March 5-11, 2023

Hello AAPS Colleagues,

We appreciate the opportunity in March to recognize and celebrate our school social workers. 

The National School Social Work theme for 2023 is: “We Rise.” School Social Workers rise up - supporting their students, families, and school communities.  School Social Workers rise to share hope. They rise to listen and understand. They rise to challenge inequities. They rise to support all students.

This National School Social Work celebration emphasizes school social work contributions in focusing on the whole child and in linking families to community resources.  School social workers are highly-valued members, integral to each school’s multidisciplinary support team.  

We are reminded of the importance of social workers, particularly as the need to support the social emotional well-being of our students and families has continued to increase. Research indicates that school mental health and support programs improve educational outcomes by decreasing absences, dropout rates and discipline referrals, while also improving academic achievement. 

Our Ann Arbor Public Schools social workers make a powerful impact, rising up every day, to support students in meeting the academic, social and emotional challenges they encounter on the road to becoming successful and productive young adults. 

We join with students, AAPS team, and families to celebrate our school social workers who inspire us with hope, understanding and respect in their work every day. We honor our school social workers for the guidance, expertise and professional care they continue to provide for our students and our community.

We are so grateful, and let’s all join together to thank an AAPS social worker today!

Jeanice Kerr Swift
Superintendent of Schools
Ann Arbor Public Schools