section connection

Letter from the ChairSchool social workers regularly use resources to identify evidence-based practices(EBPs) that can be implemented at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels in multi-tieredsystems of support (Kelly et al., 2015.) Secondary or Tier 2 level EBPs that school socialworkers and other school-based mental health professionals provide include short-term small-group orindividualized interventions (Alvarez & Anderson-Ketchmark, 2010; Crone, Hawken, & Horner, 2010.)When searching for Tier 2 interventions, one must consider whether they contain critical features associated with Tier 2 EBPs (Lindsey, 2016). Essential features include the following:

1. Interventions are provided in a multi-tiered school-wide framework of academic and behavioral support(Anderson et al., 2012; Hawken, Adolphson, MacLeod, & Schumann, 2009; Yong & Cheney, 2013).

2. New EBPs are embedded into existing policies, programs, and practices (Domitrovich et al., 2010;Massey, Armstrong, Boroughs, Henson, & McCash, 2005; Nelson et al., 2009).

3. Consistent criteria identify students in need of Tier 2 (Yong & Cheney, 2013). 4. Standardized orientation procedures and materials help students know how to get started and

what to do when problems arise (Anderson et al., 2012). 5. EBPs are quickly accessible and continuously available to students (Anderson et al., 2012). 6. School staff are trained on how to refer and support students who require Tier 2 interventions

(Yong & Cheney, 2013). 7. Ongoing data collection monitors student progress to determine whether they are positively

responding to the identified EBP (Yong & Cheney, 2013). 8. A variety of EBPs address different problem behaviors and student needs (Yong & Cheney, 2013). 9. EBPs have multiple components, target more than one skill area and setting, and involve essential

people such as parents and teachers (Hawken et al., 2009; Horner, Sugai, & Anderson, 2010).10. Follow-up training and coaching is provided to ensure high fidelity (Fairbanks, Sugai, Guardino,

& Lathrop, 2007; Fuchs & Fuchs, 2006; Nelson et al., 2009). 11. Training is provided to parents and caregivers so they can support interventions at home

(Yong & Cheney, 2013). 12. Specific strategies are incorporated to ensure that positive behavior changes are maintained over

time (Yong & Cheney, 2013).

Keeping in mind these essential features during the EBP search process is vital. By identifying and using high-quality Tier 2 EBPs, school social workers will greatly improve learning outcomes for students who require targeted levels of support.

Brenda Coble Lindsey, EdD, MSW, LCSW

SSWSPRING/SUMMER � 2016

SECTIONCONNECTION

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©2016 National Association of Social Workers.All Rights Reserved.

IT’S A FACT: The right to equal educational opportunity

Brenda Coble Lindsey, EdD, MSW, LCSW, ChairMary E. Brennan, LSWGreg DrozdowskiMichael S. Kelly, PhD, LCSWDeirdre N. Scott, EdS, MSW

SSWCommitteeMembers

Schools today face a myriad ofissues, including assessment andstudent performance. In addition,people who work in educationare expected to “close the gap,”“race to the top,” and ensurethat “no child is left behind.”School social workers are at theforefront of effective interventionsto ensure student achievement.Departments of education, stateofficials, and school boardsoffer an array of remedies forschools. For this article, we willlook at restorative justice andrestorative practice.

RESTORATIVE JUSTICEThe restorative justice philosophy,rooted in the importance ofrelationships, highlights the

importance of primaryprevention. Restorative justicehas been effective in thejuvenile justice system and isbeginning to prove its worth inthe educational setting as well.

Definition• Restorative justice provides a

way to repair the harm of anoffense so that relationshipscan be restored. (Holtham,2009).

Why schools should userestorative justice:• Restorative justice emphasizes

values of empathy, respect,honesty, acceptance,responsibility, andaccountability.

• Restorative justice effectivelyaddresses behavior andother complex school issues.

• Restorative justice offers asupportive environment thatcan improve learning.

• Restorative justice improvessafety by preventing futureharm.

• Restorative justice offersalternatives to suspensionand expulsion.

• Restorative justice, if usedwhen handling conflict andmisbehavior, allows studentsand staff to make amendsand repair harm.

• Restorative justice can promotepositive feelings, rather thanresentment and alienation, inthe school setting.

• Restorative justice caninvolve all types of students,from those who struggle tothose who are most engaged.

• Restorative justice alsobenefits students withlearning disabilities andsubstance abuse issues.

• Restorative justice bringstogether adults and studentsin a process that allows forequal voice and empathy,resulting in the developmentof trusting relationships(Riestenberg, 2012).

RESTORATIVE PRACTICES The fundamental premise ofrestorative practices is the use ofinformal and formal processesthat precede wrongdoing,

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE and Practices Restore Schools

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

Project CoordinatorRochelle Wilder

GREG DROZDOWSKI, ACSW

those that proactively buildrelationships and a sense ofcommunity to prevent conflictand wrongdoing (Wachtel,2013). Within the school settingrestorative practices provideschools with alternatives tosuspension, and expulsion. Itoffers concrete strategies andinterventions for educators andsocial workers to encourageand maintain a positiveacademic environment andpromote positive behavior inmost circumstances.

Basic assumptions of restorativepractices:• Humans change their

behavior based on bondsthey form with each other.

• People are most productivewhen they are in healthyrelationships and in goodstanding with the community.

STOP AND PAUSE CARDSSocial workers can helpeducators understand how touse restorative practices tools inschool settings. For example,stop and pause cards are aquick intervention for disruptiveor off-task behavior. Thesesimple note cards feature a stop

sign on the front. The back asksthe student to consider thefollowing questions while thelesson continues:• What are you doing?• Who else is affected by your

actions?• What will happen if you

continue?• What should you be doing?

Teachers can discreetly place astop and pause card on astudent’s desk to redirect his orher behavior without verballycausing negative or publicattention. The visuals andfollow-up questions help studentsthink about their responsibilitieswhile reminding them that theiractions affect others in theclassroom community. Teachersmight choose for students tocheck in at a later time toprivately discuss the follow-upquestions or for them to writeresponses to the questions todiscuss the next day. The cardsare adaptable for all gradelevels; drawings can be used inlieu of questions for non-readingstudents (Pinterest, n.d.).

AFFECTIVE STATEMENTSAffective statements are anotheruseful resource. These areinformal statements that bringattention to behavior or choiceswhile helping build and restorerelationships. These expressionstell a person how his or heractions or behavior affect you.

Instead of criticizing, scolding,or giving “flat “feedbackaffective statements can helpeducators communicate how astudent’s behavior makes themfeel as a person and not just asa teacher. For example, aneducator might say, “I feelfrustrated when people are

requires a non-segregated, non-sexist environment.

Letter from the Chair… continued

ReferencesAlvarez, M., & Anderson-Ketchmark, C.(2010). Review of an evidence-basedschool social work intervention: Check &connect. Children & Schools, 32(2),125-127.

Anderson, C., Lewis-Palmer, T., Todd, A.,Horner, R., Sugai, G., & Sampson, N.(2012). Individual student systemsevaluation tool 3.0. Educational &Community Supports, University ofOregon. [Online]. Retrieved fromwww.pbis.org/common/cms/files/pbisresources/ISSET_TOOL_v_3_March_2012.pdf

Crone, D., Hawken, L., & Horner, R.(2010). Responding to problembehavior in schools: The BehaviorEducation Program (BEP) (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.

Domitrovich, C., Bradshaw, C.,Greenberg, M., Embry, D., Poduska, J.,& Ialongo, N. (2010). Integrated modelsof school-based prevention: Logic andtheory. Psychology in the Schools, 47(1),71-88.

Fairbanks, S., Sugai, G., Guardino, D.,& Lathrop, M. (2007). Response tointervention: Examining classroombehavior supports in second grade.Exceptional Children, 73, 288-310.

Fuchs, D., & Fuchs, L. (2006).Introduction to response to intervention:What, why, and how valid is it? ReadingResearch Quarterly, 41, 93-99.

Hawken, L., Adolphson, S., MacLeod,K., & Schumann, J. (2009). Secondary-tier interventions and supports. In W.Sailor, G. Dunlap, G. Sugai, & R.Horner (Eds.), Handbook of positive

behavior support (pp. 395-420). NewYork: Springer.

Horner, R., Sugai, G., & Anderson, C.(2010). Examining the evidence base for school-wide positive behaviorsupport. Focus on Exceptional Children,42, 1-14.

Kelly, M., Frey, A., Thompson, A.,Klemp, H., Alvarez, M., & Berzin, S.(2015). Assessing the National SchoolSocial Work Practice Model: Findingsfrom the second national school socialwork survey. Social Work, 61(1), 17-28.

Lindsey, B. (2016). Tier 2 behavioralinterventions for at-risk students. In C.Massat, M. Kelly, & R. Constable (Eds.),School social work: Practice, policy andresearch (8th ed., pp. 471-482).Chicago: Lyceum.

Massey, O., Armstrong, K., Boroughs,M., Henson, K., & McCash, L. (2005).Mental health services in schools: Aqualitative analysis of challenges toimplementation, operation, andsustainability. Psychology in the Schools,42, 361-372.

Nelson, J., Hurley, K., Synhorst, L.,Epstein, M., Stage, S., & Buckley, J.(2009). The child outcomes of abehavior model. Exceptional Children,76, 7-30.

Yong, M., & Cheney, D. (2013).Essential features of Tier 2 social-behavioral interventions. Psychology inthe Schools, 50(8), 844-861.

AFFECTIVE STATEMENTS & EXPRESSIONS

Response Affective Statement

“Talking during class “I am frustrated that you aren’t is inappropriate.” willing to listen and do your best.”

“Sit down and be quiet.” “Many of us get distracted when you talk and joke during the discussion.”

Think of alternative responses to the following statements:

“You are always late.”

“________________________________________________________”

“Don’t talk back to me.”

“________________________________________________________”

As the availability of variousforms of electroniccommunication has

increased, so have questionsabout their ethical use in settingswhere school social workerspractice. Situations involvingtechnology seem particularlycomplex in interdisciplinarysettings where there may bediffering perspectives onpossible technology use. What

are the ethical considerationsposed by the use of electroniccommunication such as e-mailfor school social workers? Whatissues do school social workersface in their social media use inschool settings? What are theirgeneral concerns abouttechnology? What policiesmight be useful to guidetechnology use?

School social workers in Illinoishad the opportunity to participatein a survey that focused on theuse of social media and othercommunication technology intheir practice settings. Thesurvey was offered at astatewide school social workconference and at a workshopfor school social workers. Ofthe respondents, 40 percentindicated that they use social

media in their professionallives, with YouTube, Facebook,LinkedIn, and Twitter the mostcommonly reported forms.

More than half (54 percent) ofrespondents indicated that therewas a social media policy intheir school districts. About athird (34 percent) indicated thatthey did not know whether apolicy existed, and 12 percent

ETHICS &TECHNOLOGY:What’s a SchoolSocial Worker to Do?KATHRYN CONLEY WEHRMANN, PHD, MSW, LCSW

talking when I am trying to teachand others are working hard tolisten,” or “It makes me feel likethe time I spent preparing waswasted and is not appreciated.”The intention is not to shame orvent personal stressors, but todevelop empathy, establishboundaries, and provideauthentic observation. Thesestatements also humanize theteacher by allowing students tosee that their behaviors arerelational and affect the person teaching.

Please note restorative practicesare not just for disciplinepurposes. As mentioned abovelike restorative justice, restorativepractice cornerstone isrelationships. It should also be

noted that cultural competencyis both necessary and essential.To learn more about restorativejustice and restorative practices,visit the International Institute forRestorative Practices website: www.iirp.edu/basic-restorative-practices.php.

Greg Drozdowski, ACSW, is arestorative practices facilitator atFarmington Public School in FarmingtonHills, Michigan. He is also a clinicalsocial worker in private practice inCanton, Michigan. He can be contactedat emcd60@aol.com.

REFERENCESHoltham, J. (2009). Takingrestorative justice to schools:A pathway to discipline.[city]: Del Hayes Press.

Pinterest.com/pin/127719339404138808.

Riestenberg, N. (2012). Circlein the square: Buildingcommunity and repairingharm in school. St. Paul, MN:Living Justice Press.

Wachtel, T. (2013). DefiningRestorative. Retrieved fromwww.iirp.edu/pdf/Defining-Restorative.pdf

RESOURCESBlood, P., & Thorsborne, M.

(2013). Implementingrestorative practices inSchools: A practical guide to transforming schoolcommunities. Glasgow: Bel and Bain Ltd.

Costello, B., Wachtel, J., &Wachtel, T. (2009). Therestorative practiceshandbook for teachers,disciplinarians andadministrators. Bethlehem,PA: International Institute forRestorative Practices.

Mullet, J., & Stutsman Amstutz,L. (2005). The little book ofrestorative discipline forschools. New York: SkyhorsePublishing.

O’Connell, T., Wachtel, B., &Wachtel, T. (2010). Restorativejustice conferencing: Realjustice and the conferencinghandbook. Pipersville, PA:Pipers Press.

indicated that there was nopolicy in their district. Amongthose respondents whoreported there was a policy onsocial media, 70 percentindicated that the policyaddresses professional use ofsocial media, and 46 percentindicated that the policyaddresses personal use ofsocial media. More than half(56 percent) indicated that thepolicy addresses the use ofwork e-mail for personalcommunication, 54 percentindicated that the policyaddresses communicating withstudents, and 49 percentindicated that the policyaddresses communication with parents/guardians.

The responses suggest thatofficial guidance on the use ofsocial media and other forms ofelectronic communicationvaries throughout Illinois’ schooldistricts and may contribute tosocial workers’ reluctance touse social media at all. Inaddition, even when policyexists, social workers in school

settings must still manage theethical implications of usingsocial media in their professionallives. How to use social mediais complicated by the fact thatthe NASW Code of Ethicspresently offers limitedguidance for school socialworkers attempting to navigatethe ethical use of technology.

Participants had the opportunityto offer general comment ontechnology use in their schoolsettings. One theme was thatdifferent disciplines in schoolsettings have varyingperspectives on how socialmedia and other forms ofelectronic communication can,or should be, used. Forexample, is it appropriate forcoaches to use texting tocommunicate with students?Not surprisingly, as socialworkers, participants expressedconcerns about potential ethical and legal issues thatcould negatively affectindividuals using technologyin school settings.

Participants also raisedconcerns regarding other formsof technology, such as people’spotential access to confidentialstudent information transmittedthrough faxing. Other concernsrelated to use of resources suchas Google Drive or Dropbox tostore documents containingconfidential information aboutstudents, including mentalhealth records. Severalparticipants also expressedconcern about pressure theyreceive at school to use social media.

Social workers must continue tomanage the issue of electroniccommunication and electronicdata storage use in schoolsettings. Assistance is needed,however, in clarifying what isethical and appropriate, toprotect student confidentialityand manage boundary issues.School social workers mayneed to take up an advocacyrole in bringing concerns to the attention of schooladministration and participatein efforts to develop policies

that provide guidance. Ournational professionalorganizations are anotheravenue to pursue in developingor updating standards thatcould provide guidance socialworkers need. Kathryn Conley Wehrmann, PhD,MSW, LCSW, is an associate professorat the Illinois State University Schoolof Social Work in Normal, Illinois. Shecan be contacted atkcwehrm@ilstu.edu

RESOURCESNational Association of Social

Workers. (2015). Code ofethics of the NationalAssociation of SocialWorkers. Washington, DC:Author.

National Association of SocialWorkers. (2005). NASWstandards for technology andsocial work practice.Washington, DC: Author.

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secondary schools for addressing

personal and social problems that

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