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School Social Work Now!
Supporting Innovative Practice, Effective
Leadership & Applied Research
March 2012 - Vol 2, Issue 24 |
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Greetings! | |
Next month is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This was first declared in April 1983, 29 years ago. ACSSW is encouraging school social workers, as experts regarding child abuse, to start to plan for activities and an educational campaign in your school or district. Children who are abused need your help. Perhaps coordinating a fund raiser for your district whose monies will go to a local abuse shelter or a similar worthy cause is something you can consider. Send us your activity ideas and we will post them in the newsletter in April!
ACSSW is also interested in what you'd like to see in the weekly newsletter. Often items from the field have more interest and impact than those that are simply popular or current due to some event. Please let us know your thoughts. Send an email describing your ideas to: My Suggestions and we will try our utmost to find articles that address those issues. Please type "My Suggestions" in the subject line.
The 3rd National ACSSW Practice to Research Summit is being planned for June 24-26, 2012 in Bloomingdale, IL, a Chicago suburb. Persons who attended previous Summits were pleased with the activities and critical conversations that took place. Some of the topics that will be addressed this year are: homelessness and an award winning program to address it, psychological first aid, GLBT concerns, social justice and school social work, and more. More details will be available soon but reserve those dates--June 24-26. You won't want to miss this experiential professional event.
Judith Kullas Shine
President |
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Recommended Read for March | |
Wounded by School
by Kirsten Olson
Review by Doug Green
The average child, who receives no special instruction or attention in school, is perhaps the most under-identified wounded child in our school system. Many students come away feeling that they are not smart and that their abilities are fixed. Many experience shame that results in painful, burning memories. Anger towards teachers and
those in authority often develops. Wanting to be right and just get the assignment done causes a low appetite for risk taking. Unprocessed, powerful feelings about education and learning remain as students enter the adult world. These wounds are largely undiscussed and unnoticed in the discourse of school improvement and educational reform. Students become reluctant to learn and self-conscious. Theyare easily discouraged and find themselves alienated from the pleasure of learning. More.
Barnes & Noble - Olson Amazon - Olson
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Practice Points | |
For School Social Workers: Walk the Line
ACSSW and NASW member Lindsey Trout writes about school social work for NASW-IL.
"As school social workers, we are committed to not only upholding the policies and procedures of the school district, but to also be an advocate for children and families. While this may seem clearly defined, there are times when the delicate balance of district employee and family advocate is a difficult role for everyone to understand. At many times in my day, I feel that I am walking a fine line in conversations with either administrators or parents who are asking for my input, guidance, or information. As a relatively new school social worker, I have found this to be a challenging aspect of my job. However, by being up-front and honest with all parties involved, I can continue to walk the fine line of supporting not only families, but the school district at the same time." Read complete article.
Enhancing Home Involvement to Address Barriers to Learning: A Collaborative Process
Abstract: For schools to significantly enhance home involvement will require (1) broadening the focus beyond thinking only in terms of parents and (2) enhancing the range of ways in which schools connect with primary caretakers. Particular attention must be given to outreaching to those who are reluctant to engage with the school, especially if they have a child who is not doing well. Also, to avoid marginalization and minimize fragmentation, it is essential to embed home involvement interventions into an overall approach for addressing factors interfering with school learning and performance and fully integrate the work into school improvement policy and practice. Read full report.
Development of an Interconnected Systems Framework for Student Mental Health
This paper developed by the National PBIS TA Center and the Center for School Mental Health, aims to establish an interconnected systems framework linking Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and School Mental Health in order to build more responsive and effective systems that connect mental health and schools. To read the white paper click here now.
Different Ways to Measure Fidelity of Implementation of PBIS
Fidelity measurement is becoming a part of the independent variable with respect to program implementation in schools. This powerpoint, based on the work of George Sugai and the materials found on the OSEP Technical Assistance Center website, will be of interest to school social workers seeking understanding and knowledge of PBIS. Powerpoint. |
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Leadership News | |
Horizontal Leadership: Bridging the Information Gap
Information is often "out there" but doesn't get to the people is intended. Vertical leadership can be the culprit. This article describes a situation in which such information was not effective nor usable because it ran up and down the ladder. Horizontal leadership, on the other hand, involves input from all parties and helps to insure that each team member fulfills his/her role. Learn more.
Marketing and Communications in Nonprofit Organizations
"Forward-looking nonprofit leaders . . . will recognize what their counterparts in the for-profit sector understood long ago: marketing is essential. And although the marketing function masquerades under many names within nonprofit organizations- Communications, Advancement, External Affairs, Public Relations, or Brand Management - the primary objectives are pretty much the same: to define and then defend an organization's position, and move it closer to success in its mission.
Marketing answers the questions: How is our program distinctive? What do we want to be known for? Why is our work relevant? Read more. |
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Research Highlights | |
LSU School of Social Work Conducts Dropout Study
About 15,000 students drop out of Louisiana public schools each year, and of that number, about 18 percent enter the Department of Corrections, according to a study by the University's School of Social Work. The study found the annual weighted cost, on average, for each person being punished within the Department of Corrections was $4,750. The dropout study is headed by Cecile Guin, director of the Office of Social Service Research and Development, and has been ongoing for more than a year. It aims to make citizens aware of how much money dropouts cost the state and how important it is for students to remain in school and graduate, Guin said. Read more.
Kids Who Bully May Be More Likely to Smoke, Drink
Data on more than 74,000 middle- and high-school students in Franklin County, Ohio, showed that students who were bullies or bully victims were more likely to use marijuana, smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol. Overall, fewer than 5% of middle-school students cited substance use, while among high-school students, 32% drank alcohol, 14% smoked cigarettes and 16% used marijuana, researchers reported in the journal Addictive Behaviors. Read more.
Identifying Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Children
Data from the 2001-2007 National Health Interview Survey was utilized to identify the emotional and behavioral problems, characteristics, conditions, and service use of children. The report, examined two measures that identify children with emotional and behavioral problems. Findings from this report suggest thatchildren with emotional and behavioral problems were more likely to have developmental conditions and to have used mental health services compared to similarly aged children without emotional and behavioral problems. Read the full Report.
Children Who Snore At Increased Risk for Behavior Problems
Findings from a recent, comprehensive study have confirmed the link between children who snore at night and behavior problems. Specific findings include a relationship between the severity of the snoring and the risk for developing problems such as hyperactivity, aggression, difficulty getting along with peers, anxiety, and depression. To read the entire article click here. |
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In the News | |
Kids and Stress: Strategies for Stress Relief
The impact of stress on children today may not only have effects in the present, but might lead to serious health and mental health problems in the future. This article provides several strategies that can be used with children to reduce their stress level. To read the entire article click here.
Magnet Schools Resurgence? What Does It Mean?
Charter schools have become the fastest growing and most politically popular school-choice option over the last two decades. But a group of researchers hope to draw political attention back to what they have described as "the forgotten choice": magnet schools. A report last month by UCLA's Civil Rights Project highlights various strengths of magnet schools, particularly when it comes to their historic purpose of desegregation. Magnets typically enroll students from across a city or region and focus on a particular theme. The researchers found that, like charter schools, the magnets they surveyed enroll larger percentages of minority students than traditional U.S. public schools. More. Read Report. |
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Webinars | |
Live Chat: Bullying Prevention Twitter
Experts from the Centers for Disease Control, the Anti-Defamation League, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the U.S. Department of Education will host a live Twitter chat titled, "Veto Violence: Stopping Violence Before It Begins." Learn about the importance of bullying prevention, the value of programs, policies, and practices, and available resources to assist parents and schools in their prevention and intervention efforts. This event will be held, Tuesday, March 20, 2012 from 3-4pm EST. For more information click on: Violence Prevention.
Spotlight on Bullying & Harassment: the Law and One School's Response
This National Women's Law Center free webinar for school administrators, teachers, parents and advocates will include important information on the following:
* Schools' Title IX obligations to respond to bullying and harassment, including cyberbullying, and emerging law on balancing students' free speech rights with those obligations. Devi Rao from the National Women's Law Center will discuss these and other commonly asked questions about the law and bullying & harassment.
* Find out how Passage Middle School in Newport News, Virginia worked with the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities to implement "One Book, One School", an intense anti-bullying initiative. Janelle Spritz from Passage Middle School and Ali Thompson from the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities will discuss this initiative and explain their impressive results.
* Opportunity to ask questions.
The webinar will be offered Thursday, March 22, 2012 at 3:30 pm ET. Register.
The Common Elements of Evidence-Based Mental Health Practice in Schools and Implementing the Common Elements of Evidence-Based Practice in Schools - Waccamaw's Experience
The Quality and Evidence-Based Practice Group of the Community of Practice on School Behavioral Health (sponsored by the Center for School Mental Health and IDEA Partnership) will host a webinar featuring two presentations: (1) The Common Elements of Evidence-Based Mental Health Practice in Schools presented by Dr. Sharon Stephan, CSMH Co-Director and Assistant Professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine and (2) Implementing the Common Elements of Evidence-Based Practice in Schools - Waccamaw's Experience presented by Samantha Paggeot, School Based Services Coordinator and LaToya Simmons, School Mental Health Therapist, Waccamaw Center for Mental Health, School Mental Health Program.
The two presentations will provide an overview of common elements of children's mental health treatment in schools and discussion of a systematic approach to implement these common elements for students with disruptive behavior disorders in a school mental health program in South Carolina.
The webinar will be offered on March 26, 2012 at 2 pm ET. To access the website click on EBP Webinar [http://tadnet.adobeconnect.com/partnership/]. Login choosing the "guest" option and type your name. Also dial in: 1-800-201-2375; participant code: 4347060.
Wraparound Milwaukee: the Family Connection
Wraparound Milwaukee provides comprehensive, individualized and cost-effective care to children with mental health and emotional needs a will be hosting a free webinar on family connection. The director, Bruce Kamradt, will discuss the successes of the program using a strength-based and individualized service approach and pairing families with care-coordinators to assist in identifying resources to "wrap" those services around the youth and family. The webinar will take place Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 2 pm EDT. To register click here.
ARCHIVED & AVAILABLE
This Teen Screen Webinar has been archived and is now available for your viewing. Listen to a discussion on the signs and symptoms of eating disorders, the latest treatment strategies, and co-managing these disorders with the clinical team to avoid relapse and achieve a successful outcome. Access archive.
ARCHIVED & AVAILABLE
Many schools and communities are struggling to find effective ways to prevent both bullying and suicidal behavior among youth. This webinar will provide the latest research and science on the relationship between bullying and suicide and will outline some of the shared risk and protective factors. The webinar also discusses the main principles of a comprehensive whole school approach to bullying prevention. This presentation was interactive, with opportunities to ask questions. Access here. |
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SSW Job Links | |
New this week: Burlington, NC Cedar Rapids, IA New Rochelle, NY
Oak Bluffs, MA Providence, RI Springfield, PA Willmar, MN
Continued this week: Arlington Heights, IL Austin, TX Berwyn, IL Bronx, NY
Cumberland, RI Eau Claire, WI Gaithersburg, MD (SPED)
Highland Park, IL (3 PT interns) Little Canada, MN Long Island City, NY
Milwaukee, WI New Orleans, LA New York, NY
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Grants & Funding | |
Search Tool Helps Users Find Grants to Fund Youth Programs
The Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs has created an online Web Tool that allows users to search for federal grant opportunities by youth topic or federal agency. The tool uses a filter to search for grants that are likely to fund youth programs. To learn more and determine if you are eligible, click here.
Elmer's and Kids in Need Foundation Teacher Tool Kit Grants
The Kids In Need Foundation, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free school supplies to economically disadvantaged school children and underfunded teachers, has announced the second year of a teacher grants program sponsored by Elmer's Products. K-12 teachers across the United States are eligible to apply for one of approximately two hundred and fifty Elmer's Teacher Tool Kit grants. Grants will range from $100 to $500 for projects to be completed during the 2012-13 school year.
Grants will be awarded to teachers who wish to conduct classroom projects selected from a catalog of more than five hundred projects currently in the Kids In Need Guide to Award Winning Projects. Grant awards will be based on financial need, description of how the particular project meets the educational needs of students and satisfies state standards or school curriculum requirements, and the number of students who will benefit from the project. Deadline: TBA. More information and RFP form.
First Nations Development Institute: Native Youth and Culture Fund
The Native Youth and Culture Fund through the First Nations Development Institute will provide up to 20 grants to fund projects that address social issues related to youth such as drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, and mental health. Proposed applicants should incorporate culture and tradition (e.g., preserves cultural practices, increases youth leadership, increases access to cultural customs, and engages elders in activities). Tribal governments, tribal programs, and Native nonprofits in or near Indian lands are eligible to apply. Deadline: Letter of Intent, March 2, 2012; application, March 30, 2012. Info and application.
Typical or Troubled? APF School Mental Health Education Grants
For those who work in or with two or more middle or high schools, you are eligible to apply for a grant sponsored by the American Psychiatric Foundation to implement the Typical or Troubled? ™ School Mental Health Education program. Grant awards include: a grant of $1,000 or $2,000, innovative educational materials, brochures, evaluation tools, technical assistance, and connections with many of your colleagues across the nation. Typical or Troubled? ™ is a school community program designed to educate teachers and other school staff on: the warning signs of emotional and behavioral health issues; how to talk to students who may be experiencing problems and engage family members; and help connect students to appropriate resources within the school or community. Implemented in 45 states, the program has resulted in critical interventions with students in need, ignited positive dialogue and collaboration among the school communities, and resulted in establishing or improving referral systems for treatment and services. Deadline: March 30, 2012. Info and application.
Activating Empathy: Transforming Schools to Teach What Matters
Empathy is a critical skill in a world defined by rapid change--one that is foundational to the social, teamwork and leadership skills required to contribute succesfully to society. As the pace of change accelerates, the level of empathy required to collaborate in the workplace, or on other types of teams that bring change to the world, is higher than ever before.
If you aren't proficient in empathy, you're severely limiting your opportunities to contribute to society, and are at risk of being left behind. If we are to create a world where everyone can be a player, provide input, and create value, we must grasp, practice, and develop empathy. Empathy is more than just awareness and concern. It is about cultural sensitivity and conflict resolution. It's about the ability to communicate effectively and understand the motivations of others. Empathy is about standing up, not standing by, uncovering what's below the surface through active listening and putting words into action. Deadline: March 30, 2012. Details.
ING Unsung Heroes Award
ING Unsung Heroes began in 1995as a way for ING to demonstrate its commitment to the education community. Grants are given to K-12 educators utilizing new teaching methods and techniques that improve learning. Each year, educators submit applications for an ING Unsung Heroes grant by describing projects they have initiated or would like to pursue. Each project is judged on its:
innovative method, creativity, and ability to positively influence the students. All K-12 education professionals, whether or not they are clients of ING, are eligible. Specifically, these individuals must be: (1) Employed by an accredited K-12 public or private school located in the United States, or (2) Full-time educators, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, orclassified staff with effective projects that improve student learning. Deadline: April 30, 2012. Details here.
The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, founded by author T. A. Barron in honor of his mother, celebrates outstanding young leaders. Each year the Barron Prize honors 25 inspiring young people who have made a significant positive difference to people and our planet. These outstanding young leaders have focused on helping their communities and fellow beings and/or on protecting the health and sustainability of the environment. Maximum award: $2,500. Eligibility: youth 8-18. Deadline: April 30, 2012. Nomination information here.
OJJDP Announces Mentoring Research Funding Opportunity
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has announced the following funding opportunity: Mentoring Best Practices Research. OJJDP will fund as many as six research studies to enhance help fill gaps in the knowledge about the effectiveness of mentoring as a prevention strategy for youth who are at risk of involvement or already involved in the juvenile justice system. OJJDP is also interested in research that will help identify the components of a mentoring program that have the greatest impact on risk factors known to lead to delinquency and/or increase in the incidence of juvenile delinquency and offending. Deadline: 11:59 p.m. E.T., on April 30, 2012. Complete information. FAQs. |
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ACSSW Activities | |
ACSSW's present activities include:
- increasing research projects and their application within the school environment;
- developing a national school social work role framework paper;
- establishing a National Center for School Social Work Practice, Leadership and Research, a long-term goal,
- hosting the 2nd Louisiana State-wide School Social Work Conference, winter 2013, in New Orleans, LA. Exact dates to be determined.
- developing the 3rd National School Social Work Research Summit to be held June 24-26, 2012, in Bloomingdale, IL (a Chicago suburb) at the Hilton Chicago/Indian Lakes Resort.
If you have interest in participating in any of these activities, contact Judie Shine. ACSSW strives to be inclusive and transparent in all of its activities and welcomes, whether lengthy or short, the participation of its members. |
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