School Social Worker

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JOB TITLE: School Social Worker DEPARTMENT: Instruction REPORTS TO: Head of School FLSA STATUS: Exempt Summary: The School Social Worker promotes and enhances the overall academic mission of the Charter School of Inquiry (CSI) by providing services that strengthen home, school, and community partnerships and reduce barriers to learning. The School Social Worker must understand the social and emotional development of children as well as the influence of family, community, and cultural differences. S/he must also work to implement effective intervention strategies to promote student success.

Trauma-Informed Approach

The School Social Worker should adapt a trauma-informed approach and assist in the implementation of the Responsive Classroom model to support the creation of a collaborative school culture designed to support positive student development and behavior.

This includes:

• Understanding the nature and dynamics of trauma including multi-faceted concepts such as community, intergenerational, and historical trauma;
• Exhibiting knowledge of trauma-informed theories, principles, and practices including parallel processes and universal precautions;
• Operating from a trauma-informed perspective focusing on safety; trustworthiness and transparency; peer support; collaboration and mutuality; empowerment, voice and choice; and an awareness of cultural, historical, and gender issues;
• Advocating for, supporting, and/or leading implementation of school initiatives around trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices; and
• Facilitating professional development for faculty, staff, and administrators as well as educational opportunities for families and communities.

Responsibilities:
Assessment . Conduct student, family, and school-wide assessments to identify areas of concern and develop appropriate interventions to address them.

• Uses a variety of formal and informal tools and techniques to better understand key strengths, areas for growth, and experiences of CSI students, families, and school community.
• Serves on the CSI Student Support Team, along with the Student Support Coordinator, Head of School, faculty, and family or community members, and is charged with reviewing assessment data and developing strategies to address specific concerns.
• Implements short- and long-term interventions to address identified needs and promote a positive learning environment for all.

Direct Services/Service Delivery . Uses knowledge and understanding of the influences of home, school, and community to intervene in the lives of students, families, and the school community through provision of crisis intervention, conflict resolution, individual and group counseling, social programs, and school and community service coordination.

• Promotes family support of students' learning experience within the context of multicultural understanding and competencies.
• Provides services to students in ways that build upon individual strengths and offers students maximum opportunities to participate in the planning and direction of their own learning experience.
• Develops and provides programming that addresses the goals and mission of CSI.

Consultant . Consults with faculty, staff, and administrators on behalf of students and their families.

• Establishes and maintains cooperative and effective working relationships with faculty, staff, and administrators; families; and community partners;
• Consults with stakeholders to facilitate an understanding of factors in the home, school and community that affect students' educational experiences.
• Addresses issues as attendance, diversity, mental health, behavior management, bullying, delinquency, crisis intervention, homelessness, child abuse, neglect, and the importance of confidentiality.

Collaboration . Consults and collaborates with community stakeholders on behalf of students and their families.

• Uses extensive knowledge of community resources to facilitate the provision of community services to children and/or their families.
• Helps to build effective school-community teams and orients community providers to school climate, culture, structure, and to the laws and regulations governing practice in educational settings.
• Works with internal and external individuals, groups, and organizations to develop programs or systems of care that support and enhance the health, social and emotional well-being, and safety of students.
• Promotes collaboration among health and mental health service providers and facilitates student access to these services in the community.

Program Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation . Effectively plans, implements, and evaluates programs that promote student and family success.

• Applies knowledge of environmental factors in planning programs.
• Conducts individual and/or system-wide surveys to assess the school and/or community needs.
• Plans school and/or system-wide programs to promote a safe, healthy, caring school climate that fosters academic success.
• Assists the school and community in planning programs that alleviate situations that may interfere with the learning process of students.
• Assists in the evaluation of effective departmental, school-based, system, community, and statewide programs.

Advocacy . Advocates for appropriate supports for students and their families.

• Advocates and facilitates change that effectively responds to the needs of students, families, and the school using appropriate statutes, case law, policies, and procedures.
• Promotes services to students and their families within the context of multicultural understanding and competence that enhances families' support of students learning experiences.
• Assists students and their families in gaining access to informal and formal community resources as necessary.

Accountability . Advocates, facilitates, and contributes to School Social Worker accountability for outcomes aligned with local, state, and federal policies and guidelines.

• Conforms to the National Association of Social Work (NASW) Code of Ethics and Standards for School Social Work practice.
• Maintains accurate case records and documentation.
• Maintains current knowledge of federal and state laws and regulations and abides by said laws and regulations with emphasis on persons with disabilities, child welfare, mental health, confidentiality, and student and parent rights.
• Organizes time, resources, energy, and workload in order to meet responsibilities.
• Evaluates own practice in order to maximize the effectiveness of services and resources provided to students.
• Participates in appropriate professional development activities to improve knowledge and skills.
• Serves as School DASA Coordinator, working in conjunction with the Student Support Coordinator and the Head of School.

Minimum Qualifications : Master's degree in social work from a competitive college or university required.
New York State certification required.
LMSW or LCSW highly desirable.
At least two years of social work experience working with children and families in an economically and racially diverse setting required.

Experience with trauma-informed care and the Responsive Classroom approach to developing school climate and behavior expectations a plus.

Demonstrated effective interpersonal skills; maintaining open communication and relating sensitively to others is required.

Appointment Status : Probationary

Position Status : Full time

Specialized Training : At Risk Youth

Posting Link : www.csicharter.org