Evanston Township High
School
Job Description
Special Education Social
Worker
The special education social
worker serves the student whose social, emotional, and/or
family problems interfere with his/her capacity to function
adequately as a student.
The special education social worker professionally assesses the
problem and, through consultation, individual or group action,
develops a plan to assist the student and/or his/her family.
The plan may involve both the school and/or community
resources.
This professional relationship is dependent upon its
confidential nature, and may consist of initial assessment
interviews or may be an on-going program throughout the year or
the student's school career.
The special education social
worker reports to the Director of Special Education and Special
Education Department Chair.
Qualifications: MSW, Illinois Type
73; individual initiative and professional collaboration and
team work; desirable - fluent in Spanish and/or other
languages.
Major Responsibilities
A.
Knowledge and Expectations
1.
Is familiar with appropriate
diagnostic tools and their methods of use.
2.
Applies knowledge of federal and
state regulations and legislation relevant to school social
work practice.
3.
Provides feedback, suggestions
and needs assessment to support student needs.
4.
Keeps current with new
development in educational social work.
5.
Keeps informed of curriculum
course offerings as needed.
6.
Utilizes knowledge of research
procedures for evaluation of practice and school needs
assessment.
B.
Direct Services
1.
Assessment Skills
a.
Individualizes and accommodates individual differences,
including differences in learning styles.
b.
Utilizes effective assessment techniques.
c.
Engages in evaluation of needs and characteristics of students,
parents, school systems, and community and the effects of the
interaction of these characteristics on the learning process as
needed.
d.
Uses this assessment effectively to identify and address
systemic problems.
e.
Remains aware of diversity and its possible impact on the
student.
2.
Intervention
a.
Provides direct counseling and clinical case management, as
appropriate, to individual students and provides consultation
to their parents, as appropriate.
b.
Provides group and individual social work services to students
per IEP goals.
c.
Initiates and prepares eligible students for the following
services:
(1)
Home/Hospital Services
(2)
Family Focus Transitional Learning Center placement.
(3)
Student Assistant Program referrals.
(4)
Department of Children and Family Services referrals.
(5)
504 Plan
(6)
Other agency services.
d.
Assists students in crisis situations and makes appropriate
referrals.
e.
Makes home visits, as well as visits to hospitals and other
community resources, to understand the student within the
family/community context and facilitate connections which
enhance student well-being.
f.
Acts as an advocate for students with whom they work, as
appropriate.
C.
Consultations
1.
Consults with classroom
teachers, counselors, deans, paraprofessionals, related service
staff, and administrators to help them better understand and
work with particular students or manage particular classes of
students.
2.
Participates in conferences with
other school specialists such as counselors, school
psychologists, etc.
3.
Assists educational staff in
creating a positive climate for the growth and development of
students and consults on broad areas of mental health,
consistent with the school goal of enhancing student
well-being.
D.
Staffings
1.
Multi-Disciplinary
Conferences
a.
Presents pertinent data from social developmental study and/or
current levels of social-emotional functioning.
b.
Contributes actively to decision-making process.
c.
Writes and monitors social work IEP goals.
d.
Participates in IEP meetings (Manifestation Determination
Meetings, annual reviews, and problem-solving IEP
meetings)
E.
Community Relations
(Family-Community Agencies)
1.
Maintains linkage with families
of referred students, as appropriate.
a.
Interprets school policy and programs to parents.
b.
Reports student's social work progress appropriately to
parents.
c.
Advocates for rights of students and families according to
state and federal guidelines.
2.
Develops knowledge of public and
private community resources used for referral of ETHS students
and their families.
a.
Maintains productive relationships to facilitate referral
process.
b.
Maintains appropriate contact following referral to agencies
and/or private practitioners.
3.
Participates in school/community
activities.
F.
Committee Assignments
1.
Serves as a member of
departmental and school-wide committees.
2.
Executes special assignments
according to grade-level requirements and school needs.
3.
Functions as an active team
member with other ETHS social workers on initiatives, projects,
and administrative tasks.
G.
Records and Reports
1.
Organizes and maintains files on
each student and keeps records in secured files.
2.
Completes social development
studies within department guidelines.
3.
Completes Annual Review
summaries promptly.
4.
Contributes to departmental
annual report.
5.
Completes Medicaid reports for
IEP minutes.
H.
Professional and Ethical
Standards
1.
Keeps school hours as defined in the ETHS
Faculty Handbook
.
2.
Shares information only within legal and professional
parameters permitted,
holding all other information in confidence.
3.
Communicates clearly and effectively with staff, faculty and
clients.
4.
Follows and fulfills department and district stated policies.
5.
Accepts responsibility for continued professional growth.
5/15/12