POSITION:              School Social Worker

POSITION GUIDE:   

Certificated Personnel
9 Months
Bargaining Unit Position
Non – Exempt

FUNCTION: Under delegated authority from the Coordinator of Funding and Private Placements to provide school social work and related follow-up services for the pre-school and school-age child through the 8th grade within District 86.
The information contained in this job description is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties performed by the individual holding this position may be assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

MSW degree from a school of social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education
Professional Educator License with Social Worker Endorsement and Approval and Registration as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker or Licensed Social Worker through the Department of Professional Regulation

REPORTS TO:

Principal
Special Services Coordinator
Assistant Superintendent for Student Services

RELATES TO:

Other faculty members and school staff
Special Services Department
Parents, Community Groups and other social services institutions
School Principals
Special Education teachers and classroom teachers for general
Federal Project

AUTHORITIES:
1. To arrange for and complete the social developmental study and/or family analysis as related to the nature of the learning and social behavior problems of children referred for service.
2. To plan and develop appropriate social work intervention techniques for children for whom social work evaluations have been completed.
3. To arrange for conferences about children for whom social work evaluations and interventions have been completed and established.
4. To participate in the development of management plans to aid children who have been referred for services. To implement social work intervention strategies as needed to aide children, parents, and teachers. To make community agency and public or private institution contacts as needed relative to follow-up on the social problems of children.
5. To assure the safety, and physical and emotional well-being of students who because of abuse, neglect or crisis are determined at risk.

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Function as a member of the Case Action Team or Pre-School Assessment Team.
2. Provide a social developmental study and adaptive behavior assessment for children referred to the Case Action Team.
3. Participate in staffings of children evaluated with appropriate school personnel.
4. Confer and cooperate with members of the Case Action Team as needed relative to Case disposition and follow-up.
5. Participate in re-evaluation staffings of children placed in special education programs.
6. Participate in placement staffings of children entering programs for the Behavioral Disorder child and as needed in other special class placement staffings.
7. Provide individual and/or group therapy to students on social work caseloads.
8. Recommend appropriate intervention procedures for children and/or families evaluated.
9. Upon request, consult with school personnel and parents regarding the management of children with learning and social behavior problems.
10. Provide liaison services between the schools and community agencies and other public or private institutions.
11. Upon request, provide liaison services between the school and the home.
12. Provide liaison services between the schools and community agencies and other public or private institutions.
13. Confer with parents relative to the social history and family analysis findings and recommendations.
14. Investigate and report to appropriate agencies on suspected child abuse cases.
15. To serve as a member of a Crisis Intervention Team that would be used when a state of crisis or emergency exists at one of District 86 schools.
16. Provide written reports about all children for whom evaluations have been completed or for whom other social work services have been provided.
17. Develop IEP for each child on a therapy caseload.
18. Submit a bi-monthly report of activities to the Coordinator of Funding and Private Placements.
19. Attend monthly staff development sessions and other meetings as called by the Coordinator of Funding and Private Placements.
20. Other duties as assigned.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
1. Strong communication, public relations, and interpersonal skills.
2. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely in both oral and written form using a variety of communication techniques and tools to ensure the appropriate flow of information, collaborative efforts, and feedback.
3. Ability to compose correspondence, reports, and/or other required written materials.
4. Ability to read, analyze, and interpret information.
5. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions, inquiries, and/or complaints.
6. Displays courtesy, tact, and respect when dealing with others.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:
7. Ability to perform basic math using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals consistent with the duties of this position.

REASONING ABILITY:
1. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions and information furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
2. Ability to identify and define the problem(s), collect and analyze data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
1. Maintains appropriate confidentiality.
2. Promotes a harassment-free environment.
3. Establishes and maintains effective working relationships; demonstrates a commitment to teamwork.
4. Ability to learn and utilize office equipment, computers, and software especially as systems are updated.
5. Ability to react well under pressure, handle and balance multiple demands at one time, work with frequent interruptions, and perform duties and tasks at expected levels of professionalism.
6. Extensive knowledge of and ability to perform duties in compliance with all district, Board, state and federal laws, methods, requirements, policies, procedures, and activities pertinent to the duties of this position.
7. Ability to work independently with minimum supervision.
8. Ability to prepare and maintain accurate files and records.
9. Ability to meet strict deadlines.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations 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 stand, walk, sit, talk, and hear. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters when performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties. Employee experiences constant interruptions and inflexible deadlines. The noise level in this environment is quiet to moderate. Duties are performed primarily indoors and occasionally outdoors. In-district and out-of-town travel required as necessary for training and/or to carry out duties and responsibilities.