SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER 10M_TITLE I SUPPLEMENTAL(1910200)

Miami-Dade County Public Schools•Miami, FL

49d

About The Position

Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), an A-rated district, is the nation's third largest school system with nearly 500 schools and a diverse enrollment of more than 335,500 students from over 160 countries. Our ongoing tradition of groundbreaking achievement has earned top recognition at the national and international levels and makes M-DCPS your best choice. The school social worker (SSW) is a member of the student services team and is responsible for assisting all learners in developing their potential to grow academically, socially and emotionally. School social workers operate from an ecological perspective, having specialized knowledge, training and skills in viewing the whole child in their environmental context. They serve as the link between the home, school and community, facilitating productive communication. School social workers encourage and support students' academic and social success by reducing barriers interfering with learning and promoting wellness. They act as advocates for the school, student and family. School social workers provide assessment, intervention, and prevention services. They work collaboratively with school team members to promote the mental and physical health and well being of all students.

Requirements

Master's degree in Social Work
Current certification in School Social Work by the Florida Department of Education
Demonstrates effective written and verbal communication skills
Valid Florida driver's license.

Responsibilities

Assessments: Conducts formal or informal assessments (e.g. psychosocial developmental history, adaptive behavior measurements, classroom observations) of students' individual strengths and needs. Prepares individualized assessments, taking into account the ecological perspective in focusing on the student as well as their interactions in the school environment, at home and in community settings. Provides information that is directly useful in designing interventions. Incorporates assessment data into reports that include the parents' perspective, educationally relevant recommendations, and performance objectives.
Prevention and Intervention Services: Develops or designs models of prevention and/or intervention aimed at improving school attendance, student academic achievement, behavior and/or social/emotional development. Ensures that students and their families are provided services within the context of multicultural understanding and competence that enhances families' support of students' learning experience. Plans prevention and intervention services related to measurable outcomes in collaboration or in conjunction with Student Services school staff when appropriate.
Counseling Services: Provides individual, group and family counseling to address targeted problems interfering with students' functioning and well being. Utilizes understanding of human behavior in the social environment as well as psychosocial, developmental and cultural factors to identify obstacles to success while building on strengths and resiliencies. Offers the opportunity to explore different ways of understanding and perceiving the environment and facilitates more effective ways of coping.
Attendance Intervention: Works with student truancy cases as determined by School Board Rule 6GX13-5A-1.04 utilizing social work expertise to create intervention plans to reduce poor attendance. Participates in school truancy intervention teams employing school and community resources to provide escalating services for truancy referrals. Assists students and families in resolving factors impeding regular attendance.
Case Management: Coordinates access to community resources that address the needs of the student and support students' success. Helps parents better understand the school and its programs and services. Empowers students and their families to gain access to and effectively use formal and informal community services, maintaining current knowledge of relevant community resources.
Consultation: Provides consultation to facilitate an understanding of factors in the home, school, and community that affect students' educational experiences. Works in collaboration with administrators, student services professionals, teachers, and other school personnel and community providers whose common purpose is to develop interventions and programs that support and enhance the health, social and emotional well being and safety of students.
Advocacy: Advocates for compliance with student and family rights and responsibilities. Provides information to students and families regarding district policies and procedures, promoting awareness and compliance. Promotes mutual respect, understanding and support between school and home via parent conferences and/or home visits.
Crisis Intervention: Assists schools in creating and maintaining a safe school environment that promotes the development of cognitive, academic, emotional, and social growth among students. Participates in reducing risk for vulnerable students by promoting awareness, responding to crises and assisting schools in reinstating a state of functional safety and security.
Professional Development: Seeks to extend knowledge, build skills, and stay abreast of current trends and best practice models. Upgrades professional knowledge through research, review of literature, participation in classes, workshops, conferences, and seminars.
Accountability and Confidentiality: Maintains accurate data relevant to planning, management and evaluation of school social work services. Uses available technology to enhance communication, obtain and organize information and demonstrate accountability. Complies with the various local, state, and federal mandates related to confidentiality. Exercises professional judgment in the use of confidential information, based on best practice, legal, and ethical considerations.