Mrs. Priest

Hello, My name is Christine Priest.  I am a School Social Worker at Deal School.   In my position I am responsible for providing guidance and support to students and assisting them with navigating the academic and social aspects of their school day.  I strive to create a positive school experience for all of our students. I provide Social Skills instruction in the classroom and in small groups.  Social skills instruction involves many areas including; understanding feelings and emotions, problem solving skills, working cooperatively with others and social norms.  In addition, I provide school-based counseling as needed.

 I obtained my Bachelor's Degree from LaSalle University in Philadelphia, PA.  I earned a Masters in Social Work from New York University.  I have been working in school settings with children since 2000. I have a variety of experiences working with students at all levels from Pre-School through High School.  I worked for NYC Board of Education for one year as an Intern.  I have worked in a private special education school specializing in individual and group counseling.  I have worked on Child Study Teams providing case mangement and conducting Social Evaluations and IEP implimentation. I have vast  experience providing Social Skills instruction in small groups and classroom settings.

 One of my main goals is to have students work cooperatively towards a common goal and develop confidence and sense of pride from their accomplishments.  Much of our learning involves an understanding of social norms and working with others.  Beyond teaching social skills through role playing and variety of hands on activities I engage students in various team building activities.  Team building activities are both fun and engaging and lend themselves nicely and encourage creative problem solving skills and effective communication.  Look at my photo gallery for pictures of the great team building going on at Deal School.