There is a new addition to South in the counseling department who is able to offer her assets as a relatable resource.
Kera Carter is the new social worker here at South. Carter said her main traits are being laid back and easy going. Carter’s main focus will be in the special education department, but she will also be able to see other students.
“I’m available to all students if they are having a bad day, I’m here,” Carter said.
Doug Roby, the other social worker that worked in the counseling department passed away in September last year. Principal Moussa Hamka said Carter will add many things to the department as his replacement.
“She’s got a plethora of background experience,” Hamka said. “She’s very kind, friendly and I know she’s excited to serve our kids.”
There is a relatively high importance to having a social worker in a school along with a psychologist. Psychology teacher Katherine Parent said social workers often act as a bridge between family and the school.
“They can help students’ families get connected to resources,” Parent said. “If your child wasn’t in school, you might not necessarily have the knowledge or the access to those resources.”
The realm of what a social worker is able to respond to can be very broad. Parent said that they are there to answer whenever help is needed.
“Maybe a student is going through a rough patch and maybe their family doesn’t have resources to get them therapeutic help,” Parent said. “Or maybe the family doesn’t want to get them therapeutic help, but the kid still wants to help themselves and their social worker can provide those kinds of services.”
Many factors can go into the reason behind acquiring a job somewhere. For Carter, it was mainly the community surrounding South.
“I have two stepchildren that attend Grosse Pointe schools and their parents speak very highly of the district,” Carter said. “And so when the episode presented itself, I jumped on it.”
Carter said she is loving many of the different aspects of the school, including the working environment. Carter also said the students are respectful and have a lot of motivation.
“I’m loving that I would have an opportunity to work in the community in which I live in and interact with the students,” Carter said. “It gives me a sense of familiarity and purpose.”
