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School Social Work Now!
Supporting Innovative Practice,
Effective Leadership & Applied Research
January 2013 - Vol 3, Issue 16 |
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Come on . . . Follow Us!! |
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| Greetings! | |
The deadlines for two calls for proposals listed below are fast approaching. School social workers are underrepresented in each of these, presenting at non-school social work conferences much less than our related profession colleagues in school psychology and school counseling. The Center for School Mental Health conference is an opportunity to share what we do--and how effective we are--with community professionals and school administrators. ACSSW challenges you to submit a proposal and present at this national conference!
If you are planning to attend the ACSSW Conference in New Orleans, this is just a reminder that hotel space is limited this year since there are other events occurring that are drawing people to the city. ACSSW has made arrangements for rooms at a second hotel. If you are planning to attend, make your hotel reservations now. You will not find lower prices so close to the French Quarter! See details below.
Another reminder--if one of your New Year's resolutions was to join ACSSW, don't delay! You'll get a great introductory membership package that includes a professional book by Dr. Cynthia Franklin, the 2013 school social work poster, and other goodies.
Judith Kullas Shine
President |
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Recommended Read for January | |
 Safer Saner Schools: Restorative Practices in Educationby Laura Mirsky & Ted Wachtel
This collection of articles from the Restorative Practices eForum - the IIRP's internet publication with thousands of subscribers around the world - conveys the power of restorative practices to transform schools into positive, vibrant communities while dramatically reducing discipline referrals, detentions and suspensions. The articles include accounts of personal experiences, implementation and research in schools from the United States and Canada to the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and Asia.
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ACSSW Conference in New Orleans
February 18-19 | |
Time is fleeting. Register today!!
ACSSW -- Louisiana Conference
The Science & Art
of School Social Work
February 18-19, 2013
Tulane University, Lavin-Bernick Center, New Orleans
2013 NOLA Conference Brochure
Team discounts are available for groups of 3 or more from the same district/parish. Registrations may be made online at Conference Registrations. If you do not receive a return email confirmation, you are not registered. You may also download the registration page from the brochure and email or fax to the addresses on the page. Email/fax registrations will receive a confirmation within 48 hours of receipt. If you do not receive confirmation contact Sally Carlson, 414-659-5853 or sally.carlson@acssw.org.
Holiday Inn Superdome Accommodations
Refer to American Council for SSW for the special rate of $109, single through quad. Reserve early. Deadline is January 25, 2013. Rooms are limited due to other conferences in the city. Reserved rooms may be cancelled up to 3 days prior to arrival without penalty. Call 1-800-535-7830 and mention the American Council for School Social Work (group code: ACS). Online reservations. Parking $13/night.
Drury Hotel Accommodations
Refer to American Council for SSW for the special rate of $104, single through quad. Reserve now. Deadline is February 1, 2013 but rooms are going quickly. Call 1-800-325-0720 and provide Group Code #2150627. For online reservations click "here"on the website page (just above the arrival date box) and enter the group code. Due to parking lot construction only valet parking is available, $25/night, with in/out privileges.
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Important Membership News |
Persons who attended the ACSSW 2012 Summit or the Midwest School Social Work Conference in Wisconsin in November can join or renew membership with ACSSW between now and January 31, 2013 at a special rate of $75, a savings of $35!! Students and retirees still enjoy a low $60 rate.
AND names will be put into a drawing 5 times for a Color Nook, a retail value of $139. Who can't use such a new techno prize?
Take advantage of this great offer now! You will also receive a membership packet of "goodies." Don't delay. Join today! |
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Practice Points | |
From NASW-IL --blog
For School Social Workers: Rural Social Work
... Recognizing that I would be new to the rural lifestyle, my supervisor provided me with two wise thoughts prior to relocating: 1) Do not purchase a home that requires a great deal of renovation as it will never be completed, and most importantly, 2) Everyone is related. While I appreciated and heeded her first piece of advice, the latter has served me well over the past twenty years. Small communities afford one the opportunity to be part of a larger family. Those who choose to take part find themselves intimately affected by the happenings within their own town. In turn, these events are intensified by the mere size of the community in which they transpire. Close ties are fostered within the rural community. Self-reliant individuals who display this lifestyle value autonomy within their own neighborhoods, churches, and service organizations. My working environment now depicted an attached neighborhood where daily occurrences took on a state of amplification. Full article.
Strengths and Silences: The Experiences of LG Students in Rural and Small Town Schools
Rural lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students feel less safe, face heightened victimization and have fewer supportive resources than LGBT students in suburban and urban areas, according to Strengths and Silences: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Students in Rural and Small Town Schools, a new study released today by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN). The report documents the experiences of more than 2,300 LGBT secondary students who attend schools in rural areas, using data collected from GLSEN's 2011 National School Climate Survey.
"Strengths and Silences is the first in-depth look at the significant challenges faced by LGBT students in rural areas and small towns," said GLSEN Executive Director Dr. Eliza Byard. "These students are frequently the most isolated - both physically and in terms of access to critical resources and support - and our findings require us to both honor their resilience and respond to their needs." Continue. Full report.
FBI Safe Online Surfing Challenge
The FBI-SOS (Safe Online Surfing) Internet Challenge is a FREE, educational, fun online program that promotes cyber citizenship and teaches students in 3rd through 8th grades how to recognize and respond to online dangers.
The program is sponsored and managed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and provides vital Internet safety guidance in an interesting and competitive format. The activities promote online safety and cyber citizenship. The program runs each month, September through May. The program enables participating students to familiarize themselves with practical information, safety tips, and resources to help them stay protected online and grow to become safe, responsible cyber citizens. FBI-SOS is open to all public and private schools nationwide. Only an Internet connection is needed to participate. No downloads or installation required! The SOS program is also designed to meet federal and state Internet safety mandates. Review the program. Additional information.
Ethics of the Social Worker as Consultant
While the first part of this article speaks to being a professional consultant, the 2nd half is applicable in our day-to-day school social work practice and how we consult with administrators and staff within an ethical framework.
The author states: "Social work professional history guides us to do more than '9 to 5 and go home.' We cannot agree that our communities are fractured and only assist our clients in navigating that dysfunction.'" More. |
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Leadership News | |
How to Be a Great Leader in a Time of Change
What makes a great leader? Erika Andersen - fellow Forbes contributor and author of Leading So People Will Follow - says we have an almost instinctive knowledge, thanks to thousands of years of evolution. "For most of history, who you chose as a leader was a life-and-death decision," she says. "That's deep wiring, and it's not going to change in a couple hundred years." The secret to recognizing these true leaders has been encoded in the heroic fairy tales that have been passed down, she says, and are just as true for contemporary business leaders as they were for medieval princes. "Leadership tales exist all around the world, and tell you what to look for in a good leader. They have important information embedded in them." Read more. |
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Research Highlights | |
The Influence of School-Based Mentoring Relationships on School Attachment and Risk Behaviors
Adolescents spend a significant percentage of time at school and in after school programs, which have the potential to offer a variety of prosocial activities and pursuits. Youth who are not engaged in such activities are more likely to become involved in substance use and other problem behaviors. This study focuses on adolescents' relationships with non-parental adults, particularly school personnel, within the school context, and explores the potential of natural mentoring relationships in influencing school engagement and risk behavior. Continue here.
Substance Use Among Military-Connected Youth
Multiple deployments during the long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are impacting not only the men and women who have served overseas, but are also causing strain on their adolescent family members at home.
A new study from researchers at the University of Southern California finds a connection between increased drug and alcohol use among middle and high school students and deployments of either a military parent or sibling. The patterns of increased substance use were consistent for lifetime use as well as in the most recent 30-day period.
The co-authors of the study are Dr. Julie A. Cederbaum and Dr. Ron Avi Astor, both of the USC School of Social Work, Dr. Rami Benbenishty of the Bar Ilan University School of Social Work in Jerusalem, Israel, and Diana Pineda and Dr. Hazel Atuel, also in the USC School of Social Work.
The data come from the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS), which asks students questions about health-related behaviors, school climate, violence behaviors and the use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs. Complete study.
Improving the Dialogue Between Research and Social Work Practice
"Few would disagree that there should be better dialogue between research and practice in social work, leading to practice which is better informed by evidence. How to achieve this change is a difficult question, however. In this brief piece I will suggest just a few possible measures. To achieve lasting change, a much broader strategy is needed. What follows are just some of the elements which might help. Read the blog. |
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In the News | |
CA State Teachers' Retirement System Liquidates All Holdings Involving Guns
Gun makers have taken a direct hit to the gut. The nation's second largest pension has said that it would completely liquidate all holdings that involve firearms. In making the landmark move yesterday, the California-based fund said that it is about respecting human rights and minimizing risks to human health.
The California State Teacher's Retirement System's heroic move is the catalyst in what is expected to become a national - and perhaps international - trend. Its decision is predicated on a philosophy that the fund declared back in the 1980s - one that had decided to withdraw all investments from the then-racist South African regime. In keeping with that stance, the institutional investor said that the killing of the 20 grade schoolers and six of their teachers is a "tipping point."Full story.
Education Week
Appeals Court Backs Parents in Special Education Placement
A Colorado school district must reimburse the parents of a student with learning disabilities as well as emotional and behavioral difficulties for the costs of the student's enrollment at an out-of-state residential treatment facility, a federal appeals court has ruled. The case has been watched closely by school board groups and President Barack Obama's administration because it involves the standard for "unilateral" private school placements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Under the federal law, parents who unilaterally place a child with disabilities in a private school may win reimbursement from their local school district if the district failed to provide a free, appropriate public education, or FAPE, and certain other conditions are met. At particular issue in the case is whether a school district may be liable for such reimbursement when a child's educational and mental-health needs are closely intertwined and the residential placement is addressing both needs. Complete article.
Special Education Coalition Finds Flaws in Report on School Staff Surge
The National Coalition for Personnel Shortages in Special Education and Related Services has released a statement in response to a controversial report by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice that alleged that schools and districts had experienced staff bloating.
The Friedman Foundation's report, entitled "The School Staffing Surge: Decades of Employment Growth in America's Public Schools," released in October, finds that the amount of United States K-12 public school students increased 17 percent while the number of full-time equivalent school employees increased 39 percent. . .
The statement by the special education coalition, however, claims that this report failed to acknowledge that the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act mandated educational equality for students with disabilities, thus increasing the need for teachers, school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, school social workers, and administrators, to "carry out legal-not to mention moral and ethical-mandates" for these students. Complete article. Controversial Friedman Report.
Feds Warn School Featured in ABC News Report: Shock Devices Violate Law
Disturbing video showing staff at the school administering 31 shocks in 2002 to a teenager with autistic characteristics, Andre McCollins, was part of a recent ABC News report about children who have been injured or killed while being restrained in school. The school's use of what it called "skin shocks" represents an extreme example, but is not the only measure that has brought objections from critics. Other schools have faced criticism for using handcuffs, stuffing children into so-called therapy bags, or placing them in small padded chambers known as seclusion rooms. More. |
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Survey Completion Request |
You are invited to participate in a brief 20 minute anonymous survey. The Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine is conducting this survey (a) to understand the barriers to engaging caregivers in school-based mental health treatment, and (b) to develop best practices for engaging caregivers in school-based mental health treatment. Mental health professionals who provide school-based mental health services are invited to complete this survey. Participation involves completing a 20 minute online survey of mental health professionals' experiences with engaging caregivers in school-based mental health treatment. Your participation in this survey is completely voluntary. In addition, your responses are completely anonymous and confidential. If you decide to participate, you may discontinue participation at any time, or if you feel uncomfortable answering any questions, you may choose "skip" as the answer or you may leave the text box blank. By completing the survey, you are providing consent to participate in this evaluation. Please contact Dr. Nicole Evangelista Brandt at nbrandt@psych.umaryland.edu or 410-706-0980 with questions. Thank you in advance! Go to School-Based Mental Health Survey. |
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Webinars | |
Implementing the Common Core
January 23, 2013, 2-3:30 ET
The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) will hold a webinar on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013 from 2-3:30 p.m. (ET) highlighting the authors and topics in the "Implementing the Common Core" issue of NASBE's journal, The State Education Standard. They will cover the history of the common core standards movement, how states are adding additional standards to the common core and defining college and career ready for your state. Register here. For more information, please contact Liz Ross, Interim Project Director, at 703.740.4837.
Understanding the Interconnected Systems (ISF) for Integrating Mental Health Supports in Schools
January 28, 2013, 2-3:30 ET
The Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF) is a structure and process for blending education and mental health systems through a multi-tiered structure in schools. By bringing school and community mental health providers into established school-wide systems of positive behavior supports, the ISF promotes a prevention-based continuum of mental health promotion and supports embedded in all 3 tiers of multi-tiered systems of behavioral support in schools. This webinar will describe the core features of the ISF as a blend of school-wide systems of positive behavior support and school mental health and introduce tools that can help develop the ISF in local communities. Examples of ISF implementation will also be shared. The target audience for this webinar includes all members of the IDEA PBIS/SMH community of practice and related stakeholders in states, districts and schools interested in expanding mental health services through the ISF. Opportunities for question/answer and sharing of experiences among participants will be available during the webinar. More information.
ARCHIVED & AVAILABLE
This session focused on strategies for preventing bullying, with a focus on enhancing overall school climate to minimize bullying behavior. In addition, participants explored practical approaches for recognizing the signs of potential bullying onset, risk analysis, support and interventions when such behavior does occur. Best practice guidelines for a comprehensive approach to addressing this issue were also explored. This Webinar is most appropriate for school administrators, professional and certified staff, guidance counselors, school climate team and social workers. Access Webinar. Presentation slides.
Young families who are homeless often have unique needs based on both the challenges of trauma and homelessness and their developmental stage. A developmental perspective is essential to tailoring services to meet the needs of this population. During the first session of this course, we will provide an overview of development from birth through young adulthood; child and adult brain development; expected behaviors and responses at each stage; and the impact of trauma on development. Register to access.
Understanding the Impact of Trauma in the Lives of Displaced Children and Families
The prevalence of traumatic stress in the lives of displaced children and families is extraordinarily high. Experiences of trauma can have a significant impact on how families interact with each other and with service providers. In this webinar, participants will learn about the connection between traumatic stress, displacement, and homelessness; the mind-body response to stress and trauma; factors that influence our responses to trauma, particularly cultural factors; and the impact of chronic trauma on all areas of functioning. Register here to access.
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Healthy Students Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center is pleased to announce that the course, Large Events Emergency Management at Schools (K-12 population) is now being offered to provide emergency management training for schools. This course focuses on enhancing emergency management planning efforts throughout districts and schools by providing guidelines, checklists, and specific action items for school officials to consider. For more information and to access this course series, click here. |
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SSW Job Links | |
New this week: Bloomfield, NJ Forest Hills, NY Peoria, IL
Continued this week: Arlington Hts, IL e.s.y. Bethel, AK Brooklyn, NY 13-14 sy
Detroit, MI Gages Lake, IL (sub) Hartford, CT 13-14 sy Manhattan, NYC
Newark, NJ (HS) Newark, NJ (MS) Norridge, IL (Mat Lv)
Providence, RI 13-14 sy Woodridge, IL
Connecticut (Various Locations) Louisiana (Various Locations)
Dean, LSU, College of Human Sciences & Education |
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Calls for Proposals |
Center for School Mental Health Call for Proposals
Deadline: February 4, 2013
Proposals are now being accepted for the 18th Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Healthto be held October 3-5, 2013 at the Crystal City Gateway Marriott Hotel (1700 Jefferson Davidson Highway) in Arlington, Virginia. The Conference is hosted by the Center for School Mental Health (CSMH) and the IDEA Partnership (funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), sponsored by the National Association of State Directors of Special Education). The theme of the conference is What Works in School Mental Health: Collaboration from the Inside Out. [ACSSW encourages school social workers to submit!]
The conference features twelve specialty tracks and this year will also include a special topic area on funding and sustainability in school mental health. The Annual Conference offers speakers and participants numerous opportunities to advance knowledge and skills related to school mental health practice, research, training, and policy. The conference emphasizes a shared school-family-community agenda to bring high quality and evidence-based mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention to students and families. The intended audience for the conference includes clinicians, educators and related personnel, administrators, youth and family members, researchers, primary care providers, advocates, and other youth-serving professionals. All proposals must be submitted via the online proposal form.
Special Issue on School Social Work and Military-connected Schools: New Directions in Practice, Research, Policy and National Leadership
Deadline: February 28, 2013
Guest Editors: Ron Avi Astor, University of Southern California Schools of Social Work and Education & Rami Benbenishty, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
Children & Schools will publish a special issue on the needs of public schools serving military-connected students. These students experience multiple deployments, family separations, and other stressful life events that their non-military-connected peers do not undergo. Recent studies have shown that supportive schools can shield students from intense depression, conduct problems, feelings of alienation, anxiety, and school failure; however, for schools to serve as protective settings for military-connected students, school personnel need to be aware of both this population's presence and its particular needs. . .
School social workers can take a national leadership role developing and implementing practices and policies that address the needs of military-connected students. . .
The overarching goal of this special issue will be to present articles that describe the current state of school social work knowledge and best practices in military-connected schools and provide insights and implications that will help teachers, principals, school social workers, and other staff better serve military-connected students in the future. Manuscripts examining the perspectives of school staff, students, and parents in military-connected schools and outlining best practices for such schools are encouraged. More information and to submit. |
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Grants & Funding | |
Ezra Jack Keats Foundation Accepting Minigrant Applications
Established by children's book author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats, the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation is accepting applications from public schools and public libraries anywhere in the United States and its territories for program or event mini-grants of up to $500. The mini-grants program is intended to support projects that foster creative expression, collaboration, and interaction with a diverse community. The funding program provides an opportunity for educators, whose efforts are often inadequately funded or recognized, to create special activities outside the standard curriculum and make time to encourage their students. For more information and application, click here. Deadline: March 15, 2013
NEA Learning & Leadership Grants
NEA Learning & Leadership Grants support public school teachers, public education support professionals, and/or faculty and staff in public institutions of higher education for one of two purposes. Grants to individuals fund participation in high-quality professional development experiences such as summer institutes or action research; grants to groups fund collegial study, including study groups, action research, lesson study, or mentoring experiences for faculty or staff new to an assignment. Maximum award: $5,000. Eligibility: public school teachers grades K-12; public school education support professionals; or faculty and staff at public higher education institutions. Deadline: February 1, 2013. Application.
NEA Foundation-Nickelodean Big Help Grant
Sponsored by Nickelodeon and the NEA Foundation, NEA Foundation-Nickelodeon Big Help Grants provide up to $5,000 to K-8 public school educators in the United States. The Big Help Grants program is dedicated to the development and implementation of ideas, techniques, and approaches to addressing four key concerns - environmental awareness, health and wellness, students' right to a quality public education, and active community involvement. The grants target these four concerns as areas of great promise in helping students in the twenty-first century develop a global awareness that encourages and enables them to make a difference in their world. Applicants must be practicing U.S public school teachers or public school education support professional. The application process is the same as for the NEA Foundation's Student Achievement grants. Applicants should specify that their request is for the Big Help Grants program in their application. Application deadlines are February 1, 2013 and June 1, 2013. Link to RFP. |
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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, February 18-19, 2013, in New Orleans, LA, at the Tulane University Lavin-Bernick Center.
- presenting the 4th National School Social Work Research Summit. Watch for details to come.
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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