Selected Podcast
The Role of Social Workers in Schools
In this episode, we hear from Kirt Hendricks, a Pathways educator at Riverside. He will discuss his background and experience, and the role that social workers play in schools.
Featured Speaker:
Kirt Hendricks
Kirt Hendrick has served in a variety of roles in education – teacher, coach, bus driver, principal, school business manager and superintendent, in several public school districts in Kankakee, Iroquois and Will County. He is married to a retired 6th grade teacher and parent of two grown children. While not very athletic he enjoys staying fit with various outdoor and indoor activities and is known for never wearing serious socks. Transcription:
Liz Healy (Host): Hello listeners. And thanks for tuning into the Well Within Reach podcast brought to you by Riverside Healthcare. I'm your host, Liz Healy and joining me today is Kirt Hendricks, who is a Pathways Educator. Pathways is part of our Riverside Behavioral Medicine Department. Thanks for joining us today Kirt.
So today, we're here to talk a little bit about the role social workers have in schools. So before we jump into our topic, can you give us a little bit, tell us just a little bit about your background, Kirt?
Kirt Hendricks (Guest): Sure. I am a retired public school educator who spent oh a few years in public schools. My first job in education was to be a teacher and a coach. I taught junior high social studies and a bit of science and coached cross-country and track. Then had the opportunity to go into a district office position where I learned the school business side of things. Did that for several years. Then my next opportunity was to be a principal and I served as a prinicpal for two years in one small rural school and then nine years in another rural school and found being a principal, very rewarding job, very difficult with lots of different publics, but also the most rewarding. Then I got back into some central office kinds of positions. I was the superintendent of a tiny district in Iroquois County.
Then did another four years in district office here in Kankakee county. And then I did some school business also, and now in my retirement, I have this wonderful job as the educator for Pathways, before that I was in the inpatient program at the hospital.
Host: Wow. It sounds like you have a lot of really great experience and you were an educator for quite some time. Can you tell us a little bit about how the role of a social worker in schools has changed throughout your time?
Kirt: Well, I have been out of the school administration for a few years now in my retirement. But I have reached out to a couple of schools social workers, current one in the earlier parts of her career and one mid-career and I think what I would say is that the one who's been at it a few years reports that it really has become more bureaucratic, more paperwork and that sometimes takes away from the desire to just be with the people who are in need.
And so I think the bureaucracy sometimes we face in lots of different parts of life. And I think that. Well, one of my colleagues has reported I think that you have to have a passion. And I think both of my friends reported that to be a good school social worker you need to have that passion. But I do think the demands have changed in the past few years.
Host: Okay. So do you think that social workers are more prevalent in schools due to issues that have come up in recent times?
Kirt: I do think that they are very common. There's varying ratios as I was told by my friends. There's different numbers, one to 400 students, one to 250. I do think that there in the these professionals in schools, serving the students and families, I think school social workers may be the highest number. And so I think. And yet that's kind of amazing because it is a rigorous master's program with an extensive internship. So to get to be one takes a whole lot of determination. And so you really have to want to do it.
Host: Yeah, I think that's an important thing. You have to have a passion for helping the children during that training and learning. I'm sure there are a lot of roles and tasks that a school social worker may take on to work with students that we may know about, some that we may not. Can you talk a little bit about those?
Kirt: School social workers really are in the frontline of the special services for a public school district. They have a caseload of students with an individual education plan, an IEP, and then they also have a caseload of other health impaired students with 504 plans. And so they have a specific group of students that into those plans are written the number of minutes that that student will see the social worker in a month's time. But I think the thing about school social workers compared to some of the other specialists, the occupational therapist, the physical therapist; is the school social worker sees their own caseload, and yet they have to be available to see any student in the school. One of my colleagues said that she estimates that she would see in a year about 70% of all of the students in her elementary school. And that can be in lots of different things. That can be in just finding resources for families that have barriers to schooling. If there's clothing that's needed or snacks that are needed. And a school social worker is that specialist in the school who's really responsible to every student. And so there's the bureaucratic expectations. And then there's just that, what can you do to help all kids learn the most by trying to break down some of those barriers?
Host: Yeah, that number surprises me. But also doesn't that 70% that they'll see that 70% about students that have come through just the one office. So I'm sure the numbers varies on schools as, so kind of going back in your time as a former school administrator, can you talk about why a school social worker is such a vital role within a school?
Kirt: Well, I think besides the requirements and making sure that every student can learn to the maximum of their abilities, I do think that life in schools brings unexpected events. And so school social workers, psuchologists, they become a part of what's so crucial if there's a crisis in the school. And so, they will meet with other grief counselors, if there's tragic events that happened in the schools. And so I think that's one thing I think school social workers often get involved in whole classroom activities where they can work with kids in various classrooms.
Often if there are students with real severe behavioral issues, the school social worker is often called on to come to that classroom to help deescalate, to work with the students so that they can get back into a frame of mind to be in the classroom. So vital in so many different ways.
Host: Yeah, for sure. So with the vital role that they play, is there like a requirement that all schools have a school social worker? Are there some schools that might not have one?
Kirt: Well, I think that there's different guidelines and recommendations and I'm enough retired that I don't know those specific legislative things. I do, as I have mentioned, they the two people I consulted with said one had a ratio of one to 400 students. Another had one to 250. I do think, honestly it depends on the financial means of individual public school districts whether or not what that ratio is like, whether it meets those things or if the number of students per social worker is exceeded. So I think there's probably some guidelines. But I think it has to meet with the financial realities of school districts.
Host: Oh, I'm sure. With the numbers that the numbers of cases that a certain social worker might have to take on or the needs of the community, I'm sure there are some difficulties that these school social workers. Can you talk a little bit about those?
Kirt: Well, I think that if things come up and it makes it hard for them to meet those minutes, they have to find ways to do that. My one colleague said don't go into this field if you're looking for three months off in the summer. And I think that's true. I think a sign that I saw in a school said the pleasure is all hours. H O U R S. And I think that they do what they have to, to write those plans. And I was reminded again that they're often called on to be a part of lots and lots of committees, equity committees, all kinds of things that relate to the overall health and wellbeing of a school, writing various plans because they do have a desire to help all kids.
And so they're good to be on most committees and those are great, committees are wonderful, but they do take away from a person's time in every school day.
Host: Oh yeah, for sure. And it does sound like they would be the ideal person. They want to help the kids. They want to make sure the kids are excelling and having a great experience at school and are having a good home life and everything of that nature. If someone in the community or a parent and school staff wanted to show appreciation for a school social worker, how could they do that?
Kirt: Well, think I was told that March is actually a month where there's a week set aside and I think those things mean a lot. So we may have missed March, but I think those kinds of appreciation notes and things can happen at any time. One of the people I contacted said anything you can contribute to the office that can be used to help kids in need. That's one thing that can be done. Often she is working on finding coats and clothes and snacks, and all those kinds of things that not all kids have readily from their home. And so any of those kinds of donations and I can't speak for any particular school. But that's something that she mentioned that would be very much appreciated for her to do her best for her kids.
Host: Yeah. So if you are interested in helping your school social worker definitely reach out to the school social worker at your school, in your community to find ways that you can help. And then Kirt, is there anything else that we should know about school social workers?
Kirt: Well, I do know that they are not in the classroom, all the moments of every day teaching the theorems and the years of the civil war and yet the role that they do in helping kids to be in a frame of mind to learn is very crucial. And they're a part of the mental health staff of schools. And so their role is vital, not just in crisis times, which they're needed for, but also in just day to day so that every kid has the best chance to learn the most they can.
Host: Yeah, I think that's really important. And I want to thank you for tuning into the Well Within Reach podcast with Kirt Hendricks, who is the Pathways educator with Riverside's Behavioral Medicine Department and your host Liz Healy. To learn more about services provided by Riverside's Behavioral Medicine Department, visit our website at riversidehealthcare.org or call our central intake department at 844-442-2551.
Liz Healy (Host): Hello listeners. And thanks for tuning into the Well Within Reach podcast brought to you by Riverside Healthcare. I'm your host, Liz Healy and joining me today is Kirt Hendricks, who is a Pathways Educator. Pathways is part of our Riverside Behavioral Medicine Department. Thanks for joining us today Kirt.
So today, we're here to talk a little bit about the role social workers have in schools. So before we jump into our topic, can you give us a little bit, tell us just a little bit about your background, Kirt?
Kirt Hendricks (Guest): Sure. I am a retired public school educator who spent oh a few years in public schools. My first job in education was to be a teacher and a coach. I taught junior high social studies and a bit of science and coached cross-country and track. Then had the opportunity to go into a district office position where I learned the school business side of things. Did that for several years. Then my next opportunity was to be a principal and I served as a prinicpal for two years in one small rural school and then nine years in another rural school and found being a principal, very rewarding job, very difficult with lots of different publics, but also the most rewarding. Then I got back into some central office kinds of positions. I was the superintendent of a tiny district in Iroquois County.
Then did another four years in district office here in Kankakee county. And then I did some school business also, and now in my retirement, I have this wonderful job as the educator for Pathways, before that I was in the inpatient program at the hospital.
Host: Wow. It sounds like you have a lot of really great experience and you were an educator for quite some time. Can you tell us a little bit about how the role of a social worker in schools has changed throughout your time?
Kirt: Well, I have been out of the school administration for a few years now in my retirement. But I have reached out to a couple of schools social workers, current one in the earlier parts of her career and one mid-career and I think what I would say is that the one who's been at it a few years reports that it really has become more bureaucratic, more paperwork and that sometimes takes away from the desire to just be with the people who are in need.
And so I think the bureaucracy sometimes we face in lots of different parts of life. And I think that. Well, one of my colleagues has reported I think that you have to have a passion. And I think both of my friends reported that to be a good school social worker you need to have that passion. But I do think the demands have changed in the past few years.
Host: Okay. So do you think that social workers are more prevalent in schools due to issues that have come up in recent times?
Kirt: I do think that they are very common. There's varying ratios as I was told by my friends. There's different numbers, one to 400 students, one to 250. I do think that there in the these professionals in schools, serving the students and families, I think school social workers may be the highest number. And so I think. And yet that's kind of amazing because it is a rigorous master's program with an extensive internship. So to get to be one takes a whole lot of determination. And so you really have to want to do it.
Host: Yeah, I think that's an important thing. You have to have a passion for helping the children during that training and learning. I'm sure there are a lot of roles and tasks that a school social worker may take on to work with students that we may know about, some that we may not. Can you talk a little bit about those?
Kirt: School social workers really are in the frontline of the special services for a public school district. They have a caseload of students with an individual education plan, an IEP, and then they also have a caseload of other health impaired students with 504 plans. And so they have a specific group of students that into those plans are written the number of minutes that that student will see the social worker in a month's time. But I think the thing about school social workers compared to some of the other specialists, the occupational therapist, the physical therapist; is the school social worker sees their own caseload, and yet they have to be available to see any student in the school. One of my colleagues said that she estimates that she would see in a year about 70% of all of the students in her elementary school. And that can be in lots of different things. That can be in just finding resources for families that have barriers to schooling. If there's clothing that's needed or snacks that are needed. And a school social worker is that specialist in the school who's really responsible to every student. And so there's the bureaucratic expectations. And then there's just that, what can you do to help all kids learn the most by trying to break down some of those barriers?
Host: Yeah, that number surprises me. But also doesn't that 70% that they'll see that 70% about students that have come through just the one office. So I'm sure the numbers varies on schools as, so kind of going back in your time as a former school administrator, can you talk about why a school social worker is such a vital role within a school?
Kirt: Well, I think besides the requirements and making sure that every student can learn to the maximum of their abilities, I do think that life in schools brings unexpected events. And so school social workers, psuchologists, they become a part of what's so crucial if there's a crisis in the school. And so, they will meet with other grief counselors, if there's tragic events that happened in the schools. And so I think that's one thing I think school social workers often get involved in whole classroom activities where they can work with kids in various classrooms.
Often if there are students with real severe behavioral issues, the school social worker is often called on to come to that classroom to help deescalate, to work with the students so that they can get back into a frame of mind to be in the classroom. So vital in so many different ways.
Host: Yeah, for sure. So with the vital role that they play, is there like a requirement that all schools have a school social worker? Are there some schools that might not have one?
Kirt: Well, I think that there's different guidelines and recommendations and I'm enough retired that I don't know those specific legislative things. I do, as I have mentioned, they the two people I consulted with said one had a ratio of one to 400 students. Another had one to 250. I do think, honestly it depends on the financial means of individual public school districts whether or not what that ratio is like, whether it meets those things or if the number of students per social worker is exceeded. So I think there's probably some guidelines. But I think it has to meet with the financial realities of school districts.
Host: Oh, I'm sure. With the numbers that the numbers of cases that a certain social worker might have to take on or the needs of the community, I'm sure there are some difficulties that these school social workers. Can you talk a little bit about those?
Kirt: Well, I think that if things come up and it makes it hard for them to meet those minutes, they have to find ways to do that. My one colleague said don't go into this field if you're looking for three months off in the summer. And I think that's true. I think a sign that I saw in a school said the pleasure is all hours. H O U R S. And I think that they do what they have to, to write those plans. And I was reminded again that they're often called on to be a part of lots and lots of committees, equity committees, all kinds of things that relate to the overall health and wellbeing of a school, writing various plans because they do have a desire to help all kids.
And so they're good to be on most committees and those are great, committees are wonderful, but they do take away from a person's time in every school day.
Host: Oh yeah, for sure. And it does sound like they would be the ideal person. They want to help the kids. They want to make sure the kids are excelling and having a great experience at school and are having a good home life and everything of that nature. If someone in the community or a parent and school staff wanted to show appreciation for a school social worker, how could they do that?
Kirt: Well, think I was told that March is actually a month where there's a week set aside and I think those things mean a lot. So we may have missed March, but I think those kinds of appreciation notes and things can happen at any time. One of the people I contacted said anything you can contribute to the office that can be used to help kids in need. That's one thing that can be done. Often she is working on finding coats and clothes and snacks, and all those kinds of things that not all kids have readily from their home. And so any of those kinds of donations and I can't speak for any particular school. But that's something that she mentioned that would be very much appreciated for her to do her best for her kids.
Host: Yeah. So if you are interested in helping your school social worker definitely reach out to the school social worker at your school, in your community to find ways that you can help. And then Kirt, is there anything else that we should know about school social workers?
Kirt: Well, I do know that they are not in the classroom, all the moments of every day teaching the theorems and the years of the civil war and yet the role that they do in helping kids to be in a frame of mind to learn is very crucial. And they're a part of the mental health staff of schools. And so their role is vital, not just in crisis times, which they're needed for, but also in just day to day so that every kid has the best chance to learn the most they can.
Host: Yeah, I think that's really important. And I want to thank you for tuning into the Well Within Reach podcast with Kirt Hendricks, who is the Pathways educator with Riverside's Behavioral Medicine Department and your host Liz Healy. To learn more about services provided by Riverside's Behavioral Medicine Department, visit our website at riversidehealthcare.org or call our central intake department at 844-442-2551.