School Social Work Week
March 1 – 7, 2020 (Be sure to have your district put on their 2020 Calendar!)
National School Social Work Week is always the first full week of March. School Social Work Week provides an excellent opportunity to let others know of the great work that you are doing! During this week, plan to take the opportunity to “toot your own horn” and let others know how you are impacting the lives of students as you address barriers to learning and increase successful educational and academic outcomes.
Ideas to Celebrate School Social Work Week
We have put together a list of activities you might want to consider. Have fun planning this year’s celebration!!
School Social Work Week Activities
National Campaign to Promote School Social Workers
- Back to School with School Social Workers National campaign to promote SSW services (8/2019-6/2020)
- Racial & Ethnic Disproportionality by Dr. Kari Smith. September Feature Article 9/19
- How to be a Trauma Informed SSW. by Eileen Dombo. October Feature Article 10/7/19
- Supporting Children Who Have Experienced Significant Loss by Heather Alden. November Feature Article 11/3/2019
Promotional Resources
(Just a few possible resources to assist you.)
- Elements of School Social Work
- Frameworks of School Social Work
- How to Get Publicity for School Social Work (used with permission from Mary Bragg)
- Revenues Generated for School Districts by School Social Work Services Very useful in demonstrating your financial worth to a school.Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
- School Social Work Services One Page
- The Value of School Social Work: 21 Ways to Promote Our Worth in Education (used with permission from Mary Pat Gilliam)
SSWAA Position Statements & Practice Model
- Definition Highly Qualified School Social Worker
- Framework_for_Safe_and_Successful_Schools
- Role of SSWs in Addressing Mental Health Needs & Increasing Academic Achievement
- School Safety_The Role of School Social Work in Violence Prevention
- SSWAA SSW Practice Model Brochure
- SSWAA SSW Practice Model Graphic
Brochures
What is the difference between the role of the School Social Worker and the role of other Student Support Staff?
- The Student Support Team Brochure (August, 2014)
Prepared by members of the New York State Education Department’s Pupil Personnel Services Advisory Team ( including the New York State School Social Workers’ Association) and was published in 2012. It provides brief description of the role of School Social Workers, School Psychologists, School Counselors, School Nurses and School Attendance Officers.
- School Social Work Brochure: Carmel Central School District (August, 2014)
School Social Workers from Carmel Central School District promote their role with a brochure (Thank you Kathy MacCarthy for sharing this as an example)
School Social Work Manuals
(These are excellent resources full of extremely useful information for all School Social Workers.)
- NYS School Social Worker Survival Toolkit
Self-advocacy resource guide by NASW-NYS School Social Work Task Force in collaboration with NYSSSWA. - A Toolbox for New School Social Workers
Source: Dr. Gary Shaffer, University of North Carolina (Developed in 2007.) - Manual for School Social Work Practice in Minnesota. (211 pages)
Comprehensive guide developed by the Minnesota School Social Workers Association and available on their website at http://www.msswa.org/School-Social-Work-Manual. - School Social Work Practice Guide Comprehensive on-line guide developed by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Articles (NYSSSWA Members can access many more Advocacy & Promotional Resources here.)
- The increased numbers of students with emotional problems ranks #1! According to the National Association of Elementary School Principals’ The Pre-K-8 School Leader in 2018 A 10-Year Study, the top ranked concern of Elementary Principals was the increased numbers of students with emotional problems (73.7% of responding principals) followed by students with mental health issues as well as students not performing to their level of potential. pp. 81… “The top-ranked concern for 2018 responding principals was addressing the increase of students with emotional problems. In fact, respondents identified a number of student-related issues as being of moderate, high, and extreme concern. Among those issues identified were the management of student behavior, student mental health issues, absenteeism, lack of effective adult supervision at home, and student poverty. In contrast, none of the student-related issues were identified as a major concern in 2008. Clearly the concerns regarding student populations have shifted over the past decade.” p. viii.
- Mental Health Crisis in Our Schools: Here’s How Schools Can Support Student’s Mental Health (2016)
This article features a School Social Worker as well as the need for a “multi-tiered system of supports” to address the mental health needs of students. There is also a great powerpoint presentation, A Silent Epidemic: The Mental Health Crisis in Schools. (Unfortunately, it does not include School Social Workers.) By Meg Anderson Source: NPR Ed
- How Are School Social Workers Related to the Common Core Standards? (2013)
There are many documents available on Common Core Standards and Social Emotional Barriers to Learning. One excellent source is the UCLA School Mental Health Project. They have a document titled “Common Core Standards for a Learning Supports Component” (29 pages) that provides detailed standards that address the external (environmental) and internal (personal) factors that interfere with learning and teaching.
- “Maximize the Potential of Your School Social Worker” (March, 2014)
Annette Johnson, Jane Adams School of Social Work at the University of Illinois, underscores the value of school social workers in the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Student Services column. Think of what could be accomplished if your school could hire another school social worker? Principal Leadership, written by Annette Johnson & Libby Nealis, March, 2014.
Source: SSWAA
Members Make Our Mission Possible:
The New York State School Social Workers’ Association (NYSSSWA) is the only professional association dedicated solely to the visibility and viability of School Social Workers in New York State. Members are essential to our ability to support you and our profession. Join us Today!