Job Description:

The Social Worker strengthens the home/ school/ community partnership and addresses barriers to student learning.  This position serves as a catalyst in promoting student wellbeing and successful completion of school.

The Social Worker facilitates administrative processes; ensures operation in compliance with county, state, and/or federal requirements; provides information on services available to eligible students and families; and conveys information regarding the school and/or district activities, procedures and refers families to other agencies.

This job reports to the Lead Social Worker, the Principal, and division administrators.

Qualifications:

• Education:  Master’s degree in Social Work.
• Certificates & Licenses:  Valid Virginia Department of Education license with an endorsement in Social Work, or eligibility to obtain one.
• Experience:  A minimum of three years’ work experience preferred. 
• Key Competencies:  Demonstrated sensitivity to the needs of individuals from diverse backgrounds. Bilingual preferred, not required.

Essential Functions:

• Assesses student and family needs (e.g. financial, medical, parenting skills, etc.) to develop and implement individualized plans of services to support educational objectives.
• Maintains an ongoing liaison relationship with community agencies and other resources to meet students and family needs.
• Provides clinically appropriate counseling and/ or therapeutic services to individual students, groups of students, and families when students show high levels of “at-risk” symptoms for school failure.
• Maintains case records to document activities and comply with mandated requirements.
• Promotes and reinforces regular student attendance with the students themselves, their families, teachers, and administrators.
• Intervenes and develops attendance plans in instances of chronic truancy and non-attendance of students.
• Mediates conflicts between parents, teachers, and/or students (e.g. parent/teacher, parent/parent, parent/student, etc.) to resolve issues that could impede student's success.
• Responds to referrals from school administration, parents, teachers, the Student Support Team, the Special Education Committee, and others by providing direct services and by assisting families in accessing appropriate community resources.
• Responds to all inquiries to provide information on district support services and/or educational programs.
• Responds to requests for intervention in situations that could negatively impact the student's education plan.
• Provides crisis intervention and counseling.
• Completes Suicide, Risk, and Threat Assessments.
• Responsible for the development, implementation, and monitoring progress of Individual Education Plan goals.
• Completes social histories for the social-cultural component of new triennial multi-disciplinary referrals for Special Education Services.
• Facilitates home visits and/ or parent conferences to meet the special needs of students.
• Provides psycho-educational training and workshops for staff, students, and parents (e.g. parenting skills, community resources, district programs, social skill development, etc.).
• Provides comprehensive school social work services to parents, students, and school staff, addressing barriers that limit a student from receiving the full benefit from their educational experience.
• Provides appropriate interventions to ensure proper school attendance and prevent school “drop-out” in conjunction with established school and community programs.
• Files Juvenile Court Child in Need of Services (CHINS) petitions as needed.
• Manages and follows through on the multi-agency services provided to students and their families, particularly as the needs and services impact the educational adjustment of students (i.e., FAPT meeting, Best Determination meeting, Treatment Team meetings with the Department of Community and Social Services.).
• Serves as a liaison between school and community agencies with respect to reporting child abuse/neglect.
• Provides individual and group counseling for students to improve student’s academic achievement.
• Performs other related duties, as assigned, to ensure the efficient and effective functioning of the work unit.

Clearances:

• Criminal Justice Fingerprint/Background Clearance.
• Tuberculosis Skin Test.

WP