School Social Worker

The Social Worker is involved in the following six (6) key areas: (1) preventive work with students, staff, and families that promotes positive school climate and social/emotional well-being; (2) program development to meet the unique needs of the school; (3) program planning that contributes to the development of school-wide policies; (4) advocacy that supports students and families; (5) direct services to students and families; and (6) and special education.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Preventive work with students, staff, and families
• Providing consultation to school staff and parents to facilitate student educational, social, and emotional growth.
• Obtaining information concerning the effects of environment, including family, cultural, and economic disadvantages that may be adversely affecting student progress.
• Conducting home visits that encourage home/school communication.
• Working collaboratively with the Student Support Team (SST) to develop plans of assistance for students at risk of academic and/or behavioral difficulty.
• Coordinating school and community services.
• Serving as the home-school-community liaison responsible for effective resource utilization and positive relations with stakeholders.
  

Program Development

• Conducting needs assessments.
• Planning for support services both within and outside the school.
• Facilitating special support groups, i.e. students with incarcerated parents, grief and loss, divorce, teen parents, conflict resolution, etc. as needed.
• Managing family resource centers, where parents/guardians can access needed information and participate in opportunities to learn how to support their student(s).

Program Planning

• Working with administrators to implement effective policies that address school safety, school attendance, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, child abuse, and neglect.

Advocacy

• Serving as a mediator within the school.
• Communicating with other agencies involved with students.
• Attending court hearings as a DC Public Schools representative.
• Making appropriate referrals for community resources.

Direct Services

• Providing individual counseling.
• Providing group counseling.
• Providing psycho-education.
• Providing crisis intervention.
• Providing parent training.

Special Education

• A member of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT).
• Conducting social work evaluations and other related assessments for initial evaluations and re-evaluations.
• Providing related services as prescribed by Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), including social skills, life skills, and transitional skills that can be transferred from school to community.
• Participating in MDT, IEP, manifestation determination, and other related meetings.
• Working collaboratively within the classroom setting to implement student IEPs.
• Collecting data to monitor social/emotional progress and evaluate effectiveness of services.
• Providing technical assistance on strategies that improve outcomes for special education students.
• Coordinating the design and implementation of behavior intervention plans and functional behavior assessments.
• Keeping thorough records of each student receiving services.
• Completing student progress reports.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW).
• District of Columbia Government, Department of Health Professional License, which must be renewed every two (2) years by obtaining the required continuing education units:
  • Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW)
• District of Columbia Certification as a School Social Worker must be maintained throughout employment with DC Public Schools.
• At least three (3) years of work experience as a Social Worker in an urban school/setting with a high student achievement track record.
• Ability to conduct clinical interviews and write comprehensive social history evaluations.
• Ability to administer, interpret, and analyze related assessment instruments.