Job Title:

School Social Worker/Visiting Teacher

Salary Scale:

18.0

Salary Range:

$49,345 __ $59,253

Work Days:

220 (Regular Day: 8am - 4:30pm)

Reports To:

Director of Special Education

FLSA Status:

Exempt (Professional Staff Position)

Overview:

Serves as a liaison between the home, school, and community in order to alleviate personal and/or social adjustment difficulties, which may be obstructing the educational process of students. Assists children having difficulty adapting to school life by consulting with parents, teachers, and other school personnel to determine causes of problems and effect solutions. Serves as advocates for the rights, interests, and general welfare and understanding of pupils.

Education Required:

Candidate must be a graduate of an accredited college or university and must possess a Postgraduate Professional License. Must hold or be eligible for Virginia Department of Education license with an endorsement as a visiting teacher/school social worker.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

Essential Duties:

The minimum performance expectations include, but are not limited to, the following functions/tasks:

• Maintains and respects confidentiality of student and school personnel information, while maintaining the safety and welfare for all students and staff members;
• Follows federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies regarding children’s educational welfare;
• Reports any pertinent information to the proper authorities in cases of child endangerment, neglect, or abuse;
• Participates in and provides direction and consultation to local school child study committees as deemed appropriate, including working cooperatively with school personnel seeking solutions to students’ difficulties;
• Assists in the evaluation and placement of students in special education programs through socio-cultural interviews, collection of medical data, adaptive behaviors, eligibility committee meetings, disciplinary reviews, and obtaining other data/services required;
• Cooperates with other staff members, administration, and parents in maintaining a positive climate;
• Prepares and conducts assessment reports and other administrative documents as necessary;
• Maintains accurate records of all services provided;
• Maintains clearly written and comprehensive reports and data which provide practical recommendations;
• Makes home visits to counsel with parents and students, and gathers data used by other school personnel;
• Performs duties associated with homelessness as required by Federal and State law;
• Performs duties related to Learnfare and TANF programs;
• Assist schools in locating non-enrolled students at the beginning of each school year;
• Provides crisis intervention services with appropriate follow-up and may participate as a member of crisis intervention teams;
• Assists students in securing clothing, eye glasses, and other social and medical services needed for an appropriate educational experience;
• Interprets to school personnel information concerning the home life values of the family as well as interpreting community resources, values, and trends;
• Enforces student attendance in cooperation with administration, school personnel, and parents in compliance with the Laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and confers with the truancy personnel as necessary;
• Works with school administrative staff in interpreting and upholding School Board policy and special education procedures;
• Participates in interdisciplinary teams with local agencies (as appropriate) to develop and coordinate  planning/services for students and families;

• Identifies students needing surrogate parents, including securing and training of parents as needed;
• Assists parents in understanding the programs and objectives of the school and enhancing their involvement in the education of their children;
• Acts as a liaison with the community and state organizations;
• Takes all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, equipment, materials, and facilities;
• Assumes responsibility for professional development by attending workshops/seminars/professional meetings to remain informed of new developments and literature in school social work;

• Models non-discriminatory practices in all activities;
• Maintains licensure at the state and/or national level; assumes responsibility for professional growth and keeps materials, supplies, and skills up-to-date;

• Complies with and supports school and division regulations and policies;
• Maintains proper boundaries with students at all times, assuring respect for the ethical and legal duties in the staff-student relationship and the essential duty to serve as a role model;
• Provides a good role model of an educated professional in appearance, demeanor, dress and behavior;

• Interprets and upholds School Board policy and special education procedures;
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Director of Special Education in accordance with school/division policies and practices.

Supervisory Duties:

None

     Physical Demands:

Duties performed typically in school settings to include: offices, conference centers, and classrooms.  Frequent walking, standing, stooping, lifting, up to approximately 20 pounds, and occasionally lifting up to 40 pounds. Other limited physical activities may be required. Frequent operation of a vehicle and office equipment is required. Regular and frequent contact made at all organizational levels for the purpose of developing and achieving organizational goals and missions. Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; visual acuity is required for preparing and analyzing written or computer data, determining the accuracy and thoroughness of work. Regular contact with students with special needs is a requirement. Contact with other staff members, community agencies, and parents is required. Frequent contact with parents by phone and in person may be necessary. Occasional contact with medical professionals may be required.

Must be able to provide own transportation to school-related functions, the homes of students, community agencies, and schools throughout the division.

Job Evaluation:

The Director of Special Education will evaluate performance on the ability and effectiveness in carrying out the above responsibilities.