School Social Worker
School Social Worker
School Social Worker
Tara Nichol, M.Ed., MSW, LSWAIC
School Social Worker, Tara Nichol, works with students Kindergarten through Fifth Grade to support their social and emotional growth in the classroom, group and individual settings. The school social worker helps families access academic support, including coordinating student intervention team (SIT) meetings with parents and school staff.
Social Emotional Curriculum
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and RULER (Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions): Sand Point teachers and staff are regularly teaching and reinforcing emotional and social awareness with our students using RULER in addition to other materials including Second Steps Curriculum and Skills Streaming.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is guided by three principles which are developmental appropriateness, cultural responsiveness and universal design. SEL helps students to have a sense of belonging at school. This is done through creating an environment and structures that emphasis and values healthy, safe, supported, challenged and engaged students.
Social Worker Tara Nichol collaborates and co-teachers with the K-5 teachers on SEL lessons that cover three domains:
Academic Development
- Executive functioning skills.
- Organizational skills.
- Self-management skills.
- Strategies that can benefit cognitive thinking and memory skills.
Social-Emotional Development
- Understanding how the brain works.
- Mindfulness.
- Self-Awareness through Exploring feelings and our thoughts, body actions, sensations.
- Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions.
- Restorative Practices and Conflict Resolution.
Career Development
- Creating connections to the places we live.
- Self-interests explorations through identifying students interests and careers.
- Helping students understand the path to reach their goals.
- Exposure to different types of colleges, post-secondary options and different types of careers.
Small Groups and Individual Check-Ins
Sand Point Elementary offers small groups and individual check-ins for students who need support in social and emotional development. The School Social Worker can also help connect youth with resources in our community or with the school’s family support worker for referrals for outpatient therapy, housing, food and finances, family stress or violence, self-harm and suicidal thinking.
Below you’ll find a list of outside agencies and play groups, if you believe your child would benefit from an outside therapist.
Community Resource List
Please note that this is a resource list and none of the providers are affiliated with or endorsed by SPS.
NE Seattle Counselors and Psychologists
Children’s Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Outpatient Clinic
Seattle Childrens, Sand Point location
206-987-2164
Accepts Medicaid, Apple
(Also try Children’s Overlake location, sometimes less wait)
Ryther Child Institute
Ryther
Main: 206-525-5050
Lake City location
Accepts Medicaid, Apple
ABCD
Multidisciplinary Practice for Child Behavior/Development
ABSD Seattle
James Baldwin location
206-3616-884
Seattle Psychology
206-420-4701
Seattle Psychology, Wallingford location
Sound Mental Health
James Baldwin Location
206-302-1900
Sound Mental Health
Accepts Medicaid, Apple
Community Psychiatric Clinic
Community Psychiatrics
206-461-4544
James Baldwin, Lake City and Wallingford locations
Accepts Apple, Medicaid
University of Washington Psychotherapy Clinic
University if Washington Psychotherapy Clinic, University District location
Provides mental health services to children, adults and families
2nd Year PhD Graduate Students
Affordable Sliding Scale
206-543-6511
Center for Human Services
Center for Human Service, Shoreline location
206-362-7282
Accepts Apple, Medicaid
Emergency Contacts
If you are in need of help and it is after school hours, please use the following resources
Crisis Line: 206-461-3222
Child Protective/Family Reconciliation Services:
Day: 1-800-609-8764
Night: 1-800-562-5624
Other Types of Assistance Such as Food, Shelter, Clothing, and Healthcare:
Dial: 211 or 206-461-3200
Police Department Emergency : Dial 911
On left side of Page
Department Contact
Tara Nichol
206-252-4648
Office Hours
Monday-Friday 7:25-2:55