HOME AND SCHOOL VISITOR CERTIFICATE PROGRAM. BRYN MAWR COLLEGE Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research 300 Airdale Rd. Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

Transcription

1 HOME AND SCHOOL VISITOR CERTIFICATE PROGRAM BRYN MAWR COLLEGE Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research 300 Airdale Rd. Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

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3 TABLE OF CONTENTS General Information and Requirements,, 1 Eligibility..2 Application and Interview..2 Academic Requirements.3 Transfer and/or Waiver Credit..5 Program Cost...6 Final Steps for Certification...7 Maintaining your Certificate..7

4 Bryn Mawr's Home and School Visitor Certificate program is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and is compliant with current PDE standards, including accommodations and adaptations for students with disabilities and for English language learners, effective January 1, The program has been carefully developed to meet all requirements established by PDE for individuals seeking certification. Candidates for Home and School Visitor certification must be recommended to the Pennsylvania Department of Education by their academic institution in order to receive the official certificate. Bryn Mawr will assist HSV candidates to this end by maintaining records of completion of academic requirements of the program, informing candidates of their completion, and by recommending candidates to the Pennsylvania Department of Education for HSV certification. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS The Pennsylvania Department of Education requires that Bryn Mawr College collect and maintain supporting materials pertaining to all Home and School Visitor academic requirements completed by the student, either at Bryn Mawr or through transfer credit from another academic institution. Recommendation to PDE for the Certificate will be made when all materials have been collected. It is the responsibility of the student to request supporting materials from other academic institutions, including official transcripts and syllabi, and to submit the materials to the attention of the Center for Professional Development. A Non-matriculated Student Application (from applicants other than current Bryn Mawr students) and a Declaration of Intent Form (from all students) are to completed and submitted to the Center for Professional Development. The declaration form is to be signed by the student and by Bryn Mawr s HSV Certifying Officer. Official Graduate Transcripts (from applicants other than current Bryn Mawr students) are to be mailed to the attention of the Bryn Mawr College GSSWSR, Center for Professional Development, 300 Airdale Rd., Bryn Mawr, PA Interview with Bryn Mawr's HSV Certifying Officer - Applicants arrange an in-person interview with Elaine Robertson to discuss their preparation for, and interest in, school social work, as well as how they intend to use the knowledge gained through this course of study. Active PA Social Work License - Testing requirements for HSV Certification are either an active social work license, or completion of the PAPA (Pre-service Academic Performance Assessment) basic skills tests. Other professional credentials, including professional counseling licenses, will not be accepted. -1-

5 Clearances - Students are advised that, in order to work in a school setting in Pennsylvania, they must have the following clearances. Forms are available online. PA Criminal History Request Form (SP4-164) PA Child Abuse History Clearance (CY-113) Federal Criminal Background Check ELIGIBILITY Applicants to Bryn Mawr s Home and School Visitor Certificate Program include: students enrolled in Bryn Mawr s Master of Social Service (M.S.S.) degree program, who may complete program requirements within their graduate curriculum; and individuals who have completed a master s program in social work or in a related field at Bryn Mawr or another institution, and who may apply as a non-matriculated student APPLICATION AND INTERVIEW PROCESS The following documents are to be completed and submitted to the Center for Professional Development. The application is not required of current Bryn Mawr College GSSWSR students. The Declaration of Intent form is to be signed by all students and by Bryn Mawr's HSV Certifying Officer. Non-matriculated Student Application Declaration of Intent Interview with HSV Certifying Officer Applicants arrange an appointment, either by phone ( ) or in person, to speak with Elaine Robertson to discuss their preparation for, and interest in, school social work, as well as how they intend to use the knowledge gained through this course of study. -2-

6 ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS Bryn Mawr's HSV program requires the completion of four graduate courses, a school-based practicum, three Professional Development courses, and an Integrative Seminar. NOTE: Each Bryn Mawr master's unit is the equivalent of four semester hours. Each half master's unit is the equivalent of two semester hours. Professional Development courses offer continuing education credit. The following approved graduate courses are offered through Bryn Mawr College GSSWSR. Please see Transfer and/or Waiver Credit guidelines if appropriate. Note that, taken in sequence, the academic requirements for the Certificate may be completed within one academic year. All courses are held on-site at Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. 1) Cultural Competency: The Home and School Visitor Certificate program assumes that MSW graduates of CSWE-accredited institutions have satisfied the cultural competency requirement set forth in their degree programs. Bryn Mawr College GSSWSR students satisfy this requirement within the MSS program. NOTE: Those applicants who do not possess an MSW can request transfer credit consideration for a course they feel is equivalent (syllabus required for consideration); enroll in Bryn Mawr's Multiculturalism course, or discuss other alteratives with the Certifying Officer of the HSV Program. 2) Graduate Level Courses: Current GSSWSR students may register for these courses as part of the normal course registration process; HSV-only students will be pre-enrolled. Education Law for School Social Workers (B571D) - master's course pertaining to Contitutional as well as Pennsylvania school law; scheduled on Wednesday evenings in fall term (7 weeks); (1/2 unit) Public Education Issues in School Social Work Practice (B570D) - master's course; scheduled on Wednesday evenings in fall term (7 weeks);(1/2 unit) Perspectives on Special Education (B561) - master's course pertaining specifically to social work issues related to diverse learners; scheduled in spring term on Wednesday evenings (1 unit). Elective pertaining to treatment of children and adolescents master's course (1 unit) The elective must incorporate significant content pertaining to treatment of children and adolescents withn the context of individual, family or group work. Examples of approved BMCGSSWSR courses are: B559 - Family Therapy (1 unit) B560D - Attachment Based Couples Therapy (1 unit) B564 - Group Therapy (1 unit) B565 - Clinical SW with Children and Adolescents (1 unit) B578 - Human Sexuality (1 unit) B580 - Adolescents in Family Therapy (1 unit) -3-

7 School-Based Practicum - a supervised practicum that includes a minimum of 375 hours in a school setting, working with students and their families as well as teachers and other support staff. (1 unit) See Transfer and/or Waiver Credit for options for this requirement. Integrative Seminar (B577a and B577b)- non-credit seminar focuses on integration of the practice of social work and the unique context of the public education system in Pennsylvania. Sessions (12) are scheduled on specific Wednesday evenings during the fall and spring terms immediately following the Wednesday evening HSV-required master's classes. Attendance at a minimum of nine of the 12 sessions is required. Transfer credit for this requirement will not be considered. 3) Professional Development Courses: Students will register for these courses through the Center for Professional Development. Education Law Expanded (B5030) - Two session professional development course scheduled on Saturdays in the spring term. This course expands on the Educational Law for School Social Workers graduate course, providing more information on IDEA and ESL. Other legal topics pertinent to social workers will also be discussed. Continuing education and Act 48 credit only. English Language Learners: The Role of the School Social Worker (B5020) - Professional Development course scheduled during the fall term includes two full-day Saturday classroom sessions. In addition, students schedule a classroom observation at either the elementary or secondary level that includes an interview of an ESL instructor. Classroom observation and interview are scheduled during the interim between the first and second classroom sessions. Continuing education and Act 48 credit only. Psychological Testing for School Social Workers (B5000 and B5010) - Two-session Professional Development course scheduled on Saturdays in spring term Reading requirement. Continuing education and Act 48 credit only. -4-

8 TRANSFER AND/OR WAIVER CREDIT Transfer credit for master's courses will be considered upon the receipt of an official graduate transcript and supporting materials in the form of a course syllabus for each transfer credit request. (Students requesting transfer credit for a course to be completed through another academic institution must first submit the syllabus of that course for approval prior to enrolling in the course.) Field experiences and graduate courses will be evaluated on the basis of their content and their reflection of current standards. Courses for which transfer credit is requested must have a grade of "B" or above. Note that courses for which students seek transfer credit should demonstrate course content pertaining to accommodations and adaptations for students with disabilities as well as English language learners. Questions about suitability of specific courses may be directed to swprodev@brynmawr.edu. Requests for transfer credit for a field practicum experience (minimum of 375 hours) completed through another graduate institution are to be accompanied by written verification from a direct supervisor of responsibilities held and length of time spent in the placement, identification of the school and school district where the practicum took place, as well as verification of its satisfactory completion. Requests for a waiver of the field practicum requirement will be considered for individuals who are employed in a school setting, as well as for those individuals who arrange a school-based intern experience not associated with Bryn Mawr. In each instance, the individual's direct supervisor must provide the verification outlined above by completing the Field Instructor Report. Note that Bryn Mawr College awards credit on a one master's unit per graduate course basis. Each Bryn Mawr master's unit is the equivalent of four semester hours. Each half master's unit is the equivalent of two semester hours. -5-

9 PROGRAM COST Non-matriculated students may request transfer credit consideration for graduate courses that are the equivalent of those listed below Administrative Fees (Fees are assessed at time of completion of academic requirements. Note that Professional Development courses are separate from graduate level courses) $250 - students who complete program while enrolling in fewer than two Bryn Mawr graduate level courses $750 - students who complete program while transferring in all graduate level academic requirements Financial Aid - not available to non-matriculated students. The following fees per required course are based on Bryn Mawr College Academic Year guidelines. Note that one Bryn Mawr College master's unit is the equivalent of four semester hours. Education Law for School SWs (1/2 master's unit) Public Education Issues in School SW (1/2 master's unit) HSV Field Instruction (for non-matric students) (1 master's unit) HSV Integrative Seminar (no credit, but required) Perspectives in Special Education (1 master's unit) Elective pertaining to treatment of Children/Adolescents (1 master's unit) English Language Learners (CE credit) Psychological Testing for School SWs (CE credit) Education Law Expanded (CE credit) $ 1, $ 1, $ 3, n/c $ 3, $ 3, $ $

10 FINAL STEPS FOR CERTIFICATION Applicants for the HSV Certificate are required to apply online to PDE for the Certificate. Note that the name of the new application system (TIMS) refers to Teacher Information Management System, but the system will also track Home and School Visitor Certification. Students should familiarize themselves with this process prior to application. Details of the new electronic application process are available on the PDE website. New information will be posted to the site by PDE as updates become available, and it is recommended that students not print out current information that might be superseded by a future update. Upon completion of Bryn Mawr's program requirements, including posting of BMC grades, acceptance of transfer credits, and receipt of all pertinent materials pertaining to the student's Bryn Mawr HSV record, the student will receive an official from Bryn Mawr indicating completion of the requirements. The will direct students to the TIMS website for online application for the certificate. Once the student completes the online application, Bryn Mawr will finalize the process by affirming the student's completion of the preparation program and recommending the student for the certificate. NOTE: It is the responsibility of the student to request supporting materials from other academic institutions, including official transcripts and syllabi, and to submit the materials to the attention of the Center for Professional Development. MAINTAINING YOUR HSV CERTIFICATE Your Home and School Visitor Certificate, as with other professional certificates or licenses, requires continuing education maintenance in order to keep the certification active. The PA Department of Education requires that persons holding Pennsylvania professional educator certification (including the Home and School Visitor Certificate) acquire a specific number of Act 48 continuing professional education credit hours in order to maintain their certificates as active. Holders of PA professional educator certificates may accomplish this by earning six collegiate credits or six PDE-approved in-service credits or 180 continuing education hours or any combination of the above every five calendar years, commencing upon receipt of the original certificate. NOTE: Each collegiate credit is equal to 30 continuing education hours. All credits and hours must be related to an educator s certificate type or area of assignment, unless enrolled in an administrative program or approved by the school board. Bryn Mawr's Center for Professional Development is pleased to offer many Act 48 continuing education credit opportunities within its programs. Each Professional Development contact hour is the equivalent of one Act 48 credit. -7-