Lawrence County’s schools are doing more than just educating local children beginning this school year.

Thursday, August 31, 2000

Lawrence County’s schools are doing more than just educating local children beginning this school year. They are offering families a place to go if they need a helping hand.

Ten new social workers now have offices in the schools under the auspices of the Lawrence County Board of Education. The state-funded program is designed to provide the support families need to keep children in school and learning.

These days it isn’t enough just to preach the benefits of receiving a high school diploma. In addition to the challenges of keeping students interested in learning, teachers and administrators have to deal with the stresses at home that often cause children to drop out of school.

If there are problems at home, if there isn’t enough food to eat or if there is a divorce or other stress, children can find themselves moving from school to school or having problems concentrating in class.

And that means their ability to learn can suffer.

With the addition of the new social workers, Lawrence County social services agencies, law enforcement authorities and educators can work toward the same goal – making sure as many Lawrence County children as possible graduate.

Families have better access to the services they need and experts who can help them deal with the stresses that can destroy good people and families.

There really isn’t a better way to spend tax dollars.