SY 26-27 School Social Worker

Lynchburg City Schools•Lynchburg, VA

22h•Hybrid

About The Position

The School Social Worker will perform specialized social work in education settings to assist students with optimizing academic success. The Social Worker will collect, interpret, and synthesize information about a student’s development, medical history, academic history, adaptive functioning, community environment, family dynamics by providing strategic services that identify and address the social-emotional-environmental issues that interfere with the educational process, and to work with parents/guardians, teachers, school principal/principal's designee, and community based liaisons to acquire resources to implement strategies that promote students' positive school achievement.

Requirements

Master's degree in Social Work from an accredited college or university
Licensed Clinical Social Worker preferred
School Social Worker License eligible
Ability to adhere to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics.
Ability to conduct telephone-based or in-person interviews, data collection, and data entry.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including active listening, empathy, and relationship building.
Ability to interact in a non-judgmental manner with culturally diverse populations and persons experiencing a wide range of social conditions.
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and the ability to use sound judgment in responding to client issues and concerns.
Ability to adapt to changing environments and receive constructive feedback.
Ability to use discretion, maintain confidentiality, and ethical conduct.
Ability to work effectively with all levels of staff, establishing and maintaining collaborative professional relationships.
Strong time management skills (organization, prioritization, multitasking).
Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Proficiency with use of computers (desktop, laptop, tablet).
Proficiency with use of mobile devices (smartphones, mobile apps).
Solid knowledge and understanding of Microsoft Office and Google Drive, and ability to learn new technical programs/practices as needed.
Solid knowledge and understanding of equitable practices that create a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for LCS staff, students, and community members.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of and experience with the Lynchburg City Schools organization, policies, and practices (preferred).

Responsibilities

Complete sociocultural assessments and adaptive behavior scales reflecting referred students' developmental delays and learning challenges.
Assist parents in their efforts to access community resources for their children through phone calls, home visits, and school meetings.
Link families and students to available community resources and coordinate needed support, including financial aid, housing, childcare, medical care, early education interventions, emergency aid, and mental health assistance.
Attend Family Assessment and Planning Team meetings as needed, and provide case management for students who require FAPT funded services.
Advocate for student and family involvement and engagement with the academic process and necessary support.
Submit reports required by the Director for Student Services and Director of Special Education in a prompt manner.
Serve on school and/or community teams as needed.
Provide a full range of social work services to schools in accordance with federal, state and local regulations.
Determine school wide needs for specific social work services through consultation with the principal and school staff , establish priorities for service delivery within assigned schools, and perform specialized social work in an educational setting to enable students to perform successfully in the areas of academics, behavior, and culture.
Provide prevention and intervention assistance as a member of the Threat Assessment team and crisis response team upon request.
Provide in-service training to teachers and administrative staff on child abuse, behavior de-escalation, social emotional learning, and other related trainings.
Conduct specific psychoeducational groups to at-risk students when deemed appropriate.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of Student Services.
Perform other duties as directed by the school board.