THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
COURSE NUMBER: SOWO 850
COURSE TITLE: School Social Work: Policy and Practice, Spring 2013
INSTRUCTOR
Tauchiana J. Vanderbilt, MSW, LCSW
School of Social Work, CB#3550
Office: 335 F
Phone: 919-843-7512
Email: tjvan@email.unc.edu
Office Hours: Mondays 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm, before class, or by appointment.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: An examination of public school social work policy and practice.
The course emphasizes an ecological approach within the context of the school-familycommunity context.
EXPANDED DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to help prepare you for social work
practice in the public schools. It assumes that you have a foundation of knowledge in social work
policy, practice, research and human behavior in the social environment. It also assumes that
you have had some field practica or work experience in a human service setting. Though
readings, short assignments, and papers, this course will help you examine a range of practice
and policy issues related to the delivery of social work services in school settings. The course
also addresses current federal and North Carolina laws as they relate to practice with school-age
children and their families. School social work professional standards, program development
and licensure receive attention as well. An ecological approach to practice will be emphasized
throughout the course. This course meets the school social work course requirement for graduate
and undergraduate licensure as a "School Social Worker" in the State of North Carolina.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completing this course, students will be able to:
• Understand the school as a social system; the roles and responsibilities of its personnel and
students; its relationship to the home and general community; and the unity and complexity of its
interacting personalities and functions.
• Be able to identify groups of school children for whom social work services are appropriate,
including children considered at high risk, gifted children, children with disabilities, abused and
neglected children, minority children, and children of different cultures. You will also be able to
identify appropriate social interventions for these groups.
• Understand current legal and social policy issues which impact on the pupil-school-community
and school social work practices.
• Understand several models of social work practice used in the schools and develop a personal
model of social work practice in the schools.
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• Be aware of the multiplicity of school social worker roles and responsibilities, both within the
school system and community, and understand how to use various techniques for maximizing
opportunities for change and for providing leadership in school social work practice.
• Be familiar with school social work professional standards, ethics, and issues of licensure.
REQUIRED READINGS:
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National Association of Social Workers. (2002). Standards for social work services in
the schools. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved December 31, 2007, from
http://www.socialworkers.org/sections/credentials/school_social.asp
Class handouts and required readings listed in the syllabus and/or found on our Sakai
course web site: http://sakai.unc.edu
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: This web assisted course will use readings, discussions on
Sakai, and appropriate media to help integrate the knowledge and skills relevant to school social
work practice.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING:
The Honor Code: It is the responsibility of every student to obey and support the enforcement
of the Honor Code. Students will properly attribute sources used in preparing written work and
sign a pledge on all graded coursework certifying that no unauthorized assistance has been
received or given in the completion of the work. All written assignments should contain a signed
pledge stating: "I have not given or received aid in preparing this written work."
Policy on Attendance:
 Traditional Students: Traditional students missing more than 6 hours of course time
during the semester will have to withdraw from the class.
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Virtual Students: Virtual Students will complete a “Participation/Attendance Activity”
each week in Forums as outlined in the syllabus to compensate for the learning that takes
place during the in-class sessions that they are not physically present for. This is how
attendance and participation are graded for this course. Virtual students missing more
than two Participation/Attendance activities will be required to withdraw from the course.
Policy on Late Assignments: All assignments should be complete and submitted on time. The
grade for late papers will be reduced 10% per day including weekends. Prior approval from the
instructor must be obtained if material is to be submitted late.
Policy on Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: The instructor will make any
necessary and appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities. To obtain disabilityrelated academic accommodations, students with disabilities must contact the instructor and the
Department of Disability Services as soon as possible. The Department of Disability Services
can be reached at 919-962-8300 (Voice/TDD) or http://disabilityservices.unc.edu.
Assignments: Please check Sakai regularly in case additional readings are assigned.
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1. Class participation counts for 10% of your final grade. Everyone will receive a
standard score of 100 for participation, in recognition of a norm of attendance,
contributions to small group assignments, and informed participation in class
discussion. Points will be deducted from the base score if you miss class, are late,
or are unprepared (i.e. not completing the readings)
2. Legal/Policy Summary PPT Presentation. This assignment is due February 25th
and is worth 15% of your course grade.
3. Mini Essay Discussion Board Postings. There are 5 mini essays due over the course
of the semester. Each is worth 10% of your course grade.
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February 11: Discussion Board Mini Essay #1: Practice Standards/Models
March 4: Discussion Board Mini Essay #2: Population Fact Sheet
March 18: Discussion Board Mini Essay #3: Suspension/Expulsion
March 25: Discussion Board Mini Essay #4: Work Plan/Job Description
April 22: Discussion Board Mini Essay #5: Action Plan
4. Final Research Paper Assignment. This assignment is due April 26th and is worth
25% of your course grade.
Semester Grades: H = 94 – 100; P = 80 – 93; L = 70 – 79; F = 69 and below.
This is the Graduate School grading system at UNC-CH. “H” is honors work. “P” is pass and
an acceptable grade for graduate students. “L” is low pass and reflects a low standard of
performance. “F” is a failing grade for the course.
Writing and APA Assistance: The School of Social Work faculty has adopted the APA Style
as the preferred format for papers and publications. Please refer to the latest APA manual for
assistance and the School’s Writing Resources Page: http://ssw.unc.edu/students/writing
READINGS & COURSE OUTLINE
January 14 – Overview of SSW
Readings:
 Unit 1 in Course Documents on Sakai
 Shaffer, G. L. (2006). Promising School Social Work Practices of the 1920s: Reflections
for Today, Children & Schools, 28 (4), 241- 251. (Available – E Library.)
 Shaffer, G. L. (2006). History of school social work. in L. Bye & M. E. Alvarez, School
Social Work: Theory to Practice, pp. 2 -20. Pacific Grove, CA: Thompson/Brooks/Cole.
 School Mental Health Project, UCLA. (2000). Executive Summary - Pioneer initiatives
to reform education support programs. http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pioneer.htm 4 pp.
Recommended Readings:
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
Senge, P. (2002). The industrial age system of education. In P. Senge, N. CambronMcCabe, T. Lucas, B. Smith, J. Dutton and A Kleiner. Schools that learn: A fifth
discipline resource, pp. 27-58. NY: A Current Book/Doubleday.
January 28- Unit 2: Serving Poor and Minority Children in Public Schools
Readings:
 Unit 2 in Course Documents in Sakai
***Virtual Students Only - Attendance/Participation Activity: Prepare a 2 page summary – using
bullets to highlight findings from the readings and post this in the Discussion Board by class time
under “Performance Gap.” Identify your new submission by your name and the name of your school
district.
February 4- Unit 3 - The School as a Social Institution and the Development of School
Social Work Practice
Readings:
 Unit 3 in Sakai
 Oberhofer-Dane, B., & Simon B. L. (1991). Resident guests: Social workers in host
settings. Social Work, 36 (3), 208-213.
 Allen-Meares. (1994). Social work services in schools: A national study of entry-level
tasks. Social Work, 39 (5), 560-565.
Assignments:
***Virtual Students Only - Attendance/Participation Activity: Please provide your reactions
to the Oberhofer-Dane, B. & Simon B. L. (1991) article.
February 11- Unit 4: NASW Standards
-Unit 5: Practice Models for SSW
Readings:
 Units 4 and 5 in Sakai.
 NASW. (2002). Standards for social work services in the schools. Washington, DC:
Author.
http://www.naswdc.org/practice/standards/NASWSchoolSocialWorkStandards.pdf
 NC School Social Work Licensure. See the NC School Social Work Licensure folder.
 Frey, A. & Dupper, D. (2005). A broader conceptual approach to clinical practice for the
21st Century. Children & Schools, 27 (1), pp. 33-44. (Discussion of the need to move
away from specialist-oriented services to comprehensive general programmatic
approaches in school social work practice.
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Assignments:
 Discussion Board Mini Essay #1- NASW Practice Standards: Please select six of the
NASW Social Work Practice standards and write a mini essay (2 pp. max) about how
they reflect or fail to reflect practice in your school. Post your Mini Essay onto the course
discussion Forum. This assignment is worth 10% of your course grade.
***Virtual Students Only - Attendance/Participation Activity: Please describe and discuss areas
in the new DPI School Social Work job description would be difficult for you to carry and why. A
copy is on Sakai.
February 18- Unit 6: Significant Educational Legislation and Policies: Implications for
Social Work Practice in Public Schools
Readings:
 Unit 6 in Sakai
 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. See the law at (Sakai). See Overview of
ADA, IDEA and Section 504 at http://www.dredf.org/advocacy/comparison.html
 Samuels, C. A. (2008) ‘Response to Intervention’ sparks interest, questions. Education
Week 27 (20), 1 & 13.
http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/results/external_link_maincontentframe.jhtml?_D
ARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.44
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Section 504 and IDEA: Basic similarities and differences at
http://www.ldonline.org/article/6086
"What is a functional assessment?" http://www.pacer.org/parent/php/PHP-c54.pdf
"Understanding the Special Education Process"
http://www.parentcenternetwork.org/assets/files/national/all17.pdf
Recommended Readings/Resources:
 Parent resources: http://www.pacer.org/parent/resources.asp
 IDEA: Guide to Frequently Asked Questions (February 2005)
http://www.doe.state.in.us/exceptional/speced/pdf/idea_faq.pdf / very helpful for a short
resource.
 The Department of Education, web-site for IDEA. See http://idea.ed.gov/ comprehensive
site.
 Official IDEA Regulations – Federal Register – August 14, 2006.
http://idea.ed.gov/download/finalregulations.pdf (cut and paste)
 Overview, Explanation and Comparison of 2004 and 1997 Statutes at
http://www.wrightslaw.com/idea/idea.2004.all.pdf
 More on IDEA 2004 from Wrights’ law. www.wrightslaw.com/idea/index.htm
 The Complete IEP Guide: How to advocate for your special-ed child, Lawrence M. Siegel
Director, National Deaf Education, 5th ed.
http://books.google.com/books?id=64SUpgB_15AC&pg=PA19&lpg=PA19&dq=Video+on+
IEPs&source=web&ots=R52F3xyEZc&sig=1OxXaEOok0WwTNmCat588egyH8s&hl=en&
sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#PPA31,M1, 36 pp. abbreviated.
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In depth information on functional behavioral assessment from the Center for Effective
Collaboration and Practice http://cecp.air.org/fba/
Assignments:
***Virtual Students Only - Attendance/Participation Activity: Review the readings for this
Unit and then review the NC Department of Public Instruction’s, Exceptional Children Division's
"Procedures governing programs and services for children with disabilities" (2004). It is long so
skim BUT pay special attention to the school social work sections. Briefly explain how school
social workers might be used more effectively. See http://ec.ncpublicschools.gov/policies/ncpolicies-governing-services-for-children-with-disabilities/policies-62010.pdf
February 25 – Unit 7: Significant Educational Legislation and Policies: Implications for
Social Work Practice in Public Schools
Readings:
 Unit 7 in Course Documents on Sakai.
 McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. Read “Education of Homeless Children and
Youth” at Facts about Homelessness at:
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/education.pdf
 Review your school district's protocol for reporting abuse to DSS
Assignments:
 Legal/Policy Summary Presentation. Create a legal or policy summary Powerpoint
(PPT) presentation on one of the statutes, policies, or programs identified in Unit 6
and 7 that could be delivered in a school to train school faculty/staff. The PPT
presentation should be comprised of 15-20 slides and should include more detailed
information in the notes pages of the slides. Also, please cite a minimum of 4 outside
references or websites within the presentation and be sure to address how this
brief/policy may impact your practice as a school social worker. This assignment is
worth 20% of your overall grade and will be presented in class.
***Virtual Students Only - Attendance/Participation Activity: Review your school district's
protocol for reporting abuse to DSS and complete the CAN survey located in the Child Abuse
and Neglect folder.
March 4 – Unit 8: Selected Target Groups of Children & Challenges
Readings:
 Unit 8 in Sakai.
o Mesibov, L. L. (2006). Schools’ legal obligations to gay students. Popular Government.
pp. 16-23. http://ncinfo.iog.unc.edu/pubs/electronicversions/pg/pgspsm06/article2.pdf
o Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays Resources & Information. General
website www.pflag.org . “Working with Youth: Guidelines for Affiliates of Parents,
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Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)” at
http://www.pflag.org/fileadmin/Guidelines_for_Working_with_Youth.pdf . "Tips for
professionals working with gay and lesbian youth.”
o California Safe Schools Coalition. (2004). A safe place to learn: Consequences of
harassment based on actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender non-conformity
and steps for making schools safer. (2004)
http://www.casafeschools.org/CSSC_Research_Brief_12.pdf
o Moore. (1999). A guide to immigrants' eligibility for public benefits in North Carolina.
http://www.iog.unc.edu/pubs/electronicversions/pg/immi.htm#agi
o Child Trends – Suicidal Teens update (2012).
http://www.childtrendsdatabank.org/?q=node/128
Assignments:
 Discussion Board Mini Essay #2- Population Fact Sheet: Please prepare a 1 page fact
sheet on one of the topics below and write a mini essay (2 pp. max) about these children
are supported (or not) in your school. Please include 3 annotated web-sites on your
selected population as a resource for your colleagues in your essay. Post your Mini Essay
onto the course discussion Forum. This assignment is worth 10% of your course grade.
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"Pupil Life Tasks" and the range of school/social adjustment /relationship issues
Child Abuse, Dependency and Neglect
Children in Foster Care
Children from low-income families
Migrant & Immigrant Children
Homeless Children
Children of Divorce/Separation
Attendance/School Phobia/Truancy/Dropouts
Children served under IDEA's categories
Autism and other mental health disorders
Substance Abuse/Alcoholism
HIV/AIDS
Obesity and Eating Disorders (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating)
Adolescent Pregnancy and Teen Parenting
Adolescent Suicide & Depression
GLBTQ students
Pre-delinquent and Delinquent Children
Gifted children
***Virtual Students Only - Attendance/Participation Activity: Please describe your response
to the two readings that you chose for this week (from the list above). What are the implications
of these readings on your practice?
March 18 – Unit 9: Pupil/Parent Rights & Issues of Confidentiality and Privilege
Readings:
 Unit 9 in Sakai.
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Suspension and expulsion (See NC General Statutes, Chapter 115C - 390; Article 27.)
Look the current statute up on the NC General Assembly web-site
http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/ and Sakai
Action for Children NC (2007). Short-term suspensions; Long-term consequences; Real
life solutions. http://www.ncchild.org/action/images/stories/ShortTerm_Suspensions;_Long-Term_Consequences;_Real_Life_Solutions.pdf
Corporal punishment - discipline - (See NC General Statutes, Chapter 115C- 390.4;
Article 27.) Look the statute up on the NC General Assembly web-site we used
previously http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/ . Also scan materials at the Center for Effective
Discipline http://www.stophitting.com/ and read Ban Corporal Punishment in NC
http://www.nospank.net/bancp-nc.htm (Careful this is graphic).
Shaffer, G. L. (2007). Corporal punishment: Alive and well in America’s schools. School
Social Work Section Connection. Issue 1. Washington D. C.: NASW. Sakai.
Family Education Rights and Privacy Act - See Sharing Information & FERPA.
o U.S. Code Title 20, Sec. 1232 g. see
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/20/1232g.html
Berman-Rossi & Rossi. (1990). Confidentiality and informed consent in school social
work. Social Work in Education, 12 (3), 195-207. [E-Journals , Health Source].
NASW Commission on Education. The school social worker and confidentiality. Sakai.
School Social Work Association's Position Statement on Confidentiality. Sakai.
Suggested Reading:
 Kopels, S. L. (2006). The complexity of confidentiality in schools today: The school
social work context. Social Work in Schools. 42 (3), 63-78.
Assignments:
 Discussion Board Mini Essay #3- Suspension & Expulsion: Review the NC General
Statutes regarding suspension and expulsion, your school system's policies on these areas
and, if possible, your system's most recent report on suspension and expulsion of
students. Please address the issues/questions listed below. Post your Mini Essay onto the
course discussion Forum. This assignment is worth 10% of your course grade.
o Under what circumstances can students be suspended? What action(s) typically
lead(s) to suspension in your system?
o Do variances exist among your schools among males and females, age groups or
white and minority students? What may account for these variances?
o What alternatives to suspension exist in your system? Do they exist in all
schools? Why or why not? How effective are these alternatives?
o What recommendations, if any, would you make to your school Board that would
improve your current suspension policies or procedures?
***Virtual Students Only - Attendance/Participation Activity: Complete the
confidentiality case scenario activity.
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March 25-Unit 10: Designing School Social Work Services
-Unit 11: Teams, Consultation, Collaboration, & Case Management
Readings:
 Unit 10 in Sakai.
 Allen-Meares et al., (2007). Chapter 10. Harris, Franklin & Hopson, “The Design of
Social Work Services, pp. 293 - 313.
 Brown, P. (2000). Sakai. Guidelines for strengthening school social work in schools.
This example is used in the Guilford County Schools. It was prepared by Pauline Brown,
MSW, former Lead Social Worker.
 Unit 11 in Sakai.
 Framing new directions for school counselors, psychologists & social workers, Executive
Summary. (March, 2001). See
http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/Report/framingnewdir.pdf
 Agresta, J. (2004). Professional role perceptions of school social workers, psychologists,
and counselors. Children and Schools 26 (3), 151-163.
Assignments:
 Discussion Board Mini Essay #4- Work Plan/Job Description. Please write a mini
essay (1-2 pages) and address the issues listed below. Post your Mini Essay onto the
course discussion board. This assignment is worth 10% of your course grade.
Allen-Meares et al. (2007) notes the importance of developing and negotiating a work
plan in partnership with school administrators. In most systems the identified social
service needs exceed the social workers' time and resources. But in too many instances
the social workers "work plan" is only vaguely stated. For example, they sometimes
merely reflect the social work job functions defined by the State’s Department of Public
Instruction. This often leads to misunderstandings among teachers, supervisors and
administrative staff and makes it difficult for social workers to establish priorities and use
their time effectively.
o Identify some of the primary duties listed in your current work plan, if you are
employed as a school social worker. If you are an MSW student identify primary
duties included in your field instructor’s work plan or that of another social
worker in your school system.
o With who was the plan negotiated?
o Does the work plan establish realistic boundaries on administrative assignments
and expectations?
o Does the plan explain what criteria will be used to evaluate your performance?
o Who evaluates the social worker’s performance?
***Virtual Students Only - Attendance/Participation Activity: How do the roles and
responsibilities of the counselors and social workers in your school vary-- similarities and
differences? What would you like to do more of in your position? Please describe how teachers
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and other staff are helped to understand the role of the school social worker in your district.
Additionally, identify strategies to improve this process.
April 1 – Unit 12: School-wide Reform and Service Intervention
Readings:
 Unit 12 in Sakai.
 Comer. See Yale Child Study Center, School Development program, Program Overview
at www.med.yale.edu/comer/about/overview.html and the article “Essential
Understandings of the Yale School Development Program” (the Comer Program). FYI
for more detailed info see the links to School Planning & Management, Staff Support &
Parent Team. Note: The Parent Team section will be helpful in a later unit.
 Comprehensive School Reform on Sakai.
 Positive Behavior Support – on Sakai.
 Professional Learning Communities – brief intro – on Sakai.
***Virtual Students Only - Attendance/Participation Activity: Prepare a 1-2 page summary
of a selected innovation from the Reform section on Sakai-Unit 12 to highlight post it on the
Discussion Forum by class time. Include related websites in your summary.
April 8 - Unit 13: Social Work Processes and Social Interventions: Practice with
Individuals, Families and Groups
Readings:
 Unit 13 in Sakai.
 Proven or Promising Intervention Programs, Overview.
 Raines, J. C. (2004). Evidence-based practice in school social work: A process in
perspective. Children & Schools, 26 (2), 71-85.
 Visit the “Making Choices: Social Problem-Solving Skills for Children” web-site at
http://ssw.unc.edu/jif/makingchoices/index.htm Review the four areas under “About.”
 Read the overview of the Elementary School Success Profile and some of the
questionnaires: http://www.uncssp.org/about_essp.asp (for Elementary Students)
Suggested Readings:
 Knapp, S. E. & Jongsma, Jr., A. E. (2002). The school counseling and school social
work treatment planner. NY: John Wiley & Sons.
 Massat, C. R. & Sanders D. (2006, 6th ed.). Classroom observation: An instrument for
assessment. In Constable et al., 367-379.
Assignments:
***Virtual Students Only - Attendance/Participation Activity:
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Prepare a 1-2 page summary of an individual case or group that you have worked with in
the schools. Identify the primary reason for your intervention, the services you provided
and an analysis of the effectiveness of your intervention. Be sure to identify the research
or promising practices that supports/supported your choice of intervention. How did you
work with your client’s/clients’ teacher? Please post your response on the Discussion
Board by class time.
April 15 – Unit 14: Parent Involvement and Collaboration
Readings:
 Unit 14 in Sakai.
 Child Trend Data Base: Parental Involvement in Schools. (2003). Current research based
information on parent involvement can be viewed on Sakai. Note influence of parental
involvement on student performance and the definition being used for “parent
involvement.”
http://www.childtrendsdatabank.org/indicators/39ParentalInvolvementinSchools.cfm
 Dupper, D. & Poertner J. (1997). Public schools and the revitalization of impoverished
communities: School-linked, family resource centers. Social Work, 42 (5), 415-422.
***Virtual Students Only - Attendance/Participation Activity: Prepare a 1-2 page summary
of what is done to make school inviting. What are your suggestions for improving the existing
strategies? Please post your response on the Discussion Board by class time.
April 22 - Unit 15: School & Community Collaboration: Challenging Boundaries
Readings:
 Unit 15 in Sakai.
 Dryfoos. (2002). Coalition for Community Schools Evaluation of Community Schools:
Findings to Date. Read all of Part One: Overview and Part Two Research on Initiatives –
National Models only. www.communityschools.org/evaluation/evalcontents.html
 Mental Health in Schools: Guidelines, Models, Resources, & Policy Considerations.
(May, 2001). http://Smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/policymakers/guidelinesexecsumm.pdf
Executive Summary.
 Chavkin, N. F. (1997). Funding school-linked services through grants: A beginner’s
guide to grant writing. Social Work in Education, 19 (3), 164-175.
Assignments:
 Discussion Board Mini Essay #5- Action Plan. Please write a mini essay (1-2 pages)
and address the issues listed below. Post your Mini Essay onto the course discussion
Forum. This assignment is worth 10% of your course grade.
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Prepare an Action Plan for addressing a problem that you have learned about in
this course that is related to a need in your school. Identify the problem, develop
the plan for change and include information about implementation. Examples may
include a new program or modification to an already existing program.
***Virtual Students Only - Attendance/Participation Activity: From your own experience or
through discussions with colleagues and human service staff in your community, identify the major
barriers to collaboration between the schools and the network of human service programs (you may
focus on one agency such as DSS, MH, Health, etc.). Provide some concrete suggestions for
overcoming these barriers. Please post your response on the Discussion Forum by class time.
April 22 - Unit 16: School Social Work Practice Accountability and Evaluation
-Unit 17: Surviving as a Social Worker in the Public Schools
Required Readings
 Unit 16 in Sakai.
 State of Wisconsin – School Social Work Survey (2004-2005) – With about 900 school
social workers in NC, the State DPI should support a survey of practitioners in our state.
Look over the Wisconsin example and think about how it might apply to our state and
what revisions you would like to make. http://dpi.wi.gov/sspw/socialwork.html/ Read the
Wisconsin School Social Work Survey Instrument then the results from
 Dibble, N. (1999). Outcome evaluation of school social work services. See
http://dpi.wi.gov/sspw/doc/sswoutcomeeval.doc/
 Radin. (1992). A peer feedback approach to assessing social workers. Social Work in
Education, 14 (1), 57-62.
 Unit 17 on Sakai.
 McCullagh. J. (1982). Survival strategies for school social workers. Social Work in
Education.
 Stewart, W. (2001). Another opinion on the “Survival Checklist.
 Shaffer, G. L. Protecting your gluteus maximus.
***Virtual Students Only - Attendance/Participation Activity: How are social workers
evaluated in your schools? Who is responsible for carrying out these evaluations? (position not
name) What are their academic credentials? How often are these evaluations carried out?
Assignments:
 Final research paper due April 26th.
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Forum Mini Essays
Grading Standards
There are 5 mini essays due over the course of the semester and each should be 1-2 pages of
double spaced text. Topics and due dates are listed in the syllabus. Each of the 5 mini essays is
worth 10% for a total of 50% of your overall grade.
Student : ___________________________
Evaluation Elements:
Points
Score
The essay reflects critical depth and appropriately incorporates class discussions
and unit readings through the use of APA guidelines.
4
The essay includes content from mini essay descriptions and addresses issues
posed in assignment.
4
The essay is well-written (1-2 pages) and demonstrates basic mastery of sentence
structure, with no grammatical, spelling, or typing errors.
2
Total
10
Comments:
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Legal/Policy Summary PPT Presentation
Grading Standards
Create a legal or policy summary Powerpoint (PPT) presentation on one of the statutes, policies,
or programs identified in Unit 6 & 7 that could be delivered in a school to train school
faculty/staff. The PPT presentation should be comprised of 15-20 slides and should include more
detailed information in the notes pages of the slides. Also, please cite a minimum of 4 outside
references or websites within the presentation and be sure to address how this brief/policy may
impact your practice as a school social worker. This assignment is worth 15% of your overall
grade and will be presented in class.
Student: ___________________________
Evaluation Elements:
Powerpoint contains 15-20 slides that are well developed, structured, with no
grammatical, spelling or typing errors. Powerpoint notes section contains detailed
information of the statue, policy or program in the slides.
Presentation powerpoint integrates class readings and includes at least 4 outside
references/research.
Presentation includes information about ways the statue, policy or program
impacts practice for school social workers.
Class presentation is professional and engaging, covers elements and remains
within time limit.
Total
Points
Score
5
5
5
5
20
Comments:
15
Final Research Paper
Grading Standards
Please identify a salient practice issue/problem for school social workers. Discuss the prevalence
and impact of this issue in schools and clearly define the roles and responsibilities of the SSW in
treating the problem. Please identify existing promising and/or effective interventions, and
describe the current status of the empirical support existing for the intervention. Include
information about the practice implications that may exist when these interventions are used in
schools. The paper should be 10 pages in length and a minimum of 6 outside references should
be cited. The final research paper is worth 25% of your overall grade.
Student: ___________________________
Evaluation Elements:
Paper describes prevalence and impact of practice issue/problem. Discussion
includes common occurrences and ways issues impacts population (student,
school, family, community, etc.)
Paper defines the role and responsibility of School Social Workers in treating the
issue/problem.
Paper identifies 3 promising/effective interventions with empirical support.
Paper discusses the practice implications when used in schools including
structure, key personnel, and effectiveness of interventions with diverse
populations.
Points
Score
5
5
5
4
The paper is well-written and demonstrates basic mastery of sentence structure,
with no grammatical, spelling, or typing errors.
3
The paper and reference list (year 2002 and above + exceptional earlier
documents) adhere to APA guidelines.
3
Total
25
Comments: