Job Goal:

The school based Social Worker will provide immediate support and assistance as needed to students who are in need of social-emotional or mental health support. As a member of the Student Support Team, the School based Social Worker will work with students in need by contributing to the implementation of a plan with the support team at the student’s school. This may include brief crisis intervention, prevention efforts, and consultation with families and guardians as well as coordinating with outside services to ensure the student is adequately supported and monitored in school.

Qualifications:

• Possession of a LICSW license, School Adjustment Counselor/School Social Worker, LMHC or license eligible.
• Bilingual Speaker Preferred
• Possession of a Master’s Degree; in human services field, with emphasis in social work, psychology, rehabilitation or related field..
• Familiarity with mental health theory, emerging promising practices, and Evidence based Practice.
• Demonstrate exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to work with persons with severe and persistent mental illness and/or serious emotional disturbance, and the ability to react effectively in a wide variety of human service situations
• Recognize and demonstrate sensitivity to cultural and ethnic differences.
• Deep understanding in the advancement of cultural proficiency, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the classroom and school community.
• Knowledge of trends and issues, laws and regulations related to the development and delivery of case management services helpful.
• Experience using resources in a school system or community for student and family needs ? Knowledge of federal, state, municipal and school laws and regulations addressing the rights of students and families
• Knowledge of learning and behavioral disorders
• Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrate time management and organizational skills. The ability to manage priorities under changing circumstances and timeframes.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborates with the school-based Administration and Counseling and Support Team to address student’s social emotional and mental health needs
• Engage individuals and families as partners in services and develop positive, hopeful, and trusting relationships.
• Participate as an active member of the service provider team.
• Participate in the development of re-entry plans.
• Provide feedback, strategies, and resources to educators.
• Exercise discretion and independent judgment when determining a course of action. Maintain the ability to compare and evaluate possible courses of conduct and actions, in consultations with the Director of Student Services.
• Build student relationships, as well as community relationships and strategic partnerships with other agencies and external resources.
• Mediate between students/families and other professional services to facilitate care plans, strengths assessments and external resources
• Work with courts, social services, professionals, doctors and education systems on behalf of the individual student/family to facilitate goals and objectives of the student, care team and organization.
• Advocate for resources on behalf of the student and family with state, government and private agencies.
• Provide strategies and preventative interventions for clinical issues related to all school-age children within the MTSS framework
• Contribute to school wide social emotional initiatives through activities such as, but not exclusive to, individual and small group sessions with students and whole class prevention lessons in partnership with classroom teachers.
• Performs other tasks as assigned by the building Principal and the Director of Student

Terms of Employment:

• SEU Union A Work Year: 189 Days (Additional days paid per diem)
• Five additional days, scheduled either before the start and/or after the end of the student school year, with the exact dates to be determined by the Social Worker Manager and/or Director of Student Services.

Hours: The work day for school-based Social Workers will be sixty (60) minutes longer than the contractual work day for teachers, which will be agreed to by the Social Worker and the Social Worker Manager and/or Director of Student Services. (Additional hours paid per diem)

Position Reports to: Social Worker Manager and Director of Student Services

The Somerville Public Schools does not discriminate in its programs, facilities, or employment or educational opportunities on the basis of race, color, age, religion, disability, pregnancy, home status, marital/civil union status, sex/gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, citizenship status, place of birth, national origin, ancestry, cultural identity, genetics or military status, and does not tolerate any form of retaliation, or bias-based intimidation, threat or harassment that demeans individuals’ dignity or interferes with their ability to learn or work