School Social Worker

Job Description 

TITLE: School Social Worker 

QUALIFICATIONS: LLMSW, LMSW 

FUNCTION: To provide school social work services to and on behalf of students so that social/emotional and adaptive development can be enhanced to assist with academic  achievement. 

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

A. Services to Students and Parents 

1. Performs casework and group work services with students to correct personal, social or emotional maladjustments related to their educational and social progress. 

2. Performs casework service with parents as an internal part of the task of helping students to increase the parents’ understanding of their constructive participation in resolving their child’s problems and their knowledge and use of appropriate available resources. 

3. Conduct in-service training for parents and students. 

4. Providing crisis intervention if/when necessary. 

5. Facilitates Individual, family, and group counseling within the credentials and scope of  practice for services.  

B. Work with School Personnel 

1. Consults and collaborates with other school personnel in gathering and giving information on a case and in establishing and planning for respective roles in the modification of the student’s behavior. 

2. Participates in the case study evaluation process by obtaining and/or reviewing information relative to social history, adaptive behavior, and cultural background. 

3. Consults and collaborates with appropriate school personnel regarding the referral of students for prevention and intervention strategies as well as for the referral of students to school district, special education cooperative and various out-of-school agencies as necessary. 

5. Conducts in-service training for teachers and administrators.

6. Facilitates the accurate maintenance of school records for use by school staff members, outside agencies and parents as required by law and Pine River Area Schools policy. 

C. Competency in Methods and Practice 

1. Communicates effectively, verbally, and in writing with members of the ISD team, building Administration, staff, and Parents.  

2. Organizes time, energy, and workload in order to meet responsibilities and complete assignments with due consideration for the priorities among the various responsibilities. 

3. Maintains a clear sense of overall goals, objectives and tasks of a school social worker and successfully interprets these to school personnel to maintain primary professional activities and competencies. 

4. Prepares timely written social histories, including child interviews, observations, intelligence and achievement materials, which systematically appraise the pupil’s ability to learn and succeed  in the school setting. 

5. Participates in team meetings and IEP conferences including pre-referral interventions, placements, IEP’s and annual reviews. 

6. Provides the school with essential information about pupil’s intelligence and achievement so school personnel can better accommodate individual student needs. 

7. Teaches content and skills to assigned students utilizing best practices, curriculums and courses of study. 

8. Strives to improve professional expertise in the area of specialization. 

9. Helps identify and assess social and emotional difficulties of children that interferes with  attendance, adjustment, and success in school. 

10. Takes all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, equipment, materials and facilities while meeting accepted standards of professional behavior. 

11. Observe and follow all Pine River Area Schools’ policies and procedures. 12. Exhibits professionalism and commitment through punctuality and attendance. 13. Participates and performs in other duties as assigned by administration.

D. School/Community Relations 

1. Functions as a liaison with the school, community, family, and student when indicated, to link school and community services. 

2. Establishes and maintains open, positive lines of communication with students and parents  concerning both academics and behavior. 

3. Assists the administration in upholding and enforcing school rules and policies. 

EVALUATION: Formal and informal observation, field evaluations and conferences shall occur as needed or desired by the professional staff member or administrator and shall be an  ongoing process. An annual performance evaluation will be completed in accordance with the  master agreement.