Position Type:
Student Support Services

Date Posted:
2/3/2021

Location:
South Side Campuses

Closing Date:
Until Filled

Background:
LEARN is a network of high performing college preparatory, tuition-free public elementary and middle schools. that serve children. There are 10 LEARN Schools serving 4,100 students in grades PK-8 across Chicago, Waukegan, and North Chicago.

LEARN and our amazing educators, have received numerous recognitions for making an impact in public education, including the 2018 Chicago Magazine's Top Elementary Charter Schools and the 2018 Illinois Network of Charter Schools Principal of the Year Award.

LEARN's mission remains crystal clear: to provide children with the academic foundation and ambition to earn a college degree. LEARN is currently looking for hard-working and passionate professionals that are dedicated to transforming public education.
PURPOSE
To understand the learning process and the academic environment and develops programs and interventions that promote achievement of all students; understands the developmental needs of the school-aged population and develops programs and interventions that promote optimum personal and social development; understands instructional planning and designs developmental counseling curriculum based upon knowledge of the student, the community and the overall educational program; understands and implements appropriate responses to crises and utilizes a variety of intervention strategies for students, families, and communities facing emergency situations.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Participates with interdisciplinary team members in developing and implementing program policies and procedures and intervention strategies.
• Assesses the social and emotional needs of all students.
• Provides direct counseling/social services to students referred by faculty, administration, special education and other school ancillary staff (e.g. provide counseling for students before and/or after discipline).
• Coordinates social work/counseling/therapeutic services and student referrals between the school and other agencies providing social and educational services in both school and local community.
• Establish referral network/linkages with outside agencies for both students and parents.
• Serves as an advocate for student's rights within the school and serves as a mediator between parents, child and school.
• Remains available for crisis intervention as the need arises or arranges for such coverage by emergency social services.
• Lead school based intervention team.
• Work closely with Special Education Department to ensure all students receive appropriate interventions and services through behavior plans and classroom management strategies.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's Degree in Social Work/Counseling and a Type 73 with 2 years of direct experience
• Ability to engage and diffuse crisis situations
• Ability to work effectively with children, families, professionals and other personnel from a wide range of cultural, social and economic backgrounds.

Benefits Summary
We offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package for all full time employees, including health insurance, dental, vision, paid vacation, personal days, paid holidays, short and long term disability, paid life insurance, 403B and the Chicago Teachers' Pension fund.

Physical Demands
Caring for children can be physically demanding. School Social Workers may be lifting and carrying children and equipment, and may spend time sitting on the floor or child sized furniture. Nature of work requires an ability to operate standard business office equipment. Requires the ability to communicate and exchange information, collect, compile and prepare work documents, set-up and maintain work files. Physical demands require the ability to stand, bend, reach high and low, stoop, walk around the classroom and kneel upwards of 60% of the day. In addition walking up and down stairs several times a day. Must be able to lift 15 to 20 pounds for short periods of time and push and pull 15 to 20 lbs.

Working Conditions
School Social Worker will be working in a busy and occasionally noisy environment. There may be a number of activities and situations happening at once. Majority of work will be performed in a general officeschool environment. Requires participation and attendance at organization sponsored events and meetings.

This job description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of LEARN Charter School Network. Since no job description can detail all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time in the performance of a job, duties and responsibilities that may be inherent in a job, reasonably required for its performance, or required due to the changing nature of the job shall also be considered part of the jobholder's responsibility.