SDCOE Honors School Social Workers

Nearly 200 people celebrated school social workers and the school social work profession at the annual awards program hosted by the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE).

During the fourth annual School Social Work Awards ceremony, 25 nominees were recognized and seven individuals were honored for their work in supporting students and families and for their contributions to the school social work profession. The honorees are:

School Social Workers of the Year

Carolina Bracamonte-Espinoza – San Diego Virtual School

Jaime Hocanson – La Mesa-Spring Valley School District

Carrie Thompson – Santee School District             

Ariana Vargas – Escondido Union School District

 

School Social Work Intern of the Year

Taja Marbley – Harriet Tubman Village Charter School

 

Trailblazer Award

Maria Osborn – South Bay Union School District

 

Jenée Peevy Light Award

Jose Vallejo – San Diego County Office of Education

“As we work to create environments where all students feel a sense of belonging and have the tools and resources needed to thrive, school social workers play an integral role in that school support team and achieving this goal,” said San Diego County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Paul Gothold. “We are honored to recognize all of our school social workers and interns across the County and congratulate them on this achievement.”

In its fourth year, the School Social Work Awards program honors school social workers and social work interns for the work they do to support students, families, and communities. The Trailblazer Award honors an individual who has paved the way for future generations in the profession to grow and develop while the Jenée Peevy Light Award recognizes individuals for their support of school social workers.

“As social workers, you’re on the front lines armed with compassion, and expertise breaking down barriers and fostering environments where social and emotional learning (SEL) isn’t just an educational add on, but a foundational pillar,” said Dr. Felicia Singleton, senior director, Whole Child and Community Design. “The tireless efforts of school social workers to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions are truly what embodies the essence of SEL.”

School social workers focus on the whole child, linking students and families to community resources, and  serve as a valuable voice as part of the school’s multi-disciplinary team while working to address and break barriers to academic achievement. They are trained mental health professionals who provide both direct and indirect services working with school administration, school staff, students, and families to assist students with mental health concerns by providing a host of services that include crisis intervention, counseling for individuals and groups, consulting with teachers, home visits, parent workshops, and advocating for practices and policies that are equitable.

“It’s important to recognize school social workers in San Diego County because they provide a valuable service to our students, families, and school community as a whole,” said Jenee Peevy, coordinator, SDCOE and awards program coordinator. “They are often working behind the scenes and not always recognized for their work. The awards program provides a forum and opportunity for school social workers to celebrate the rich history and deep contributions of their profession. It is an honor to recognize these deserving individuals and the impactful work they are doing to help San Diego County students, families, and school communities.”

In San Diego County, there are more than 175 school social workers and nearly 150 interns from universities who are providing social, emotional, and mental health services to students, families, and staff. SDCOE’s school social work services unit provides professional development and opportunities for school social workers to come together to discuss ways to support students and families across the county. SDCOE and districts partner with several universities to provide internships for students interested in a career in school social work.

The awards ceremony took place during National School Social Work Week, a nationwide recognition encouraging schools, districts, communities, to acknowledge and recognize school social workers, and National Social and Emotional Learning Day. Photos are available on SDCOE’s School Social Work webpage.

 

 

ABOUT THE HONOREES

Carolina Bracamonte-Espinoza, San Diego Virtual School

Carolina has been a school social worker for over 10 years. She is currently the clinical school social worker at San Diego Virtual School, which supports students in San Diego, Orange, Riverside and Imperial counties. She has helped shape and design a virtual social and emotional learning program for students, including facilitating counseling groups and serving as the COPES district liaison. Carolina is a licensed clinical social worker and has also worked for the Office of Child Safety, Emergency Response Unit. In 2014, she received a leadership award from San Diego State University for her leadership and contributions to the School of Social Work. She was also the past president of the Latino Student Social Work Association. Her colleagues share, “Her unwavering commitment, innovative spirit, and genuine care for students make her an exemplary social worker.” “She's a wonderful asset to our school community and she makes a difference here, every day. “In crisis situations, she has saved students' lives with her willingness to be in constant contact and be the bridge to get them the help they need.“

 

Carrie Thompson, Santee School District

Carrie has been a school social worker for the past 17 years. She is currently the school social worker in the Santee School District. Carrie goes above and beyond in her role as school social worker to provide tailored services for her students and their families, works on expanding mental health services for her district, and supports the development of future school social workers. As part of her role, Carrie provides individual and group counseling services to students on a school site, and an alternative program. At the district level, she is expanding mental health services by supervising MSW interns in meeting their PPSC credential requirements, and she lends her LCSW license to provide in-house supervision to other MSWs. More recently, Carrie took on a pivotal role in the Student Behavioral Health Incentive program (SBHIP)/CYBHI to help with funding for additional mental health services. Her colleagues share, “Carrie's advocacy for marginalized students and families is a testament to her active promotion of social justice. She plays a pivotal role in identifying systemic barriers and working tirelessly to dismantle them.” “Carrie not only embodies the ideals of school social work through her direct services but also plays a crucial role in shaping the future landscape of mental health services within our district.”  

 

Ariana Vargas, Escondido Union School District

Ariana has been a school social worker for the past 16 years. She is currently the TREC (Trust Relationship Empowerment, and Choice) program school social worker in Escondido Union School District where she has worked since 2010. She created and implemented the TREC program that supports Escondido’s at-promise students. Ariana is a licensed clinical social worker and registered play therapist. She has 20 years of experience, and in addition to schools, she has worked in community-based agencies and organizations that provide therapy services, crisis intervention, and case management. She was also the recipient of the Escondido Union School District Season for Peace and Non-Violence award. Her colleagues share, “Ariana is transparent and diligently puts students first and not only believes, but acts on closing education and equity gaps while making people feel valued in her work with them in building relationships to empower her school communities.” “Ariana is the most passionate social worker who, no matter how much time she has been in the field, continues to want to grow and support as many students and families in the most creative ways.”

Jaime Hocanson – La Mesa-Spring Valley School District

Jaime has been a school social worker in the La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools (LMSVSD) for eight years. One of her many accomplishments includes advocating for social work services and developing a social work program at LMSVSD that started with a few social workers and grew to a team of over 24.  Jaime has additionally worked tirelessly to secure grants for social work positions in every school in her district. Jaime goes above and beyond to ensure every school social worker feels supported and is seen. She additionally provides ongoing professional development, introduces innovative interventions, and makes herself available for clinical support and guidance for her staff. Jaime’s colleagues shared, “Her empathy, clinical knowledge, and experience support the well-being of children and families as well as to our team.” "Jaime not only serves our LMSVSD community with her whole heart, she does so with the utmost ethical integrity and adherence to social work values and principles." “Jaime is a young trailblazer in our community.”

 

Taja Marbley, Intern, Harriet Tubman Village Charter

Taja is a social work intern from California State University Northridge. She has been a social work intern with the San Diego County Office of Education for the past two years, providing support services at both Monarch School and Harriet Tubman Charter School. She is currently completing her PPSC credential requirements in school social work. Taja’s greatest qualities help her stand out. She is always empathetic and compassionate and has a keen ability to understand others’ feelings. Best of all, her genuine personality helps her build connections with ease. Taja is well known for going above and beyond the requirements to provide quality services. If there is ever a needed resource, Taja is likely to know who can fill the need. She is also not afraid to work after hours to make important family connections and offer much needed support services. When asked, her colleagues share, “Taja does a great job working towards eliminating discrimination and promoting inclusivity.”  “She holds the worth of the person/s she is servicing in high regards.”

 

Trailblazer Award

Maria Osborn, South Bay Union School District

Maria has been a school social worker for the past 24 years. During this time, she has had the opportunity to share her knowledge and passion for the field within four San Diego County school districts, including South Bay Union School District, Escondido Union School District, Sweetwater Union High School District, and Lemon Grove School District. Maria first started her social work career as an intern in South Bay Union and more recently has come full circle by returning to South Bay Union and taking on the position as coordinator for family engagement and student support services. Prior to that, she spent 15 years at  Escondido Union School District developing and implementing systems to improve students' school attendance. Maria always puts relationships at the forefront of her work with families, staff and colleagues. When anyone speaks with Maria, they always feel listened to and valued. Among her many accomplishments, Maria has helped build school social work programming across the county. She has facilitated professional development on various social work topics, has spoken at attendance summits, has mentored countless social work interns and contributed to a school social work textbook used by graduate students across the state. Maria’s colleagues shared, “Throughout her work in San Diego County, she has tirelessly attempted to make connections with students and their families.” “I have just appreciated who she is as an individual, professional and colleague!” “She is a model for representing what a school social worker looks like!”

 

Jenée Peevy Light Award

Jose Vallejo, SDCOE

Jose is a tech center analyst at SDCOE. He has supported the School Social Work Awards ceremony and program since it began in 2021.