Amid the challenges of school life, social worker Susan Daly steps into her first year at CHS, guiding students through academic and personal difficulties. She offers support to help them navigate their obstacles, in and out of the classroom. 

“Being a social worker is a huge role in supporting students and school culture,” Daly said. “I try to understand the holistic person since it’s more than just the student in the classroom, which helps me make the student feel more comfortable and confident at school.”

In addition Daly advocates the importance of self-care to deal with her stress. She believes it’s important to set boundaries with her job at school and her home life.

“I use the support of my family and get lots of fresh air by walking, hiking or doing yoga,” Daly said. “I always try not to bring work from school or stay back at school super late.”

Daly focuses on identifying students’ strengths and providing counsel to help them overcome their challenges and grow. Her job entails assisting students by focusing on students’ abilities, their backgrounds and supporting their needs. 

“Having the mindset of approaching people with the idea to build on their strengths can be a lot more impactful,” Daly said. “I love supporting and encouraging students’ different qualities and backgrounds they bring, which I think is a big part of social workers in FCPS.”

As Daly enters CHS, she acknowledges that the social worker role has evolved significantly since she started, specifically relating to mental health. She notices the stigma around students’ emotional well-being has gradually reduced, due in large part to the efforts of social workers as they raise awareness and provide support. 

“I’ve been a social worker for a long time and I feel like there’s a much greater understanding of the capabilities of our work, especially in school environments,” Daly said. “A key part of this work is to create a better school community and neighborhood, so everyone has a thorough understanding of how important mental wellness is and how it impacts every aspect in one’s life, this way it doesn’t get pushed aside.”

With an increase in levels of stress in students throughout the years, Daly supports the need for more mental health resources and personalized support systems. In the future, she aims to integrate emotional support into students’ lives at CHS. 

“I’m so excited to be a part of CHS and I hope to make students feel welcome,” Daly said. “I look forward to creating mental health awareness by providing all support to students whenever I can.”