Mrs. Lovewell: 

1.   "I chose school social work because I did not love school when I was a kid, and I found middle school to be especially difficult. I wanted to support kids here at LaSalle in ways that I wished to be supported when I was in school. I chose this job so I could walk though some of the toughest circumstances with kids and their families and help them feel cared for and empowered to pursue the healthiest, happiest lives they can."

2.   "Outside of school I love to take walks in nature with my family. I also love to be at the lake or at the pool soaking up the sun. I love to cook, and I love to play with my 9 month old son. I also like to spend time with my friends and laugh with them- laughter with loved ones is one of the best ways to shake off the tough days."

3.  "My husband and I have been together for almost 10 years, and we have a dog named Penny. She is 3 years old, and she's kind of a trouble maker. She loves to eat paper and other things that aren't food! We also have a 9 month old son named Leo, who loves to smile and wave, pull up to stand, look at books, and play with toys. His favorite time of day is bath time. We also spend lots of time with my parents and my brothers who live nearby. "

4. "My favorite part about being a social worker is being able to help people when they need something. I love being able to help kids navigate tough days and situations, and I love being able to help their families in various ways, too. I love being able to connect people with resources that they need in order to feel their best."

5. "To me, there are a few differences between a social worker and a counselor. I have a license to practice clinical social work, which is the background needed to be a therapist. This means that I have a deeper education in mental health and treating mental health than most school counselors do. Also, counselors have a deeper knowledge in education, so they know and do much more with academics, scheduling, and classroom lessons. I also have expertise in community resources, so I spend lots of my time talking with families of students and providing them with referrals to get all kinds of needs met (housing, food, clothes, medical care, mental healthcare, legal help, etc.). Social workers are known to connect people with resources of all kinds, so I do a bit more of that than counselors do. But while I'm doing more of that, they're doing more with students' individualized education plans and accommodations. We do a lot of similar things, but we also fill gaps for each other with our different areas of expertise, which is awesome!"

Mrs. Hatz: 

1.   "I have a poster on my door that says, "When you walk through this door, my intention is for you to feel heard, valued, and understood." I chose this job because it allows me to do exactly that with my favorite population - kids, and in a setting where not all kids find school to be a comfortable place."

2.  "My hobbies include walking, running, writing, reading, paddleboarding, kayaking - basically all watersports, watching college basketball and football, as well as the NBA. I also love spending time with my family and friends and doing these activities with them."

3.  "My household family includes my husband, two daughters, and our almost 11 y.o. Labrador Retriever, Fern."

4.  "My favorite part of being a school social worker is getting to be a trusted adult for students to share what is important to them and to help them feel validated, supported, and valued."

5.   "At LSMS, it can be difficult to know what the differences are between the social workers and the counselors. The LSMS counselors are a superb group who collaborate with us to make sure all students are supported in whatever they need. I can't think of a time when any of us has heard about a student's need and approached the situation from a "That is your job/That is not my job" viewpoint. Counselors definitely have expertise in coordinating all the things that go into scheduling students' classes and are not a shared responsibility with school social workers."