School Social Worker

Job Summary

Desert Sands Public Charter School – Full‑time, Monday‑Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

In collaboration with site administration and student support team members, the School Social Worker provides leadership and support to the Learning Center. This position will consult and work in partnership with the School Counselor to deliver school and community‑wide best practice, create policies, procedures, and support that positively impact students' lives, help the Learning Center increase academic achievement, support students' social‑emotional needs and behavior, provide mental health awareness, create a safe and diverse learning environment, support a positive school environment, and strengthen the family‑school relationship.

• Identify and assess academic barriers through exploration of factors impinging on student adjustment including factors in the home, school, and community.
• Consult and collaborate with teachers, administrators, and other school staff on behavioral‑emotional environmental issues affecting student participation in the learning process.
• Provide one‑on‑one brief solution‑focused individual and group counseling services to students.
• Assist in the coordination and delivery of school‑based therapeutic support services.
• Conduct workshops, social skills groups, and classroom presentations on identified areas of concern for the students.
• Serve as a school site crisis intervention team member.
• Provide staff development in the areas of behavioral‑emotional‑environmental issues affecting student participation in the learning process.
• Assist in development of community awareness and partnerships.
• Collaborate with School Counseling team to meet the needs of identified foster/non‑traditional housing youth and other at‑promise student sub‑groups (including parenting, gang‑affiliated, justice‑involved and LGBTQIA2S+ youth).
• Assist in development, coordination, and implementation of psycho‑educational workshops.
• Collaborate with School Counselors, Student Retention Support, School Psychologist, Community Liaisons, and staff.
• Collaborate with county social workers, probation officers, case managers and/or service providers to ensure student success.
• Serve as preceptor for Social Worker Internships.
• Support School Counseling events, activities, and initiatives.
• Attend meetings and professional development activities as required.
• Administrative duties, responsibilities, and activities may be assigned or changed from time to time.

• Facilitate meetings with all foster/homeless youth identified in assigned school site(s).
• Assess student educational needs and make appropriate referrals and intervention recommendations.
• Collaborate with School Counselors, Student Retention, and Community Liaisons to connect and support students to educational and/or vocational programs, including tutoring, mentoring, job training, college prep/fairs, etc.
• Collaborate with caseworkers/social workers and/or service providers to coordinate family, school, and community resources to ensure student success.

• Assist in development of community awareness and partnerships.
• Assist in development, coordination, and implementation of psycho‑educational workshops.

• An understanding of how to navigate the structure of educational systems.
• Knowledge and understanding of State and National School Social Work Standards (NASW) and applicable laws, regulations and policies related to student welfare.
• Knowledge of current trends and concerns in education directly impacting at‑promise students and dropout prevention.
• Ability to connect with people from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, foster/non‑traditionally housed youth, and other at‑promise student sub‑groups (including parenting, gang‑affiliated, justice‑involved and LGBTQIA2S+ youth).
• Collaborative decision‑making and conflict resolution skills; ability to problem‑solve.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills.
• Organizational skills and ability to handle…