Social Work Newsletter
Late Fall/ Early Winter News from Steve Whitmore
Greetings Oakland County School Social Workers:
Before we break for the "Holidaze," I thought I'd update you on some things, inform you on others, and give you a preview of what is yet to come.
Google Forms
Throughout the county, we have people using Google Forms to take progress notes and monitor progress. We now have a webpage dedicated just to this area. It is located at: https://sites.google.com/site/selprogressmonitoring/. Additionally, we have a Google Community just for Google Forms and progress monitoring. Please e-mail me at oaklandssw@gmail.com if you would like to apply for community membership.
Survey Results Coming Soon
In January, I plan to share the SSW Professional Learning Survey with you. It is interesting the variety of responses. I think you will be surprised as well.
I will also be launching an I-Pad Use Survey after the first of the year. The results will be used in the March 27 I-Pad Event.
Michigan Model
17 School Social Workers joined us for the Michigan Model K-6 Workshop. They took free posters and a very think binder of materials. Many were excited to get back to their schools and start using it for Social-Emotional Learning. The Middle School Training is Feb 4 and 11. Space is limited so register now. (See below).
Are you Scooping?
Have checked out the SCOOP.IT pages? They are articles, ideas and resources that I have found on the web. You don’t need an account, and it is super easy. So check them out at: http://www.scoop.it/u/steve16.
In January, I hope to start cataloging some of your resources from the list serve in Scoop.it as well.
Celebrate Social Work Month with Us on March 10!
Please save the date for the March 10 Spring, 2015 SW Collaborative Event. This event will include group problem-solving and the sharing assessment tools, intervention ideas and community resources. Social Workers will sit in tables group by population served. Click here to register.
If you would like to help in the planning, contact me at steve.whitmore@oakland.k12.mi.us.
Materials Center
Due to increasing unreliability, the Materials Center is discontinuing use of the online ordering system. Please place your orders for all materials via an email message to MCRequests@oakland.k12.mi.us. Be sure to include the name/description of the item you wish to borrow.
Please click here for a list of Educational Assessments. Click here for the Psychology Loan Library. Other Resources are available here.
Also feel free to send me recommendations for future resources at steve.whitmore@oakland.k12.mi.us.
Get Ethical in 2015!
MASSW will be hosting an Ethics and Pain Management Workshop on April 20. More information is available at the MASSW Website (click here).
School Social Worker of the Year
Applications will be going out in January for the MASSW Region F School Social Worker of the Year. Start thinking about your colleagues and who you would nominate.
Remember that they have to be a member of MASSW.
MASSW is also looking for new board members. Want to become more involved. please contact me at steve.whtimore@oakland.k12.mi.us.
That's all folks!
Further below are events that are coming up soon. They all will be offering social work credit.
I am officially signing off at this part of the newsletter. I hope everyone has a blessed holiday vacation that is safe and re-energizing. Thanks for all that you do for our kids. You are amazing.
See you next year.
Steve
On-Line Discussion: Success & Challenge is SEL Goal Writing
This on-line hour follow-up to OS Goal Writing Workshops will review some of the key steps to Socio-Emotional/Behavioral Goal Writing looking at successes and challenges that educators are experiencing. Virtual Connection will be using Adobe Connect and Phone. Please complete the survey located at: http://tinyurl.com/SELGoalSurvey. Case presentation format with Q & A time. If you would like to share a case for review, please contact Steve Whitmore ahead of time.
Wednesday, Jan 7, 2015, 08:00 AM
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SSW Practice in a Charter School Setting Part 2
Click here to register.
Friday, Jan 16, 2015, 12:00 PM
Oakland Schools, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Township, MI, United States
Motivational Interviewing for Challenging Students
Click here to register.
Wednesday, Jan 21, 2015, 08:30 AM
Oakland Schools, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Township, MI, United States
Michigan Model Health Training for Middle School Teachers*
The Michigan Model is planned sequential K-12 curriculum that addresses physical, mental, emotional and social dimensions of health. Students that have received the Michigan Model Curriculum had stronger skills for communicating and getting along with other. Better skills in managing their feelings and actions, improved attitudes about taking actions to stay safe and stronger drug and tobacco refusal skills
Note: This is a two day event: Feb 4 & 11.
Wednesday, Feb 4, 2015, 08:30 AM
Oakland Schools, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Township, MI, United States
Having Difficult Conversations in Schools
Educational Consultant, Coach, and Professional Developer
February 5, 2015
As psychologists, social workers, special education teachers and administrators, we often come up against situations where difficult topics must be addressed. What do we know about the best strategies for those moments? What questions should we be asking ourselves before we speak up and what words shall we use so the conversation can be as humane and growth producing as possible? Having Hard Conversations is an interactive workshop and personal approach to mastering the art of challenging conversations. The strategies in the workshop address a wide range of situations, including communications with supervisees, peers, and supervisors and parents. The workshop helps educators at all levels speak with clarity and courage to directly address difficult situations within their schools.
Click here to register.
Thursday, Feb 5, 2015, 08:30 AM
Oakland Schools, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Township, MI, United States
Bully-Free Schools Circle of Support for Learning *
Some of the major components of this 2-day training include:
· Strategies to impact the behavior of students who engage in bullying and other forms of peer-to-peer aggression
· Elements of effective limits and consequences that ensure school-wide consistency
· Strategies to support the “targets” of bullying
· Techniques to empower “bystanders” and to change cultural norms
· Tips for implementation and integration with existing school initiatives, such as PBiS and MiBLSi
We recommend sending a building team of 4 or more people to the training, including the building administrator. Teams can be comprised of teachers, social workers, counselors, recess and ISS supervisors, and any staff member with direct student contact. Individuals are encouraged to attend when team participation is not possible. After training, schools will be ready to implement a staff and student survey focused on school climate to create baseline data, to begin consensus building, and to identify areas for improvement with regard to peer-to-peer aggression.
Note this is a two day event: Feb 10 & 11.
Tuesday, Feb 10, 2015, 08:30 PM
Oakland Schools, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Township, MI, United States
Bully-Free Schools Follow-Up*
Bully-Free Schools: The Next Step workshop is designed for teams from schools that have already attended a two-day Bully-Free Schools training at Oakland Schools. One of the goals of the training is to assist school staff in conducting the Investigation and Reflection steps of the Individual Intervention Process (IIP). Time in the workshop will be provided to critique (anonymously) schools' drafts of rubrics and completed reflection forms so we can learn from each other's efforts. The rest of the workshop will be specifically tailored to address participants' needs.
Thursday, Feb 12, 2015, 08:30 AM
Oakland Schools, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Township, MI, United States
CPI/NCI Hybrid Training
Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (NCI) is a safe behavior management system designed to aid all professional staff in the management of disruptive and assaultive students, even during the most violent times.
Day One - The Preventative Techniques: The focus of day one is to provide nonverbal, paraverbal and verbal skills to maintain the best possible care, welfare, safety and security for both staff and students, while intervening to prevent a crisis. Defense techniques for personal safety will be introduced and practiced.
Day Two - Therapeutic Physical Intervention: When all nonverbal and verbal techniques have been exhausted and when the individual presents a danger to self or others, the use of physical restraint may be necessary.
Sunday, Feb 15, 2015, 08:30 AM
Oakland Schools, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Township, MI, United States
Spring 2015 School Social Work Collaborative Event
This county wide professional learning event will feature presentations on using technology to find information and resources, current assessment practices in the county, current intervention activities, and current referral processes and resources.
Participants will bring examples of various assessments, interventions and referral processes to enrich the learning experience.
Note: This event has been named Stone Soup and Social Work Networking in the past.
Tuesday, Mar 10, 2015, 08:30 AM
Oakland Schools, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Township, MI, United States
CPI/NCI Traditional Training- 2 Day
Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (NCI) is a safe behavior management system designed to aid all professional staff in the management of disruptive and assaultive students, even during the most violent times.
Day One (March 31) - The Preventative Techniques: The focus of day one is to provide nonverbal, paraverbal and verbal skills to maintain the best possible care, welfare, safety and security for both staff and students, while intervening to prevent a crisis. Defense techniques for personal safety will be introduced and practiced.
Day Two (April 2) - Therapeutic Physical Intervention: When all nonverbal and verbal techniques have been exhausted and when the individual presents a danger to self or others, the use of physical restraint may be necessary.
Tuesday, Mar 31, 2015, 08:30 AM
Oakland Schools, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Township, MI, United States
Creating Emotional Intelligent Schools
Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, a Senior Research Scientist in Psychology, and a Faculty Fellow in the Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy at Yale University.
Creating Emotionally Intelligent Schools is an innovative and highly interactive workshop rooted in a “hard science” approach to what has historically been called “soft skills.” Participants will learn how emotions impact attention, memory, decision making, performance, and one’s overall well-being. Participants leave with a new knowledge and skills, and practical tools like the Mood Meter to build both self-awareness and a more sophisticated emotion vocabulary and the Meta-Moment to both prolong and effectively manage that crucial “space” between our emotional triggers and responses. These tools can be used immediately at school to achieve greater personal and professional success.
Click here to register.
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2015, 08:30 AM
Oakland Schools, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Township, MI, United States
Special Education Evals of ELs- Panel Discussions
Event link coming soon.
Friday, May 8, 2015, 08:30 PM
Oakland Schools, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Township, MI, United States
Evidence-Based Assessment & Intervention Strategies for ADHD and Related Disorders
George J. DuPaul, Ph.D. Department of Education and Human Services, Leigh University, Bethlehem, PA
LOCATION: MACOMB ISD
This presentation will focus on empirically-supported assessment and intervention strategies that are designed to improve the behavioral, educational, and social outcomes of students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The typical academic, behavioral, and social difficulties exhibited by students with this disorder will be described as well as a multimodal assessment process including the use of diagnostic interviews, behavior ratings, and direct observations of school behavior. Treatment strategies will include psychotropic medication (e.g., CNS stimulants) , behavioral interventions that are proactive, preventative and reactive techniques, such as contingency management. Specific steps to an objective evaluation of medication effects in classroom settings will be described. The use of functional behavioral assessment data to design classroom interventions will be emphasized as well as academic support strategies. Examples of interventions mediated by teachers, parents, and peers will be provided.
Thursday, May 21, 2015, 08:30 PM
Macomb Intermediate School District, Garfield Road, Charter Township of Clinton, MI, United States
School Social Work Consultation
School Social Work Consultant
Professional Learning Unit
Oakland Schools Department of Special Education
Email: steve.whitmore@oakland.k12.mi.us
Website: http://www.oakland.k12.mi.us/Departments/SpecialEducation/ProfessionalLearning/SchoolSocialWorkers
Location: 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Township, MI, United States
Phone: 248-209-2252
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OSSpecialEd
Twitter: @oaklandSSW