ASHEVILLE CITY SCHOOLS JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: School Social Worker; NC License required
JOB STATUS: Full-Time
LOCATION: Asheville Middle School
CONTACT: Kimberly.Robinson@acsgmail.net
REPORTS TO: School-Based Administrators
PURPOSE: The School Social Worker promotes and enhances the overall academic mission by providing services that strengthen home, school, and community partnerships and address barriers to learning and achievement. The School Social Worker significantly contributes to the development of a healthy, safe, and caring environment. Such an environment is achieved by advancing the understanding of the emotional and social development of children and the influences of family, community, and cultural differences on student success along with the implementation of effective intervention strategies.
The major functions of the school social worker job description incorporate the North Carolina State Board of Education’s guiding mission that every public school student will graduate from high school globally competitive for work and postsecondary education and prepared for life in the twenty-first century.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The School Social Worker’s principle task is to empower students, families, and school personnel to access available opportunities and resources that develop each student’s potential. Integrated into all major functions are home, school, community assimilation; diversity and cultural competence; dropout prevention; graduation awareness; and adherence to federal and state statutes, professional development and practices, School Social Work Standards, and the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics.
1. MAJOR FUNCTION: Assessment of Student, Family, and School Needs
Effectively and appropriately assesses and addresses the needs, characteristics, and interactions of students, families, LEA personnel, and community.
1.1 Conducts assessments and evaluations in accordance with family and student rights.
1.2 Uses student, family, and school assessment results to identify needs that affect student learning.
1.3 Uses assessment and evaluation results to develop appropriate interventions for students, families, schools, and communities.
1.4 Develops long-term and short-term intervention plans consistent with curriculum; students’ needs, strengths, diversity and life experiences; and social and emotional factors. 2
1.5 Uses a variety of appropriate formal and informal tools and techniques including observations and interviews to evaluate the progress and performance of students and families.
1.6 Address the needs of the school, student, families, and community by collaborating with the Student Support Services Team to design a holistic approach to any barriers or problems with the educational process.
2. MAJOR FUNCTION: Direct Services/Service Delivery
Uses knowledge and understanding of the reciprocal influences of home, school, and community to intervene for student success via such practices as assessment, crisis intervention and response, home visits, conflict resolution, individual and group counseling, consultation, program development, dropout prevention, graduation awareness, and coordination of school and community services.
2.1 Promotes family support of students’ learning experience within the context of multicultural understanding and competencies.
2.2 Provides services to students in ways that build upon individual strengths and offers students maximum opportunities to participate in the planning and direction of their own learning experience.
2.3 Develops and provides training and educational programs that address the goals and mission of the educational institution.
2.4 Transportation of students as required to eliminate transportation as a barrier to accessing services and to support students and families.
3. MAJOR FUNCTION: Advocacy
Advocates for appropriate services for students and their families.
3.1 Advocates and facilitates change that effectively responds to the needs of students, families, and school systems using appropriate statutes, case law, policies, and procedures.
3.2 Promotes services to students and their families within the context of multicultural understanding and competence that enhances family support of students’ learning experiences.
3.3 Assists students and their families in gaining access to formal and informal community resources.
3.4 Utilizes research and technologies to assist students, families, schools, and communities.
4. MAJOR FUNCTION: Consultation and Collaboration
Consults and collaborates with stakeholders on behalf of students and their families. 3
4.1 Consults with stakeholders to facilitate an understanding of factors in the home, local education agency, and community that affect students’ educational experiences.
4.2 Consults on such issues as attendance, diversity, mental health, behavior management, delinquency, crisis intervention, homelessness, child abuse, neglect, and the importance of confidentiality.
4.3 Initiatives and supports activities to overcome institutional barriers and gaps in services as leaders and members of interdisciplinary teams with the unique contribution of bringing the home, school, and community perspective to the interdisciplinary process.
4.4 Works with internal and external individuals, groups, and organizations to develop programs or systems of care that support and enhance the health, social and emotional well-being, and safety of students.
4.5 Promotes collaboration among community health and mental health service providers and facilitates student access to these services.
4.6 Uses extensive knowledge of community resources, enabling the school social worker to play a critical role in facilitating the provision of community services in the local education agency.
4.7 Helps to build effective school-community teams and orient community providers to school climate, culture, structure, and to the laws and regulations governing practice in educational settings.
5. MAJOR FUNCTION: Program Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation
Effectively plans, implements, and evaluates programs that promote student and family success.
5.1 Applies knowledge of environmental factors in planning programs.
5.2 Conducts individual and/or system-wide surveys to assess the school and/or
community needs.
5.3 Plans school and/or system-wide programs to promote a safe, healthy, caring school climate that fosters academic success.
5.4 Assists the school and community in planning programs that alleviate situations that may interfere with the learning process of students.
5.5 Assists in the evaluation of effective departmental, school-based, system, community, and statewide programs.
6. MAJOR FUNCTION: Accountability
Advocates, facilitates, and contributes to School Social Worker accountability for outcomes aligned with local, state, and federal policies and guidelines.
6.1 Conforms to the National Association of Social Work (NASW) Code of Ethics and Standards for School Social Work practice.
6.2 Maintains accurate case records and documentation.
6.3 Maintains current knowledge of federal and state laws and regulations and abides by said laws and regulations with emphasis on persons with disabilities, child welfare, mental health, confidentiality, and student and parent rights.
6.4 Organizes time, resources, energy, and workload in order to meet responsibilities.
6.5 Evaluates own practice and disseminates the findings to consumers, school districts, the community, and the profession in order to maximize the effectiveness of services and resources provided to students. By reflecting upon and evaluating one’s practice, more effective services, and resources will be provided.
6.6 Participates in appropriate professional development activities to improve knowledge and skills.
MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
To possess or be eligible to receive a North Carolina license as a social worker or as a school social worker. The completion of an approved program in school social work at the bachelor’s level or above.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OR STANDARDS REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to sit, stand, walk and drive a car. Must be able to lift boxes up to 10 pounds. Physical demand requirements are for Light Work.
Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural or composite characteristics (whether similar or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
Interpersonal Communication: Requires the ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving instructions, assignments or directions to subordinates or assistants.
Language Ability: Requires the ability to read and write complex text and data.
Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagrammatic form; to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in or from standardized situations.
Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in Standard English.
Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas, to add, subtract, divide and multiply.
Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, with and shape.
Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using computers and other technology. 5
Manual Dexterity: Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.
Color Discrimination: Requires the ability to differentiate between colors or shades of color.
Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under average levels of stress.