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e.nc.us/News/Proclamati
Mission Statement:
The members of the North Carolina School Social
Workers Association provide services that enhance and
promote the educational, emotional, and social needs of
students and families in order for them to make use of
the resources available to them to achieve their full
potential within their home, school, and community.
According to the School Social Work Association of
America, school social work is a specialized area of
practice within the broad field of the social work
profession. School social workers bring unique knowledge
and skills to the school system and the student services
team. School Social Workers are instrumental in
furthering the purpose of the schools: To provide a
setting for teaching, learning, and for the attainment
of competence and confidence. School social workers are
hired by school districts to enhance the district's
ability to meet its academic mission, especially where
home, school and community collaboration is the key to
achieving that mission.
Message from the
President...
Superintendent’s
Roundtable on the Graduation
Rate July 9, 2008
Cathy Waugh and I attended a “roundtable” meeting for
state education and community leaders on July 9th
in Raleigh at the State Dept. of Public Instruction. We
were invited to participate in the State
Superintendent’s initial launch of the public awareness
campaign focusing on improving NC’s graduation rates and
the upcoming Graduation Awareness Week of September
7-13, 2008. Other participants included several
legislators who served on the Joint Legislative
Commission on Drop-Out Prevention and High School
Graduation, numerous community leaders and service
providers, faith-based leaders, and representatives from
other professional organizations and associations.
Dr.
June Atkinson welcomed the group and gave an overview of
the importance of why we need to focus on improving our
graduation rate—simply put, our economy demands a more
educated work force. We need our young people to be
prepared to contribute to the business world and work
force. Our current graduation rate is approximately
70%, statewide. She introduced Rep. Earline Parmon and
Sen. Vernon Malone, who co-chaired the Commission. The
Commission secured $15 million for grants for program
development and continued studies of prevention and
intervention programs. Specifically mentioned was the
development of a work skills program for high school
students and more funding for early intervention
services and preschool programs such as More at Four,
Head Start, and Smart Start.
We
previewed “Inside Out”, a DVD production of the Mattie
C. Stewart Foundation, that “exposes the real story
about the devastating and lasting effects of dropping
out told by those who live with the consequences every
day: prison inmates.” Dr. Shelley Stewart of
Birmingham, Alabama, interviewed men and women prisoners
about their life choices and the decisions they made and
all of them talked about the negative impact of quitting
school, being lured to the streets where their lives of
crime landed them in prison. Statistics given were
dramatic:
> 1,000,000
high school students drop out every year
> 75% of
American state prison inmates are high school dropouts
> 59% of
American federal prisoners did not complete high school
> The USA
spends $40 million every year on prison incarceration
> 70-80% of
inmates cannot read or write
“Inside Out” is a powerful tool that will be used across
the state in middle schools and high schools. It
documents the inmates as they tell their stories and
bring their message about the how dropping out of school
and turning to crime took their futures.
The
superintendents from Winston-Salem Forsyth County and
New Hanover County both spoke about the work in their
school districts on this issue. They emphasized the
importance of bringing all aspects of the community on
board—faith-based organizations and churches,
businesses, local agencies and resources, parents, and
educators—all engaged in addressing the problem of
students quitting school. It will take the whole
community to improve the graduation rate.
As
school social workers, we need to put ourselves in the
midst of this initiative and make our roles and
functions known in our schools and communities. In all
aspects of the intervention and prevention of dropouts,
we have a place and we have a purpose. Graduation
Awareness Week is coming in September. We need to take
the opportunity to inquire as to when and how our
districts plan to use “Inside Out” and we need to be a
part of that experience.
Best
regards,
Anne Loy Stanfield
President, NCSSWA
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