Vienna High School -

Bundren Named Illinois Social Worker of the Year

The Illinois Association of School Social Workers (IASSW.org) has selected Edna Bundren to be honored with the prestigious title of Social Worker of the Year, recognizing her outstanding dedication and impact. Mrs. Bundren currently serves as the Director of Student Support Services which is a role that allows her to provide direct services to students, teach college level social work courses, host interns that are currently seeking bachelors and masters level social work degrees, and lead a team of social workers that service with the Vienna school system.

Mrs. Bundren is a Vienna High School graduate and then went on to earn her bachelor's and master’s degrees from Southern Illinois University. She holds an LCSW (licensed clinical social worker) and has been a member of the Illinois Association of School Social Workers since she was a student at SIU many years ago. She now actively advocates for equal education opportunities for students with disabilities and English language learners, and continues to support initiatives that strengthen student success.

Principal John Giffin shared, “I would describe Mrs. Bundren’s influence as a well traveled path to her office, used by students, staff, parents, colleagues, and members of the community. This well worn path clearly demonstrates that Mrs. Bundren is sought for her expertise, advice, and realistic solutions. Her sphere of influence doesn’t just start within her office, but she has also been running a career pathway program in the high school that allows high school students to explore human service related careers. Her innovation with this program has built a pipeline for students and set a foundation that launches students into their future careers.”

“Vienna, like many other communities, has been faced with various struggles beyond our control. While there are numerous examples, one that jumps out to me is a time when several students were involved in a fatal car accident. While first responders and school administrators were tending to the active incident scene, Mrs. Bundren had assembled a team of social workers, clergy, school staff, and community members and prepared that team to be a support to hurting parents, siblings, friends, and community. Her leadership has been a stabilizing force providing a positive environment for students,” said Dr. Joshua Stafford, Superintendent.

Dean of Instruction, Rebecca Guest shared, “Mrs. Bundren has taken what started as a reactive part time social office and turned it into a proactive comprehensive student support services team. This transformation has been remarkable. On her team are three other social workers, an interventionist, truancy staff, and she also loops in other key personnel in order to proactively address students' needs. Her innovation in this area can't be overstarted. We used to run a system that reacted to student needs once they had occurred and missed the warning signs that led up to them. The Student Support Service Team now actively monitors numerous data points, has built two open communications with all school staff, and actively addresses student needs with tiered intervention so that those needs can be met at the earliest possible stage. This has created an educational environment that can better focus on teaching and learning which has proven to be a win for students.”

Mrs. Bundren will be presented with this award at the Illinois Association of School Social Workers 55th Annual Conference. The ceremony will be held on Friday, October 24th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Springfield. There will be a luncheon served at 11:00 am, followed by the Awards Ceremony.

The Illinois Association of School Social Workers is the largest school social work organization in the world. Each year IASSW honors a School Social Worker in Illinois whose work in the schools and communities exemplifies social work of the highest quality.