The Student Support Program provides resources to school personnel, students, and their families with regard to issues impacting a student's education.

The Student Support Program is responsible for:

• providing resources to school personnel, students, and their family in regard to issues impacting a student’s education
• providing prevention and/or intervention services to include but not limited to alcohol, tobacco, and drug use, conflict resolution/mediation, suicidal ideation, cases of abuse and neglect, teen pregnancy, truancy, and poor academic performance
• collaborating with NNPS support staff and community based mental health service providers
• determining, developing, and implementing individual and group support services based on needs assessment and data
• ensuring continuous quality improvement of student support services and outcomes through the use of internal data base 
• providing information on prevention and intervention services that promote resilience and student success
• providing substance abuse education, parent support groups, resource services, and referral linkage to other school support services or community-based services for students and families
• serving as members of the Crisis Response Team for students, faculty, and staff during and after a critical incident has occurred

Student Support Specialists are trained to:

• identify emotional and mental health concerns
• provide support for the student within the educational setting
• make recommendations to assist the student and their family receive additional support in the community
• assist school personnel in identifying issues including alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, and mental health concerns which pose a barrier to a student’s success

Who is eligible to receive Student Support Services?

Newport News Public Schools students are eligible for services with the Student Support Program. Although the supervisor for the program is placed at the Administration Building and the student support specialists are placed in five high schools and one middle school, we are a mobile team of professionals that can provide services in any school setting. 

How do you request Student Support Services?

Student Support Services can be requested by self referral, student referral, staff referral, or parent referral submitted to the designated Student Support Specialist or by contacting the Supervisor of Student Support, Linda B. Askew, LCSW.