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March 1 is Employee Appreciation Day! We are celebrating our team members all month long by sharing their stories. Read more about Ebonee Coleman, School Social Worker, and how she models stability and consistency for her students.  

What is your favorite thing about working here? 

My favorite thing about working at Green Tree School is building relationships with our students and seeing them make progress toward their goals. I also like that every day is different and requires me to think outside the box.  

What keeps you coming to work each day? 

Our students keep me coming to work each day. For a lot of our students, school and school staff are the only consistent things in their lives and I don’t take that for granted. Every day that I show up, I’m modeling consistency for them.  

How do you make an impact on students' lives?    

The way I make an impact is by establishing a relationship with each student I encounter and earning a space in their lives as a supportive person. I get to know their history and interests and use that to empower them to go for greatness, even if that’s not what they see around them.   

Last year, we rolled out our BetterTogether guiding principles. Which one of our values resonates with you most personally and why? (Integrity, Accountable, Collaborative, Inclusive, Supportive) 

The value that resonates with me most is collaborative. It is especially important in my role to use a team approach to support our students and families. A quote that drives my work is, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”—African proverb.   

What does a “day in the life” look like for your role? 

A day in the life of a school social worker looks like individual and group counseling sessions, attending Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings, and being a support to students and staff for various situations. When I have time, I visit classrooms to spend time with students.  

Can you talk a little bit about your career trajectory and what led you to where you are now? 

Some of my previous experience includes medical social work, adolescent outpatient therapy, foster care, and truancy. I’ve always known that I wanted to work with students and each of these experiences have prepared me for my current role. In the future, I see myself in higher education teaching social work courses and preparing young adults for their careers.  

What has been your proudest moment or accomplishment in your role? 

My proudest moment in my role was achieving my School Social Work certificate through the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Title protection is very important as a social worker and it’s affirming for PDE to recognize social workers and the significance of our contributions within the field of education.  

What is something about you that not many people know? 

Many people may not know that I love to cook, bake, and try new restaurants. Being on a Food Network show is on my bucket list! 

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