SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK

School Social Work Master Level Study

Professional social workers play a vital role in helping school children of all ages.   Traditionally, school social workers serve as liaisons between the home, the school, and the community.   Since 1907, school social workers have collaborated with teachers and other school personnel in advancing the purpose of education.

School social workers are an important part of the school team, possessing unique interdisciplinary knowledge.   School social workers contribute to programs designed for students at-risk due to a variety of factors, including:

·          emotional problems,

·          poor self-esteem,

·          child abuse and domestic violence,

·          poverty and unemployment,

·          suicidal behavior, drug and alcohol abuse,

·          teen pregnancy and parenting,

·          discrimination, and

·          attendance related issues.

The School Social Work Program is designed to train school social workers and provide them with the competencies to practice in a variety of traditional and non-traditional primary and secondary education settings.   Such competencies include assessing the needs of school children, designing and implementing interventions, and making referrals to other professionals and agencies as needed.

The program educates master's level social work students for practice in school settings.   The program is consistent with State ofOhio regulations and professional standards developed by the National Association of Social Workers.   The program is a cooperative offering between the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences (MSASS) at Case Western Reserve University and the Division of Education at Baldwin-Wallace College (B-W).   Students in the program will complete the Master of Science in Social Administration (M.S.S.A.) degree at MSASS with a concentration in Children, Youth and Families.   As part of the M.S.S.A. degree, students will complete three education courses at Baldwin-Wallace College and a 2nd year advanced field practicum in a school setting.   The Division of Education at B-W will certify successful graduates as school social workers according to state regulations, after completion of the course and field requirements.   The school social work license is granted by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE).   Requests for licensure may only come from a school or department of education at a college or university.

The Pattern of Enrollment forms available from MSASS Student Services indicate the courses required and their sequencing for full-time and advanced standing students. School social work students enroll in the following Baldwin-Wallace courses, in addition to other required Children, Youth, and Family Concentration courses.

Note: Exact times, start and end dates for each academic year are available from B-W College (www.bw.edu).

• Prior to your first Baldwin-Wallace class, complete the Graduate Education-Special Students application. This application is available from Baldwin-Wallace Evening/Weekend and Graduate Education Admission office (440.826.8017) and from the MSASS Student Services Office.
• Return the completed B-W School Social Work application to MSASS Student Services for signature approval from MSASS. Note that the application form must be signed by Elizabath Tracy or the MSASS Registrar.  Baldwin Wallace College will accept a faxed copy fo the aplication only when it is faxed from the MSASS Registrar.
• Once you have received a letter of admission from Baldwin Wallace College, you are generally able to register for B-W courses over the phone by calling Cathy Cross (440.826.8582)
• The current schedule of courses can be obtained from MSASS Student Services or from B-W directly at: www.bw.edu/resources/registration/schedules or 440.826.2126
• Baldwin Wallace will bill students; payment is not needed at the time of registration

At the end of each Baldwin-Wallace term, students must request that transcripts be sent to:

MSASS Registrar, Debra Fields
Case Western Reserve University
10900 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44106-7164

Financial aid packages, which may include scholarships, grants, work study awards, and/or need and non-need based loans, are available for this program through the Mandel School.

Prior to each term, notify in writing the MSASS Director of Financial Aid of your B-W registration and tuition charges. Baldwin Wallace tuition charges will be added to your aid budget and considered in your financial aid package.

Stay on Track

Follow your Pattern of Enrollment (POE). This is your educational contract with the Mandel School. The benefits are:

• You graduate on time, with your Cohort (your classmates).
• You SAVE MONEY

Methods of Payment at CWRU

• In full, check, or money orders.
• One half of tuition due at the time of registration and the balance is paid in full by October, Fall Semester and mid March for Spring Semester.
• Financial Aid (See Using Financial Aid Section)

B-W tuition is not billed through Case Western Reserve University. Students are responsible for paying for B-W classes. If your financial aid exceeds CWRU tuition, you may use your refund check to pay for your B-W course. (See Student Refund Section)

Using Financial Aid as a Method of Payment

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year.
• Submit all required financial aid forms and documentation of income (taxable and untaxed).
• Respond to all requests for additional information.
• Accept, sign and return your award letter.
• If accepting federal loans for the first time, sign and return loan promissory notes.
• Financial aid is applied to your tuition account at the University

Student Refunds

Are issued after the add/drop period, which is the second week of the each semester. Financial aid over and beyond the cost of tuition will be issued to you in the form of a refund check. This check will be mailed to your local (current) address. It is possible to request a refund advance.

Please contact MSASS Financial Aid Office for more information.

Paid Field Placements

Since school hours are shorter than most other agencies' hours, you can include prep-time in your field hours. Please contact your field advisor to discuss what is acceptable. Your field advisor must sign off on extra hours that you may need to meet the minimum field requirements.

Students complete their advanced field placements (403 and 404) in an approved school social work setting. Generally, placements are available in Cleveland Municipal School District, Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, Mentor, South Euclid/Lyndhurst, and Lakewood, among others. A list of current placements and field instructors can be obtained from the Field Education Office.

Placement Process

Students complete the field education placement forms, which ordinarily are distributed to all first year students during the Spring semester. Students should indicate that they are in the School Social Work Program. The Field Education Office will provide information on interviewing sites.

Advising

School social work students receive field advising from an MSASS field advisor and receive field instruction and supervision from an approved on-site field instructor.

School Social Work students participate in the School Social Work Integrative Seminar as follows (information on exact dates is provided to students each year).  These sessions offer an opportunity for students to meet from mnay different school systems.  These sessions are required and count toward field work hours.

Year 1 (Fridays 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.)

Year 2

At the completion of the program, the following should be sent to:

Dr. Karen Kaye, Chairman and Director of M.A.Ed.
Division of Education
Baldwin-Wallace College
275 Eastland Road
Berea, OH 44017

A.     Letter from MSASS (signed by Elizabeth Tracy and Gerald Strom) verifying that you completed all of the field experience requirements.   This is sent from MSASS Office of Student Services.   Student Services provides this letter only after all B-W college course credits have been transferred to MSASS.   Upon completion of all B-W courses, students must request transcripts to be sent to the MSASS Registrar.   Credits are not automatically transferred.   Ordinarily, MSASS will send an ODE application to you along with this letter.   Please make sure we have your current address.

B.     Application Form: Fill out an ODE application form (available from MSASS Student Services or B-W Division of Education 440.826.2168) and return it to B-W   Division of Education.   You must have a $60.00 money order or check (no cash) made out to Ohio T.E.C.

C.     Fingerprint Card (can be obtained at B-W or MSASS Student Services): You can have your fingerprints taken at the B-W Safety and Security Office by calling 216.826.2336 and making an appointment.   There is no charge if you have this done at B-W.   If you cannot go to B-W, you can take the fingerprint card to any local police station and have it done there.  

D.     Official Transcript.   Transcript Request Forms can be obtained at MSASS Student Services and B-W O ffice of Registration & Records (440.826.2126). You will need to have official transcripts of all of your college work taken for the School Social Work Program (both B-W and MSASS courses) sent with the application for licensure.

E.       A copy of your Final Field Education Experience Evaluation from MSASS.

Contacts