Registration Now Open for April Conference

Registration for the our upcoming conference on April 13-14 at the Oshkosh Best Western is now open! Learn more about the conference and register here. Be sure to login as a member to enjoy our discount on registration for members!

Our keynotes will be Kate Phillippo and Jandel Crutchfield, who wrote Structural Racism in Schools: A View through the Lens of the National School Social Work Practice Model. 

Here are the titles of some of the other workshops:

We look forward to learning and being together again!

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.

Congratulations Tabatha Veum, 2021 School Social Worker of the Year!

Here's what one of her colleagues said of her:

"Beyond her incredible service to the students, families, and staff in the School District of La Crosse, Tabatha is always providing a great service to the profession of School Social Work. She is very passionate about what School Social Work offers to the educational setting. The tirelessly advocates for an understanding of what School Social Work, how it differs from other student service professions, and for the need to have more School Social Work FTE. She advocates for the discontinuing of dual role positions and the discontinuation of moving School Social Work responsibilities to under-licensed positions labeled school-community liaisons, community social workers, and community service coordinators. Although it is a lot of extra time, work, and energy, Tabatha will always take a School Social Work intern. She is always encouraging students into the profession and works hard while they are with her to impart as much of knowledge and experience as she can, to set them up for success in their own positions after graduation."

WSSWA Testifies Against Anti-Trans Athlete Bill

President Angela Baerwolf and board member Sara Lennertz (pictured left) testified before the Assembly and Senate respectively on May 26th at the state capitol in opposition to AB 195/SB 323 and AB 196/SB 322. WSSWA had a big impact on the debate, giving legislators something to think about when it comes to mental health and removing barriers for transgender youth. Read the testimony here.

Congratulations Nichole Carlisle, 2020 School Social Worker of the Year!

Nichole works at Kromrey Middle School in Middleton, advocating for systems change to increase culturally responsive & trauma-sensitive practices throughout multiple systems while acting as a role model in these practices. She goes above and beyond making connections between home and school and is an amazing liaison between the two or more environments. Nichole will not stop working until she knows that our most marginalized students are getting what they need to find success academically, socially and emotionally.