School Social Worker

Position Type:
Student Support Services/Social Worker

Date Posted:
12/20/2024

Location:
Ypsilanti Community Schools

Closing Date:
Until Filled The WISD's Mission is to promote the continuous improvement of achievement for every student while providing high-quality service to our customers through leadership, innovation, and collaboration.

The WISD's Vision is to be a leader in empowering, facilitating, and delivering high-quality, boundary-spanning, educational system that educates all children through an equitable, inclusive, and holistic approach.

SUMMARY:
The School Social Worker evaluates, plans and implements services for students who attend the Ypsilanti Community Schools special education programs. This position works with and instructs classroom staff, related services staff, administrators, community resources and parents in the implementation of programming.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Demonstrates a strong commitment to equity, social justice, and inclusion in all practices and position responsibilities.
• Demonstrates the ability to examine how his/her/their position (directly or indirectly) impacts educational inequities in student achievement outcomes.
• Engages in reflection and ongoing learning and development on critical concepts and terms identified in the Washtenaw ISD Educational Equity Policy including concepts such as cultural proficiency, racial equity, and systemic and structural inequities.
• Demonstrates an awareness of and commitment to Trauma-Informed Care practices to support student success and growth within the educational setting.
• Attends Individualized Education Planning ("IEP") Committee and any other meetings pertinent to the IEP process.
• Participates as an active member of a student support team.
• Provides support to students and their families.
• Consults with staff members and assists in program planning for students.
• Investigates and disseminates information related to student experiences in and out of school and assesses the impact of these experiences on student functioning in the program.
• Serves as liaison between school personnel, family and other agencies.
• Compiles student socio-emotional history and evaluations.
• Consults with case coordinator providing a supportive and interpretive liaison service among parents, school personnel and students.
• Provides materials and consultant services to the parents and educational staff so they may better understand and appreciate the nature and degree of the disability.
• Assists in evaluating supports for students.
• Collaborates with building administration, instructional staff, medical staff and other agencies to integrate students into the community, with emphasis on involving families, facilitating natural supports, and focusing instruction and behavioral strategies on long-term outcomes.

• Participates in special education program activities, student/staff meetings, district level and program meetings, staff development/special programs, school improvement teams/planning committees as appropriate to the assignment, in-service activities and other meetings as determined necessary.
• Works cooperatively and communicates with district staff, students and parents/guardians.
• Maintains accurate attendance records and appropriate reports and student logs for services.
• Adheres to District health and safety rules, policies and procedures.
• Supports WISD vision and mission to enhance achievement for all students.
• Supports a team-based approach to problem solving.
• Maintains regular predictable attendance.
• Other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• N/A.

QUALIFICATIONS:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Alternative requirements that may be appropriate and acceptable to the Board of Education may be considered. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Master's Degree in social work REQUIRED.
• Minimum of 500 clock hours supervised social work practicum.
• Possesses experience with computer instruction and technology.
• Possesses the skills and desire to work in a collaborative team with others.
• Previous experience and training working with students who have a wide range of cognitive, physical and emotional abilities.
• Demonstrated ability to assist in interventions for students.
• Demonstrated ability to understand and be able to implement behavior intervention strategies.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the social workers role in a team environment.
• Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board may find appropriate and acceptable.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

• Eligible for temporary or full approval as school social worker through the MDE.
• Must hold valid social work license through the Michigan Dept. of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• Ability to work with elementary and secondary students.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret information including periodicals and professional journals.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of educators, parents, students and the general public.

TECHNICAL SKILLS:

• Ability to integrate technology into the everyday workflow is necessary.
• Ability to utilize District technology and work to maintain proficiency, as required skill sets change with technology and/or the needs of the District.
• Ability to use computer technology for research, data management, communications and other instruction.

• Ability to use a personal computer (PC) or MAC in a networked environment to utilize the Internet and other electronic communication mechanisms.
• Knowledge of productivity applications such as Microsoft Office (word processing, spreadsheets, database and presentation software) is required.
• Ability to use computer technology for research, data management, communications and other instruction.
• Ability to select and administer appropriate assessment tools and interpret results of assessment.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

• Ability to apply the concepts of basic math, algebra and geometry consistent with the duties of this position.

REASONING ABILITY:

• Highly proficient in subject areas of: reasoning, problem solving, organizational dynamics and emotional intelligence.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form.

• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.

• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:

• Ability to build rapport with others and to serve diverse publics.
• Ability to take initiative, work well with others as a collaborative team member and exhibit good communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with other departments, agencies and individuals.

• Ability to work creatively and skillfully with students.
• Ability to demonstrate initiative and understanding in working with students, staff and parents/guardians.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear; and taste or smell. The employee is occasionally required to sit and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds such as books and teaching material or when assisting in student interventions. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distant vision and the ability to adjust focus. The ability to travel to other buildings is required. The position requires the individual to sometimes work irregular or extended work hours and meet multiple demands from several people. The ability to travel to other buildings is required.

ENVIRONMENTAL ADAPTABILITY:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is quiet to loud depending upon the activity in the particular part of the day. The employee is frequently required to interact with the public and other staff. The employee is directly responsible for the safety and well-being of students. The employee is exposed to infections at a greater risk than the average person. Occasionally the employee may be required to be outdoors for a short period of time, and therefore subject to varying weather conditions, for purposes of accomplishing the essential functions of this job.

FUNCTIONS OF POSITION DESCRIPTION:
This position description has been prepared to define the general duties of the position, provide examples of work and to detail the required knowledge, skills and ability as well as the acceptable experience and training for the position. The description is not intended to limit or modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct and control the duties of employees under supervision. The WISD retains and reserves any and all rights to change, modify, amend, add to or delete from any portion of this description in its sole judgment.

This position description is not a contract for employment.

The WISD is an equal opportunity employer, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The District will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

TERMS:
This position is subject to terms, conditions, and calendar of the Master Agreement between the District and Unit II AFT Local 3760. Starting salary ranging (dependent upon experience) from $47,180 - $101,817.

Washtenaw Intermediate School District is a drug-free workplace.

It is the policy and commitment of the Washtenaw Intermediate School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age, height, weight, familial status, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation or any legally protected characteristic, in its educational programs, activities, admissions, or employment policies in accordance with Title IX of the 1972 Educational Amendments, executive order 11246 as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and all other pertinent state and Federal regulations.