Wisconsin School Social Workers Association:

Connecting and serving practitioners as they care for students, families and schools.


WSSWA board members and regional reps, November 2022

Recent News

President of WSSWA talks student mental health on WPR's "The Morning Show"

Leah Kutschke, WSSWA Board President, spoke with Wisconsin Public Radio's Kate Archer Kent on the Morning Show about student mental health and Gov. Evers'  recent declaration during the State of the State Address proclaiming 2023 "The Year of Mental Health". Listen in to the full interview here!

Wisconsin Public Radio |


Thank you for attending our Fall Conference!

Thanks for joining us in Green Lake to focus on mental health, both for our students and ourselves. Next year we will be back at the Oshkosh Best Western, November 9-10 - Save the date!


Congratulations Dena Radtke, Lifetime Achievement Award!

Words from Julie Incitti: The first words that come to mind when I think of Dena are professional, reliable, caring, innovative, thoughtful, producing high quality work, exceptional leadership, and positive, smiling, and kind. Dena was always willing to help out, to provide her guidance and expertise, and to take action to support employees, colleagues, families, and the school social work profession. She always ensured that there was a strong connection between MPS social workers and WSSWA, providing a vital link. She put into place many structures and systems, to not only better support kids and families in MPS, but also to better support the school social workers as professionals. Dena kept in regular contact with DPI, and stayed on top of current research and practices to bring to the work. She fostered strong connections and collaborations, and continually strove for all voices to be heard and included. Dena has been such a great resource and positive model and inspiration to many. Thank you does not do enough to capture the full extent of what we all owe her.






Congratulations Carla Vorpahl, 2022 School Social Worker of the Year!

 Carla M. Vorpahl has devoted over 20 years of   her career to serving students as a school         social worker in the Sheboygan Area School     District in southern Wisconsin. In this time, she   has formed and championed diversity and   inclusion initiatives, such as a Hmong girls’   student leadership group and the Harbor   Program for students with mental health or   special education needs. Carla has established   a food pantry to serve her school community;   was   an important member of a collaborative   team to bring free school-based mental health   programs to Sheboygan; and has trained over   800 educators in trauma informed practices. 

 Her accomplishments are many, but they are   overshadowed by the impact she has on others.   In the words of her school’s principal, “My   confidence in Carla Vorpahl is unmatched as   she moves people forward. She continually   empowers those around her to work not only   harder but smarter. I would follow her   anywhere. So should we all."

Congratulations again Carla on an extremely well-deserved award!

  

Thanks for Attending Our April 2022 Conference!

Thanks everyone for a great conference! It was so great to be in community with you all and to take in so much learning to better our practice.

Board Welcomes New Members, Regional Reps

Our board met with our regional reps and welcomed new board members Joseph Liverseed and Karen Spann Turner at our November board meeting! We also welcomed our new president, Leah Kutschke, and said goodbye to treasurer Alex Schirmacher and Katie Eaton. Angela Baerwolf will now serve as past president. Learn more about our current board and regional reps in the 'About Us' section of our website.


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Events

  • Fall Conference Nov. 10th-12th, Green Lake

Board Meetings

  • November 12, 2022


Land Acknowledgement:

The Wisconsin School Social Workers Association (WSSWA) is an organization based in Wisconsin. Throughout Wisconsin’s history, indigenous and First Nations individuals have been murdered, forcibly removed from their homelands, and involuntarily and violently assimilated to the culture of the white colonizer.

WSSWA recognizes and respects the inherent sovereignty, strength, beauty, and resilience of the twelve First Nations that reside in the boundaries of the state of Wisconsin. Wisconsin’s dark history of colonization, oppression, and genocide towards native peoples must continue to inform our work as social workers and our commitment to the dignity and worth of all persons, the self-determination of all persons, and our fight for social justice for all.

Wisconsin First Nation Tribes: Brothertown Nation • Forest County Potawatomi • Ho-Chunk Nation • Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin • Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians • Oneida Nation • Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa • Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa • Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa • Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa • Sokaogon Chippewa Community • St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin https://wisconsinfirstnations.org/native-land-map/

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