Summary

The School Social Worker/Counselor supports teachers, administrators, families and staff in ensuring that AppleTree Early Learning Public Charter School (AELPCS) provides optimal support to all children, especially those who need extra support in developing social competencies and those with challenging home situations. The School Social Worker/Counselor brings an understanding of the psychosocial development of children and the influences of family, community, and cultural differences to the educational process. Social workers help to ensure that children are physically, socially and emotionally available for instructional experiences that will close the achievement gap before children enter kindergarten.

Duties and Responsibilities                                                                                         

Supports Achievement of all students

• Develops an understanding of the school’s mission, culture, response to intervention instructional model and school-wide behavior management plan.
• Ensures all social work policies and practices align with the school’s mission, culture, response to intervention instructional model and school-wide behavior management plan.
• Assists in the screening and assessment of students’ social-emotional and behavioral needs, including completing classroom observations.
• Provides specialized, data-driven consultation to instructional staff to support effective classroom management, preventive interventions and behavior modification plans.
• Participates in school processes designed to help children in need of extra support, including the Student Support Team and Multi-disciplinary Team.

   

Acts as a resource for families and the AELPCS community

• Plans and provides school-wide programming to support responsive parenting, parent involvement and identified school-needs.
• Has knowledge of community resources to assist families, including those facing homelessness, domestic violence, drug abuse, unemployment and low adult literacy.
• Collaborates with community agencies to coordinate services within the school system.
• Conducts school-wide surveys to assess the needs of the school and school families.
• Provide professional development on areas of expertise to school personnel.

Provides direct services to children and families

• Provides short-term consultation services to families who need support.
• Provides short-term, classroom-based support to children who are having difficulties adjusting to other children or school.
• Provides short-term, classroom-based support to children who are experiencing social-emotional and/or behavioral problems.
• Provides short-term individual therapy to children experiencing behavioral problems utilizing evidence-based therapeutic techniques (e.g. play therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy)
• Facilitates social skills groups.
• Refers children, parents or families to community agencies where the need is indicated.
• Acts as the school-based liaison for students with community-based services and supports.
• Implements and progress monitors social emotional goals for students with IEPs
• Provides crisis response support and assistance to children and families.
• Supports interventions and conducts home visits for families struggling with consistent attendance.
• Serves as the school-based homeless and foster care liaison.
• Conducts Functional Behavior Assessments for general and special education students.
• Leads the design, implementation, and progress monitoring of behavior plans.

   

Compliance and reporting

• Seeks out clinical supervision as applicable
• Maintains systematic data collection, review, analysis and reporting processes for all social work activities
• Completes social work services dashboards regularly and on time

Contributes to a community of practice

• Communicates frequently with school administrators, school staff, peers and Institute staff.
• Maintains necessary records.
• Maintains strict confidentiality with regard to all aspects of student information.
• Understands, and practices in accordance with, federal, state, and local laws, statutes, and/or policies that relate to students and families; such as, child protection/child abuse, special education, attendance, education rights and privacy.
• Seeks out professional development opportunities for oneself.
• Demonstrates professionalism in all interactions and duties.
• Maintains cooperative, respectful and supportive relationships with colleagues.
• Allocates time and resources effectively.

Requirements

• A Master's degree in social work or counseling and appropriate licensure (LGSW, LICSW, LGPC, LPC) through the DC Department of Health.
• Experience as a Social Worker or Counselor, preferably in an urban elementary school setting; experience with early childhood is a plus.
• An understanding of the community's health and mental health resources.
• Professionalism, sensitivity and responsibility to students and AppleTree’s mission.
• This position requires travel to multiple campuses.    

Salary

Salary commensurate with education and experience.  Compensation includes a performance-based bonus and excellent health benefits.                                       

Working Environment                                                           

• School working environment.