Bridging Boundaries - Speaking with One Voice
By Stacia Harris, Assistant Director of Communications
From a small, non-descript office at
Clyde A. Erwin High School, Norma
Duran-Brown is building bridges
between the school staff and the
Hispanic communities they serve.
Her efforts are translating into better
understandings, relationships, and
outcomes with the Latino population,
which is transforming into a school
culture that is better embracing its
rich diversity.
Norma Duran-Brown sits with one of her Juntos students, Wendy
Brown’s career path onto the Erwin Montufar, as she writes about what career she wants to pursue.
staff has taken her far from her
homeland in Argentina, but her
“The first step is getting to know each
background has uniquely prepared her
other and communicating intentionally
to succeed where others may have
and deeply.”
struggled to relate.
“There are multi layers of challenges,”
she says. “Language is a main one, and I think
the school system is making a tremendous effort
through language services to overcome this
barrier not only for Spanish speaking parents,
but for all parents.”
Brown accepted the new job of Family Outreach
Specialist in February. Her many responsibilities
include identifying student problems, the cause
of the difficulties, and then devising a workable
solution. Students may be having attendance
troubles, transportation issues, or struggling to
understand and adapt to a new culture.
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will quickly tell you she is not an interpreter,
although she will assume this role as needed.
“That’s what is different and unique. Everyone
has role. My role is between all of them...social
worker, counselor, teacher, student and family.”
Brown goes on to say, “There is already an
understanding of the system and culture. The
fact is I’m here, and I can interact with all of
them. I assist them in gaining a new depth in
knowing each other.”
Brown’s office is at Erwin High, but she serves
as a liaison for all schools in the Erwin District.
Although the position is new, Erwin’s staff is
It’s all about student success. Brown says already taking notice. Counselor Nicole Killeen
everybody wants the best for the students. says she is filling a recognized need.
The challenges they face are unique but “open
communication is key. It’s about being all on “Throughout the Erwin District schools, we have
the same page, supporting each other’s efforts- students from many different countries. School-
that’s the key to that success, and the first step including graduation requirements, discipline,
is getting to know each other and communicating buses, etc.- can be quite different around the
intentionally and deeply.”
world. Norma is able to help students and families
navigate their new school system.”
She says the main goal of this position is to
promote better understanding between Latino Social Worker Shelly Roeder says Brown “works
students, their families, and the school. Brown tirelessly to help students and families. What we