Social Services

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    We provide support in the following areas:
    • Parent-School relationship development
    • Counseling to parents regarding student discipline
    • Advise parents of Compulsory School Attendance Laws
    • Crisis Counseling
    • Identify students in Homelessness situations**
    • Child abuse and neglect workshops for campus personnel
    • Student-Parent advocacy in schools
    • Parenting skills and financial responsibility training
    • Social Service agency referrals
    • Consultation with parents regarding child’s academic performance, behavior and needs
    • Access specific community resources to address individual student needs
    • Provide support services to help students:
      • Identify causes of their problems
      • Accept responsibility for their actions
      • Develop decision-making skills
      • Overcome crisis
      • Enhance their self-concept
      • Resolve conflicts without violence
      • Increase motivation
      • Respect cultural and physical differences
      • Improve their school attendance
    • A clothing room is kept with minimal clothing for emergency purposes
     
    **Classification of "Homelessness" or otherwise "Housing Insecure" 
     
    Huntsville ISD has a large number of students across the district who are classified as "homeless."  Once a student is identified to be in a homeless situation, the Social Services Department immediately works to remedy that residential situation;  However, even though the residential situation is resolved, the student will remain classified as "homeless" status in our system for proper tracking and needed services for the remainder of the school year.  
     
    The term "homeless" sounds alarming, but it helps to understand that "homeless" designation encompasses a number of non-permanent residential or housing insecure situations.  These living situations include students who live:
    • on the streets
    • under bridges;
    • in tents;
    • in cars;
    • in RV parks;
    • in local shelters; 
    • in inns/hotels/motels; 
    • "couch-hopping" or "surfing" with friends - frequently moving between them;  
    • with a non-biological adult who is not their legal parent(s);
    • "doubled-up" with other families.
     
    **The "doubled-up" situation represents the largest percentage of our current "homeless" population.**
      
    The HISD Social Services Department serves a number of clients annually who are in great need and emphasize, that most of the "homeless" students are in much safer and stable living environments once identified than some students who are NOT classified as "homeless."  The district appreciates the interest shown by our community and the outpouring of love and generosity to help HISD provide support and care for our neediest students and families.  
     
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    Examples of Items Needed Year-Round:
    • Toilet Paper
    • Diapers
    • Personal Hygiene Items
    • Gift Cards for:
      • Gas
      • Local Grocery Stores
      • Local Fast Food restaurants
     
    Urgent Needs - Items Currently Needed:
     
    CLICK on this LINK to see the Urgent Items needed at this time.
     
    (Examples - Electricity/Utilities Payment Assistance; Residential/Rental Deposits; Shelter fees; Car Repair; Transportation Services; Medication/Prescription Assistance, License/Certification fees; etc.)
     

Department Contacts

  • To access services, please contact:

    Secondary 
    Sally Dowis, LMSW 
    Social Services 
    sdowis@huntsville-isd.org
    936-435-6964 (rolls to cell phone)
           housed at the HISD Support & Learning Center

    Elementary
    Juanita Hall, M.A.-Counseling
    jhall@huntsville-isd.org
    Home & School Liaison
    936-435-6990
          housed at the HISD Support & Learning Center

How can YOU help?

  • Make A Donation
     
    If you'd like to support the HISD Social Services Department, we gladly accept cash, check, or gift card donations.  
     
    If writing a check please make payable to "Huntsville ISD."
    Designate "HISD Students" or "HISD Social Services" in the check memo section.
     
    Please Deliver or Mail to:
    Huntsville ISD
    Attention: Robin Swackhamer
    441 FM 2821 East
    Huntsville, TX 77320