Whole-Child, Whole-Family: A Unified Approach to Student Support and Family Engagement

Format

Individual Presentation

Presenters

• Bonnie L. Brown Mrs., Houston County School DistrictFollow
• Erica Abram Ms., Houston County School DistrictFollow
• Linda Walker

First Presenter's Institution

Houston County School District

First Presenter’s Email Address

bonnie.brown@hcbe.net

First Presenter's Brief Biography

Bonnie Brown serves as the Coordinator of Student Services for the Houston County School District, where she oversees the Lindsey Student Support Center and its delivery of vital resources to students, families, and the community. With over 15 years of service in Houston County Schools, she brings deep expertise in educational systems and student support, including her role as a former Director for the Georgia Learning Resources System (GLRS). Before her work in Georgia, Mrs. Brown served as the lead Autism teacher for three years in Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, applying Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to foster inclusive and individualized learning. She later served as both an Autism Teacher and Behavior Specialist within Houston County Schools. Mrs. Brown holds a Specialist degree in Educational Leadership from Georgia College and State University, a Master’s in Learning Disabilities and Emotional Behavior Disorders from George Mason University, and a Bachelor of Science in Art History from the University of Florida. Passionate about equity, access, and student success, she continues to champion innovative approaches to student services and community engagement.

Second Presenter's Institution

Houston County School District

Second Presenter’s Email Address

erica.abram@hcbe.net

Second Presenter's Brief Biography

Erica Abram is a dedicated Family Engagement Coordinator with a strong foundation in social work and over six years of experience supporting families in educational settings. She spent five years as the Family Engagement Liaison at Warner Robins High School, a Title I school, where she played a pivotal role in connecting families with essential resources and fostering a supportive school community. Erica then transitioned to the Lindsey Student Support Center, where she has served for the past year, expanding her impact by creating and facilitating programming, organizing building-wide events, and collaborating closely with social workers and community partners. Her expertise includes managing social media and marketing materials to enhance outreach and engagement, and her work is driven by a deep commitment to equity, access, and family empowerment. Erica holds a degree in Social Work, which informs her holistic approach to family engagement and community building.

Third Presenter's Institution

Linda Walker

Third Presenter’s Email Address

linda.walker@hcbe.net

Third Presenter's Brief Biography

Linda S. Walker has proudly served as a School Social Worker for the Houston County School District for over 21 years. She began her academic journey at Georgia Military College and Fort Valley State University, initially pursuing a degree in Education. After discovering a passion for social work, Linda earned her Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) at Fort Valley State University and later completed her Master of Social Work (MSW) at Valdosta State University. Most recently, she earned her Educational Specialist degree in Professional Counseling at the University of West Georgia. Throughout her career, Linda has been deeply committed to supporting students and families, coordinating impactful programs such as Thanksgiving in the Park, Operation Santa, and a host of positive self-worth initiatives for young girls and women within her school and community. Linda is a cornerstone of the social services department—serving as a teacher to some, a mentor to many, and a steady force who has guided the team through significant leadership transitions and economic challenges. She is an active member of the School Social Worker Association of Georgia, the School Social Work Association of America, and Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. Linda finds great joy and purpose in helping others, which fuels her dedication to her work. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys shopping, gardening, cooking, attending football games, and singing in her church choir. She is a proud mother of two grown children and grandmother to one grandson and three granddaughters.

Submitter

I am submitting this proposal as one of the presenter(s)

Location

Scarbrough 4

Strand #1

Head: Academic Achievement & Leadership

Strand #2

Home: Family & Community Engagement

Relevance

This session highlights a collaborative model that supports students and families through a multi-tiered partnership within the Houston County School District. By bringing together the Lindsey Student Support Center, Transition Academy, Special Education Parent Mentor, Family Engagement Liaison, and school social workers, the district provides accessible, year-round programming tailored to the evolving needs of individuals and families.

Aligned with the Head strand, the model promotes academic achievement through intentional leadership, integrated services, and targeted support for students experiencing academic, behavioral, emotional, or social challenges.

In support of the Heart strand, the approach centers families as partners in education, offering no-cost programming, fostering inclusive engagement, and empowering caregivers through advocacy and connection to community resources.

This session will offer practical strategies and real-world examples to help other districts replicate or adapt this person-centered, collaborative framework to strengthen outcomes for students and the families who support them.

Brief Program Description

This session would focus on the innovative partnership between the Houston County School District, Lindsey Student Support Center, Transition Academy, Special Education Parent Mentor and Family Engagement Liaison and how they collaborate to develop programming that meets the needs of our children and families.

Together, this unique partnership enables the school district to provide targeted support to meet the changing needs of students, families, and community.

Cooperatively, the center and programming brings opportunities and wraparound services aimed at educating and supporting all children, year round. All programming available through the Lindsey Student Support Center is made available at no cost to parents and families.

Summary

This session showcases a collaborative model in Houston County Schools that unites student and family support services to provide year-round, no-cost wraparound care. Through intentional family engagement and integrated partnerships, the model fosters resilience, advocacy, and holistic support for students and the families who support them—addressing academic, emotional, and social needs in a person-centered framework.

Evidence

Wraparound Services Improve Student Outcomes

Wraparound care coordination has been shown to produce significant, positive effects across academic, behavioral, and emotional domains (Bruns & Walker, 2010). A meta-analysis of 16 controlled studies confirmed its effectiveness for children and adolescents with complex needs (Franklin, Kim, & Tripodi, 2009). Schools that integrate wraparound principles into their support systems—like Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)—see improved outcomes for students with emotional and behavioral challenges (Adelman & Taylor, 2006).

School–Community Partnerships Strengthen Families

Research highlights that partnerships between schools and community organizations expand access to health, social, and educational services, improving student learning and family well-being (Dryfoos, 1994; Moore et al., 2014). Community schools, which serve as hubs for wraparound services, demonstrate increased family engagement, better student attendance, and stronger academic performance (Coalition for Community Schools, 2017).

School Social Workers Are Critical to Success

School social workers play a vital role in identifying and addressing mental health needs, supporting academic achievement, and connecting families to resources (Franklin et al., 2009). Their collaboration with educators and families fosters a positive school climate and helps close achievement gaps, especially for marginalized students (Ungar, 2011).

Reference List

1. Adelman, H. S., & Taylor, L. (2006). The school leader’s guide to student learning supports: New directions for addressing barriers to learning. Corwin Press.
2. Bruns, E. J., & Walker, J. S. (2010). The wraparound process: Individualized, community-based care for children and adolescents with intensive needs. In J. R. Weisz & A. E. Kazdin (Eds.), Evidence-based psychotherapies for children and adolescents (2nd ed., pp. 440–454). Guilford Press.
3. Coalition for Community Schools. (2017). Community schools: A strategy, not a program. Institute for Educational Leadership. https://www.communityschools.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/10/Community-Schools-A-Strategy-Not-a-Program.pdf
4. Dryfoos, J. G. (1994). Full-service schools: A revolution in health and social services for children, youth, and families. Jossey-Bass.
5. Franklin, C., Kim, J. S., & Tripodi, S. J. (2009). A meta-analysis of published school social work practice studies: 1980–2007. Research on Social Work Practice, 19(6), 667–677. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731509339028
6. Moore, K. A., Caal, S., Carney, R., Lippman, L., Li, W., & Muenks, K. (2014). Making the grade: Assessing the evidence for integrated student supports. Child Trends. https://www.childtrends.org/publications/making-the-grade-assessing-the-evidence-for-integrated-student-supports
7. Ungar, M. (2011). The social ecology of resilience: Addressing contextual and cultural ambiguity of a nascent construct. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 81(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-0025.2010.01067.x

Learning Objective 1

Identify key components of a collaborative, multi-agency model that integrates school-based and community resources to support students and families year-round.

Learning Objective 2

Explore strategies for developing inclusive, no-cost programming that addresses academic, behavioral, emotional, and social needs through intentional family engagement.

Learning Objective 3

Apply practical approaches for partnering with school social workers and family liaisons to strengthen wraparound services and promote resilience and advocacy within diverse school communities.

Keyword Descriptors

Family Engagement, Wraparound Services, Collaborative Partnerships, Student Support, Community-Based Programming, Special Education Advocacy, Inclusive Education, Transition Services, Equity and Access, Whole Child Approach

Presentation Year

2026

Start Date

3-2-2026 2:45 PM

End Date

3-2-2026 4:00 PM

Recommended Citation

Brown, Bonnie L. Mrs.; Abram, Erica Ms.; and Walker, Linda, "Whole-Child, Whole-Family: A Unified Approach to Student Support and Family Engagement" (2026). National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference. 26.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2026/2026/26