The Pitt School of Social Work and the Pennsylvania Association of School Social Work Personnel (PASSWP) hosted a conference, "The 3 R’s of School Social Work: Roles, Responsibilities, and Reflection," on campus on November 4th. PASSWP has been creating a space for School Social Workers for the past 20 years, but this is the first time the organization celebrated these amazing professionals on the western side of the state--with close to 100 in attendance and 14 presenters from across Pennsylvania. "It was incredible to see such a dedicated group of professionals come together to share their expertise and experiences," said Tonya Slawinski, Director of Practicum Education. "This was truly a memorable conference."
Dr. Alicia Johnson, CWEL Academic Coordinator and Clinical Assistant Professor, said: "Although they receive professional development from the district, it was inspiring to see that school social workers are always seeking additional professional development opportunities to better serve children and families. I also appreciated that a focus of the conference included sessions on ethics and suicide prevention as both are required for LSW licensure. I learned new information that I will incorporate into future classes."
Attendees also appreciated the event, with one recent Pitt graduate sharing: “I attended the school social work conference at the University of Pittsburgh and it was a fantastic conference! Thank you so much for all the time and energy PASSWP dedicated to making it happen.”