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School Social Work NOW!
Supporting Innovative Practice,
Effective Leadership, and Applied Research
Vol 6, Issue 33
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By now, most school social workers have finished the school year and have said a welcomed good-bye to another 10 months of giving, crisis response, in-services, "discussions" with staff or administrators, special education meetings and, most importantly (ha!), paperwork. Beyond that, they've left the building with concern about those special students that one almost wishes to take home, hoping they will survive the summer without the support of the school structure and social work care.
Summer is an opportunity, however, to relax, rejuvenate, and learn. Enjoy the chance to spend time with your families and loved ones, to challenge yourself with new ideas or activities, and to take care of yourself. By doing this, you will be ready come fall to re-engage with the children and youth who are the future of our country. Without you, those students could not have progressed as they did!
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This issue of SchoolSocialWorkNOW begins the every-other-week schedule of summer publications. Weekly newsletters will begin again in September.
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Cyberbullying is one of the biggest challenges that school social workers currently face. This in-depth resource explains the psychological, emotional, and social effects of cyberbullying, and how school social workers can address cyberbullying at their school(s) and in their community. In addition, this article contains useful insights and advice for parents, teachers, and school administrators on how they can prevent and respond to cyberbullying incidents. Resource.
...Federal officials drafted the regulations to spell out in detail what states must do to comply with the Every Students Succeeds Act, the federal education law that replaced No Child Left Behind when it passed with bipartisan support last year.
...Education Secretary John B. King Jr. described the proposed rules as a balance between greater flexibility for states and civil rights protections for students. The rules would "give educators room to reclaim for all of their students the joy and promise of a well-rounded educational experience," he said. Learn more.
... when we talk about depression, it is still too often overlooked or stigmatized, talked about in hushed tones and fear. Depression is a scary disorder, to be sure, but it is also a common one that, with time and the right treatment, can be managed and sometimes even overcome. We don't wish for depression, but we can still embrace the important qualities it develops in those who have it: resilience, strength, empathy, sympathy, compassion, perseverance. These are the things-among so many others-that those who struggle with depression are also able to access, by battling a terrible disorder and working through to the other side. While there may be no "cure" to depression, per se, there are effective treatments via talk therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and, if necessary, medication. We're at a point where it's time to construct a new collective narrative around depression. Full article.
Resources from the Coalition to Support Grieving Students (CSGS) #14
Father's Day is approaching quickly and, with it, concerns and worries that some may have regarding death, grief, and Father's Day. The Coalition to Support Grieving Students continues to share mini-papers on the concepts of death and grieving in children. Father's Day is meant to be a useful tool to address potential issues around father loss. Use and share this and previous papers to help children through loss. They are designed for practitioners, for in-service training, as references, as guidance for parents, and many other avenues. Share these articles freely and tell us what you think.
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A lot has been written about what makes a bad boss, or about bosses to avoid or signs you are working for a bad boss. And then what - leave? To go where?...In the belief that the only thing you can really change in the world is your point of view, I offer this list of 10 things a bad boss can teach you about good leadership, for the day when you might have his (or her) job... 10 Things
...the authors of a new paper found that the spillover effects of on-the-job humor are highly nuanced and often work in counterintuitive ways. It's certainly not always the morale-boosting technique it's cracked up to be. In fact, supervisors who jest and jape in a way that does not complement their management style can cause more harm than good...The authors differentiated between three main leadership styles that have been well documented by researchers. Complete article.
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The more frequently children are spanked, the more likely they are to develop aggression, cognitive challenges, mental health conditions, and antisocial behaviors, according to a study of more than 160,000 children published in the Journal of Family Psychology.
Parents who spank their children say they do so to improve their behavior, but the latest research suggests spanking can have the opposite effect. A 2014 United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) report found that as many as 80% of parents across the globe spank their children.
LA Unified posted a 92 percent decrease in the number of days lost to suspensions as a result of its Restorative Justice program and the district's new approach to discipline.
In the 2007-2008 school year, a total of 74,765 days were lost to suspensions, but that number plummeted to 6,221 in the 2014-2015 school year, according to a report issued last week to the Successful School Climate committee of the LA Unified school board. Expulsions were down by nearly half, from 141 in 2011-2012 to only 77 in 2014-2015, according to the district data. More.
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Recommended Read for June
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Stitches: A Handbook on Meaning, Hope and Repair
by Anne Lamott
from Booklist:
In her latest whirling, fuming, blunt, wise, and funny book of homilies, following the best-selling Help, Thanks, Wow (2012), Lamott combines exasperation and sorrow over perpetual and universal suffering with a stubborn belief in the possibility of meaning, solace, and mending. She asks how we can even begin to seek coherence when children are massacred in their schools and polar bears are "floating out to sea on scraps of ice." All we can do is what needs to be done. We clean up oil spills, rebuild after catastrophes, care for the sick, serve food, and wash floors. Lamott connects the epic to the ordinary and observes, "We live stitch by stitch, when we're lucky." As she tells charmingly self-mocking yet laser-sharp stories from her patchwork life of spiritual inquiry-one about a blouse she inherited from a friend who died too young, another about a creatively repaired curtain-sewing and darning become metaphors for accepting life's cycles of joy and loss, and for taking care of each other and the world. Lamott's larky yet shrewd needle-and-thread spirituality is realistic and renewing.
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| Professional Development Opportunities |
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11th Annual Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work
July 14-16, 2016
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Students with Disabilities Face Deep Disparities
Students with disabilities are more frequently absent from school and continue to be disciplined at far higher rates than their typically-developing peers, federal officials say.
New data released Tuesday from the U.S. Department of Education indicates that kids with disabilities are twice as likely to be suspended and they account for two-thirds of those secluded or restrained at school.
The figures come from data on more than 50 million students representing nearly every one of the nation's public schools during the 2013-2014 school year. Read more.
A ruling on a long-running, class-action lawsuit against the District of Columbia will require the city to increase the number of young children that it evaluates and identifies for special education services-a process known as "child find"-and also to improve those students' transition into grade school.
The ruling in D.L. v District of Columbia, from U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, says that the District of Columbia must ensure that at least 95 percent of all preschool children referred for special education services receive a timely eligibility determination, and that 95 percent of infants and toddlers that are receiving early intervention services receive a "smooth and effective" transition to special education services by their third birthday. Continue. |
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School Social Work Positions
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ESSA: Meeting Students' Needs Under Title IV
August 25, 2016 - 3 - 4 pm ET
Rather than continuing to authorize individual programs that support a well-rounded education, ESSA creates a block grant that provides formula funding to states and districts. Districts that receive funds under this block grant must spend at least 20 percent of their allocation on a well-rounded academic activity and 20 percent on an activity that supports safe and healthy students, and they may use some funds to expand the use of technology. This means that, although discrete funding streams will no longer be available to support programs such as physical education, district leaders can allocate funds from the block grant according to their schools' needs, without the hassle of applying for a myriad of grants to support various activities. Learn more and click on "add to calendar."
The Impact of Terrorism on Children: What Harms, What Helps
The University-Based Child and Family Policy Consortium, in collaboration with the Society for Research in Child Development, hosted "The Impact of Terrorism on Children: What Harms, What Helps" webinar on February 16, 2016. Based on an SRCD Social Policy Report written by James Garbarino and colleagues, and the Social Policy Report Commentary by Ann Masten, this webinar will discuss the research on the effects of children's exposure to terrorism. Access webinar. Approx. 1 hr.
Webisode: Behavioral Health Concerns in Classrooms
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) latest webisode recording with Knowledge Network for Systems of Care TV (KSOC-TV) addresses the topic of identifying and managing behavioral health concerns in elementary school classrooms. The panelists, including Center for School Mental Health affiliate faculty, Dr. Kimberly Becker, provide specific strategies on how students, parents, teachers, and administrators can work together to support positive mental health among elementary school students. Watch by clicking here. Approx. 1 hr.
Webisode: Expulsion and Suspension Policies in Early Childhood Settings
The Child and Family Policy Consortium webinar features presentations on expulsion and suspension policies in early childhood settings. Speakers include Dr. Walter Gillian (Yale University) and Dr. Oscar Barbarin (University of Maryland - College Park). Click here to watch. Approx. l hr.
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2ne Quarter Deadline: June 30, 2016
Grants of up to $500 are available for "innovative programs, events, or projects" from the Meemic Foundation for Michigan, Wisconsin or Illinois. Apply online using their easy application that takes less than 30 minutes to complete. These grants are open to any employee of a K-12 public or private school. Universities and colleges may also apply. Fill-in-the-blank application.
Grants are accepted year round, but the second quarter cycle ends June 30th. Grants are up to $500. Recipients will be notified by August 15th.
The foundation says it supports "basically anything that supports teachers and enhances the student's educational experience" - from field trips to books to behavior modification programs; science, music, or art equipment to professional development.
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