2025-26 School Social Worker (Elementary Part-Time)

The principal tasks of the School Social Worker are to help students and families make the best use of available opportunities and resources and to fully develop each student's individual potential. The School Social Worker rings to the educational process an understanding of the psychosocial development of children and the influences of family, community, and cultural differences as they interact with the educational process. Further, the School Social Worker provides the necessary professional skills to assist students and communities in problem-solving and conflict resolution in a safe and healthy manner. School Social Work is founded on the following premises:

• Definite and identifiable reasons exist why some students are not successful in school and exhibit undesirable behavior (including at-risk factors, dropping out and truancy).
• It is critical to assist families in alleviating adverse conditions in order to promote resiliency and academic success for at-risk students.
• It is important to assist parents in utilizing school and community resources to help children maximize their educational abilities.
• Parental involvement with the school is essential to create positive academic and social outcomes for students.
• It is essential that school staff listens to and respects the feelings and sensitivities of students and parents of all cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
• Education becomes a successful experience for students who are helped to overcome the social and emotional problems interfering with adjustment and achievement in school.
• Special education and related services must be provided for students with physical, mental, social, emotional, or other educational disabilities.
• Social justice and equal opportunity for all students and families will increase educational attainment and enhance the educational experience for everyone.

Direct Services to Students:

The School Social Worker employs appropriate social work methods in situations affecting the student's educational process.

School Social Workers:

• Conduct assessment of student needs
• Promote regular school attendance
• Conduct home visits
• Promote safe, caring, and drug-free schools
• Empowerment of/advocacy for students
• Provide culturally competent services
• Provide appropriate services for homeless students
• Provide individual counseling
• Facilitate group counseling
• Self-esteem
• Anger management
• Impulse control
• Social skills training
• Substance abuse prevention
• Provide crisis intervention services
• Complete social developmental case studies
• Participate in the evaluation of special education placements
• Participate in the development of behavioral modification plans
• Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA), and Supportive Intervention Plans (SIP)
• Provide short/long-term case management services to individual students
• Referrals to community agencies
• Coordination of services with community agencies
• Coordination of services with other disciplines within the school
• Participate in transition planning for students
• Coordinate pregnancy prevention programs
• Coordinate drop-out prevention programs
• Report suspected child abuse/neglect

Direct Services to Families/Communities:

The School Social Worker employs appropriate social work methods to assure students' positive academic and social outcomes.

School Social Workers:

• Promote parental involvement in the schools
• Promote parental involvement in school conferences
• Promote parental responsibility for regular school attendance
• Conduct home visits
• Conduct family needs assessments
• Promote safe, caring, and drug-free schools
• Empowerment of/advocacy for families
• Provide culturally competent services
• Provide appropriate services/referrals for homeless families
• Provide crisis intervention services
• Refer to community agencies
• Facilitate parent groups
• Parenting skills
• Substance abuse awareness
• Special needs child