Letter from the ChairThe articles in this edition are intriguing. Both of them describe ways for school

social workers to enhance their effectiveness as practitioners. In “Partners in Education: Leveraging

the Roles of School Social Workers Through Collaboration With School Principals,” D. Natasha

Scott recommends a number of practical strategies to increase awareness among principals about

the important contributions school social workers make toward improving student learning outcomes.

Ongoing communication between principals and school social workers is one of the best ways to

bring about a shared understanding of how our work focuses on social and emotional needs of

students and how to address barriers to learning.

The second article summarizes findings from Dr. Michael Kelly’s research on how to develop

effective and sustainable professional learning communities (PLCs) for school social workers (SSWs).

He identifies practices that make PLCs work and offers tips for SSWs who want to start their own

communities. PLCs provide intensive learning experiences. Effective PLC groups tailor their focus to

those areas that members say they would like to explore and develop. Each PLC should have the

flexibility to determine how to meet (online, on the phone, or in person) and what will be discussed

during the meeting. PLC groups should set realistic annual goals that result in completed projects that

can be shared with their schools or districts. These two articles identify innovative ways for school

social workers to demonstrate effective practice.

Brenda Coble Lindsey, EdD, MSW, LCSW

SSWSPRING/SUMMER � 2017

SECTIONCONNECTION

NASW Practice & ProfessionalDevelopment BlogWhere can you find the latestinformation posting about socialwork practice? Visit the NASWPractice and ProfessionalDevelopment Blog. Designed forNASW Section members and socialworkers in practice, it offers trendingtopics, valuable resources, andprofessional developmentopportunities. Learn more atwww.socialworkblog.org/practice-and-professional-development/.

NASW SPECIALTY PRACTICE SECTIONS

S C H O O L S O C I A L W O R K

750 First Street NE, Suite 800Washington, DC 20002-4241

©2017 National Association of Social Workers.All Rights Reserved.

IT’S A FACT:Confidentiality is not absolute but best interests of those served.

Brenda Coble Lindsey, EdD, MSW, LCSW, ChairMegan Love Berkowitz, MSW, LICSWGregory P. Drozdowski, ACSWMichael S. Kelly, PhD, LCSWD. Natasha Scott, EdS, MSW

SSWCommitteeMembers

On any given day, students enterthe schoolhouse unprepared tolearn. For some students,internal and external barriers—such as poverty, mental illness,learning disabilities, and familydysfunction—prohibit them fromgetting the maximum benefits oftheir educations (Adelman &Taylor, 2006; Lagana-Riordan& Aguilar, 2009; Sherman,2016). To provide an equaleducational opportunity to allstudents, school leaders must

take steps to counter thenegative impact of socialproblems on learning; however,school principals and teachersare often confronted with issuesoutside their scope of expertise(Richard & Villarreal Sosa,2014; Watson, 1985). Manyschools employ student servicesprofessionals such as schoolsocial workers to address thesocial and emotional concernsof students.

American schools havebenefited from the expertise ofschool social workers (Webb,2011). These professionals aretypically known for their role asthe liaison between the home,the school, and the community(Allen-Meares, 2010). Socialworkers provide an array ofmicro-, macro-, and mezzo-levelservices using specialized skills(Webb, 2011). Essentially,school social workers dowhatever is legal and ethical to

eliminate barriers and to createopportunities so that studentscan thrive in the school setting.

The role of the school socialworker is leveraged when thereis a partnership between theprincipal and the school socialworker. The reality is thatprincipals greatly influencewhich student services areavailable in their schools andwho provides those services(Bye, Shepard, Partridge, &

NASW PRESIDENTDarrell Wheeler, PhD, MPH, ACSW

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERAngelo McClain, PhD, LICSW

NASW STAFFDirector, Professional andWorkforce DevelopmentRaffaele Vitelli, CAE

Specialty Practice Section ManagerYvette Mulkey, MS

Senior Practice AssociateTakia Richardson, LICSW, LCSW

Project CoordinatorRochelle Wilder

D. NATASHA SCOTT, EDS, MSW

PARTNERS IN EDUCATION:Leveraging the Roles of SchoolSocial Workers ThroughCollaboration With School Principals

Alvarez, 2009; Graham,Desmond, & Zinsser, 2011).School leaders’ understandingand vision of the roles of schoolsocial workers are thus critical topositioning these professionalsto make influential contributionsto student outcomes (Higy,Haberkorn, Pope, & Gilmore,2012). By outlining practicalrecommendations for raisingawareness via interdisciplinarycollaboration, this articlesupports the need for increasedrole clarity between school socialworkers and school principals.

THE VIEW FROM THEPRINCIPAL’S OFFICEFor a variety of reasons,principals generally have limitedexposure to school social workersand may not fully understandthe role (Tower, 2000). Forstarters, school administratorsare typically recruited from theteaching workforce, whichgives them little exposure to thework and training of schoolsocial workers (Louis & Gordon,2006; Shoffner & Williamson,2000; Williams & Wehrman,2010). In turn, leaders definethe roles of school socialworkers based on the leaders’earlier experiences (internshipor previous position) and themost visible tasks (home visits,school attendance, crisisintervention, etc.) that theseprofessionals complete (Louis &Gordon, 2006; Shoffner &Williamson, 2000; Tower,2000; Williams & Wehrman,2010). It should also be notedthat, according to the NationalCenter for Education Statistics,less than half of the publicschools in the United Statesemploy school social workers(Schools and Staffing Survey,2008). Therefore, it is likely thatmany principals lack experienceworking with school socialworkers; principals’ limitedexposure to school socialworkers may perpetuate role

misperception as well as theunderutilization of theseprofessionals (Tower, 2000).

In an ideal world, school socialworkers and schooladministrators would havesimilar perspectives on howschool social workers contributeto student success (Bye et al.,2009; Sherman, 2016).However, research shows thatschool social workers andprincipals have different viewsabout the tasks completed andthe percentage of time spentcompleting them (Allen-Meares,1994; Staudt, 1991; Tower,2000). These divergent viewsare likely influenced by thecontext of school social workpractice. For example, manyschool districts assign schoolsocial workers to multipleschools, so a principal in oneschool may not be aware of aschool social worker’s activitiesin another school (Staudt, 1991).A principal’s views andperceptions are most likelyshaped by what happens in hisor her building (Staudt, 1991).Also, school social workersmay be viewed as part-timeemployees due to their itinerantstatus (Staudt, 1991).Accordingly, principals may notconsider the role of school socialworkers to be a significant partof the school improvementprocess (Staudt, 1991).

PRACTICING WITH PURPOSEIn an era of tight budgets andgreater calls for transparencyand accountability, principalsmust maximize the use of allexisting resources and thecontributions of every staffmember (Dahir, Burnham,Stone, & Cobb, 2010). To doso, principals must have a clearunderstanding of the roles ofstudent support personnel (Higyet al., 2012). School socialworkers can help principals tobetter understand and

appreciate their role. Outlinedbelow are a few practicalrecommendations that schoolsocial workers can implement toincrease school administrators’knowledge of the profession.

Collaborate with yourprincipal(s). School socialworkers may benefit fromcollaborating with their principalsto prioritize the scope of work(Staudt, 1991). At the beginningof each school year, principalsand school social workersshould clarify roles and setreasonable expectations.Decisions about activities to becompleted by the school socialworker should be written downand referred to often.

Develop an annualagreement. A written annualagreement is a powerfuladvocacy tool (Hatch, 2014).The American Association forSchool Counselors recommendsthat annual agreements containsuch elements as activities/tasks,use of time, program goals,annual calendar, committeeassignments, and artifacts todemonstrate how the work willbe completed (Hatch, 2014).The development of an annualagreement between the schoolsocial worker and the principalrequires negotiation, planning,and ongoing communication.The impact could be a schoolsocial work program that isaligned to the mission of theschool and the needs of themost vulnerable students.

Collect data. It is important for school social workers tomaintain data that demonstratethe effectiveness of their work(Bye et al., 2009). Moreover,the data should document theimpact of school social workpractice on student achievement.Documenting the contributionsof school social workerslegitimizes the role (Gibelman,

1993). In addition, it justifiesthe need for services and itdocuments best practices forservice delivery.

Report outcomes. Schoolsocial workers are typicallyfound working quietly behindthe scenes and under the coverof confidentiality (Sherman,2016). As such, schooladministrators and othereducators often do not seeschool social workers in action(Sherman, 2016). To be clear,the National Association ofSocial Workers’ Code of Ethicsrequires that all social workersmaintain confidentiality andprotect the rights of clients;however, school social workersmust find ways to ethically telltheir stories. One way togenerate a narrative about theroles and contributions is toreport data on actual tasks andoutcomes of school social workpractice. The data should beroutinely shared with principals,district-level administrators,school board members, andother stakeholders. Consistentcommunication betweenprincipals and school socialworkers may facilitate principals’knowledge of the role.

Advocate for the profession.In as much as school socialworkers advocate for childrenand families, these professionalsmust also self-advocate(Sherman, 2016). Again,school social workers must telltheir stories within the schoolcommunity. Giving voice to theaccomplishments, challenges,and perspectives of schoolsocial workers strengthens theprofession. It allows stakeholderssuch as school principals andteachers to better understandand appreciate the roles andcontributions of theseprofessionals.

dictates that sharing of information is done at all times in the

An increasing number ofstudents are facing complexproblems (bullying, mentalimpairments, homelessness,etc.). Although many studentsare resilient, some find theseproblems to be barriers to theirlearning. Within schools, schoolsocial workers are in a uniqueposition to make a powerfulcontribution. Their role is criticalto the social and emotional needsof students, and the support ofschool principals is needed tofully realize this role (Higy etal., 2014). Implementingstructures that facilitate ongoingcommunication andinterdisciplinary collaborationbetween principals and schoolsocial workers will likely improveany misperceptions that currentlyexist. Interdisciplinarycollaboration between principalsand school social workerscould translate to effectivesocial work practices that areimplemented schoolwide(Sherman, 2016).

D. Natasha Scott, EdS, MSW, is amember of NASW’s steeringcommittee for the School Social WorkSpecialty Practice Section. She is theexecutive director of student servicesfor Cumberland County Schools inFayetteville, North Carolina, and sheis an adjunct instructor in the SocialWork Department at FayettevilleState University. Ms. Scott iscurrently conducting a mixed-methodsstudy, North Carolina Principals’Perceptions of the Roles of SchoolSocial Workers, as a doctoralcandidate in educational leadership atthe University of North Carolina atChapel Hill. She can be reached atscottnatasha@hotmail.com.

REFERENCESAdelman, H.S., & Taylor, L.

(2006). The implementationguide to student learningsupports in the classroomand schoolwide: Newdirections for addressingbarriers to learning.Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Allen-Meares, P. (1994,September). Social workservices in schools: Anational study of entry-leveltasks. Social Work, 39(5),560-565.

Allen-Meares, P. (2010). School social work: Historicaldevelopment, influences, andpractices. In P. Allen-Meares(Ed.), Social work services inschools (pp. 23-47). Boston,MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Bye, L., Shepard, M. Partridge,J., & Alvarez, M. (2009).School social work outcomes:Perspectives of school socialworkers and schooladministrators. Children &Schools, 31(2), 97-108.

Dahir, C., Burnham, J., Stone,C., & Cobb, N. (2010).Principals as partners:Counselors as collaborators.NASSP Bulletin, 94(4), 286-305.

Gibelman, M. (1993, January).School social workers,counselors, and psychologistsin collaboration: A sharedagenda. Social Work inEducation, 15(1), 45-53.

Graham, M.A., Desmond, K.J.,& Zinsser, E. (2011). Statemandated principals’ training—Does it make a difference?An examination of principals’perceptions of the AmericanSchool Counselors Association(ASCA) national model, state-specific models of schoolcounseling and the roles of

the school counselor. Journalfor Counselor Preparation andSupervision, 3(2), 95-109.

Hatch, T. (2014). The use ofdata in school counseling.Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Higy, C., Haberkorn, J., Pope,N., & Gilmore, T. (2012).The role of school socialworkers from the perspectiveof school administratorinterns: A pilot study in ruralNorth Carolina. InternationalJournal of Humanities andSocial Science, 2(2), 8-15.

Lagana-Riordan, C., & Aguilar,J.P. (2009, July). What’smissing from No Child LeftBehind? A policy analysisfrom a social workperspective. Children &Schools, 31(3), 135-144.

Louis, K., & Gordon, M.(2006). Aligning studentsupport with achievementgoals: The secondaryprincipal’s guide. ThousandOaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Richard, L.A., & Villarreal Sosa,L. (2014). School social work in Louisiana: A modelof practice. Children &Schools, 36(4), 211-220.

Schools and Staffing Survey.(2008). Number andpercentage of public schoolsby presence of counselors,psychologists, and socialworkers on staff and selectedschool characteristics: 2007-08. National Center forEducation Statistics [Online].Retrieved fromhttp://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sass/tables/sass0708_2013027_s1n_04.asp

Sherman, M.C. (2016). Theschool social worker: Amarginalized commoditywithin the school ecosystem.Children & Schools, 38(3),147-151.

Shoffner, M.F., & Williamson,R.D. (2000, December).Engaging preservice schoolcounselors and principals indialogue and collaboration.Counselor Education &Supervision, 40(2), 128-140.

Staudt, M. (1991, November).A role perception study ofschool social work practice.Social Work, 36(6), 496-498.

Tower, K. (2000, April). Imagecrisis: A study of attitudesabout school social workers.Social Work in Education,22(2), 83-94.

Watson, T. (1985, February).Pupil services—The teamapproach. Part I: The team.Paper presented at theannual meeting of theNational Association ofSocial Workers, NewOrleans, LA.

Webb, N.B. (2011). Socialwork practice with children(3rd ed.). New York, NY:Guilford Press.

Williams, R., & Wehrman, J.(2010). Collaboration andconfidentiality: Not a paradoxbut an understandingbetween principals andschool counselors. NASSPBulletin, 94(2), 107-119.

In K-12 education,professional learningcommunities (PLCs) havebeen defined as collaborative

projects between educators withsimilar work roles who cometogether to improve studentoutcomes (Leonard & Leonard,2001). Such PLCs typicallycarry out their work throughinterventions that are “systematic,timely, and directive” in order to create effective learningconditions for all students(DuFour, 2004, p. 7). Thoughmany classroom teachersparticipate in PLCs today, littleis known about the effectivenessof PLCs to engage school mentalhealth professionals (SMHPs) intheir own ongoing efforts toprovide professional developmentand improve student behavioraland academic performance(Carpenter-Aeby, Aeby, &Mozingo, 2011). In this article,I will present examples of threePLCs I’ve helped to create overthe past six years in locations asdiverse as Wyoming, suburbanChicago, and Michigan. I will

show how we’ve applied thelessons learned from those PLCsto build a PLC research projectcurrently underway with amultidisciplinary team at theFamily and School PartnershipProgram (FSPP) as part ofLoyola Chicago’s School ofSocial Work.

Several overarching challengesemerge from recent survey dataon school social workers’(SSWs’) practice: Many SSWsreport that they spend little timeengaging in prevention-orientedwork at a whole-school level(Tier 1), and when they doengage in Tier 3 practice, theyusually focus on individualstudent concerns without familyand teacher involvement; further,few SSWs report feelingprepared to conduct theirpractice in an evidence-informedand data-driven manner. Anothersignificant challenge SSWsreport is the lack of social workmentoring and supervision intheir settings: It is common forSSWs to report that their direct

supervisor has never been aschool social worker, and manyreport a sense of professionalisolation as they try to managetheir caseloads and otherdemands (Kelly, Bluestone-Miller, Mervis, & Fuerst, 2012).

SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKPLCS IN ACTIONTo help address these issues,district leaders and SSWs inCasper (Wyoming), Evanston(Illinois), and Oakland County(Michigan) asked me to assistthe SSWs in forming PLCs. EachPLC ran for at least a year, andeach group focused on thespecific issues that were importantto the SSWs themselves. Identifythese issues and the structures inTable 1.

As befitting the PLC model,each group adopted differentmodes of working together, allin service of the larger outcomeof improving their practice andservice to their schools. All ofthem had the chance to use thePLC time for what they thoughtmattered most, and all of themworked hard with me and witheach other to produce a rangeof documents and presentationsto which they referredthroughout the year. Perhapsmost impressive to me was thatthey all gave freely of their owntime off school hours: Each oneof these PLCs succeededbecause the members weremotivated and willing to put inthe time that was needed, both

during and after school. Finally,I was impressed by how eachPLC managed to find a way tohelp the SSWs learn new skills,put them into practice, and feelpart of a supportive communitydoing this work.

LESSONS LEARNED FROMPLC WORK: STARTING A PLCIN YOUR DISTRICTPLCs have become mainstays ofthe K-12 education landscape,but most of the PLCs to datehave focused on teachers andlearning about specific curricularareas. The PLCs described inthis article were exclusivelycreated by and for SSWs, andthey proved to be an attractiveand efficient model across threevery different educationalcontexts in three states. While notwithout challenges (schedulingissues at times, for example),each PLC was remarkablycommitted to its targeted areasand willing to go above andbeyond to find resources anddevelop new skills. Given thatmost SSWs are not likely to havea ready-made structure in theirdistrict to provide this ongoingprofessional development andcommunal support, PLCs seem tobe a promising way to enhancelifelong learning for SSWs.

As the one constant member ofeach PLC, I’ve reflected on whatmade these PLCs work andwhat can be learned from theseexperiences for SSWs whowant to start their own PLCs.

DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE &SUSTAINABLE Professional LearningCommunities for School Social Workers

MICHAEL S. KELLY PHD, MSW

First, each group formed on itsown terms and identified whatthey wanted me to help themexplore and develop. Second,each PLC was able to set itsown agenda and usedwhatever combination of online/phone meeting and in-personmeetings that best suited it.Third, each group was able tobe both ambitious in workingon their targeted areas andwilling to set realistic goals foreach year’s PLC. And finally,each group worked toward“products” that they couldeither share internally with theirschools or disseminate morewidely within their districts. Thiscombination of intensive learning

and the desire to share theirwork appeared to be crucial:without the promise that all thisgreat PLC conversation wasgoing to be shared outside thePLC—and that it could yieldtangible impacts in practice—some PLC members may havebeen less motivated to keepgoing. Having a solid andpredictable meeting structureusing technology and in-personmeetings, granting SSWsownership of the PLC agenda,and setting individual andgroup goals for the PLC workall seem to be essential tomaking PLCs successful forSSWs nationwide.

Michael S. Kelly, PhD, MSW, is anassociate professor and the director ofthe Family and School PartnershipsProgram at Loyola University ChicagoSchool of Social Work. He can bereached at mkell17@luc.edu.

REFERENCESCarpenter-Aeby, T., Aeby, V.

G., & Mozingo, M. (2011).A practice evaluation ofprofessional learningcommunities among schoolsocial workers using arecollection proxy pretestdesign. Journal of HumanBehavior in the SocialEnvironment, 21(7), 766-783.

DuFour, R. (2004, May). Whatis professional learningcommunity? EducationalLeadership, 61(8), 6-11.

Kelly, M.S., Bluestone-Miller, R.,Mervis, B., & Fuerst, R.(2012). The Family andSchool Partnership Program:A framework for professionaldevelopment. Children &Schools, 34(4), 249-252.

Leonard, P.E., & Leonard, L.J.(2001). The collaborativeprescription: Remedy orreverie? International Journalof Leadership in Education,4(4), 383–399.

PLC GROUPCasper, WyomingK-12 District

Evanston, IllinoisK-8 District

Oakland County (Michigan) Schools,Michigan SSWs in a variety of elementary, junior high, high, andalternative school contexts

TOTAL PARTICIPANTS12 (PLC met for 18 months)

26 (PLC met for two years)

11(PLC met for one year, and somemembers are returning for year 2)

STRUCTURE OF PLC• Monthly meetings by phone• Four in-person daylong meetings withDr. Kelly

• Five PLC groups formed based onSSWs’ interests

• Monthly meetings by phone• Twice a year, two-hour in-personmeetings with Dr. Kelly

• Monthly meetings using Adobe Connect • Co-led by Dr. Kelly and Mr. SteveWhitmore, Oakland County SSWConsultant

• Sharing of data from monthly time-study tool completed by PLC

• Monthly presentations by PLC memberson topics selected by the group

AREAS TARGETED• Developing entrance and exit criteriafor SSW services

• Using data to intervene effectively atthe Tier 2 classroom level

• Using Evidence Based Practice, (EBP)to select the best interventions forstudents across all parts of the Multi-Tier System Support (MTSS) system

• Improving Functional BehavioralAssessment and the BehavioralIntervention Plan, (FBA/BIP)procedures and data collection tools

• Identifying the best EBP for studentswith anxiety, autism, and AttentionDeficit Hyperactivity Disorder, (ADHD)

• Assessing SSW progress-monitoringtools and adopting new ones

• Developing a bank of measurable SSW goals to use districtwide

• Developing systems and best practicesfor Tier 2 groups

• Use of time-study tool and analysis of data

• Explaining and advocating for SSWservices based on the time-study data

• Sharing best practices on effective time management ideas, progress-monitoring tools, and interventionstrategies for students with autism

NASW SPECIALTY PRACTICE SECTIONS ON-DEMAND WEBINAR

Ethical Challenges in School Social Work: Cutting-edge Issues

CREDIT HOURS: 3 Ethics CEU(s)

PRESENTERS:• Frederic Reamer, PhD

MODERATOR(S): • Dawn Hobdy, MSW, LICSW

This webinar will provide participants with an overview of ethical, malpractice, and risk-management issues pertaining to school

social work and the delivery of services to minors and their families. Using extensive case material, participants will learn how to

handle complex practice-based ethical dilemmas, prevent professional malpractice, and avoid liability. Emphasis will be on practical

strategies designed to protect children, professionals, and other school personnel and administrators. Key topics will include the

concepts of confidentiality, privacy, and privileged communication; limits to minors’ right to confidentiality; disclosures to parents and

guardians; responding to subpoenas in child custody disputes, divorce proceedings, and other litigation; parents’ access to minors’

confidential records; protecting third parties; management of online and digital communications; and relevant statutes, regulations,

court orders, and Constitutional issues.

For more details visit: SocialWorkers.org/sections

750 FIRST STREET NE, SUITE 800WASHINGTON, DC 20002-4241

For more information, visitSocialWorkers.org/Sections

Did You Know?Few professions have as ubiquitousa presence in systems that involvechildren, from family and the school to child protective agenciesand juvenile justice systems, as dosocial workers.

Call for Social Work Practitioner Submissions

NASW invites current social work practitioners to submit brief articles for our specialty practice publications. Topics must be relevant to one or more of the following specialized areas:

For submission details and author guidelines, go toSocialWorkers.org/Sections. If you need more information, email sections@naswdc.org.

• Administration/Supervision• Aging• Alcohol, Tobacco, and

Other Drugs• Child Welfare• Children, Adolescents,

and Young Adults

• Health• Mental Health• Private Practice• School Social Work• Social and Economic

Justice & Peace• Social Work and the Courts