WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: Lead Social Worker
Accountable to: Director of Social Services
Position Summary: The Lead School Social Worker works with the Director of Social Services
to provide departmental oversight to assist social service staff in providing supportive services district-wide at all educational levels. The full scope of School Social Work services includes assessment, intervention, consultation and education, advocacy, and administrative support.
The position is grant funded and is contingent upon grant availability.
Essential Duties:
- In collaboration with the Director of Social Services, manages, monitors and facilitates the work responsibilities for school social workers.
- Serves as a resource to school teams regarding social work services and the academic/social needs of students.
- Serves as a liaison and assists in the facilitation of monthly social worker meetings
- Engages in planning and casework for students with special needs.
- Coordinates with the other district departments to determine social worker school placements and assign departmental duties.
- Serves as a member of the assessment team assigned to each school and works as a team member in making placements decisions, developing intervention plans, and planning programs to meet the special needs of children.
- Attends and participates in Child Study, attendance improvement, IEP, Section 504 and eligibility meetings, as appropriate.
- Participates as a member of district committee meetings to support student, staff and family success.
- Provides consultation services to staff and parents related to homelessness, Department of Child Safety (DCS), foster care, attendance, residency, custody, and other areas, as appropriate.
- Works in partnership with parents and others on those problems in a child’s living situation (home, school, and community) that affect the child’s adjustment in school.
- Provides outreach services and assists in contacts with parents who may be difficult to
- reach.
- Supports students and staff through participation in a multi-tiered support system(MTSS).
- Participates in development of positive behavioral intervention strategies in concert with individual, group, and family input.
- Assists families in referrals to other agencies. Identifies environmental barriers to children’s access to public education and makes appropriate community referrals.
- Assists the social services program in following school board regulations.
- Provides outreach services and assists in developing positive behavioral intervention strategies for children.
- Conduct home visits as a method to access the family and conduct interviews in response to school referrals.
- Provides group and individual counseling, as appropriate, with a child and his/her family.
- Provides individual and/or group counseling in response to school-wide crisis.
- Provides crisis intervention services and responds to crisis needs, as requested.
- Provides in-service training and workshops for teachers and staff regarding mental health issues and proper procedures for the identification and referral of students.
- Assists in planning and participates in group and individual staff development projects and district-wide or community agency projects, and performs related duties, as assigned.
- Serves on student support teams and special education committees at assigned schools in the district.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
To be eligible for this position, an applicant must meet the following required qualifications.
Verification of these required qualifications is necessary.
- Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW) and licensure or eligibility for licensure in School Social Work from an accredited school.
- Ability to interact with a variety of community service personnel.
- Experience working with parents, students, and individuals from a variety of populations and backgrounds.
- Ability to plan and organize.
- Knowledge of child development (0-22 years of age), psychopathology, social and environmental conditioning, cultural diversity and family systems.
- Must possess a valid driver’s license
- Ability to communicate with and provide consistent direction and leadership to the department.
Preferred Qualifications:
It is preferred that the applicant possesses the following qualifications; however, the following qualifications are not required to be eligible for this position.
- Previous experience working in a school setting
- Previous knowledge of local community resources
Knowledge and Skills Required:
To perform the job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty
satisfactorily. The qualifications for this job description are representative of the knowledge,
skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Skills required, but not limited to, for this position include:
- Understanding of the school social work profession including associated laws (IDEA,ADA, compulsory attendance, etc.)
- Using highly effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Using team collaboration/cooperation skills.
- Applying assessment, case management and intervention strategies to identify and reduce barriers to education.
- Networking with community agencies to create and coordinate resources and services.
- Possessing proficient computer software and technology skills.
- Organizing and maintaining timely confidential documentation, records and reports.
- Demonstrating strong organizational, time management and decision-making skills.
- Bilingual abilities or ability to arrange for interpreter services and direct services in appropriate language.
Physical Requirements:
The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential 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 talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral
vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
Working Conditions:
The working environment characteristics described here are representative of those an
employee encounters while performing the essential 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 occasionally exposed to wet and/or
humid conditions; moving mechanical parts; high, precarious places; fumes or airborne
particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the
work environment is usually moderate.