Social Worker - Shared
About The Position
The Social Worker will provide school-based, trauma-sensitive counseling services, including crisis counseling (as needed) and planning, across two schools - I Dream PCS and Capital Village PCS. The Social Worker will provide professional development for all school staff on related mental health and social-emotional topics and collaborate with contracted behavioral specialists to plan and implement behavioral support and services for learners with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). The Social Worker will build and manage multiple relationships with community-based organizations, school staff, and families as an advocate for the academic and social-emotional success of every learner. The Social Worker will report to the Student Services Coordinator at Capital Village PCS and the Director of Culture & Learner Success at I Dream PCS.
Responsibilities
- Manage caseloads of learners at two different schools, effectively servicing both school populations and supporting both teams.
- Provide counseling to learners, including psycho-social assessment and diagnosis of socio-emotional-behavioral difficulties with recommendations and/or environmental accommodations at the school, home and/or in the community with periodic re-evaluations.
- Provide classroom-based and/or small group prevention (social-emotional skills, anti-bullying, personal safety, stress reduction, grief and loss support, drug/alcohol education).
- Provide Behavioral Supportive Services to learners with IEP/504 Plans and maintain accurate and timely records.
- Act as a resource person for I Dream PCS and Capital Village PCS in staff training and planning; share relevant professional resources, lead professional development, consult with individual teachers, and support the effective use of the schools’ social emotional learning (SEL) curricula.
- Identify school-wide or classroom trends in social-emotional health needs and provide recommendations to the leadership teams regarding learner policies and systems that relate to the social-emotional health of learners.
- Address learners’ social-emotional needs through effective collaboration with other professionals in grade level teams, Student Success Teams, IEP, and other learner focused meetings.
- Maintain appropriate school records and provide written reports and communications to the leadership teams as needed.
- Provide crisis intervention, case management and psycho-social learner support as necessary.
- Operate with integrity and in accordance with NASW Code of Ethics and IDEA regulations.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- Possession of a valid, clinical District of Columbia Social Work license (LICSW) is required
- An understanding of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process is required.
- Experience in working with Grade Pre-K to 8th grade learner populations preferred
- Must be deeply rooted in the community, ready, willing, and able to liaison in an inclusive manner with diverse populations, community stakeholders, natural and formal leaders in all 8 Wards of the District.
- Demonstrate an ability to serve learners and families with a framework of equity and dignity for learners of all cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
- Have an unapologetic belief in the ability of all learners to succeed in their path to college and career, with the right supports in place.
- Provide evidence of in-depth knowledge of special education programs, with experience working with learners with exceptional needs.
- Possess the stamina and self-care strategies necessary to work with an undervalued population.
- Demonstrate leadership skills in working with individuals and groups (i.e. initiating individual or group discussion, listening, clarifying and facilitating interactions and sharing of ideas).
- Persons of cultural consciousness and competence are strongly encouraged to apply.
Compensation and Benefits
I Dream PCS offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package to promote self-care and overall wellness, including employer-covered health insurance for employee, dental and vision insurance, free life insurance up to $50,000, 403b retirement including employer match, and included short term disability insurance.
I Dream PCS and Capital Village PCS are excited to build diverse founding teams, and we encourage applicants of all backgrounds to apply. We are proud to be equal opportunity employers, and we hire without consideration of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy/parenthood, veteran status, or disability. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodations, please let us know.
About the Schools
I Dream PCS Mission
I Dream PCS co-designs purposeful, self-directed learning with children and families, so they have voice and choice on the path to discovering and pursuing their dreams.
Essential Mindsets
You are all about I Dream’s Mission.
When you read the I Dream PCS mission, your eyes light up and you smile on the inside. Our website speaks to you and you know you want to be a part of making this school a reality for children. You can see it. Our mission and vision align with your beliefs and passion.
You are ready to disrupt systemic inequities in service of our children.
You understand that the current public education system perpetuates systemic racism and that the achievement gap exists by design. You are committed to social justice and ready to transform the current public school model to one that values the gifts and talents every child and every family bring to the world. You are also committed to doing your own work to identify and mitigate your biases and prejudices in service of this work.
You work with others positively and productively.
You demonstrate this mindset through shared decision-making, when appropriate, and in collaboration with others. You recognize how important and fun it is to be a positive and productive member of a team. You have excellent interpersonal communication skills. People want to work with you.
You have a growth mindset about yourself and your work.
You are a lifelong learner that is in constant evolution. You know you are good at what you do, but you also know that you always have room to learn. You learn from your mistakes and failures as much as you learn from books and from others. Growing yourself and your expertise comes natural to you. You approach the growth and development of learners and school programs by leveraging strengths and assets rather than focusing on deficits.
Capital Village PCS
Who We Are
Capital Village PCS is a small learning community where learners take the lead, grow together and change the world. We are an intentionally small middle school (grades 5-8) with a max enrollment of 175 students total and two teachers in every classroom. Our community is a village focused on the interests, needs, and ambitions of each individual learner so that all learners can grow.
When a learner enrolls in Capital Village PCS, he/she is matched with a mentor and begins building an Individual Learning Plan alongside his/her family.
Grounded in the principles of EL Education, we teach a rigorous curriculum through student-led projects that blend Common Core standards with local social justice problems that students are empowered to design solutions.
Who You Are
You believe that school can be different, and you want to use your voice and your skills to help shape an innovative new school model that will ultimately grow to serve hundreds of students across the city.
You are, above all, a learner. Your potential is limitless, because you are constantly growing as a person and as a professional.
You are driven by the belief that all children, regardless of their background or their zip code, can achieve at the highest levels. You believe that it is the job of a school to provide the right support so every student can succeed, including the implementation of restorative justice practices.
You are team-oriented and love to collaborate with others. You understand that founding a school is hard work, and you are excited to roll up your sleeves and get to work.