School Social Worker

Overview

PEKIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT 108 ANNOUNCES THE FOLLOWING VACANCIES FOR THE  SCHOOL YEAR:

SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER
District Wide

Certification: Illinois Professional Educator License with Social Worker Endorsement

Direct Supervisor: Special Education Coordinator

The school social worker applies professional understandings of child psychosocial development and the influences of family, community and cultural differences as they interact with special education processes. He or she supports the families of children with instruction, counseling, and information needed to participate in their child’s education. The school social worker provides psychosocial and observational data essential to the evaluation of students’ eligibility for special education services.

In addition, the school social worker consults with administrators and teachers in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of interventions for students eligible for special education services, and at times, for students in the general population. Together with the school psychologist, the school social worker carries case management responsibility for all students referred for evaluation or identified as eligible for special education services.

• All special education decisions will be informed by knowledge of child psychosocial development and pathology, psychosocial and programmatic interventions, and or law and regulations.
• Student eligibility for—or entitlement to—special education programming shall be based upon appropriate information, including but not limited to psychosocial and observational data, consultation with administrators, teachers, and parents, and research on the relative effectiveness of intervention strategies and programs.
• Families of students will be informed and supported to enhance student success.

• Demonstrate knowledge of counseling theory and techniques, i.e., individual consultations and group process
• Demonstrate knowledge of child and adolescent development
• Establish goals for the social work program appropriate to the setting and the students served
• Provides professional development and consultation as needed to assure that teachers, administrators, and parents understand issues, regulation and processes of special education
• Plan the counseling program, using individual and small group sessions, and including crisis prevention, intervention, and response
• Plan, implement and evaluate interventions for at-risk students in consultation with administrators and teachers
• Develop a plan to evaluate the social work program

Environment

• Create an environment of respect and rapport
• Establish a culture for productive communication
• Establish a culture for positive mental health throughout the school
• Establish clear procedures for referrals
• Establish standards of conduct, and contribute to the culture for positive behavior throughout the school
• Organize the counseling and work space
• Establish and maintain norms of behavior for professional interactions

Delivery of Service

• Assess student needs
• Assist students and teachers in the formulation of academic, personal/social, and career plans, based on knowledge of student needs
• Use counseling techniques, in individual and classroom programs
• Broker resources to meet needs
• Demonstrate flexibility and responsiveness
• Chair evaluation team
• Respond to referrals, consulting with teachers and administrators
• Maintain contact with physicians and community mental health service providers

Professional Responsibilities

• Reflect on practice
• Maintain records, and submit them in a timely fashion
• Communicate with families by establishing rapport and securing permission
• Participate in a professional community with an emphasis on the positive and supportive interactions
• Engage in professional development
• Show professionalism, including integrity, advocacy and maintaining confidentiality
• Assure that parents understand their rights and responsibilities as specified in special education law and regulation

• Assures parents understand and are prepared to participate in the special education system.
• Assess the need for and conducts instruction in various…