King George County Schools Office of Student and Family Services (SFS) includes supervision of school health and well-being programs, including school nurses, counselors, and social workers. This internship experience will allow students to acquire direct, practical, and meaningful experiences under the supervision and through the support of experienced and skilled personnel serving in these positions. These experiences will take place in several schools across all levels (PK-12) as well as within the Office of Student and Family Services at the central office building in King George.
Internship placements must be initiated by UMW’s internship coordinator, not the interested student. UMW will contact the Supervisor of Student and Family Services to begin the placement process. The Supervisor will review internship openings with building administrators and potential site supervisors to determine if the internship can be offered in any particular semester or summer. If there is availability for placement in KGCS, the intern will be invited to an interview to determine fit and appropriate placement.
The Supervisor of Student and Family Services will coordinate with the Office of Human Resources to finalize placement, complete all appropriate paperwork, background checks, etc.
NOTE: Please be aware that due to issues of confidentiality and consent, you are unlikely to be able to observe any counseling sessions or some other types of meetings between staff and students/families. You will still have opportunities to learn about this career, but you need to have realistic expectations for what you will and won’t be able to be a part of.
Duties:
Duties will be dependent upon intern preparation, needs and opportunities at the specific school, and in some cases, parental permission of the students.
Typical duties within the Office of Student and Family Services may include:
- Shadowing of school social workers and/or counselors in a variety of school settings
- Monthly team meetings staffing and reviewing student and program needs
- Periodic training opportunities related to various aspects of the school setting including trauma informed classrooms, restorative justice, threat and suicide risk assessments, intervention planning and monitoring
- Assisting with School Based Intervention Teams related to academic, behavioral, and attendance needs
- Assisting with coordinating community outreach such as social services, donations, holiday dinner and gift programs, Snacks for Students, etc.
- Observation of regular education, collaborative/inclusive, and self-contained classroom settings
- Observation of and participate in (as appropriate) Child Study, Eligibility, and Individualized Education Plan meetings
- Teaching (supervised) and/or co-teaching individual, small group, and classroom lessons with students
- Student case-study review and preparation
- Participation in After Care Transition meetings for students returning from other institutions, such as detention centers, mental health facilities, hospital care, or from absence following a suicide risk or threat assessment
- Lessons on Career, College, and Life Readiness inventories, goal setting, and future planning
- Working with at-risk students, including those experiencing homelessness and family instability, students involved in foster care services, and other underserved populations
Pre-Requisites:
1. Must meet all UMW and Department of Psychological Science internship requirements.
2. Successful completion of a background check, fingerprinting, and a test for tuberculosis
3. Required courses:
- PSYC 315 – Foundations of Clinical Psychology
- PSYC 231 – Infant and Child Development or PSYC 232 – Adolescent and Emerging Adult Development
4. Recommended courses:
- PSYC 320 – Psychology of Exceptional Children and Youth
Assessment:
- 42 hours of work per credit hour (most interns do 3 credits with 126 hours of work)
- Grade is based on on-campus supervision, agency evaluation, reflective journal, and a final paper
Agency contact:
Mary Pietras Fisher, M.Ed.
Supervisor of Student and Family Services
King George County Schools
540-775-5833 Ext. 8614