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 2016
INSTRUCTOR
Tauchiana J. Williams, MSW, LCSW
School of Social Work, CB#3550
Office: 335 G
Phone: 919-843-7512
Email: tjvan@email.unc.edu
Office Hours: Mondays 12:00 pm – 1: 30 pm or by appointment.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course examines public school social work policy and practice
emphasizing an ecological approach within the school-family-community context.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon completing this course, students will:
1. Understand the school as a social system and its relationship to the home and general
community;
2. Understand the roles and responsibilities of school social workers and the unity and
complexity of its interacting tasks and functions within the school system and
community.
3. Demonstrate skills in identifying 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.
4. Identify and apply appropriate social interventions for target groups of students.
5. Understand current legal and social policy issues which impact the school-familycommunity and school social work practices.
6. Understand several models of social work practice used in the schools and develop a
personal model of social work practice in the schools.
7. Demonstrate various techniques for maximizing opportunities for change and providing
leadership in school social work practice.
8. Critically examine NASW school social work professional standards, ethics, and
requirements of licensure.
EXPANDED DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to help prepare students for social work
practice in the public schools. It furthers the foundation of knowledge in social work policy,
practice, research and human behavior in the social environment. It is imperative that students
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have had some field practica or work experience in a public school or closely related setting.
Though readings, short assignments, and papers, this course will 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.
REQUIRED READINGS:
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National Association of Social Workers. (2012). Standards for social work services in
the schools. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved January 7, 2013, from
http://www.naswdc.org/practice/standards/NASWSchoolSocialWorkStandards.pdf
Class handouts and required readings listed in the syllabus and/or found on our Sakai
course web site: https://www.unc.edu/sakai/
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:
 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. 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: Students with disabilities or
medical conditions that may affect their participation in the course and who may need
accommodations should contact the Department of Disabilities Services (962-8300)
http://disabilityservices.unc.edu. Disabilities Services will notify the instructor regarding
recommended accommodations. Instructors will not provide accommodations to a student
without communication from Disabilities Services.
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Assignments: Please check Sakai regularly in case additional readings are assigned.
1. Class participation counts for 40% of your final grade. Participation is essential. It
includes submitting assignments that integrate readings with field experiences,
sharing information and insights, and providing follow up discussion on points
raised by other peers in the course. Students are requested to submit assignments
directly into the sakai site “Forum” for the class meeting.
Criteria
Ideas,
Comprehension,
Application,
Knowledge
Criteria
Response posts
Participation as
a member of the
learning
community
Full points -6
Posting
thoroughly
answers the
questions.
Posting
demonstrates
understanding of
material with
well-developed
ideas. Posting
integrates
readings and
makes strong
connections to
practice. Writing
is free of
grammatical,
spelling, or
punctuation
errors.
Full – 4
Response is
professional and
shows respect
and
thoughtfulness.
Response
facilitates
communication
through
addressing
prompts and
builds discussion.
Consistently
responds to peers
within 24 hours.
Rubric of participation forum postings
Moderate points 5-4
Limited 3-1
Posting answers most Posting fails to
of the questions.
answer all
Posting demonstrates questions.
mild understanding of Posting repeats
material with wellmaterial with
developed ideas.
basic ideas.
Posting references
Posting lack
readings and may not connections to
make connections to
practice.
practice. Writing is
Writing
free of grammatical,
includes
spelling, or
grammatical,
punctuation errors.
spelling, or
punctuation
errors.
Moderate – 3-2
Response is
professional and
shows respect and
some interest in other
viewpoints. Response
addresses some of the
prompts and to
contribute to
discussion.
Consistently responds
to peers within 48
hours.
Limited -1
Some of the
responses are
professional
and shows
interest in other
viewpoints.
Response
addresses
minimal
prompts.
Responds to
peers several
days after
initial post.
Poor 0
Posting does not
answer the
questions. Posting
lacks evidence
readings were
completed. Posting
is mostly personal
feelings without
integration of
readings and
connections to
practice. Writing
contains numerous
grammatical,
spelling, or
punctuation errors.
Poor -0
Response is
disrespectful and
shows no interest
in other
viewpoints.
Response does not
contribute to
communication by
not addressing
prompts. Responds
to peers a week
after initial post.
2. Legal/Policy Summary PPT Presentation. This assignment is due February 15th
and is worth 15% of your course grade.
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3. Mini Essay Discussion Board Postings. There are 4 mini essays due over the course
of the semester. The essays are worth 30% of your course grade.
o
o
o
o
February 1: Discussion Board Mini Essay #1: Practice Standards/Models
February 22: Discussion Board Mini Essay #2: Population Fact Sheet
February 29: Discussion Board Mini Essay #3: Suspension/Expulsion
March 7: Discussion Board Mini Essay #4: Work Plan/Job Description
4. Final Research Paper Assignment. This assignment is due April 25th and is worth
15% 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 11 – Overview of SSW
Readings:
 Shaffer, G. L. (2006). Promising School Social Work Practices of the 1920s: Reflections
for Today, Children & Schools, 28 (4), 241- 251.
 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.
 Adelman, H.S. & Taylor, L. (2002) Building comprehensive, multifaceted, and integrated
approaches to address barriers to student learning, Childhood Education, 261-.268.
Recommended Readings:
 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.
Attendance/Participation Activity: Submit a post (minimum of 350 words) sharing your
current or previous experience in a school setting. Include information about your district and
general responsibilities in the school(s). In addition, briefly answer these two questions: 1) What
draws you to School Social Work practice? 2) What do you hope to gain from this course?
Please type your assignments in Word, Times New Roman 12 font and copy and paste it directly
into the forum no later than midnight – 1/14/16 under “Introductions and Goals for Learning.”
Identify your new submission by your school level (Elementary, Middle or High School) and the
name of your school district (For example, Wake, Charlotte Mecklenburg, Durham)
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January 18- Unit 2: Serving Poor and Minority Children in Public Schools
Readings:
 Gorski, P. (2007). The question of class. Teaching Tolerance Magazine, 31.
 Sipple, J.W. (2007). Major issues in American schools. In P. Allen-Meares (5th Ed.),
Social work services in schools (pp.1-20). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
 Beatty, A.S. (2013). Schools alone cannot close the achievement gap. Issues in Science
and Technology,69-75.
Attendance/Participation Activity: Submit a 2 page (double spaced) essay. Please type your
assignments in Word, Times New Roman 12 font and copy and paste it directly into the forum
no later than midnight on 1/18/16 under “Performance Gap.” Answer the following prompts:
Discuss three elements that resonated with you from the Beatty article and Sipple chapter on the
Achievement Gap? Review the 10 ideas Gorski presents on implementing consciousness into
practice and share some detail on the ways the suggestions exist within your school(s). Choose
one of the 10 recommendations that you do not see in your school and develop ideas about ways
to cultivate this change in your school(s). Include key people for collaboration and needed
resources.
In addition, respond (at least 150 words) to one of your peer’s posts sharing your personal
reactions and ways this information gained will impact your practice in school social work. Post
a response no later than midnight on 1/20/16.
January 25- Unit 3 - The School as a Social Institution and the Development of School
Social Work Practice
Readings:
 National Survey Results –School Social Work Association (2008)
 Oberhofer-Dane, B., & Simon B. L. (1991). Resident guests: Social workers in host
settings. Social Work, 36 (3), 208-213.
 Phillippo, K. (2016). Moving through a land of wanders and wild and new: Grounding
school social work practice in an organizational, ecosystemic understanding of the
school. In C.R. Massat, M.S. Kelly & R. Constable (8th Ed.), School social work
practice, policy, and research (pp. 45-57). Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books, Inc.
Assignments:
Attendance/Participation Activity: Submit a two-page, double spaced essay addressing the
following: Describe the context of schools and general role of school social workers. Discuss the
four areas of challenge that Oberhofer-Dane and Simon (1991) discuss in their article. What
ways have you seen examples of these in your experience in schools? Identify strategies and
approaches school social workers can use to be effective in this field despite the challenges
within the context. Place your assignment directly into the forum no later than midnight on 1/25/16
under “Unit 3.”
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In addition, respond to one of your peer’s posts (with at least 150 words) sharing your
perspective and additional ideas and strategies for effective practice in school social work
settings. Post a response no later than midnight on 1/27/16.
Review topics for the legal powerpoint presentations that are due on 2/15/16. Submit your top
three topics to me via email at tjvan@email.unc.edu. For the benefit of our learning community,
I will reply with your assigned topic to ensure that there’s balance with the material in the
presentations.
February 1- Unit 4: NASW Standards
-Unit 5: Practice Models for SSW
Readings:
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NASW. (2012). 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.
Assignments:
 Discussion Board Mini Essay #1- NASW Practice Standards: Please select six of the
NASW School Social Work Practice standards and write a two page essay about how
they reflect and fail to reflect in practice of your school(s). Select three that are reflected
in practice and three that are not reflected in practice. Email your assignment to me at
tjvan@email.unc.edu by midnight of 2/1/16.
Attendance/Participation Activity: Submit a two page double spaced essay and address the
following prompts: Please describe and discuss areas in the DPI School Social Work job description
that would be difficult for you to perform and detail of barriers. Frey and Dupper (2005) provide
discussion of the need to move away from specialist-oriented services to comprehensive general
programmatic approaches in school social work practice. What are your impressions of the
benefits and consequences of this approach to school social work practice?
In addition, respond (at least 150 words) to one of your peer’s posts that serve a similar school
level (elementary, middle or high) sharing your personal reactions to their Discussion Forum
Mini Essay and participation activity and ways this information gained will impact your practice
in school social work. Post a response no later than midnight on 2/3/16.
February 8- Unit 6: Significant Educational Legislation and Policies: Implications for
Social Work Practice in Public Schools
Readings:
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Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Overview of ADA, IDEA and Section 504
at http://www.dredf.org/advocacy/comparison.html
Section 504 and IDEA: Basic similarities and differences at
http://www.ldonline.org/article/6086
Center for Parent Information and Resources (2013). Special education.
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/iep-specialeducation/
Center for Parent Information and Resources (2014). Transparency best practices for
schools and districts.
http://ptac.ed.gov/sites/default/files/LEA%20Transparency%20Best%20Practices%20fin
al.pdf
U.S. Department of Education. (2012). Questions and answers on the ADA amendments
act of 2008 for students with disabilities attending public elementary and secondary
schools. http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-504faq-201109.html
U.S. Department of Education. (2015). Family educational rights and privacy act
(FERPA). http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html?src=ft
Center for Parent Information and Resources (2014). Ten basic steps in special education.
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/steps/
Essential Components of RTI: A Closer Look at Response to Intervention. Washington,
DC: US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, National
Center on Response to Intervention, March 2010).
Assignments:
Attendance/Participation Activity: Review the NC Department of Public Instruction’s,
Exceptional Children Division's "Procedures governing programs and services for children with
disabilities" (2014). It is long so skim BUT pay special attention to the school social work
sections. Complete the Services for Children with Disabilities Questions (Word Document in
Sakai). In addition, complete the Compulsory Attendance Law Questions (Word Document in
Sakai). Submit your assignments in a Word attachment to the Unit 6 Forum by midnight 2/8/16.
February 15 – Unit 7: Significant Educational Legislation and Policies: Implications for
Social Work Practice in Public Schools
Readings:
 U.S. Department of Education. (2002). A guide to education and no child left behind.
http://www2.ed.gov/nclb/overview/intro/guide/guide.pdf
 Klein, A. (2015) No child left behind: An overview. Education Week
http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/no-child-left-behind-overview-definitionsummary.htmlExecutive Office of the President. (2015) Every student succeeds act: A
progress report on elementary and secondary education.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/documents/ESSA_Progress_Rep
ort.pdf
 McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. Read “Education of Homeless Children and
Youth” at Facts about Homelessness at:
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/education.pdf
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
Child Welfare Information Gateway (2014). Definitions of child abuse and neglect.
https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/laws-policies/statutes/define/
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. Topics include:
o Child Abuse and Neglect
o Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
o Section 504
o Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
o McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
o Response to Intervention – Multi-Tiered System of Support
o No Child Left Behind
The PPT presentation should be comprised of 15-20 slides (excluding title and
references slides). Students have two options in submitting the presentation. 1)
Students can record the presentation in Voice Grid through the sakai site or 2) provide
a detailed notes section including the information that would be stated to your
audience. The presentation should provide an overview of the law, policy or program.
It should include information on ways children and families are impacted. Lastly, the
presentation should include implications for school social work practice and the role
of school social workers in serving children and families. In the reference slide, cite a
minimum of 4 additional references or websites beyond the required reading within
the presentation. Submit your presentation in the Forum titled Legal/Policy
Presentation. This assignment is worth 15% of your overall grade.
Attendance/Participation Activity: Review the presentations from your peers. Provide a
response post to one of your peers that presented on a topic different from your legal/policy
presentation. Include feedback (at least 150 words) on the presentation’s information, slide
structure, and implications for school social work practice. What areas for improvement would
you share to enhance the presentation for the audience?
Lastly, complete the Child Abuse and Neglect worksheet located in Sakai – post it in Forums
Unit 7. Post your feedback responses under the presentation in Legal Policy Presentations.
Submit both assignments by midnight of 2/17/16.
February 22 – Unit 8: Selected Target Groups of Children & Challenges
Readings:
 U.S. Department of Education. (2014). Educational services for immigrant children and
those recently arrived to the United States.
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/rights/guid/unaccompanied-children.html
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Cowan, K.C., Vaillancourt, K., Rosen, E. & Pollit, K. (2013). A framework for safe and
successful schools [Brief]. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network. (2012). Working with LGBT students of
color: A guide for educators. http://www.glsen.org/article/working-lgbt-students-colorguide-educators
Terzian, M.A., Hamilton, K., & Ericson, S. (2011). What works to prevent or reduce
internalizing problems or socio-emotional difficulties in adolescents: Lessons from
experimental evaluations of social interventions.
http://www.childtrends.org/?publications=what-works-to-prevent-or-reduceinternalizing-problems-or-socio-emotional-difficulties-in-adolescents-lessons-fromexperimental-evaluations-of-social-interventions
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 2 page mini essay about ways 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. An annotated citation
includes these key elements: a brief summary of the source, source/author description,
and ways the information connects to social work practice. Post your Mini Essay onto the
course discussion Forum. Selected topics can include:
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Children in Foster Care
Children from low-income families
Migrant & Immigrant Children
Children of Divorce/Separation
Attendance/School Phobia/Truancy/Dropouts
Autism Spectrum
Mental health disorder (choose a prevalent disorder within the school)
Substance Abuse/Alcoholism
HIV/AIDS
Obesity and Eating Disorders (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating)
Adolescent Pregnancy and Teen Parenting
Adolescent Suicide & Depression
LGBTQ students
Children involved with the Department of Juvenile Justice
Gifted children
Attendance/Participation Activity: After reading the Safe Successful Schools’ brief, discuss
ways your school(s) is effective in providing a safe environment for students to learn. What are
some best practices included in the document that could be implemented in your school(s) to
increase success in schools? Post your assignments in the Unit 8 Forum by midnight of 2/22/16.
In addition, review your peers’ fact sheets and share a response on the information you gained
and how this new knowledge will impact your work with children and families. Post your
responses by midnight of 2/24/16.
February 29 – Unit 9: Pupil/Parent Rights & Issues of Confidentiality and Privilege
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Readings:
 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 (2013). From push out to lock up: North Carolina’s accelerated
school-to-prison pipeline. http://www.ncchild.org/publication/push-lock-north-carolinasaccelerated-school-prison-pipeline/
 Reamer, F.G. (2005). Update on confidentiality issues in practice with children: Ethics
risk management. Children & School, 27 (2), 117-120.
 NASW Commission on Education. The school social worker and confidentiality. Sakai.
 School Social Work Association's Position Statements on Confidentiality. Sakai.
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 most recent report on suspension and expulsion of students. Please
address the issues/questions listed below. Post your 2 page Mini Essay onto the course
discussion Forum.. This assignment is worth 10% of your course grade.
o Under what circumstances are students suspended? What actions/behaviors
typically lead to suspension in your system?
o What variances exist within your schools among males and females, age groups,
and white and minority students? What may account for these variances?
o List and describe alternatives to suspension that exist in your system? How
effective are these alternatives?
o Make three recommendations to your school Board that would improve your
current suspension policies or procedures.
Attendance/Participation Activity: Complete the confidentiality case scenario activity.
March 7-Unit 10: Designing School Social Work Services
-Unit 11: Teams, Consultation, Collaboration, & Case Management
Readings:
 Allen-Meares et al., (2007). Chapter 10. Harris, Franklin & Hopson, “The Design of
Social Work Services, pp. 293 - 313.
 Framing new directions for school counselors, psychologists & social workers, Executive
Summary. 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 (2 pages) and address the issues listed below. Post your Mini Essay onto the course
discussion board forum.
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Allen-Meares et al. (2007) note the importance of developing and negotiating a work plan
in partnership with school administrators. In most systems the identified service needs
exceed the social workers' time and resources. But in too many instances the social
worker’s "work plan" is only vaguely stated. For example, the plan merely reflects the
social work job functions defined by the State’s Department of Public Instruction. School
Social Work varies in each school. The lack of definition of job description often leads to
misunderstandings among teachers, supervisors and administrative staff resulting in
difficulty 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 Describe the process of negotiating this plan and how your work will be
evaluated?
o Discuss ways the work plan establishes (or fails to establish) realistic boundaries
on administrative assignments and expectations?
o Based upon additional readings in the unit, identify key elements that will need to
be in place for developing your services in the school(s).
Attendance/Participation Activity: Complete the case scenario located in Sakai. Post your
assignment in the Unit 10-11 Forums by midnight on 3/7/16.
March 21 – Unit 12: School-wide Reform and Service Intervention
Readings:
 Comer School Development Program. See Theory of Change & How it Works at
http://medicine.yale.edu/childstudy/comer/about/change.aspx
 Positive Behavior Support – on Sakai.
 Professional Learning Communities – brief intro – on Sakai.
Attendance/Participation Activity:
***This is an optional in-class meeting –Room TBD
This will be an opportunity for face-to-face interaction within the course. Instructor will hold
class beginning at 5:30 in a room to be determined.
For students unable to attend class, please submit a 2 page (double spaced) essay directly into the
Unit 12 forum no later than midnight on 3/21/16. Answer the following prompts: Describe your
professional learning community? Evaluate your effectiveness in collaboration and student
outcomes (examples of celebrations/wins and areas for improvement. Identify an area of the
school(s) needing school wide change? Synthesize ideas and information from the readings that
would guide the school in creating successful change.
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In addition, respond (at least 150 words) to one of your peer’s posts with support and additional
ideas on ways to enhance their PLC and school wide change plan. Provide a helpful resource
(journal article, website, organization, etc.) in moving forward. Post a response no later than
midnight on 3/23/16.
March 28 - Unit 13: Social Work Processes and Social Interventions: Practice with
Individuals, Families and Groups
Readings:
 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.”
 School Success Profile and Elementary School Success Profile: Training Module
https://www.schoolsuccessonline.com/about-ssp/
Assignments:
Attendance/Participation Activity:
 Prepare a 2 page summary of the Raines (2004) article and include supplemental
information on an individual case or group from your experience in the schools. Identify
the primary reason for your intervention, key people involved (client’s/clients’ teachers
and/or parents), 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. Post your assignments in the Unit 13
Forum by midnight 3/28/16.
 Submit a proposal for the final paper that is due on 4/25/16. In the proposal, identify 2-3
salient issues of school social work practice, describe some beginning evidence-based
practices or promising practices (these can be obtained through completing the School
Success Profile module and using the free search tools), and context for selecting the
salient issue (ways you will use this information in your practice in schools). Email
proposals to me at tjvan@email.unc.edu.
April 4 – Unit 14: Parent Involvement and Collaboration
Readings:
 Yale School Development Program (2004). Transforming school leadership and
management: Families as partners.
http://medicine.yale.edu/childstudy/comer/about/works.aspx
 Child Trend Data Base: Parental Involvement in Schools. (2014).
http://www.childtrends.org/?indicators=parental-involvement-in-schools
 Dupper, D. & Poertner J. (1997). Public schools and the revitalization of impoverished
communities: School-linked, family resource centers. Social Work, 42 (5), 415-422.
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Attendance/Participation Activity: Prepare a 2 page essay addressing the following: What key
elements resonate with you regarding the importance of increasing parent/family involvement
through including families as partners? When reflecting on your experience in schools, describe
ways that the school is welcoming to parents and families. What are some barriers and areas
that need improvement? Generate as many ideas as you can about ways to address the barriers
Post your assignments in the Unit 14 Forum by midnight of 4/4/16.
In addition, review a peer’s post that shared similar barriers. Respond (at least 150 words) to one
of your peer’s posts with your reaction to their ideas and ways you can further their suggestions
to improve your practice with engaging families. Post a response no later than midnight on
4/6/16.
April 11 - Unit 15: School & Community Collaboration: Challenging Boundaries
Readings:
 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.
Attendance/Participation Activity:
Submit a 2 page essay, and answer the following questions: Within the school community, how
do the roles and responsibilities of the counselors and social workers in your school vary-similarities and differences? Describe how teachers and other staff understand the role of the
school social worker in your district. Lastly, identify strategies and best practices in working
collaboratively with your interdisciplinary team.
Beyond the school and in the community, describe your experiences with collaterals in the
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, Mental Health, Medical
providers, etc.).
Post your assignments in the Unit 15 Forum by midnight 4/11/16.
In addition, respond (at least 150 words) to one of your peer’s posts with support and additional
ideas/best practices on ways to enhance school and community collaboration. Post a response no
later than midnight on 4/13/16.
April 18 - Unit 16: School Social Work Practice Accountability and Evaluation
14
-Unit 17: Surviving as a Social Worker in the Public Schools
Required Readings
 NC Department of Public Instruction (2013). North Carolina school social worker
evaluation process: user’s guide. http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/mah/socialwork/standards
 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.
 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.
Attendance/Participation Activity:
***This is an optional in-class meeting –Room TBD
This will be an opportunity for face-to-face interaction within the course. Instructor will hold
class beginning at 5:30 in a room to be determined. Specific agenda items include course review
and support with processing school social work license materials prior to commencement.
For students unable to attend class, please submit a 2 page (double spaced) essay directly into the
Unit 16-17 Forum no later than midnight on 4/18/16. Answer the following prompts: Describe
your impressions of the SSW Evaluation tool. In what ways does this instrument capture the
services unique for our field? In what areas could it use modification/adjustment? After
reviewing the strategies for longevity in the field, discuss your successes in your school
experience and areas for growth or application of some of the suggested approaches.
Assignments:
 Final research paper due April 25th.
15
Forum Mini Essays
Grading Standards
There are 4 mini essays due over the course of the semester and each should be 2 pages of
double spaced text. Topics and due dates are listed in the syllabus. The 4 mini essays are worth
30% 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.
3
The essay includes content from mini essay descriptions and addresses issues
posed in assignment.
3
The essay is well-written (2 pages) and demonstrates basic mastery of sentence
structure, with no grammatical, spelling, or typing errors.
1.5
Total
7.5
Comments:
16
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 (excluding title and
references slides). Students have two options in submitting the presentation. 1) Students can
record the presentation in Voice Grid through the sakai site or 2) provide a detailed notes section
including the information that would be stated to your audience. The presentation should provide
an overview of the law, policy or program. It should include information on ways children and
families are impacted. Lastly, the presentation should include implications for school social work
practice and the role of school social workers in serving children and families. In the reference
slide, cite a minimum of 4 additional references or websites beyond the required reading
within the presentation. This assignment is worth 15% of your overall grade.
Student: ___________________________
Evaluation Elements:
Powerpoint contains 15-20 well developed and structured slides that explain the
statue, policy, or program. Powerpoint presentation contains detailed information
to be shared with the audience of faculty and staff. (Student has shared thorough
information in the voice recording or Student has detailed notes sections with the
information for intended audience). Powerpoint slides are clear of grammatical,
spelling or typing errors.
Powerpoint presentation integrates class readings and includes at least 4 outside
references/research in reference slide.
Powerpoint presentation includes information about ways the statue, policy or
program impacts practice for school social workers. There is information
included about the role of school social workers in supporting students and
families.
Total
Points
Score
7
3
5
15
Comments:
17
Final Research Paper
Grading Standards
Identify a salient practice issue/problem for school social workers. Examples may include
attendance, high school drop-out, lack of parental involvement, etc. The practice issue is a
problem that requires high levels of intervention from school social workers. Discuss the
prevalence and impact of this issue in schools locally and nationally. Clearly define the roles and
responsibilities of the SSW in treating the problem. Select three 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 such as key people for collaboration, resources needed for
implementation and effectiveness with diverse populations. The paper should be 10 pages in
length (excluding cover and reference page) and a minimum of 6 outside references should be
cited. The final research paper is worth 15% of your overall grade.
Student: ___________________________
Evaluation Elements:
Points
Paper describes prevalence and impact of practice issue/problem. Discussion
includes common occurrences and ways issues impacts population (student,
school, family, community, etc.)
Score
3
Paper defines the role and responsibility of School Social Workers in treating the
issue/problem.
3
Paper identifies and describes 3 promising/effective interventions with empirical
support.
3
Paper discusses the practice implications when used in schools including
structure, key personnel, and effectiveness of interventions with diverse
populations.
The paper is well-written and demonstrates basic mastery of sentence structure,
with no grammatical, spelling, or typing errors.
The paper and reference list (year 2005 and above + exceptional earlier
documents) adhere to APA guidelines.
Total
3
1.5
1.5
15
Comments: