ISSWA NEWS

LINDA MORAN IS ISSWA'S 2007 SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER OF THE YEAR

Linda is a school social worker for the Northwest AEA serving the schools in Denison, Iowa.  Linda received the School Social Worker of the Year Award at the Fall Conference in Cedar Falls on November 2, 2007. The School Social Worker of the Year Award goes to an individual who demonstrates innovative and creative direct school social work practice and outstanding achievements and contributions to school social work through demonstrated leadership and professional participation. 

 Linda seeks innovative ways to collect and use data to document the effectiveness of her practice.  She is especially interested in demonstrating the connection between social work interventions and improved school performance.  Linda has presented on her work at two national SSWAA School Social Work Conferences with standing room only.  She has presented at the Center for Center for Mental Health in Schools at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Champions Gate, Florida.  She also presented at the North Carolina School Social Workers; Association Fall Conference in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

Linda currently is a member of the ISSWA Executive Board serving as the Newsletter Editor.

Linda Moran receives the School Social Worker of the Year award from DeaEllen Birtwistle at the ISSWA Fall Conference on November 1, 2007.

CAROL SCOTT WINS THE 2007 LEAHGRETA SPEARS CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Carol Scott, from the Prairie Lakes AEA 8, received the Leahgreta Spears Career Achievement Award at the ISSWA Falls Conference.  The Career Achievement Award recognizes individuals that demonstrate leadership and contributions to the profession over time, consistent levels of commitment, and an impact on others. 

Carol moved from a social work career in social services to school social work in 1993.  Since that time she has taken a leadership role in ISSWA serving as Member-at-large, Secretary and President.  She was co-chair of two fall conferences.  When Maggie Conrad retired and stepped down as ISSWA President, Carol was willing to serve out the rest of her term.

Carol has impacted the lives of colleagues, students and families over the years.  She has a unique ability to bring families and educators together to support the needs of students.  Her dedication and commitment have been evident to AEA and district colleagues, students and their families. 

Carol Scott receives the Leahgreta Spears Career Achievement Award from DeaEllen Birtwistle at the Fall Conference on November 2, 2007.

ISSWA'S 2007 FALL CONFERENCE IN CEDAR FALLS IS A SUCCESS

Attendance at the fall conference was low with just 35 registered.  However, the presentations were outstanding.  The small number of conference participants encouraged positive interactions in each session. 

The Member-at-Large, Dawn Jaeger from AEA 267, Emily Schaefer from AEA 8 and Katy Lee from AEA 10 planned the Fall Conference, The Many Faces of School Social Work.  Katy Lee was unable to attend the conference.  However, Emily Schaefer and Dawn Jaeger manned the registration table.

Carol Scott, ISSWA President opened the conference.  Carol also introduced the ISSWA Board members in attendance.  She then introduced the first speaker, Nancy Veldhuizen from Grant Wood AEA 10.  Nancy presented a session on Critical Incident Stress Management.  Nancy described the Critical Incident Stress Management Team in AEA 10 and asked for other examples from participants.  There was a rich discussion of the factors that make this type of crisis intervention successful.

The second speaker, Doug Walter, from the Mississippi Bend AEA 9, current Treasurer for ISSWA, presented on SF 277, the landmark bill approved by the 2007 Iowa Legislature that made significant changes in the Educator Quality and Student Achievement Law.  Doug described the impact of this important piece of legislation on school social workers. SF 277 provides an additional $145 million in teacher compensation funding.  AEA licensed staff members' salaries will increase by an average of $5,600 per person over the next two years.  Doug explained that AEA employees were almost left out of this important bill.  Doug is President of the AEA 9 Education Association.  In that role he worked with state-wide leaders from the Iowa State Education Association (ISEA) to make sure that school social workers and school nurses were included in the salary increases.  He also described other provisions in the legislation that may impact school social workers in ways not yet known.

Kim Riley-Quinn and Mary Cashman from AEA 9, joined Lisa Mooney from the Linn Mar district to deliver a presentation on the Teen Screen Program than is active in many Iowa schools.  They described how TeenScreen has been implemented in their schools and responded to questions and comments from the audience.

Barb Brunkan from AEA 9 delivered a presentation titled, Sugar and Spice and Everything Not Nice.  This session helped participants understand how girls manipulate their social scene, to explore the messages young girls receive from society and to gain an understanding of ways adults can encourage authenticity, fairness and empathy.

Jill Schager from Prairie Lakes AEA 8 presented on Love and Logic.  Jill demonstrated skills for neutralizing student arguing, enforceable statements to set limits and  the use of choices to prevent power struggles.  Participants saw examples of these skills as used by teachers in a school environment.

Charlene Thiede, retired State Consultant for School Social Work, presented a three-hour session on Ethics for School Social Workers.  This session will fulfill the requirement for ethics training for participants.

Members-at-Large Emily Schaefer and Dawn Jaeger welcomed conference participants.

Carol opens the conference.

Nancy Velhuizen presented on Critical Incident Stress Management.

Doug Walter presented on HR 277.

Kim Riley-Quinn, Mary Cashman and Lisa Mooney presented on TeenScreen.

Barb Brunchan welcomed a friend to her presentation.

Jill Schager presented on Love and Logic.

ISSWA 2007 AWARDS LUNCHEON AND BUSINESS MEETING

DeaEllen Birtwistle, Chair of the ISSWA Recognition Committee opened the awards ceremony with a rousing speech about cheering for each other as school social workers. 

Linda Moran was honored as the Iowa School Social Worker of the Year for 2007.  Linda described her current work to develop training for high school special education students in self-advocacy.  She will be seeking ways to collect data to demonstrate the outcomes achieved by this work.  Linda also talked about her work with the ISSWA Newsletter.  She asked members of the audience to provide information to her to be included in the Newsletter.  She indicated that they didn't need to write a formal article.  If they e-mail her with the content they want to share she will create the Newsletter article.

DeaEllen Birtwistle presented the Leahgreta Spears Career Achievement Award to Carol Smith, out-going President of ISSWA.  Carol gave a moving speech thanking members of the Association and Gary Petersen, her AEA 8 Administrator for their recognition and support.

Sue Smith from Prairie Lakes AEA 8 will be the President of the Iowa School Social Workers Association after the Fall Conference.  Sue will serve a two-year term as President.  In 2008 the Association will elect a President-Elect to serve with her for a year before taking over as President in 2009.  Carol Scott officially turned over the responsibilities of the President to Sue at the ISSWA Business Meeting.

DeaEllen Birtwistle opened Awards Ceremony.

Jill Schager, the Practitioner Representative to the Midwest Conference presented the Midwest Award to Linda Moran as the Iowa School Social Worker of the Year.

Carol thanked ISSWA for recognizing her work.

Sue Smith and Carol Scott

The ISSWA Board for 2006-2007 posed for a photo at the beginning of the conference.

Dawn Jaeger is completing her term as Member-at-Large and Carol Scott is completing her term as President.  Sue Smith began her two-year term as ISSWA President.  Nominations for the Member-at-Large position are being sought.  Mary Kirk (not pictured) completed her two-year term as Secretary of ISSWA.  Nominations for Secretary are being sought.  Doug Walter was appointed by Carol Scott to complete the term of Steve Gonzalez as Treasurer.  Doug will run for the Treasurer's position this fall. 

From left to right, Dawn Jaeger, Emily Schaefer, Charlene Thiede, Linda Moran, Jill Schager, Sue Smith, DeaEllen Birtwistle, Doug Walter and Carol Scott.

Cashman Named Coordinator

Mary Cashman, ISSWA member and School Social Worker in the Mississippi Bend AEA 9 was named Coordinator of Agency Services for Sector II which includes North Scott, Pleasant Valley, Bettendorf, Calamus-Wheatland and Central/Dewitt Schools.  She will be responsible for both special education as well as general education services.  ISSWA congratulates her and wishes her success in her new endeavor

Mary Cashman

WALTER APPOINTED ISSWA TREASURER

Doug Walter, School Social Worker in AEA 9, agreed to complete Steve Gonzalez's term as ISSWA Treasurer.  The ISSWA Board welcomes Doug!

 

Doug Walter

national teenscreen conference March 14-15 2007

School social workers have taken the lead in bringing TeenScreen to Iowa. It is not surprising that they were well represented at the Second Annual TeenScreen Conference held in Washington DC on March 14-15, 2007.

Among those attending were, Mary Andres from Grant Wood AEA 10; Lisa Mooney from the Linn-Mar School District, Kim Riley-Quinn and Mary Cashman from Mississippi Bend AEA 9; Steve Presley and Kathy Utterback from Southern Prairie AEA 15; Laura Fefchak and Steve Gonzalez from the Des Moines Public Schools; and Charlene Thiede, current ISSWA Membership Chair and Webmaster.

Laura Fefchak and Steve Gonzalez from the Des Moines Public Schools

(Click here to see more photos)

ISSWA's Annual School Social Work Conference 2006 a Success

Heartland AEA 11 Supervisor of School Social Work Services, Jim Clark, and school social workers, Andrea Timm, Beth Dedic, and Jennifer Gilmore, gave the presentation that they delivered at the 100^th Anniversary of School Social Work Conference held March 29^th-April 1, 2006 in Boston.  The title was Response to Intervention:  A Problem-solving Approach for Enabling Learning.   The learning objectives were: understanding differences between battery and functional (or problem-solving) approaches,  identifying the key features of a response to intervention (RTI) approach, and the links between assessment, intervention design and implementation, data collection, and decision-making. This presentation served as a starting point for a discussion about the changing role of school social workers in Iowa.

Beth Dedic, Jennifer Gilmore, Andrea Timm and Jim Clark, Heartland AEA 11

ISSWA RECOGNIZES EXCELLENCE

2006 Iowa School Social Worker of the Year

Sue Smith, Prairie Lakes AEA 8

The Iowa School Social Worker of the Year for 2006 is Sue Smith of Prairie Lakes AEA.  She was nominated by her colleagues at AEA 8.  for her acceptance of leadership responsibilities within the school social work department and for using her social systems knowledge to enhance student performance.

Sue was chosen to be the lead school social worker for the new AEA 8 three years ago.  Her responsibilities have included committee work on Curriculum Based Measurement and recruiting new social workers under the AEA team representative model.  She encouraged and supported training and participation in Teen Screen, Positive Behavior Supports, and the wraparound process.  Co- workers emphasize Sue’s commitment to maintaining a professional image for school social workers.  Currently, Sue is President Elect of ISSWA.

During her acceptance remarks, Sue reflected on her childhood growing up on an Iowa farm and how blessed she felt to have such a supportive family.  She believes that her upbringing nourished her work ethic as well as her willingness to attempt many new ventures as a school social worker.

Dea Ellen Epley Birtwistle, ISSWA Recognition Chairperson presents the award to Sue Smith

Sue Smith, Prairie Lakes AEA 8

2006 Leahgreta Spears Career Achievement Award

Mary Carter, Keystone AEA 1

For three decades Mary was a school social worker.  She served as a leader of the Early Childhood Family Service Team and has also provided leadership as the Coordinator of the Autism Resource Team in AEA 1.  Her co-workers nominated her noting her willingness to present information, to share materials, and to be committed to lifelong learning as indicators of her stellar performance. 

Many of Mary’s remarks during the acceptance of her award focused on the importance of keeping a sense of humor while working with children.   Sustaining her energy through teamwork has been a key to her success as a school social worker.  

Although Mary retired in 2006, she was persuaded to return to the AEA when an unexpected opening occurred.  She hopes to get back to retirement soon.

Mary Carter. Keystone AEA 1

2006 Friends of Children Award

Sara Despenas, Kay Erland and Chris Wyrick

Elementary Guidance Counselors in the Mason City Schools

The Mason City School District’s three elementary guidance counselors are recognized as the Iowa School Social Workers Association’s Friends of Children Award recipients for 2006.  They were nominated by school social workers for their strong collaboration in providing services for children, families, and schools.

Kay Erland, Chris Wyrick, and Sarah Despenas joined with AEA267 school social workers to initiate and sustain Circle of Friends groups for children with special needs.  They have been proactive in implementing a school-wide bully prevention curriculum.  Despite school building construction and declining financial resources, they strive to deliver a continuity of services for children in their respective buildings.  They truly understand that when planning student interventions, there are ample challenges and successes to share with all who are involved.

During the recognition ceremony Kay, Chris and Sarah expressed how truly honored they felt to receive their awards.  They also said that they value the opportunities that they have had to collaborate with school social workers and they believe that this collaboration has increased the level of acceptance of diversity among students and staff in the schools they serve.

Sarah Despenas

Kay Erland

Chris Wyrick

Elementary Guidance Counselors

Mason City Schools

New State Senator, Becky Schmitz Speaks

Becky Schmitz, a school social worker in the Southern Prairie AEA 15 for 27 years, was recently elected to the Iowa State Senate.  She made a surprise visit to the ISSWA Fall Conference and spoke briefly during the Recognition Luncheon.  She wanted to express her thanks to all of the school social workers who have helped her during her campaign for the Senate.

Becky began working as a school social worker in small rural districts.  Over the years her job changed from working on a multi-disciplinary team to serving as a building representative.

As a school social worker she was frustrated with the lack of financial support for schools and cuts in social services for families and children, so she turned to politics.  She worked on five successful House campaigns and ultimately agreed to become a candidate herself.  As a result she found herself busier in retirement than she had been when she was employed.

However, Becky is doing what she loves best, advocating for schools, children and families.  In her public speaking she frequently uses examples from her many years of experience as a school social worker.  These stories have made her points more real and dynamic.  She was thrilled to succeed in a very tight race and she looks forward to serving as a State Senator.

There is now a retired school social worker in the House (Ro Foege) and in the Senate (Becky Schmitz).  Contact either one of them on the ISSWA Discussion Page by following the directions to register for the ISSWA class on Nicenet.

Rebecca Schmitz

Iowa State Senator

District 45

AEA 12 School Social Worker, Linda Moran, presented at the 2006 School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) Annual Conference in Boston

Linda's presentation titled, "PR FOR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS:  Showing Data Outcomes Related to NCLB Mandates" drew a crowd of over 100 people.  It was Moran's second consecutive presentation at SSWAA's Annual National Conference.  She presented in a beautiful ballroom on the opening day of the conference. "It was thrilling!  I was totally in awe, and honored" Linda said.

ISSWA's current goal is to "advocate for school social work as a profession by increasing the understanding of school administrators, AEA staff, the Schools of Social Work in Iowa and the public of the unique role school social workers play in schools, interventions specific to school social work and how school social work interventions increase student achievement."  Moran's presentation delivers useful information on how individual practitioners can use data from their practice to demonstrate their effectiveness. 

Linda Moran Delivers Second Presentation at the Annual SSWAA Conference

AEA 11 School Social Workers present at the School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) 2006 Annual Conference in Boston

Heartland AEA 11 Supervisor of School Social Work Services, Jim Clark, and school social workers, Andrea Timm, Beth Dedic, and Jennifer Gilmore, presented at the 100^th Anniversary of School Social Work Conference held March 29^th-April 1, 2006 in Boston. 

The presentation title was Response to Intervention:  A Problem-solving Approach for Enabling Learning.   The learning objectives were: understanding differences between battery and functional (or problem-solving) approaches,  identifying the key features of a response to intervention (RTI) approach, and the links between assessment, intervention design and implementation, data collection, and decision-making. 

Approximately 80 conference participants attended the 3-hour session.   The audience included individuals from all areas of the United States and a few from other countries.  Due to the most recent reauthorization of IDEA 2004 that includes provisions for using a “response to intervention” process in the determination of special education eligibility, the topic was accepted as both timely and thought provoking.  National and international networking was established and a continued collaboration appears to be inevitable.

Beth Dedic, Jennifer Gilmore, Andrea Timm and Jim Clark

Heartland AEA 11

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