2025-26 School Social Worker (Elementary Part-Time)

Description

The principal tasks of the School Social Worker are to help students and families make the best use of available opportunities and resources and to fully develop each student's individual potential. The School Social Worker rings to the educational process an understanding of the psychosocial development of children and the influences of family, community, and cultural differences as they interact with the educational process. Further, the School Social Worker provides the necessary professional skills to assist students and communities in problem-solving and conflict resolution in a safe and healthy manner. School Social Work is founded on the following premises:

• Definite and identifiable reasons exist why some students are not successful in school and exhibit undesirable behavior (including at-risk factors, dropping out and truancy).
• It is critical to assist families in alleviating adverse conditions in order to promote resiliency and academic success for at-risk students.
• It is important to assist parents in utilizing school and community resources to help children maximize their educational abilities.
• Parental involvement with the school is essential to create positive academic and social outcomes for students.
• It is essential that school staff listens to and respects the feelings and sensitivities of students and parents of all cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
• Education becomes a successful experience for students who are helped to overcome the social and emotional problems interfering with adjustment and achievement in school.
• Special education and related services must be provided for students with physical, mental, social, emotional, or other educational disabilities.
• Social justice and equal opportunity for all students and families will increase educational attainment and enhance the educational experience for everyone.

Direct Services to Students:

The School Social Worker employs appropriate social work methods in situations affecting the student's educational process.

School Social Workers:

• Conduct assessment of student needs
• Promote regular school attendance
• Conduct home visits
• Promote safe, caring, and drug-free schools
• Empowerment of/advocacy for students
• Provide culturally competent services
• Provide appropriate services for homeless students
• Provide individual counseling
• Facilitate group counseling
• Self-esteem
• Anger management
• Impulse control
• Social skills training
• Substance abuse prevention
• Provide crisis intervention services
• Complete social developmental case studies
• Participate in the evaluation of special education placements
• Participate in the development of behavioral modification plans
• Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA), and Supportive Intervention Plans (SIP)
• Provide short/long-term case management services to individual students
• Referrals to community agencies
• Coordination of services with community agencies
• Coordination of services with other disciplines within the school
• Participate in transition planning for students
• Coordinate pregnancy prevention programs
• Coordinate drop-out prevention programs
• Report suspected child abuse/neglect

Direct Services to Families/Communities:

The School Social Worker employs appropriate social work methods to assure students' positive academic and social outcomes.

School Social Workers:

• Promote parental involvement in the schools
• Promote parental involvement in school conferences
• Promote parental responsibility for regular school attendance
• Conduct home visits
• Conduct family needs assessments
• Promote safe, caring, and drug-free schools
• Empowerment of/advocacy for families
• Provide culturally competent services
• Provide appropriate services/referrals for homeless families
• Provide crisis intervention services
• Refer to community agencies
• Facilitate parent groups
• Parenting skills
• Substance abuse awareness
• Special needs children
• Child abuse prevention
• Appropriate discipline
• Assist families with the interpretation of school policies and procedures
• Collaborate with community agencies
• Collaborate with support personnel within the school
• Participate in case conferences with other school specialists
• Participate in the identification and resolution of school-wide/community needs
• Interpret the School Social Work role to the community
• Serve as a liaison between the school/family/community
• Participate in referrals and case management of students/families involved in the court system
• Serve on school-based committee meetings
• Serve on community interagency teams and other task force teams relevant to School Social Work
• Serve on the school Crisis Team to promote a safe school environment
• Promote a safe, caring, and drug-free school environment

Program Planning and Evaluation:

The School Social Worker facilitates, participates in, and provides input for system-wide, school-based, and departmental program planning, evaluation, and development of policies. All program planning and evaluation activities are done in accordance with state and federal laws, regulations and school board policies.

School Social Workers:

• Conduct individual and/or system-wide surveys to assess the school and/or community needs
• Implement appropriate programs, groups, and initiatives to target at-risk populations (according to the assessment)
• Plan individual school and/or system-wide programs to promote a positive and caring school climate
• Collaborate with community agencies to coordinate services within the school system

Advocacy:

The School Social Worker operates as an advocate for all community populations utilizing skills that respect issues of cultural and ethnic diversity and equity for every student and family.

School Social Workers:

• Facilitate the implementation of federal and state education regulations
• Address child abuse and neglect, due process, and liability issues
• Advocate for school environments to operate in the best interests of children
• Encourage parents to be actively involved in their children's educational experiences
• Adhere to the National Association of Social Workers code of ethical behavior and professional practice.

Consultation and Education:

The School Social Worker provides specialized consultative services to school staff, community agencies and other professionals. Services are designed to assist families, students, and educational professionals in providing quality interventions, which allow students to reach their highest educational, developmental and social potential.

School Social Workers Consult in Such Areas as:

• Preventive interventions
• Classroom management
• Child abuse and neglect
• Mental health and emotional impairments
• Family and psychosocial functioning
• Parent involvement
• Maintenance of caring, safe and drug-free learning environments
• Identification of barriers to educational achievement

• Contribute to the development of the profession by educating and supervising social work interns
• Evaluate, interpret, and perform research with specific application to student, family, and community issues
• Develop and maintain skills that increase the social worker's initiative and effectiveness in working in school settings
• Manage time-based on school social worker-to-student ratios; advocate for worker-to-student ratios consistent with those developed by the National Council of State Consultants for School Social Work Services
• Maintain accurate and appropriate case records and documentation
• Maintain a statistical, demographic breakdown of current caseload

Qualifications

• BA or BS (as appropriate) degree in subject matter
• California Commission on Teacher Credentialing credential, certificate, permit, or other documentation equivalent to what a teacher in other public schools would be required to hold in Social Sciences
• Highly qualified in core courses as defined in the section titled “NCLB and Credentialing Requirements.”
• Understanding of subjects assigned
• Knowledge of curriculum and instruction
• The capability of instructing students and managing their behavior
• Exceptional organizational, communication and interpersonal skills

Salary : $35 - $55