0.5 FTE Social Worker

Department: Student Services

FLSA Status (Exempt/Non-exempt): Exempt; Unit A

Reports to: Building Principal; Building Level Special Education Administrator

In compliance with state and federal laws, newton public schools is committed to equity, anti-racism and a nondiscrimination policy for students, employees and prospective applicants. All educational and employment determinations are based on an individual's qualifications and achievements without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, pregnancy, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, ancestry, homelessness, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by state and/or federal statute.

SUMMARY: Provides a range of social work services to students, including social/emotional screening, individual and group counseling, as well as consultation with teachers, staff, administration, parents, and outside agencies. NPS social workers may function as members of each school's multi-disciplinary team to determine a student's eligibility for special services, appropriate programming, and evaluating on-going progress. NPS social workers play an integral role, and take leadership, in addressing the social and emotional needs of all students, including the implementation of tiered interventions using an RTI model.

Qualifications:

• Experience: Completion of training in the area of social work. Preference to those individuals who have had experience providing social work
  services within a school setting.
• Education: Appropriate degree and licensure as a school social worker under Massachusetts DESE regulations and requirements.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities (Not Limited To):

Evaluation/Assessment

• Provides developmental history of students as needed.
• Follows school district procedures in assessment of students for suicide, threat, or safety risk.
• Submits records, reports and assignments promptly and efficiently.

Direct Service
• In collaboration with building administration and faculty, may provide direct services to individuals or groups of students (e.g., counseling, crisis interventions, and individual safety plans, when appropriate).

• Consults and confers with teachers, staff, and families about strategies to facilitate the social and emotional adjustment of students.
• Establishes and monitors appropriate individual and group caseloads. Works cooperatively with administrators and faculty to manage those caseloads.
• Maintains appropriate data on students to document current levels of performance and other pertinent information.
• Provides whole class lessons in topics related to social and emotional learning such as self-regulation and mindfulness.

Consultation and Supervision

• Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work, communicate, and collaborate effectively with teachers, other school
  staff, and families as part of a team within the school setting.
• Ensures that students and families know about community services and programs and assists them in accessing these, as appropriate.
• Helps schools develop challenging and achievable cognitive and academic goals for all students.
• When supervising interns, practicum students, or other students, follows professional, ethical and school/program guidelines and policies.

Safety and Crisis Management

• Participates in planning and implementing prevention programs to address the social and emotional needs of students, including
  programs to address bullying, school violence, and school safety.
• Follows school district procedures in assessment of students for suicide, threat, or safety risk in acute situations.
• In collaboration with building and school district administration, identifies resources and coordinates services with other professionals and/or agencies, e.g. Riverside Community Care, DCFS, DYS, Newton Police Department, area hospitals to address students' behavioral, emotional, or social needs in urgent situations.
• Works collaboratively with administration relative to following procedures such as CRAs or filing a 51A with DCFS regarding child abuse or neglect.
• Participates in planning and/or implementation of school or system-level crisis response.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements:

Home/School/Community Collaboration

• Uses empirically supported strategies to design, implement, and evaluate effective policies.
• Employs practices that promote home, school, and community partnerships and enhance learning and mental health goals for students.
• Identifies diverse cultural issues, situations, and other factors that influence family, school, and community interactions and address such issues when developing and providing services.

Enhancement of Student Wellness, Social Skills, and Life Competencies

• Demonstrates knowledge regarding the social, affective, and adaptive domains of child development.
• Identifies and applies sound principles of behavior change within these domains to assist in designing and implementing prevention and intervention programs.
• Implements appropriate and alternative ways to monitor and assess the effectiveness of interventions and individual student progress toward goals.

Systems-Based Service Delivery

• Provides leadership in developing a safe, caring, and inviting school with a sense of community where contributions of all persons are valued, where there are high expectations of excellence for all students, and where home-school-agency partnerships are valued.
• Supports and implements federal and state regulations, procedures, and administrative directives. Supports and follows the policies and procedures of the school district.

Data-Based Decision Making and Accountability

• Demonstrates expertise in collecting, managing, and interpreting various types of individual and group data.
• Applies sound principles of data-based decision making to all aspects of practice, e.g., designing interventions, monitoring student progress, consulting with school administrators, and disseminating intervention research findings within the school setting.

Promoting Safe and Effective Learning Environments

• Participates in planning and/or implementation of school or system-level crisis response.
• Identifies resources and coordinates services with other professionals and/or agencies to address students' needs.

Professional Legal, Ethical, and Professional Practice

• Practices in ways that meet all appropriate ethical, professional, and legal standards.
• Maintains confidentiality of student records and information.
• Uses technology in ways that are consistent with ethical and responsible professional practice.

Student Diversity in Development and Learning

• Recognizes issues of diversity that affect routine interactions with other people and organizations.
• Modifies or adapts routine practice to effectively meet these diverse needs.
• Demonstrates sensitivity and skills needed to work with families, students, and staff from diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Information Technology

• Establishes and maintains expertise in using technology such as data management, report writing, web pages, literature reviews, and data analysis.
• Uses spreadsheets or other software programs to organize and graphically display data and monitor progress when appropriate for use at the system, building, and individual student level.

Research and Program Evaluation

• Evaluates and synthesizes a cumulative body of research findings as a foundation for effective service delivery.
• Collects, analyzes, and interprets program evaluation data in applied settings.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of school-based intervention plans.

Organizational Change, Policy Development, and School Climate

• Understands the organization of schools and systems change to provide leadership in developing and implementing early intervention and prevention programs.
• Demonstrates knowledge and leadership when assisting in the development of school policy that impacts student learning and safety.
• Demonstrates knowledge of school and classroom climates and uses such knowledge to assist in developing school improvement plans and classroom interventions.
• Consistent and on-time attendance is required or supervision and instruction of the students