March 1 through 7 is National School Social Work Week, and Milwaukee Public Schools proudly celebrates the extraordinary impact made by the district’s school social workers every day.  

The School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) theme this week is “Unite to Ignite: Celebrating Our Impact.” MPS celebrates its school social workers’ impact and honors the vital role they play in strengthening all schools, by supporting MPS families and empowering MPS scholars across Milwaukee. (The SSWAA website offers resources for school social workers and school leaders for School Social Work Week.)  

In MPS, school social workers are champions for equity, belonging, and student well-being. They serve as connectors among schools, homes, and community partners throughout Milwaukee, to see that barriers to learning are addressed with compassion, professionalism, and urgency.  

Through advising, crisis response, attendance support, advocacy, and collaboration with community agencies, MPS’s school social workers help create safe, inclusive environments where every student can succeed. 

Their impact is reflected in improved attendance, increased engagement, stronger coping skills, and the resilience that students demonstrate each day. It is seen in the partnerships that schools build with families and staff, and in the systems school social workers help strengthen to ensure equitable access to opportunity for all MPS students. 

National School Social Work Week is an excellent time to remember that when we unite across schools, departments, and neighborhoods, we ignite the possibility. Together, we advance the mission of Milwaukee Public Schools by nurturing the whole child—academically, socially, and emotionally. 

This week and every week, MPS celebrates the district’s school social workers’ dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to the students and families of Milwaukee.  

Milwaukee voters also appreciate the transformative work done by the staff of Milwaukee Public Schools to advance student mental health, shown through their support of the MPS referenda of 2020 and 2024. The referenda are significant resources that have helped to continue and expand student mental health services throughout district.  

Before the 2020 referendum, MPS employed one school psychologist, counselor, and social worker for every 175 MPS students. The district now has improved the ratio to 1 for every 145 students. 

This National School Social Work Week, thank you to the school social workers of Milwaukee Public Schools for all you do. Take this opportunity to tell a school social worker, “Your work matters. Your impact is powerful. And together, we are igniting brighter futures for MPS.”