Spotlight on Julie Jacobson

Julie Jacobson is a Family Support Specialist in the Child Care & Family Services department. 

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How long have you worked for ESD 112 and what does your job entail?

I have worked at ESD for 2 years and I interned here (through WSU-V) for 6 months before being hired.

I work with the Grow and Learn Program! We have two teams of two people who facilitate 16 groups a week at different elementary schools in the Vancouver School District, La Center School District, and Evergreen School District.

We do a circle time with the children and their adult (which is songs, stories, and movement), an activity where the children and adults can work together, and have snack. Our goal is to work on kindergarten readiness, connecting families to schools, providing connections to assistance like food, housing, or clothing to families that need help, and helping parents connect to other parents!

What do you like best about your job?

The people!

We get to work with amazing families and when they are doing well it is exciting to celebrate successes with them! Also when I am able to help families find a resource, use it, and begin to come out of a crisis, it is exciting to see how proud and confident they feel!

Can you share with us one of your favorite success stories?

We had a family where the husband had lost his job and mama was trying so hard to keep things “normal” and together for the family.  When she finally fell apart and told us how hard things were getting, we were able to help her get new backpacks and school supplies for her school aged children, new shoes for school, food bags with some groceries for the weekends, and a connection to health insurance for her children who were sick.  A few weeks later she was telling us how her baby had been incredibly ill and because she had already setup the health insurance she was able to take the baby to the ER and get treatment, she said she might not have done that if she didn’t have insurance.  It was a couple of months later that dad got back to work and she was so thankful that she had been able to find help for her family while he wasn’t working.  It was fabulous to see them get back up on their feet!

What did you want to be when you were little?

A teacher, a marine biologist, and a whale trainer at Sea World. All three at once!

What is the most interesting place you’ve ever lived?

I have lived in the La Center – Battle Ground – Ridgefield area since I was in high school. I love this area!

What about this area do you love?  

I love that everything is within a few hours – the coast, the mountains, the desert – and all my family are within several hours.  I also love how green everything is!

Single? Married? Kids? Pets?

I am single – I am a proud mom of two girls – a sophomore and a senior at La Center High School. I have a miniature Australian Shephard, named Emmie, who likes to herd us.

What future events are you looking forward to?

I am looking forward to and dreading my daughter graduating from high school. I am excited to see where her path takes her… but it is hard to end this chapter of having her home and in school.

What do you enjoy doing with your free time?

I love being at the beach, spending time with family, and reading.

If you could travel anywhere in the world for free, where would it be and why? 

I have not been out of the country, except to Canada – so I would go anywhere!  I would love to see historic landmarks, find amazing local food, meet new people, and just be part of something very different from the Northwest!

What’s your favorite ESD memory?

Some of the places that Eli and I have gone to do outreach have been interesting. One time there was a guy on the other side of the street building pine coffins.

I work with great people who make being here fun! They add fabulous-ness to ESD every day!