|
School Social Work NOW
Supporting Innovative Practice, Effective Leadership & Applied Research
May 2011 - Vol 1, Issue 28 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greetings! | |
ACSSW is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Joanne Corbin, associate professor at Smith College to the 2nd National School Social Work Research Summit program as a keynote presenter on Tuesday, June 28th. Dr. Corbin is currently researching "school social work practice in the decision-making activities of public schools. This study examines the work of social workers in schools in influencing decisions about school policies, school budget, school curriculum, and school programming." Dr. Corbin was also recently appointed to the CSWE Council on Global Learning, Research, and Practice.
This interactive National Summit is designed for you! It continues the theme of Transforming the Practice of School Social Work unveiled last year. Participants will explore and engage in dialogue around The Changing Role of School Social Work Practice, focusing on research to practice and practice to research. This year also features:
Leticia Villarreal Sosa, Dominican University
Sandra Sarmiento and Jan Kutter,
East Aurora School District 131, IL
Laura Richard, Louisiana State University
Dena Radtke, Milwaukee Public Schools
Milka Ramirez, Chicago Public Schools
Ami Flammini, IL PBIS Network
Nic Dibble, WI State SSW Consultant
Other practitioners from WY, IL and WI who are engaged in various types of service delivery models will also be sharing their experiences.
Read 2010's participant comments and review 2010 Summit Evaluation data. The opportunities to personally engage in this discussion and the National School Social Work Research Effort are abundant and are only limited by your time and prior commitments.
Research Summit Early Bird Discount -
deadline extended through May 14th!!
On-line registration for the 2nd National Research-to-Practice Summit to be held June 26th-28th at the Hilton Chicago Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale, IL, is available. REGISTER NOW to take advantage of the $25 Early Bird discount which ends May 14th. See brochure for more rate details.
Hilton Indian Lakes Resort room reservations may be made online. Enter Group/Convention Code: ACS to insure special Summit rate of $99/night. Reservations may also be made by calling 1-800-334-3417; use the code to identify the group.
Last, but definitely not least, May is Mental Health Awareness Month and yesterday, May 3rd, was Children's Mental Health Awareness Day. Please help to promote children's mental health by visiting the "Quick Links" on the left that provide tools and information about mental health. Also, H.R. 1138, "School Social Workers Improving Student Success Act", introduced by Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-WI) could use your support. Please contact your U.S. Representative and urge him/her to support and co-sponsor this bill. If you don't know your representative, click House of Representatives and enter your zip code to find out. All Representatives can also be reached by calling 202-225-3121. If calling during the work day, be sure to use your cell phone and not school district property.
President |
|
|
|
|
Help Us Grow!! | |
If you appreciate this newsletter and have found an item or two of interest over these many weeks, please forward to a colleague. We do not track to whom you send this email, and it will help ACSSW to become more familiar to school social workers across the country. Thanks!!
|
|
Practice Points | |
A School Social Work Response to Violence, Interventions, and African American Males
Youth killed by violence is a national crisis with no easy solution. Results reveal that violent homicide is the leading cause of death among African American males aged 10-24 years in the United States (Center for Disease Control [CDC], 2010). . . The purpose of this article is to advance knowledge of how [these] contextual factors impact African American males and their response to violence. Strategies for developing collaborative relationships with school personnel to address violence will be discussed, along with the pivotal role school social workers must play in countering violence. Read more.
Immigrant Children and Youth: Enabling Their Success In School
A great deal has been written about immigrant children and youth. This brief focuses on implications for school improvement policy and practice. Discussed are (1) different reasons families migrate, (2) concerns that arise related to immigrant students, (3) prevailing school practices for addressing immigrant concerns, (4) a framework for broadening what schools and communities do, and (5) implications for policy. The document can be accessed here. |
| Leadership News |
 The Riddle of Good Leadership
It is inevitable that social workers will be pressed into leadership roles. They get appointed to positions of responsibility. They initiate community projects. They coordinate teams of stakeholders on behalf of clients. Leadership is not usually an explicit part of the social work curriculum, but many of the skills transfer aptly to leadership roles. A basic understanding of the nature of leadership can provide the presence of mind to bring these skills into play. Learn more.
Improving Student Achievement and Addressing At-Risk Factors Associated with Bullying and Juvenile Delinquency through Implementation of SWPBS Public concern continues to increase regarding education at national, regional, state and local community levels. This concern has been further energized by a combination of factors. First, the mass media has increased its attention and coverage of the life altering effects of bullying on students, families and communities. Second, the general public has displayed a wide variety of reactions to the release of "Waiting for Superman" and the issues presented in this movie. Third, there have been increasing reports of the tragic effects of ill informed and misguided behavior
management tactics with students with disabilities that have resulted in both the loss of life and/or quality of life. Fourth, despite good intent, simplistic zero tolerance approaches in schools have not resulted in the desired results in terms of safer schools and improved student behavior or achievement. Fifth, the fact that after a child's family, effective education provides the best (and perhaps most important) hope for early intervention with students who are at-risk for juvenile delinquency, which likely may lead to adult criminal behavior. Sixth, Pennsylvania (like many states
in our country) appears to be increasingly investing in the prison industry in order to house the swelling numbers of adults convicted of crimes and sentenced to serve time behind bars.
As troubling as the above six factors are, when taken in combination with one another they are compounded by the reality that public dollars in our current economic times are even more constrained than in years passed due to the economic realities confronted by our nation and state. Read full Policy Brief. |
|
| Research Highlights |
 SAMHSA Study Finds Trauma-Informed Care Improves Behavioral and Emotional Health of Children
According to data released today by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), children and youth affected by traumatic events improve their functioning in community-based "system of care" programs. Traumatic events can include witnessing or experiencing physical or sexual abuse; violence in families and communities; natural disasters; wartime events and terrorism; accidental or violent death of a loved one; and a life-threatening injury or illness.
The report, Helping Children and Youth Who Have Experienced Traumatic Events, shows that after 12 months of accessing services within a community-based system of care, 44 percent of children and youth improved their school attendance, 41 percent improved their grades, and youth suicide attempts fell by 64 percent. In addition, the number of youth reporting arrests in the past 6 months fell by 36 percent. A "system of care" is the organizational philosophy and framework designed to create a network of effective community-based services and supports to improve the lives of children and youth with or at risk of serious mental health conditions and their families. Click for more.
This recently published research brief by Child Trends discusses school discipline policies. The brief a) reviews existing research on the implementation and effects of zero tolerance in the school setting and b) it highlights rigorously evaluated, non-punitive alternatives to zero tolerance that have shown promise in improving school safety and student outcomes. Full brief. |
|
|
In the News | |
Non-School Factors Challenge School Reform Efforts
At its core, the current education reform movement believes that great teachers and improved methods are all that's required to improve student performance, writes Joe Nocera in The New York Times. In fact, it takes a lot more. Nocera recounts the story of a Brooklyn student who, despite exceptional intelligence and a teacher willing to go above and beyond for him, still succumbs to circumstances. Nocera says we shouldn't be surprised. Starting with the Coleman report in the 1960s, social scientists have proven that socioeconomic backgrounds vastly outweigh what goes on in the school as factors determining how much students learn -- yet reformers act as if home life is irrelevant. Former NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein conceded to Nocera that beyond a doubt, family engagement matters, yet according to Klein, "they seem to be saying that poverty is destiny, so let's go home. To let us off the hook prematurely seems, to me, to play into the hands of the other side." This last sentence is key, Nocera explains: Reformers fear that to admit the importance of a student's background is to give ammunition to the enemy (social-scientist critics and the teachers' unions). Without question, the latest reforms have achieved progress, Nocera says, but he would like to see acknowledgement that school reform won't fix everything. Read more.
Do English Language Learners Resond to RTI?
In [this] article, Michael J. Orosco argues English language learners often don't respond to Response to Intervention (RTI), a model that provides early assistance to children having difficulty learning, because school personnel often don't understand the sociocultural experiences of students for whom English is a second language. "RTI is a hot issue," Orosco said. "Some of us are saying we need to slow down on this because you want to move schools this way, but they may not be adequately equipped and prepared to meet the cultural and linguistic needs of these students." He continued: "The problem with RTI is that we were given the In-N-Out Burger menu: burgers and shakes. But, you can't use the one-size-fits-all approach in education." Read more.
Are Parents Overprotecting Their Kids?
Today's kids may never know the no-cares time of innocence, exploration and imagination that their parents recall about childhood. Many parents rarely let their kids roam the neighborhood, use public transportation or walk to school alone. Even the lazy days of summer aren't so slow anymore, with many kids in structured camp programs, often focused on academics. The cost, some analysts say, is not just rising concern that kids won't look back fondly on their childhoods. Analysts say there are increasing signs that a lack of independence fuels stress, anxiety and depression among young people. Many child-development specialists and others worry that it's just not as much fun to be a kid anymore... "We've lost the sense of allowing children to be children, to have that period of time in their lives where we don't burden them with a zillion things to do," says Malcolm Goldsmith, professor emeritus of health education at Southern Illinois University... "It's the reality of contemporary life," says historian Steven Mintz of Columbia University in New York. "We think we live in a pretty dangerous world, and kids who are nave are vulnerable." ... These increased educational and social pressures may be taking a toll on kids' mental health, suggests Laurence Steinberg, psychology professor at Temple University. Read full article. |
|
SSW Jobs Links | |
New this week: Various Locations Sault Ste. Marie, MI Revere, MA
Continuing posts: Evanston, IL (summer) Hillsdale, NJ NYC Charter School
New York, NY (fluent bi-lingual; charter) NY, NY: Director of Student Services
Kankakee, IL Beach Park, IL Woodland Park, CO Prospect, CT (anticipated)
ConnecticutJobs Washington, DC Johnston, IA Tolleson, AZ (LCSW) Wausau, WI
Woodstock, VT |
| Requests for Research Assistance | |
Center for School Mental Health Survey for Educators
The Center for School Mental Health invites educators to participate in a study examining educators' training, experiences, and openness to support in working with students with mental health concerns. Findings from the study can be used to help mental health clinicians effectively support educators. You can participate by completing the online survey which asks questions about your training in working with students with mental health concerns, the types of student mental health concerns that you most often encounter, and your openness to various types of support for working with students with mental health concerns. It will take you approximately 5-10 minutes to complete the study. The deadline is May 13, 2011. Please email Sharon Stephan or call 410-706-0941 with questions or concerns about this study. To complete the survey, please click here.
School Social Work & Delinquency
Your participation is requested in a national survey focusing on school social work and delinquency. The primary investigator, Dr. Lauri Goldkind, is an assistant professor at the Graduate School of Social Service at Fordham University. Her work focuses on the intersection of the juvenile justice and education systems. The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and as a token of the researchers appreciation, they are offering a $5.00 Starbucks gift card to the first 250 respondents. If you have already responded to the survey via other means, thank you! Survey link: School Social Work and Delinquency
School Social Workers and Reactive Attachment Disorder
Ms. Francesca Bautista is studying Reactive Attachment Disorder at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse. If you are a social worker, please respond to this short 26 question survey regarding Reactive Attachment Disorder. The results will be used to assess current training and knowledge on Reactive Attachment Disorder. Reactive Attachment Disorder Survey.
ADHD and Collaboration Processes in Schools
"I am a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Policy and Practice seeking school social workers in urban elementary school settings to complete an online survey about ADHD and collaboration processes in schools for use towards research for a doctoral dissertation. Participation is voluntary, confidential and anonymous. Completion of the survey takes approximately 10 minutes and can be done from any computer with internet access. If you are interested, or know of anyone who may meet the criteria for participation and would be interested in completing the survey, below you will find the link to a secure database for completion of the survey." For more information contact: Mery Diaz, LCSW, Doctoral Student, University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy and Practice Short survey link or Full survey link |
|
Grants & Funding | |
Nominations Invited for Mario Savio Young Activist Award
A cash prize of $6,000 will be given to a social change activist between the ages of 16 and 26 who is working within an organization or community effort to promote peace, human rights, economic or social justice, or freedom of speech. Deadline: June 30, 2011. For more click here.
NEA Foundation Nickelodeon K-8 Big Help Grant
Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded to K-8 public school educators in the United States working on issues related to environmental awareness, health and wellness, students' right to a quality public education, and active community involvement. Deadline: June 1, 2011. Learn more.
Yes to Seed Fund and Whole Foods Market Offer K-12 School Garden Grants
Grants of up to $2,000 will be awarded to K-12 schools working to provide gardens that engage students in learning about nutrition and the importance of fruits and vegetables. The partners will provide Seed Fund Grants of $2,000 to schools in each of five participating Whole Foods regions in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest, and five Starter Garden Grants of $500 to schools nationwide. Deadline: May 31, 2011. Click to apply.
Captain Planet Foundation: Grants for the Environment
The Captain Planet Foundation funds hands-on environmental projects that encourage innovative programs that empower children and youth around the world to work individually and collectively to solve environmental problems in their neighborhoods and communities. Maximum award: $2,500. Eligibility: 501(c)3 organizations. Deadline: June 30, 2011. For more information, click here.
IES Releases FY2012 Funding Announcement for Six Grant Competitions in Education Research and Training Connecting Research, Policy and Practice
IES has released FY2012 funding announcements for grant competitions in education and special education research and training. The six competitions are: Education Research Grants (84.305A); Special Education Research Grants (84.324A); Postdoctoral Research Training Program in the Education Sciences (84.305B); Postdoctoral Research Training Program in Special Education (84.324B); Statistical and Research Methodology in Education (84.305D); and Evaluation of State and Local Education Programs and Policies (84.305E). The Request for Applications for each competition is available at Applications. |
|
ACSSW Activities | |
ACSSW's present major activities include:
- increasing research projects and their application within the school environment,
- developing a national school social work role paper,
- a more long-term goal, establishing a National Center for School Social Work Research, and,
- developing the 2nd National School Social Work Research Summit to be held June 26-28 in Bloomingdale, IL, at the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort.
If you have interest in assisting with one or more of these projects, don't hesitate to contact Judie Shine. ACSSW strives to be inclusive and transparent in all of its activities and welcomes the participation, whether short or lengthy, of its members. |
|
|
