INTERVENTION OFFICE
School Social Workers bring unique professional knowledge, skills and values to the school systems and students. Their practice includes: assessment, intervention, conflict resolution, individual and group counseling, consultation, program development, and coordination of school and community services.
Many students are at risk of not achieving academic success due to social, emotional, and behavioral problems affecting school performance. School social workers help students through early identification, prevention, instruction, intervention, counseling and support. They also support parents, assist educators and work with administrators by providing resources and programs to enhance the social and emotional needs of students.
At Westside, we have two full-time licensed social workers on staff. Joy Maguire’s responsibility lies on the clinical side; she focuses on crisis intervention seeing students individually and in groups. Janet Thies handles the Intervention Office where she is responsible for the guided study labs, PLATO credit recovery, and 12 Step programs.
COUNSELING SERVICES
The Westside High School Intervention Office provides both counseling services to students and their families. If you need someone to talk to about grief, substance abuse, trauma or family issues, we can help with supportive counseling and resource referrals. You are not alone! Parents can contact Joy Maguire at extension 6019 or jmaguire@houstonisd.org.
Students– feel free to come by room S125 during lunch or before or after school. We also sponsor a variety of guest speakers during the year to keep you informed about current issues important to high school students and their families; watch for upcoming sessions in the weekly news.
ACADEMIC INTERVENTION
Our office also provides academic intervention to students who are at risk of dropping out of high school due to academic problems and have a variety of resources to help you recover credit for failed classes and get you back on track to earn your diploma. Students can come by room S241 during lunch or before or after school or contact Janet Thies at extension 6190 or jthies@houstonisd.org.