Employer: Norfolk Public Schools, Norfolk, Virginia
Title: Senior Coordinator: District-wide Transition Specialist
What is the most rewarding aspect of your work?
I am thankful that my work as a pupil services administrator continues to include daily opportunities to establish and maintain positive relationships and provide support to all Norfolk Public Schools students and families. I enjoy being able to collaborate with special educators, administrators, support personnel, local community organizations, and colleagues from the Virginia Departments of Education and Juvenile Justice to remove barriers and implement services and programs that enhance students’ overall well-being which then enrich our prevention and intervention efforts regarding academics, attendance, behavior, and school safety.
What is the greatest benefit of being a NAPSA member?
The greatest benefit of being a NAPSA member is having access to professional colleagues who find joy amidst our challenging work. Since attending my first NAPSA conference in October 2017, I discovered the diverse range of responsibilities addressed under pupil services, which varies from state to state, and it is extremely beneficial to interact with other pupil services administrators and glean from their expertise. The experiential knowledge from NAPSA members in the trenches, doing the work with smiles on their faces and purpose in their hearts, has been inspiring. The early insight into proposed legislation and how the potential new regulations will affect our work with students and their families is invaluable.