School Social Worker

Title: Licensed School Social Worker Exemption Status: Exempt

Reports to: Social Work Manager Location: Washington, DC

About AppleTree

AppleTree's mission is to close the achievement gap before students get to kindergarten. To accomplish this mission, we focus exclusively on Preschool and Pre-K education. We provide free, full-day public charter school programming for three- and four-year olds in 11 locations across Washington, DC, employing our innovative and award winning instructional model, called Every Child Ready (ECR). This instructional model provides educators with tools and resources for "What to Teach", "How to Teach" and "How to Measure Success." Our instructional model is also used with partners across the nation. We continuously test and improve this model through feedback from AppleTree educators, partners and other stakeholders to ensure that children are learning and exploring through play and appropriate instruction.

Position Summary

The Licensed School Social Worker is responsible for the support of teachers, administrators, families and staff in ensuring that AppleTree Early Learning Public Charter School (AELPCS) provides optimal support to all children, especially those who need extra support in developing social competencies and those with challenging home situations. The Licensed School Social Worker brings an understanding of the psychosocial development of children and the influences of family, community, and cultural differences to the educational process. Social workers help to ensure that children are physically, socially and emotionally available for instructional experiences that will close the achievement gap before children enter kindergarten.

This is an on-site position based in Washington, DC.


What you'll do...

Support achievement of all students

• Develop an understanding of the school's mission, culture, response to intervention instructional model and school-wide behavior management plan
• Ensure all social work policies and practices align with the school's mission, culture, response to intervention instructional model and school-wide behavior management plan
• Assist in the screening and assessment of students' social-emotional and behavioral needs, including completing classroom observations
• Provide specialized, data-driven consultation to instructional staff to support effective classroom management, preventive interventions and behavior modification plans
• Participate in school processes designed to help children in need of extra support, including the Student Support Team and Multi-disciplinary Team

Act as a resource for families and the AppleTree community/network

• Plan and provide school-wide programming to support responsive parenting, parent involvement and identified school-needs
• Have knowledge of community resources to assist families, including those facing homelessness, domestic violence, drug abuse, unemployment and low adult literacy
• Collaborate with community agencies to coordinate services within the school system
• Conduct school-wide surveys to assess the needs of the school and school families
• Provide professional development on areas of expertise to school personnel

Provide direct services to children and families

• Provide short-term consultation services to families who need support
• Provide short-term, classroom-based support to children who are having difficulties adjusting to other children or school, are experiencing social-emotional and/or behavioral problems
• Provide short-term individual therapy to children experiencing behavioral problems utilizing evidence-based therapeutic techniques (e.g. play therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy)
• Facilitate social skills groups
• Refer children, parents or families to community agencies where the need is indicated
• Act as the school-based liaison for students with community-based services and supports
• Implement and progress monitors social emotional goals for students with IEPs
• Provide crisis response support and assistance to children and families
• Support interventions and conducts home visits for families struggling with consistent attendance
• Serve as the school-based homeless and foster care liaison
• Conduct Functional Behavior Assessments for general and special education students
• Lead the design, implementation, and progress monitoring of behavior plans

Compliance and reporting

• Seek out clinical supervision as applicable
• Maintain systematic data collection, review, analysis and reporting processes for all social work activities
• Complete social work services dashboards regularly and on time

Contribute to a community of practice

• Communicate frequently with school administrators, school staff, peers and Institute staff
• Maintain necessary records
• Maintain strict confidentiality with regard to all aspects of student information
• Understand, and practice in accordance with, federal, state, and local laws, statutes, and/or policies that relate to students and families; such as, child protection/child abuse, special education, attendance, education rights and privacy
• Seek out professional development opportunities for oneself
• Demonstrates professionalism in all interactions and duties
• Maintain cooperative, respectful and supportive relationships with colleagues
• Allocate time and resources effectively

What we're looking for...

• A Master's degree in social work or counseling and appropriate licensure (LGSW, LICSW, LGPC, LPC)
• Experience as a Social Worker or Counselor, preferably in an unrepresented, elementary school setting. Experience with early childhood is a plus
• An understanding of the community's health and mental health resources
• Professionalism, sensitivity and responsibility to students and AppleTree's mission
• This position requires travel to multiple campuses
• Bilingual (Spanish) candidates encouraged to apply

What's in it for you...

• Competitive Salary
• Employee Health Benefits that are in the 95th percentile of other schools in the District
• Fully covered Dental
• Benefits for you and all eligible dependents
• Fully covered Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Accidental Death and Dismemberment and Life insurance with buy-up options
• Free Online Wellness Platform for you and up to 4 eligible dependents
• Competitive Paid Time Off, including early close Mental Health Days
• 5% Employer Contribution to your Retirement Account (whether you contribute or not)
• AppleTree Scholarship to pay for continued education
• Network Professional Development Opportunities