Social Worker Assistant for the LEAP and QUEST Programs

The Syracuse City School District is undergoing a new phase of innovation and transformation with the goal of ensuring that all students graduate high school with the skills needed to be ready for college and career. For Syracuse, all means all – including students who fall behind or have been considered “hard to serve” for a host of reasons. The School Board and Syracuse community have charged Superintendent Sharon Contreras with improving student achievement, and she is seeking a dedicated team of school leaders and teachers to partner with her in moving the district toward its goals. The Syracuse City School District represents 34 schools and 4 alternative education programs, serving 21,878 students Pre-K-12 of whom 77% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, 18% are served by the Office of Special Education and 78% are students of color. 

Job Description: 

The School Social Worker Assistant applies theory, principles and methods to assist in the prevention, assessment, evaluation, formulation and implementation of a plan of action based on student and family needs and strengths. The School Social Worker intervenes to address the mental, social, emotional, behavioral, and developmental conditions and disabilities experienced by students and families within our school communities as outlined in the Syracuse City School District Practitioners Model for Evaluation. Due to the necessity of working with families and community-based agencies to provide and/or coordinate comprehensive services for students and families, a District’s school social worker’s work hours may at times occur outside traditional school hours requiring a flexible work schedule. We are seeking a dedicated and compassionate Itinerant Social Worker to join our alternative education program, serving elementary and middle school students. The ideal candidate will provide comprehensive social work services across multiple school sites, supporting students' emotional, social, and academic development.

Key Responsibilities:

• Student Support: Provide individual and group counseling to students, addressing issues such as behavioral challenges, emotional distress, and social skills development.
• Assessment and Intervention: Conduct assessments to identify students' needs and develop individualized intervention plans.
• Crisis Management: Respond to and manage crises, offering immediate support and coordinating with school staff and external agencies as needed.
• Collaboration: Work closely with teachers, administrators, and other school staff to create a supportive and inclusive environment for all students.
• Family Engagement: Engage with families to provide resources, support, and education, fostering strong home-school connections.
• Advocacy: Advocate for students' needs within the school system and community, ensuring access to necessary services and support.
• Professional Development: Participate in ongoing professional development to stay current with best practices in social work and education.

Duties:

• Link students and families with school and community resources
• Attend parent-teacher conferences as needed
• Assist in school-wide attendance initiatives and report on collected data
• Make home visits as needed
• Encourage families to effectively participate in their child's education
• Help families understand school policies, services, and programs
• Provide Crisis intervention
• Refer Child Protective cases and make referrals to mental health agencies
• Provide Classroom discussions and presentations
• Collaborate with school teams to develop and monitor Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals, Functional Behavioral Assessments, and behavior plans
• Actively participate in various meetings with families, school teams, and multiple agencies as needed Facilitate Student Intervention Team meetings and review data collected at regular intervals 
• Therapeutic member of District Crisis Team Member
• Collaborate with all school personnel to assess student's social/emotional obstacles to academic success
• Consult with therapists, doctors, parents, child protective, law guardians, family court
• Develop/facilitate/coordinate prevention activities and intervention strategies that include Non-Violence services, programs and training
• Is familiar with DASA — Dignity For All Act, & collaborates with various parties to report or investigate concerns

Requirements:

• All candidates must meet the minimum requirements listed on the Onondaga County Civil Service job description for this titl