School Social Worker
Summary: Provide social work services for students and parents. Serve as part of a multidisciplinary team to seek out, screen and assess, coordinate, connect and navigate all students and families to support and resources. Develop partnerships both within the school and community and ensure that students and families receive access to human services, health care, social services, and mental health supports in order to meet needs and support student achievement.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities: An employee in this position may be called upon to do any or all of the following. (Does not include all tasks an employee may be expected to perform; other duties may be assigned.)
- Serve as initial point of contact for students and families to access services
- Identify problems and situations interfering with ability of children to make optimal use of the educational experience
- Advocate for appropriate access to human services, behavioral health services and medical health services and social support
- Serve as liaison between school, home and community service providers
- Screen, assess, refer, connect and support students and families in navigating systems and services
- Screen students for social emotional health using identified screening tools
- Navigate students and families through system processes and protocol (i.e. education, mental health, social services, healthcare)
- Develop partnerships with and coordinate community resources and support within and outside the school system for use by students, families and school personnel
- Promote and foster communication between all parties to include: building/district staff, students, families, human services, behavioral health, medical health, social serves and other community partners
- Develop and implement student and family engagement strategies to build relationships, promote positive school culture/climate, raise awareness of Whole Child needs, connect families to support and educate on available resources and supports available within the school and community
- Assist in implementation of building Student Study Teams to assess needs of identified students, determine strategies to meet need, monitor progress and evaluate outcomes
- Support implementation of MTSS tiered interventions along with positive behaviors supports and integration of additional support services
- Serve as a member of diagnostic team and educational planning and placement committees and provide biological, psychological and sociological assessment information related to referred students
- Provide comprehensive diagnostic evaluations of students suspected of being emotionally impaired and/or having autism spectrum disorder and collaborate with educational planning and placement committee in the determination of eligibility
- Coordinate and support provision of professional learning for district/building staff around nonacademic indicators (i.e. trauma informed classrooms, Youth Mental Health First Aid)
- Meet on a regular basis with school principal and other building/district leadership to review needed support/services and address issues impacting student achievement
- Consult with building/district staff on classroom and/or building strategies to meet student need
- Participate in School Improvement planning process (especially related to Whole Child/organizational goals and strategies), as requested
- Coordinate implementation, analysis and use of needs assessment efforts to drive decision-making around needed services and supports
- Assist building/district staff in collecting, reporting and use of pertinent data
- Document student progress, write regular progress reports and complete all required paperwork in a timely manner
- Attend required meetings
- May serve on teams or committees
- May make home visits for the purpose of gathering helpful information on student or family, if appropriate for assignment
- Regular and predictable in person attendance is required for this position
- Other duties as assigned
Qualification Requirements: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform
each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge,
skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with
disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education and/or Experience: Master’s degree in social work required. Candidates with experience in a school setting will be preferred.
Certificates, Licenses, Registration: Must have at least Michigan Department of Education Preliminary School Social Worker Certificate. Valid Michigan driver’s license and good driving record (6 points or fewer).
Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
Mathematical Skills: Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
Reasoning Ability: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
Other Skills and Abilities:
- Ability to work with school, human services, behavioral health, and medical health personnel
- Ability to understand and work effectively within the dynamics of various agencies, schools, and others
- Knowledge of child development, behavioral health, and medical health assessment
- Extensive knowledge of community resources
- Builds positive relationships and works effectively with diverse populations, demonstrating cultural and socioeconomic awareness
- Strong interpersonal, problem-solving, organizational, and collaboration skills
- Positive and can-do attitude that can tolerate a high frustration level
- Excellent communication skills (verbal, non-verbal, and written)
- Knowledge of basic computing platforms (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Internet, and Google)
- Committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of students
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, talk and hear. Consistently performs duties using a personal computer involving a variety of files, forms, and documents. Must be able to use hands, fingers, and arms in a manner that allows the individual to type, use a computer mouse, hold individual sheets of paper and sort materials. Employee must transport self in a motor vehicle to other work sites. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and the ability to adjust focus. The employee may occasionally be required to lift, push or pull up to 25 pounds, such as moving student equipment and wheelchairs.
Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate. Most work is performed in a school or office environment, but the employee will also perform work in private homes.
Pre-employment Screening: Applicants who receive a conditional offer of employment for a position with JCISD will be required to successfully complete a background check, a pre-employment physical to determine ability to perform the desired position (with or without reasonable accommodation) and a drug test.
Employment Date, Salary, and Fringe Benefits: Anticipated employment date is as soon as possible. Placement on the Special Education Certified Salary Schedule will depend on education, qualifications and experience. New employee starting salary range is $58,831-$109,456. Paid health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurances, sick and personal business days.
To Apply: Interested parties should go to our website, https://jcisd.workbrightats.com to complete an online application.