social Workers for 3 years before joining MCSD!

• Easiest way to make a referral is through your Administration or School Counselor.
• Chat with them about your concern(s) and if a SSW referral is appropriate, they will submit a referral on your behalf.
• If you need to simply talk through a situation that feels concerning, you are welcome to contact us directly via email, office, or mobile numbers you see listed at the bottom of our page below!

And March 3rd-9th is School Social Worker Week!

Happy School Social Work Week! Let's celebrate the incredible impact of School Social Workers who've been supporting students and families since the early 20th century. From addressing truancy to providing vital emotional support, their dedication has shaped the history of education.

#SchoolSocialWorkWeek #ImpactInTheMaking #PearlsOfWisdom

This School Social Work Week, let's take a moment to acknowledge the rich history of the profession. From humble beginnings addressing truancy, school social workers have evolved into champions of students' well-being. Here's to the past, present, and future of making a positive difference in the lives of our youth! #ImpactInTheMaking #PearlsOfWisdom

Manheim Central School District has had a School Social Worker/Home Visitor since about 1977??

That's 47 years of recognizing the importance of mental health!

Way to go MCSD - proud to be a Baron!!

HISTORY OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK WEEK

School social work is a specialized subdivision of the social work field, and its history is not complete without exploring how social work became a profession in the U.S. Social work is itself rooted in charity, which sprung up from the actions of various religious organizations. The earliest factual and organized works of charity can be traced to the fourth century when the Roman Emperor, Constantine I, endorsed Christianity.

With the backing of the Roman Empire, the church established burial societies, poorhouses, homes for the aged, orphanages, hospitals, and shelters across the ancient Rome cities. These continued until the 17th century, with the Christian church stepping in to provide relief and large-scale charitable activities, as the European governments of that time had no capacity for such endeavors.

The Industrial Revolution moved charitable activities from the responsibility of the church and family to that of the state, leading to the creation of social welfare services and professional social workers. However, since poverty was the focused social problem, early social work was still linked to charity work. The early 20th century expanded the social work framework, taking a more professional and scientific approach.

Around this period, from 1907 to 1908, school social work began in the United States. It began with visiting teachers and getting involved in improving student attendance and building close-knitted relationships between home and school. The ‘visiting teacher movement’ grew in the 1920s when supporters saw the need to address increasing juvenile delinquency and social maladjustment.

The growing number of visiting teachers led to the establishment of the National Association of Visiting Teachers, later changed to the American Association of School Social Workers in 1945, and then the National Association of Social Workers in 1955. In 1994, the government included school social workers in the American Education Act. In July of that year, the School Social Work Association of America was founded by 64 school social workers across the U.S.

Jane Addams is considered the pioneer and Mother of Social Work. Click here to read more about her life's work and dedication to Social Work!

Embracing the impact of School Social Work Week!

Big cheers to the dedicated professionals with a master's and/or doctoral in social work, enriching campuses with their diverse skill set and fostering a supportive space for student success. #ImpactInTheMaking #PearlsOfWisdom

School Social Workers in PA are required to have:

• A Social Work master's degree from an accredited school,
• Licensed by the State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapist and Professional Counselors,
• (We are required to renew our Social Work license through the state of PA every 2 years by accruing specific CEUs, renewing the child abuse course, and paying a renewal fee)
  
• As of 2022 we are required to hold a Certified School Social Worker Certification through Pennsylvania Department of Education.
• (This requires us to work towards our level II).

Special shout out to our very own, Mrs. Melissa Evans, who is working towards her Social Work Doctorate and will be Dr. Evans by May of 2025 🥳

School Social Workers advocate for students by collaborating with educators and parents to leverage school-based and community resources. This helps to address academic, mental health, physical, and social barriers.

These efforts aim to ensure equitable access to educational opportunities; create a strengths-based, holistic approach; and promote supportive inclusive school environments.

All Social Workers abide by our own National Association of Social Work (NASW) Code of Ethics. These are the core of social work that sets forth values, principles, and standards to guide social workers' conduct.

One of our core values includes social justice. This plays a large part in our day-to-day advocacy. See below what our NASW Code of Ethics states about how we are obligated to seek, challenge, and advocate for social injustice.

Value: Social Justice
Ethical Principle: Social workers challenge social injustice.

Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people. Social workers’ social change efforts are focused primarily on issues of poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of social injustice. These activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers strive to ensure access to needed information, services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision making for all people.

School Social Workers make collaboration and coordination look like superpowers!

School Social Workers are a resource to the school community because of the knowledge, training, and unique perspective they bring to the team. We are also equipped to assess the needs of students and families and provide connections to school-based and community resources that address barriers to education. We like to think of ourselves as another added layer of resources the school community already brings to our learners and families.

Our Social Worker Corner smore page has community resources available for you and our school community! Check out our Table of Contents to the left to see what we have listed. Keep checking back for added resources and of course reach out if you have specific questions we might be able to help with!

School Social Workers can often serve as leaders, collaborating with educators and parents to address students' social and emotional needs. School Social Workers' impact extends beyond just the school community. School Social Work professionals advocate for policies, stay current with evidence-based research, and engage in community outreach, embodying leadership through their commitment to student-, staff-, and personal well-being.

Social Workers are in many leadership roles and work with an array of different populations. Here are a few you may or may not know about:

• Administration and Management
• Advocacy and Community Organizing
• Aging
• Child Welfare
• Developmental Disabilities
• Health Care
• International Social Work
• Justice and Corrections
• Mental Health and Clinical Social Work
• Mental Health and Substance Use Social Work
• Occupational and Employee Assistance Program
• Policy and Planning
• Politics
• Public Welfare
• Research
• School Social Work
• Veteran Affairs

U.S. Congresswoman
Barbara Lee (CA-13)

Congresswoman Barbara Lee was first elected to Congress in 1998. She notes that as a social worker by profession, being an advocate for people in dealing with the federal bureaucracy has been a priority.

To read more about her Social Work path in congress and other Social Workers in congress, click her picture!

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - Call. Text. Chat.
• 988 Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers providing FREE and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.
• 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States.
• Crisis Text Line
• Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States.
• Crisis Text Line is there for any crisis.
• A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds from a secured online platform.
• Crisis doesn't just mean thinking of ending your own life. It's any painful emotion and anytime you need support.
• See how it works here: Reach a Crisis Counselor
• 2-1-1 Lancaster County Helpline
• 2-1-1 helpline provides information to local programs in many areas including but not limited to food assistance, housing, financial assistance, utility assistance and more.
• Pennsylvania 2-1-1 is free, confidential, non-emergency, comprehensive information and referral service.
• Services connect Berks, Carbon, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Northampton, and Schuylkill county resistance with the health and human services they need.
• Simply call by dialing 211 on any phone or 855-567-5341
• YWCA Lancaster
• Sexual Assault Hotline
• 24 hour Hotline (717-392-7273)
• Operated by trained staff and volunteers
• Utilize hotline for these reasons, but not limited to:
• Crisis Intervention services,
• questions about resources & referrals related to sexual violence,
• inquiries about counselling related to sexual violence,
• request to provide medical advocacy at local hospitals.

SEE IT. REPORT IT.

Submit a tip without being named. Safe 2 Say will make sure the right people know. That's it.

Submit an anonymous tip online here

Call: 1-844-SAF2SAY (1-844-723-2729)

Download the App Here

Download Spanish Safe 2 Say Brochure Here

Manheim Central School District SAP

• The Student Assistance Program (SAP) can help children experiencing barriers to learning.

SAP Assessors

• Melissa Derderian - Middle + High School Assessor
• Phone: (717) 664-1836
• Email: DerderianM@manheimcentral.org
• Gena Harting - Doe Run + Baron Elementary Assessor
• Phone: (717) 664-8865
• Email: HartingG@manheimcentral.org

Melissa Evans

Phone: (717) 664-8535

Mobile: (717) 742-8711

Email: EvansM@manheimcentral.org

Jovana Thompson

Phone: (717) 664-8563

Mobile: (717) 618-2038

Email: ThompsonJo@manheimcentral.org