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    Welcome

    Dear Parents and Guardians,

    Hello and welcome back to our new 2022-2023 academic school year! I trust that you had a relaxing and enjoyable summer break. My name is Mrs. Jeannette Laguna and I will be your School Social Worker and H.I.B (Harassment, Intimation, & Bullying) Specialist for Heywood Ave School. I am looking forward to an exciting school year working alongside my Heywood community. I am here to help service students, families, and teachers respond to the needs that coincide with the students’ social emotional support and academic development. I will continue to work on providing a safe and caring environment for the students to feel comfortable in communicating any issues or concerns they may face throughout the year. 

    Without question, during the beginning of the school year, students are filled with many different emotions. Students may struggle with articulating their thoughts and feelings and may look for assistance and reassurance from the adults in their lives. When school starts, students are filled with the excitement of starting fresh, meeting new teachers, establishing or reestablishing their relationships with friends, which are all wonderful experiences. However, students may also feel anxious, nervous or even scared about not knowing what to expect. The start of our school year may not look like a “traditional” start, but with that said, the Heywood family is ready to make this experience a positive and memorable experience for all of our students. Parents and guardians, we thank you for all you have done to help prepare your child for a wonderful academic journey. Let us remind ourselves to congratulate them on our children's success because they did a wonderful job last school year and encouraged progress. 

    A major part of my role as the school’s social worker is to teach the concept of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). It is through this process that students learn how to understand and manage their emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy, maintain positive relationships, and how to make responsible decisions. (https://casel.org/core-competencies/).  I will work hand-in-hand with our teachers to help support this practice in their classroom. I will continue to have individual and group counseling sessions for any and all students in need, as well as conduct restorative circle group activities and discussions. In addition, parent workshops will also be offered this school year in hopes of providing our families with valuable information and resources to help them smoothly navigate through this school year.

    Please do not hesitate to contact me via email at rodrigje@orange.k12.nj.us, or through my google voice number during school hours at 862-248-5963 if you have any questions, comments or concerns. I am looking forward to working with you and your child to create a safe, supportive and positive learning environment. This is going to be a wonderful school year!

    Thank you,

    Name: Mrs. Jeannette Laguna

    Phone:  (973) 677-4000:  Heywood (ext. 14810)

    Email:    rodrigje@orange.k12.nj.us

    "There is no greater joy; nor greater reward than to make a fundamental difference in someone's life."

    ~ Mary Rose McGeady