REGION D NEWS
Region D is proud to announce that our member and past President, Angela Gardner-Street was chosen to represent the state of Michigan as School Social Worker of the year! Angela has worked for the Detroit Public Schools as a School Social Worker since 1998. Angela has also been very active in her community, and a strong advocate for children and their families. Region D will honor Angela at a later date to celebrate this wonderful achievement.
Region D would also like to thank all of the members who renewed and the new members who joined our ranks. With your support, we managed to increase our membership by 52%!
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Region D held a General Membership meeting on January 25, 2011. That was followed by its fundraiser collaborative with the Detroit Association of School Social Workers (DSSWA) at the Detroit Repertory Theatre, March 17, 2011. The play that was presented, 'A Lesson Before Dying', is about a young man who is on death row to be executed for a murder he didn't commit. His God mother asks a Teacher to “teach” him to die like a man. All persons who attended were pleased with the play, which was well-written and well-acted in providing strong messages important to all educators, including School Social Workers. The MASSW-D/ DSSWA fundraiser was an overwhelming success. Region D would like to thank everyone who supported this event.
Region D is looking forward to the Mildred Ellis Scholarship fundraiser dinner on May 19, 2011, in which students of the Detroit Public Schools are awarded scholarships to attend higher education. To date, Detroit Public School Social Workers have contributed over $200,000 of their personal funds to this cause over the last twenty years (1991-2011).
Region D is pleased to announce its SSW of the Year Angela Gardner-Street! Angela has been a School Social Worker with the Detroit Public Schools for 11 years. During her tenure, she has been a strong advocate for both students and the School Social Work profession. Angela graduated from the University of Michigan in 1995 and is the owner of the “Social Work Consulting Firm” in the city of Detroit. Angela and the DPS School Social Work retirees will be honored on June 9, 2011 at the Dearborn Hills Golf Course at 5p.m. Tickets for this event can be purchased from any Region D member for $35.00. For future information contact LaTisha Myles at
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Submitted by: Cynthia Reynolds, LMSW, President and Leonard T. Zabawski, LMSW, Vice-President, Region D
LABOR DONATED
Region D is excited to announce that we will host our first major fundraiser at the Detroit Reparatory Theatre, March 17, 2011 @ 7:30pm. The play that will be showing is called 'A Lesson Before Dying' which is an "adaptation of Earnest Gaines' novel, where a young man is about to be executed for a murder he probably didn't commit...
Feel free to join in supporting us for this venture. Interested persons should contact Michelle Thompkins by e-mail @
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or Leonard Zabawski @
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. We'd love to have you. (Click here for flyer.)
We regret to announce the recent loss of two of our colleagues. Both of whom served the Detroit Public Schools for over 30 years. Gwendolyn Jones (10-2010), retired School Social Work Supervisor, who was recognized in the past as School Social Worker of the year, and also formerly served as President of Region D; Phyllis White (12-2010), School Social Work Supervisor, who devoted her most recent service to the Homeless families of Detroit Public Schools and beyond.
Looking ahead: General Membership meeting: Monday, January 25, 2011, 4:00pm-5:00pm; Location: Longfellow Annex, 13141 Rosa Parks Blvd, Detroit, MI 48234.
Professional Development addressing awareness and intervention in serving students dealing with Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, and Bi-sexual issues. Date: TBA
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Region D is on the move again!
During the months of October and November we have added 10 new members to our roster, and we have hosted two events. During the week of October 18th to October 22th, Region D held a Pre conference membership drive and raffle. The membership drive generated new members to our chapter and we were able to raise $140.00 from the raffle.
Region D members also attended the annual conference at Shanty Creek this year. Dr. Roger Manela (Region D member) and his wife, Pamela Manela co- presented a workshop, titled: “Adolescent Depression: School Social Work Intervention”.
On November 4th Region D hosted “Café Nite” at the Social Work Consulting Firm in Northwest Detroit. The Social Work Consulting Firm is owned by Region D member, Angela Gardner-Street, who donated the use of this beautiful facility. Café Nite featured the talents of local School Social Workers and Comedian Bill Hill, who entertained us until we could not laugh any harder. The event was attended by Region D members and friends, and our state President Phil Barker. Future events include a Reparatory Theatre fund raiser on March 17th and at least one continuing education workshop this school year. Details will be posted soon.
Our Region President Cynthia Reynolds was also interviewed by WJR radio in Detroit. Cynthia was able to speak about how School Social Work Services are instrumental to the success of all children in schools, including homeless children and youth. Region D members were also featured in The Detroit Federation of Teachers newspaper this month. The articles covered how School Social Workers started a clothes closet to provide uniforms for students in need, and the Feed the Children organization donated almost 2000 backpacks, food backs and books to the Detroit Public Schools. This donation was facilitated by Region D President, Cynthia Reynolds who is also a School Social Worker in the Homeless Children and Youth Program.
Detroit Public Schools Homeless Unit
Gets Huge Donation
Nearly 2,000 backpacks reached Detroit homeless children this fall, thanks to the Feed the Children program and Detroit school social workers. The Detroit Public Schools HomelessProgram received a huge donation Oct.12 of food and school supplies to aidchildren who are homeless, or at risk ofbecoming homeless, to have theresources they need to stay in school. Feed the Children, an international,nonprofit relief organization inOklahoma City, donated 1,920 backpacksfilled with school supplies, 1,920 food bags and four pallets of books.
The district’s homeless program has served homeless children for more than 18 years and last year served more than 1,800 students and their families. It collaborates with homeless and domestic violence shelters that house school-agedchildren in Detroit. The unit provides transportation assistance, uniforms,shoes, school supplies, books, food and hygiene items, social work services andeducational assistance.
“Our program allows us to help children who would normally go unnoticedin our schools,” said Cynthia Reynolds,school social worker of the Homeless Unit. “This donation helps serve our mission to ensure all children have the resources they need to be successful in school". The Detroit Homeless unit is one of the oldest in the state and has been recognizedby the Michigan Department of Education, which commended the districtfor the high level of public supportrepresented by in kind contributions, donations, and strong partnerships with local organizations.
The state applauded the program, saying it “has succeeded inmaking the McKinney-Vento law comealive for children and youth... and yourleadership involving the entire communityis a great asset to students". Homeless children and their familiesare eligible to receive services underThe McKinney-Vento HomelessAssistance Act, which ensures that allchildren, regardless of their housing situation, receive a public education. This is the fourth year that Feed the Children has partnered with the DPS todistribute the backpacks and food to district students.
REGION D Officers
Treasurer: Roderick Arnold
Other: Membership Chair Susan Gallagher
Sergeant of Arms Latisha Myles
For more information about region events, please contact
Cynthia Reynolds at
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or call at (313) 310-5732
or
Leonard Zabawski at
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or call at (313) 804-0251 (c) or (734) 981-4365
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