Paul Dischiavo

2019 Ruth Schwartz
School Social Worker of the Year Awardee

Paul Dischiavo was selected as the 2019 New York State School Social Workers’ Associations’ recipient of the Ruth Schwartz School Social Worker of the Year Award.

Paul has spent the last two decades dedicated to the Mohawk Valley region, his community, and his profession. He began his career as an elementary school social worker in the Sauquoit Valley Central School District and he remains there as the leader of the School and Wellness Community. His principal, Mark Putman describes his as “a constant wealth of knowledge who is student-centered and brings a much-needed perspective in how best to help students to be successful.”

At the community level, Paul has been instrumental in designing and co-authoring the Oneida Herkimer Madison BOCES School Crisis Response Plan which has been implemented in numerous local and regional school districts. For years, he had headed the School and Community Work Group which is a collaborative effort that provides mental health school providers and community-based organizations the opportunity to meet regularly and learn what each has to offer.

Paul believes strongly and goes above and beyond and takes personal responsibility for the future of the school social work profession. Every year, he supervises multiple college interns and provides them with an intense, hands-on learning experience and works to challenge them to their fullest potential.

In his free time, Paul owns and operates his own thriving private practice, specializing in children and teens. He is a husband, a dad and is actively involved in coaching a variety of youth soccer teams.

As a colleague and a mentor to so many, he can always be counted on to take the lead in meeting the endless needs of his students, families and his local community. He is relatable, reliable, driven and dripping with enthusiasm.

Award presented by Tricia Zupan Hoyer.

The Ruth Efron Schwartz School Social Worker of the Year Award is awarded to a School Social Worker who exemplifies the qualities that Ruth Schwartz exemplified throughout her career as a School Social Worker. Ruth Schwartz believed in the importance of School Social Workers. She believed in helping the children and families in her care. Ruth often went the extra mile, including delivering coal to family’s homes when needed. Ruth was a founding member of NYSSSWA. She was responsible for picking the organization’s colors-blue to encourage students to reach for the sky, and white to encourage School Social Workers to be pure and true in their work with children. The award is given to a School Social worker who is both dedicated to helping the children and families in their care and to promotion of the profession of School Social Worker.