At Pittsburgh Public Schools, we know that our students need support in and out of the classroom to reach their full potential. School-based professionals are critical in our District to ensure that students are not just learning academically, but developing strong character and gaining skills that prepare them for college and career.

The Social Worker is responsible for providing and/or coordinating appropriate social services for students and their families, individually or in groups; to coordinate the efforts of students, families, faculty, community agencies, and school administration to facilitate the student's effective school adjustment; to coordinate the combined resources of the school district with those selected from appropriate community agencies that will enable students to achieve their maximum performance; to educate, assess, and provide intervention, referral, and support to students and/or families regarding their identified needs; to promote shared decision-making regarding service goals; and to deal immediately with individual student's problems of a crisis nature in a constructive, supportive, and non-judgmental manner, while meeting the Comprehensive Education Improvement Plan (CEIP) objectives and maintaining confidentiality of students and their families.

Reports To: Principal

Salary:
Salary Schedule For Social Workers
(starting at $44, 939 per year)

Endorsements: Social Worker License, School Social Services K-12, Home and School Visitor PK-12

Qualifications:
Required:
- A Master's degree in Social Work.
- A valid PA State Certification as Home and School Visitor or Social Worker license

Preferred qualities and attributes include:
- A minimum of five years experience in the educational field is preferred.
- A commitment to accelerating student achievement.
- A desire to eliminate racial disparities.
- The ability to create a positive school and district culture.
- The willingness to foster and promote innovation.
- The ability to be a culturally-responsive educator who knows how to leverage students' unique skills, interests, and learning styles to create a learning experience that unequivocally includes and empowers each and every student.
- Demonstrated enthusiasm and energy in making a difference in the lives of students.
- Proven ability to empathize with students and prepare them to achieve academic excellence and strength of character so they have the opportunity to succeed in all aspects of life.

Competencies:

- Therapy and Counseling: Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

- Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

- Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, and coordination of people and resources.

- Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes or providing customer and personal services.

- Psychology: Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; and assessments.

- Stakeholder Relations: The ability and willingness to interact and communicate effectively with stakeholders.

Residency Requirements: No Residency Requirement

Essential Job Functions:
1. Plans, develops, coordinates, implements, and evaluates programs and services to meet the needs of students and their families.

2. Provides and/or coordinates group counseling programs for students whose needs may include social dysfunction, excessive fear and anxiety, chemical abuse problems, or other serious developmental problems.

3. Meets with families of troubled students when such meetings would be beneficial to the student.

4. Conducts and/or coordinates individual or group counseling for at-risk students.

5. Provides counseling that will lead each student to increased personal growth, self-understanding, and maturity.

6. Meets with students individually or in groups to help facilitate the development of a plan to address personal problems related to issues such as family relations, health, emotional adjustment, and attendance.

7. Works with students and/or their families individually or in groups regarding personal problems related to such crises as child abuse and family emergencies.

8. Interacts proactively with students and/or families to avoid crisis situations.

9. Maintains case records that evidence planning and appropriate record-keeping which promotes an effective delivery of services, including service plans on all referred students.

10. Responds to transitional information shared from various feeder forms.

11. Consults with Student Services, faculty, and community agency representatives to cultivate a mutual understanding and teamwork, when appropriate.

12. Attends staffing meetings.

13. Coordinates the homebound process to ensure a smooth, continuous flow of education.

14. Processes records for students involved in school transfers, including those returning from correctional facilities, juvenile detention centers, hospitalizations, and related agencies.

15. Assists with the completion of the Comprehensive Evaluation Report as a part of the Program for Students with Exceptionalities referral process.

16. Maintains and continually updates a directory of referral services to be utilized in crisis situations affecting students.

17. Serves as a liaison between appropriate social service and community agencies and the school.

18. Maintains a professional awareness of regulations regarding child welfare and attendance, by having a working knowledge of state law, Board policy, and administrative regulations.

19. Schedules and conducts legal notice conferences at the school.

20. Initiates attendance related petitions and prepares cases for formal hearing.

21. Prepares all investigative data necessary for the completion of the citation process.

22. Reviews enrollment, attendance, and transfers on the school to assure compliance with applicable laws and sound principles of accounting for the student attendance.

23. Counsels students in matters of attendance and tardiness to effect compliance with the attendance standards.

24. Visits the homes of students to enforce school attendance and residency, when necessary.

25. Provides support to staff, teachers, and administrators by working with children experiencing attendance problems.

26. Provides assistance to a multidisciplinary and flexible Student Services Team to generate options that reflect and respond to the needs and priorities of the students as directed by the principal and the CEIP.

27. Performs additional related Student Services responsibilities.

Additional Job Information:
This position will be staffed pending the approval of grant funding, and pending approval from PDE.

HOW TO APPLY
To become a PPS school based professional, you must first complete a "Standard: Certified" application in the District's online application system. (www.pps.k12.pa.us/careers) This application will be screened in order to determine if you will be placed on the eligible list. Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) is required by the Pennsylvania School Code to use an eligible list to determine which candidates can be considered for hire. For more information, please see the Eligible List FAQ on the district website.

A complete school based professional application requires:
- An updated resume, reflective of your education and employment experience, including community involvement and leadership roles.

- Writing samples (responses to three brief essay prompts)

- References (submission and return of three electronic references)

- Selection of your certification type and content area

Step 1. Create an account and complete the online application. In addition to the above requirements, you will also have the opportunity to upload your Pennsylvania Praxis Exam scores, diplomas, transcripts, state-issued certificates, and additional attachments.

Step 2. Pittsburgh Public Schools will contact you if you are selected to move forward in the hiring process.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
This position is primarily sedentary in nature. Employee will be required to operate computer system for data entry, and have the ability to complete necessary paperwork. This position requires minimum physical effort and not subjected to Occupational Health and Safety risks.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Employees of the Pittsburgh Public Schools engage in the extremely important and fulfilling job of educating students in the City of Pittsburgh. Employees must believe in, value and be committed to the educability of all; must promote the school and district vision of high standards of learning and academic rigor, continuous school improvement, and the inclusion of all members of the school community; must be willing to work in a high stress environment while maintaining the energy necessary to meet the responsibilities and expectations of the position. A sample of specific elements associated with the work environment of this position includes:

-Frequently required to work at fast pace
-Comfort with ambiguity
-Requires considerable concentration and creativity
-Able to adjust daily work plans and work hours to be highly responsive to school needs
-Subject to stress caused by a changing environment, diversity in the organization, tight deadlines and work load, but must be able to maintain work/life balance amidst intense work demands.

ADA:
The employer will make reasonable accommodation in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act of 1990. This job description will be reviewed periodically as duties and responsibilities change with business necessity. Essential and marginal job functions are subject to modification.

OTHER INFORMATION:
The Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs, activities, career and technical education programs or employment and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. It is the policy of the Pittsburgh School District to make all services, programs and activities available and to provide reasonable accommodations to persons with disabilities. Please make requests for accommodations at least 72 hours before the scheduled event. For more information regarding accommodations, civil rights grievance procedures, please contact: Ms. Rachel Beers, Office of Employee Relations, 341 S. Bellefield Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 or 412-529-HELP (4357).

The Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs, activities, career and technical education programs or employment and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. It is the policy of the Pittsburgh School District to make all services, programs and activities available and to provide reasonable accommodations to persons with disabilities. Please make requests for accommodations at least 72 hours before the scheduled event. For more information regarding accommodations, civil rights grievance procedures, please contact: Office of Employee Relations, 341 S. Bellefield Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 or 412-529-HELP (4357).