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By Amanda N. Wegner “We are unlocking doors for students,” she said. “For me, I feel totally honored to do what it is I do – to develop trust with students and their families and others in the community. I have loved it since I started. It’s fast-paced and interesting and a most valuable profession to be in. Nothing can be better.”
Payton, president of the Wisconsin School Social Workers Association (WSSWA) and a social worker in the Hamilton School District – which includes the communities of Sussex, Lisbon, Menomonee Falls, Butler, Lannon and Pewaukee – echoes the sentiments of many of her peers around the state. A crucial link between students, their families, their school and the community, school social workers fill the gaps not covered by the duties of other student support professionals. Though some of the duties of school social workers overlap with those of school counselors and school psychologists, social workers take an ecological, systematic approach to address what may be hindering a student’s achievement. “The three disciplines do work together,” said Judie Shine, president of the School Social Work Association of America and a school social worker in the Oak Creek School District. “But (school social workers) look at a child in all environments. We integrate the school, the family and the community.” Whether it is a death in the family, witnessing abuse in the home, trouble with the juvenile justice system or something else, school social workers often work beyond a school’s walls to examine barriers to learning and then work with families and other community resources to help students succeed. It is a profession that requires gentle manipulation on all sides of the table, which is all done in the best interest of the student. School social work in Wisconsin A district is not required to have a school social worker unless there is a legally required need for one. In a time of crunched budgets and revenue cap limitations, some districts are eliminating school social work jobs or consolidating positions. Tim Schwaller is familiar with that scenario. Schwaller, who has worked in the School District of South Milwaukee for more than 20 years, has been working as both a school social worker and counselor for two of his district’s elementary schools for three years due to budget cuts. While he enjoys his role as a counselor, his heart belongs to social work and finding a balance can be difficult at times. “I call myself a social worker though my job title is counselor/social worker,” said Schwaller, who is also WSSWA’s president-elect. “I try not to let budget issues dictate my job, but times are definitely tighter. I can’t do quite as much, but it’s a matter of prioritizing and focusing on what needs to be done. There are no excuses to not help children achieve.” Increased strains “I think things are more difficult now in society,” Schwaller said. “There are fewer services, money is tighter and resources are much more limited. Situations are becoming more and more difficult and that’s where we as school social workers step in.” Nic Dibble, consultant for School Social Work Services at the state Department of Public Instruction, said districts without a school social worker are at a disadvantage from the standpoint of being able to provide a full range of services necessary to promote student achievement. “There are a whole variety of reasons why students struggle and face barriers to learning,” said Dibble, who was recently named School Social Worker of the Year by his peers. “There are a lot of things that happen outside the classroom that affect our students. You can have the very best teacher teaching the best curriculum, but if the student isn’t in the classroom or is still upset after seeing his mother beat up by her live-in boyfriend, he won’t succeed. Those are situations where school social work services are a real benefit. They are not peripheral to the core mission of a school.” To help school social workers fulfill their missions, Wisconsin is one of only a few states to have someone like Dibble – a consultant who supports the school social work field by providing technical assistance, developing resources, creating and offering training opportunities and networking with state-level agencies and organizations to foster integral relationships, build resources and influence policy as it relates to school social work. “My job is to help (school social workers) do their jobs better,” said Dibble. In Wisconsin, there are also state-level consultants for school nurses, counselors and psychologists. “Having a state-level consultant is a real rarity,” said Shine, “and it is a wonderful resource for practitioners.” One such resource is a three-year survey started in 1998 that outlines the types of students school social workers are working with, the types of barriers students are facing, and how school social workers are helping. According to the latest survey, which was completed during the 2004-05 school year, school social workers are more often working with students who have attendance issues. Since starting the survey, Dibble said, the largest percent increase of students served by school social workers has been with homeless students and their families. School social workers have also reported a decrease in the number of teen pregnancies. “School social work, how we do it and who we serve is always changing,” said Dibble. “But the part that hasn’t changed is that school social work is still about relationships. That will never change.” Heart-wrenching situations “We have our urban problems; for instance, we see a lot of homelessness,” said Klein, WSSWA’s past-president. “But we see the same problems as (school social workers) in a suburban or rural district – just more.” Schwaller, who is in the suburban district of South Milwaukee, agrees. “We have a very interesting mix of students. We have several low-income housing projects and non-native speakers as well as a wealthier population. But we see a lot of the same issues they are seeing over in Milwaukee and other large urban districts,” Schwaller said. Regardless of the issue, a problem’s resolution doesn’t fall solely on the shoulders of the school social worker. Because of the systemic, ecological nature of the profession, it takes teamwork. As such, there are times when things don’t go as planned. “Most of the time we do see some results, but certainly there are times when it can be frustrating,” Schwaller said. “I believe strongly in the right of self-determination. We can provide resources and point students and their families in the right direction, but they have to be part of the solution. They have to want change. And it doesn’t always work out in the end.” Despite the nature of the issues they face, simply knowing they are making even the slightest difference keeps these dedicated social workers forging ahead. “I know that things are tough for them,” Schwaller said. “It’s kind of a ministry or a calling. What motivates me is knowing the difference I can make.” “I recognize that not every case ends up a success,” Klein said. “For me, I think it’s in actually helping make a difference in their lives, so a child can have more stability. Seeing some success helps you through the day.” For Payton, the school social worker from the Hamilton district, graduation is the pinnacle of her hard work. “I always get chills watching students cross the stage at graduation,” Payton said. “Knowing what they’ve had to overcome to get there, seeing their smiles and the smiles on their parents’ faces – it makes what I do every day totally and completely worth it.” Posted August 24, 2006 |
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