| Description | Social Worker (Bilingual)
2017-2018
Philosophy
Phoenix Charter Academy's mission is to challenge young people in our area with an academically rigorous and individually tailored curriculum. Phoenix scholars will have the support, resources and training needed to succeed academically in high school and college, and become economically secure in their future. Phoenix Charter Academy is named after a mythological figure of strength, healing and renewal.
Phoenix schools challenge resilient, disconnected young people with rigorous academics and relentless supports, so they take ownership of their futures and succeed in high school, college, and as self-sufficient adults.
Role Summary
The Social Worker is a member of the Student Support Team, and successful candidates are those excited to work in a dynamic school environment that values collaboration and teamwork. This position requires a great deal of case management, referral management and coordination with other staff, adult supporters, and community agencies. Bilingual candidates (English/Spanish, English/French) are preferred.
Social workers in the Phoenix Charter Academy Network are charged with operating within these Key Areas:
- Internalize mission and make this central to all decisions and actions inside and outside of the school in addition to upholding the scholar code of conduct at all times.
- Meet with individual scholars in accordance with their individual needs, or IEPs or 504 plans, to provide counseling toward identified goals so that school success is possible.
- Create and maintain relationships and formal partnerships with local mental health and family counseling agencies as well as other partners who may be able to offer services to Phoenix scholars and families in need.
Commitments
All staff acknowledge that we will each seek – through formal and informal feedback – to dramatically improve our own progress and that of our scholars.
Qualities of a Phoenix staff member:
- Unwavering Belief in Phoenix Scholars - Phoenix staff operate with the deeply held belief that all young people want to and can succeed even in the face of what can seem like insurmountable barriers and societal constraints.
- Ability to Put Scholars First - Phoenix staff go above and beyond to ensure scholar mastery of the skills and development of positive self-identity that will ensure success for college, careers and beyond. Phoenix staff find every opportunity to engage in teaching and learning with scholars, using conflict to build supportive relationships with scholars and never taking things personally.
- Eager to Learn Under Pressure - Phoenix staff must be able to learn as they go in a fast paced, ever evolving, urgent environment. They have the desire to receive direct feedback and the ability to implement the feedback into practice quickly.
- Humility - Phoenix staff approach problem solving with curiosity and desire to understand the perspectives of others. They carry an internalized sense of “I can always learn more” from others, and know that adults at Phoenix must model the qualities of being open-minded and willing to make mistakes and learn from them.
- Experience with Low Income Communities - Staff have the proven ability to work across cultures and experience serving low-income communities and/or academically-disconnected adolescents.
- Ability to Find Inspiration In the Small Things - In the face of challenge and hard work, Phoenix staff must have the ability to find humor, inspiration, success and joy in the day to day interactions with scholars and the larger Phoenix Community.
- Personal Commitment to Cultural Proficiency and Ongoing Development - Phoenix staff are ongoing learners about diversity, equity and inclusion and seek to understand the ways that their self-identity and experiences impacts and interacts with their daily work, colleagues and scholars.
Specific Responsibilities
In collaboration with the other Social Worker(s):
- Be the clinical part of the Student Support Team, provide consult to SS staff assisting scholars with or without IEPs and 504s in crisis (both in the moment and with appropriate follow up) and with ongoing behavioral interventions;
- Create personal, warm relationships with all scholars, even those that are not targeted for social work intervention, sending a clear message that the academic work is central to the mission of the school and all relationships in the school are in place to support the academic success of scholars in college and post-secondary endeavors.
- Work collaboratively with BEST teams and outside psychologists to acquire assessments and higher level of care for scholars;
- Outreach to parents and adult supporters to discuss and address clinical needs of scholars;
- Manage intakes and reporting, including counseling intakes and Medicaid paperwork;
- Assist staff and personnel who have heard scholar disclosures with managing, processing and dealing with confidential and privileged information that scholars may disclose;
- Coordinate and case manage scholars hospitalized or in other residential settings or treatment programs;
- Attend IEP and other meetings to assess and address scholars in need of or receiving special education services;
- Design and implement social-emotional support groups addressing needs identified in current scholar body;
- Provide psycho-education to personnel regarding social and emotional disabilities and well-being;
- Collect all data relative to Social Work, use this data to support scholar achievement and organizational strategies and share data with staff as part of Professional Development;
- Work with school nurse and Student Support Team regarding medication issues, scholars who are pregnant, and scholars with chronic illnesses;
- Support new scholar orientations and occasional Student Support Center shifts.
- Work as part of Student Support Team during summer: retention work, re-engagement work, training new staff, etc.
- Participate in all meetings with Student Support Team to ensure the Phoenix scholar’s support growth goals are being met.
- Commit to growing professionally through consistent and constant feedback and reflection; remain humble and relentless. Be committed to professionally developing through feedback, tackling challenging tasks, and professional development meetings/trainings.
Qualifications
- Education: Master's in Related Subject (School Psychology or Counseling)
- Years of Experience: 2+ Preferred (May include Practicum and related graduate fieldwork)
- Licensure: School Social Worker/School Adjustment Counselor (MA License, Initial or Professional)
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**It is understood that this Job Description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the position. It is not intended to be a complete and total description of each and every duty and responsibility. As such, this job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. He or she will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other duties requested by his or her supervisor.
It is also understood that the Network retains the right to modify this Job Description at any time, for any reason, at the Network’s sole discretion**
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We seek a diverse workforce. Phoenix Charter Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Phoenix Charter Academy is committed to providing equal opportunity to staff and applicants in all areas of employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status, or any other area protected by federal, state or local law. Phoenix Charter Academy is committed to making any reasonable accommodation necessary to support an individual's employment. |