Jul 6

Jul 6 Unsung Hero: Heather Sheffield

After receiving licensure as a school social worker, Trinity native Heather Sheffield had a host of offers from regional school systems. She opted for a post with Thomasville city schools. “I felt like it was much more of the environment I grew up in. I was looking for strong community ties, a smaller school system, where everybody knows each other. Thomasville has an amazing community.”

Sheffield graduated from UNCG with a bachelor’s degree in social work and obtained a school social work license through NC State. She has been working in the public school system since 2013 and began the post as the social worker for Thomasville City Schools in 2018.

Thomasville City Schools Social Worker Heather Sheffield {Contributed Photo}

“I love my job, and being able to assist my students and their families is my passion! I am proud to be a part of TCS Bulldog Nation.”

She says being a school social worker is about more than counseling children. Sheffield finds herself helping families find resources from housing to mental health counseling. “It’s not my job, it's my passion. It feels like family.” She and husband Jacob both work in education. Jacob is a teacher and the head football coach at High Point Central High School. Alongside seven-year-old Lucy, Heather spends the weekend delivering meals and furniture.

Sheffield works out of all four of the Thomasville schools but prefers being outside of the office. “I spend a lot of time on their couches. I work heavily with our families to find housing, mental health needs, utilities and locating jobs.” She spends part of the day driving around Thomasville looking for homes for rentals for families. “Housing is very important. They can call me and text me at any point and time.”

An unsung hero for families and co-workers, Sheffield, added, “I am doer, I am not a leader. I don’t like to stand up in front of people. It makes me happy when people call me and say, ‘My kids need clothes or I need food.’ I do the nitty-gritty work.”