School Social Workers/Visiting Teachers

School social workers assist in identifying and implementing solutions to social, emotional, and learning problems which impact the academic performance of students by uniting the resources of the home, the school, and the community. They facilitate understanding between home and school by visiting the home when special concerns impact upon a student’s academic progress. They serve as members of the multidisciplinary team to develop intervention plans for students who are experiencing problems in the school setting, and may provide short-term individual or group counseling services. Social workers assist parents and school staff when students experience problems with school attendance. Social workers also serve as the link with Child Protective Services. They make referrals on behalf of students and families to community resources, such as the Family Assessment and Planning Team (FAPT), and maintain a working relationship with these agencies so that there is effective coordination and follow-up services. To view APS brochure on FAPT Click Here. For more information about the Arlington FAPT, please click here

In addition to individual school assignments, social workers serve a number of system-wide functions, including: conducting sociocultural assessments for the preschool assessment team; coordinating Project Extra Step for homeless students; providing sociocultural assessments for students attending private schools, when a disability is suspected; conducting social history updates for special education students who are placed on a contractual basis outside of the public school system; participating on the Student Support Team; and providing social work services to students attending the Family Center and the Alternative Parenting Teens Program.

Inquiries about social work services may be directed to the school social worker in the local school/program, or to

Dr. Darrell Sampson, Executive Director, Office of Student Services (703) 228-6061

Elementary Schools

• Abingdon – Margarita Zwisler
• Arlington Science Focus –Jacob Stein /Shannon Joseph
• Arlington Traditional –Jacob Stein /Shannon Joseph
• Ashlawn – Patty Martinez
• Barcroft- Bailey Johnson
• Barrett – Wendy Cornejo 
• Campbell –Samantha Gift-Attoh
• Carlin Springs – Sophia Coleto
• Cardinal – Ali Versagi
• Claremont – Yna Walters
• Discovery – Delia Dowd
• Drew Model –Carol Burka
• Fleet –Delia Dowd
• Glebe – Tahira Rehman
• Innovation- Samantha Gift-Attoh
• Montessori Shannon Joseph
• Hoffman-Boston – Javier Martinez 
• Jamestown – Ehvyn Wilson 
• Key – Mary Wilcox
• Long Branch –Patricia Martinez
• Montessori PS –Shannon Joseph
• Nottingham – Evyn Wilson
• Oakridge –Tahira Rehman
• Preschool Child Find – Jean Waterbury /Mary Wilcox
• Randolph –Megan Khaerisman
• Taylor – Zamir Bridgman
• Tuckahoe – Kate Karns

• Gunston – Michelle Shimizu
• Hamm – Christine Katcher
• Jefferson – Elizabeth Brady 
• Kenmore – Charisse Berree
• Swanson – Liska Friedman
• Williamsburg –Kory Bradley

High Schools

• Wakefield – Charlene Giles  | Flor Gonzalez
• Washington-Lee – Colleen Greenwood | Brittnee Stephens
• Yorktown – Catherine Hall | Natalie Edwards

High Schools & Programs 

• Arlington Career Center – Naghmeh Merck
• Arlington Community High School – Cara Jones
• H-B Woodlawn – Elizabeth Auten
• Langston/New Directions – Zamir Bridgman
• Foster Care and Homeless Liaison / Project Extra Step – Barbara Fisher
• Shriver – Phyllis Thompson