School Social Work Now!

Supporting Innovative Practice, Effective

Leadership & Applied Research 

Harnessing the Power of Play: Opportunities for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders   

The amount and type of play necessary for children's development can be a contentious issue among educators and parents.  However--despite the ongoing debate between the value of a play-based versus strictly academic curriculum--the literature is clear about the substantive benefits of play, particularly for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).  What is the nature of play for children with ASD?  What are the developmental opportunities for these children at various stages of play?  What are the goals, learning strategies, and accomodations/modifications necessary for play to be incorporated in a student's individualized education plan?  What particular challenges do the parents, child and school face?  Read more here.

10 Creative Counseling Techniques for Helping Clients Deal with Anger 

Anger is an emotion that counselors often address with their clients. Beck and Fernandez (1998) note that, in the mental health field, "attention has turned to anger as a major problem in human relations" (p. 63). Blake and Hamrin (2007) point out that anger and its resulting issues, such as oppositional defiant disorder, are among the most common reasons adolescents and children are referred to mental health services. Anger, typically characterized as either state or trait in nature, is usually experienced along a continuum from little or no anger, to mild or moderate levels of frustration, annoyance, or irritability, to advanced levels of fury and rage (Deffenbacher, et al., 1996). Regardless of the determined nature of the anger, counselors need a theoretical conceptualization along with a delivery system that causes the client to reflect on their anger. This article focuses on one potential delivery system-that is, creative ways to work with clients on their anger issues.

The last few years have seen an increase in the acceptance and value of the use of employing more non-traditional techniques in the counseling relationship (Haley, 1986; Mosak & Maniacci, 1998). The conceptualization and realization of a division of the American Counseling Association, the Association for Creativity in Counseling, devoted to such practices is proof that infusing creativity in the counseling process is accepted now more than ever (Duffy, 2006/2007). Whether it be the use of poetry and writing (Gladding, 1979; Gladding, 2005), the use of props and movement (Jacobs, 1992; Jacobs, 1994; Schimmel, 2007), or the use of humor (Goldin et al., 2006), more creative counseling interventions are being used with not only children and adolescents, but adults and families as well (Casado-Kehoe & Kehoe, 2007; Murray & Rotter, 2002).  Full article.

Angry and Aggressive Students  

Title I and Parent Involvement: Lessons from the Past and Recommendations for the Future  

Dr. Karen Mapp, the Center for American Progress, and the American Enterprise Institute released a report Title I and Parent Involvement: Lessons from the Past and Recommendations for the Future to summarize the history of Title I parent involvement provisions, and to evaluate the effectiveness of these provisions and recent U.S. Department of Education proposals for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The report discusses the importance of partnering with parents and community members for children's education and school improvement.  Read about it here.  

7 Ways to Sharpen Your Leadership Skills 

Very few people describe themselves as natural born leaders. It takes buckets of self-confidence and a dash of moxie to get others to follow your lead. But you don't exactly need to grab the microphone to exude leadership. Leadership is a skill; one that can be learned and developed. Strong leadership skills will help you score more responsibility at work, which means higher chances of a promotion, increased salary, and growth opportunity overall.  Learn how.

A Meta-analysis of After-school Programs that Seek to Promote Personal and Social Skills in Children and Adolescents    

A meta-analysis of after-school programs that seek to enhance the personal and social skills of children and adolescents indicated that, compared to controls, participants demonstrated significant increases in their self-perceptions and bonding to school, positive social behaviors, school grades and levels of academic achievement, and significant reductions in problem behaviors. The presence of four recommended practices associated with previously effective skill training (SAFE: sequenced, active, focused, and explicit) moderated several program outcomes. One important implication of current findings is that ASPs should contain components to foster the personal and social skills of youth because youth can benefit in multiple ways if these components are offered. The second implication is that further research is warranted on identifying program characteristics that can help us understand why some programs are more successful than others.  Original paper.

CDC Study: Autism More Common than Previously Thought  

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 88 children in the United States has been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a new study released March 29 that looked at data from 14 communities. Autism spectrum disorders are almost five times more common among boys than girls -- with 1 in 54 boys identified.

The number of children identified with ASDs ranged from 1 in 210 children in Alabama to 1 in 47 children in Utah. The largest increases were among Hispanic and black children.  Learn more.

A Rotting Apple: Education Redlining in New York City  

In New York City public schools, a student's educational outcomes and opportunity to learn are statistically more determined by where he or she lives than their abilities, according to A Rotting Apple: Education Redlining in New York City, released by the Schott Foundation for Public Education.

Primarily because of New York City policies and practices that result in an inequitable distribution of educational resources and intensify the impact of poverty, children who are poor, Black and Hispanic have far less of an opportunity to learn the skills needed to succeed on state and federal assessments. They are also much less likely to have an opportunity to be identified for Gifted and Talented programs, to attend selective high schools or to obtain diplomas qualifying them for college or a good job. High-performing schools, on the other hand, tend to be located in economically advantaged areas.  Continue here. 

Top North Dakota Court Uphold Resource Officer's Search of Student   

The Research Council of the American School Health Association will host, An Introduction to Secondary Data Analysis for Research on Children and Adolescents, to help individuals learn how to use free data sets like the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and the National Longitudinal Survey on Adolescent Health (Add Health). This event will be held Thursday, May 3, 2012 at 1 pm ET.  For more information and to register click here. 

New this week:  Brookline, MA     Brooklyn, NY     Julian, CA    Topeka, KS

Lower Kuskokwim, AK (3 positions)     Tucson, AZ

Continued this week:  Arlington Heights, IL     Berwyn, IL     Budd Lake, NJ    

Burr Ridge, IL     Central Falls, RI     Danvers, MA     Gary, IN     Midlothian, IL    

Milwaukee, WI     New Orleans, LA     Northampton, MA     Randolph, MA(autism)

Shawnee Mission, KS(SPED)     Springfield, PA     Wichita, KS

Connecticut (Various Locations)

IL PBIS Network, Research and Evaluation Director

SSWR 2013         
Deadline: April 30, 2012 The Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) announces its Seventeenth Annual Conference "Social Work for a Just Society: Making Visible the Stakes and Stakeholders" which will convene in San Diego, CA, January 16-20, 2013. You are invited to submit abstracts for one of the three types of presentations of original research: (1) oral paper presentations; (2) organized symposia; and (3) poster presentations. The conference will also include workshop and roundtable sessions for which you can submit abstracts. Click here for more information.   

Special Edition of Social Work and Christianity: Towards A Christian Critique of Evidence-based Practice in Social Work 

 Evidence-based Practice (EBP) is now entering its second decade in social work scholarship and practice. This special issue seeks to add a Christian perspective to the literature on the implementation of EBP in social work practice, policy, and education. Many scholars and practitioners hail EBP's impact on client outcomes and argue that it represents a deepening of our ethical commitment to empowering practitioners with a process and tools that lead to the best possible client care, while other scholars point out the limitations of the EBP approach. This special issue of Social Work & Christianity seeks to expand the epistemological and practical discussions about EBP to add a further (and we believe, necessary) complication to the debate over EBP in social work: namely, how can EBP be practiced in the multitude of Christian social work contexts we see around the world? This special issue seeks to further debate the pros and cons of using EBP in social work by asking simply, "How can Christian social workers incorporate EBP into their work?" Papers for this special issue are encouraged to look at EBP as a process that integrates clinical expertise, client circumstances, research evidence, and client values and to formulate a paper discussing one or all of those dimension from a Christian perspective. Papers can employ a variety of methodologies, though special emphasis will be given to papers that use a conceptual lens to build a foundation to either critique or defend EBP from a Christian social work perspective. Papers can be up to 20 pages, double-spaced and in APA style (6th Ed.). Contact Michael Kelly at Loyola University Chicago with any questions and to submit papers as email attachments.  

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. 

Target Store Grant Program
 

Target stores will provide grants ranging between $700 and $2,000 through the Store Grant Program to schools and nonprofit organizations. Applicants that provide art, cultural experiences, and early reading programs to students between Kindergarten and 12thgrade are eligible to apply.  Deadline:  April 30, 2012. For more information and to apply click here. 

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, or classified 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.

Youth Literacy Grant   

• 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. 
• presenting 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.