Hello! I hope that everyone is having a great start to the school year! I am Lori Sheppard (formerly Lori Lambert), the School Social Worker assigned to Ettrick E.S. This is my third year as a school social worker and is also my third year at Ettrick E.S. I personally attended Ettrick E.S. during all of my elementary school years as a child, so it is definitely a special place to me! I will typically be at Ettrick on Wednesdays and Thursdays, as well as on alternate Fridays. You can find me in room 104. I am also sometimes out in the field conducting home visits and attending other community meetings but can easily be reached by email.

I am also assigned to Matoaca Middle School, where I will typically be on Mondays and Tuesdays and on alternate Fridays.

You can always reach me by email at lori_sheppard@CCPSnet.net.

While much of my time at both schools is dedicated to participating in Special Education Evaluation Team (SEET) meetings and eligibility meetings, as well as completing sociological assessments as part of the evaluation process to determine whether a student is or continues to be eligible for special education services, listed below are some other ways I can help students:

● Assist with locating school supplies for students who cannot afford them.

● Intervene with students who have attendance concerns and work with their parent(s).

● Assist in contacting hard-to-reach parents and/or make home visits, as needed.

● Connect families to community resources such as counseling, parenting classes, public benefits, affordable housing, domestic violence advocacy, as well as resources for food and clothing.

● Support teachers and parents with strategies to work with children.

● I am trained to complete threat assessments and am available to work with each school’s counselors to evaluate students who make threats of harm to themselves or others. However, your school counselor(s) and administrators are still your first point of contact.

● Consult with school staff in cases of suspected child abuse or neglect and provide assistance in gathering information needed to make a report to Child Protective Services (CPS); assist staff in making the call, if needed.

● Support students who are experiencing homelessness or have unstable housing. Support often includes assistance with providing school stability through special transportation, providing free breakfast/lunch, providing school supplies & school related clothing, having school fees waived, and securing tutoring (if educational gaps exist due to mobility).

I am looking forward to a great school year!