The Natick Public Schools Seek a

Social Worker for the North Star Program

Start date: 08/26/2024

We invite you to explore a career with Natick Public Schools. 

The Natick Public Schools educate approximately 5,300 students from Pre-K through age 22. We are an innovative, supportive, and high-performing district whose outstanding staff provides high quality services for our diverse students and their families from Natick and Boston. Natick Public Schools is a community dedicated to all students achieving high standards in a safe, trusting, respectful environment where learning is exciting, dynamic, and engaging, and where connectedness and belonging are valued and actively cultivated. We are home to families that speak almost 60 different languages and our student population is approximately 29% Students of Color and 71% White students. With a graduation rate of 97% and 90% of our students attending post-secondary schools, we are proud of our commitment to excellence in educating students to be informed and successful citizens of a global world. 

We enthusiastically welcome educators to our district who seek and thrive in a diverse environment that focuses on the whole child in a strengths-based approach. Please partner with us in our mission to support the diversity of our school community, promote and deliver equitable practices for all of our staff, students, and families, and create meaningful connections that enable everyone to feel included and thrive.

Education: Master of Social Work or equivalent from an accredited institution

Professional Certification:

• MA DESE LCSW
• LICSW preferred

Specialized Knowledge: 

• Outstanding oral communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong work ethic and attention to detail.
• An unrelenting focus on student success, safety and accountability.
• Understanding of and commitment to the principles and practices of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice as they relate to student engagement and success.

Preferred Experience: 

• Two years post graduate experience working with emotionally and behaviorally challenged youth and their families

Skills:

• Demonstrated aptitude for work to be performed
• Bilingual skills, especially in Spanish and Portuguese, are highly desirable
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Candidates should have a passion for working with students, families, and colleagues.
• Candidates must be flexible and collaborative.
• Candidates must be able to multitask in a fast-paced, supportive environment that nurtures student growth.
• Candidates must be organized and able to meet ongoing, time-sensitive deadlines for work production.

Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Superintendent may find appropriate and in conformity with state certification requirements. 

• Phone, intercom, personal computer and software applications, scanner, copy machine, calculator, camera, printers and fax machine.

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.

The essential duties and responsibilities, include, but are not limited to:

• Provide evidenced-based therapeutic intervention focused on improved behavioral health that will allow increased access to school based curriculum.
• Provide evidence-based psycho-education as requested.
• Advocate for increased community-based services on behalf of families.
• Provide home visits, as needed, for targeted, supportive intervention.
• Provide regularly scheduled information sharing between student, parents/guardians, school personnel and collateral services providers to discuss progress related to goals; interact effectively and respectfully, with school personnel, supervisors, parent/guardians, and collateral services providers.
• Participate in IEP and SST meetings, as needed.
• Provide CPI/TCI de-escalation intervention for students experiencing behavioral crises.
• Provide mental status exams, as needed.
• Provide written, collaboratively agreed upon, social/emotional and behavioral goals.
• Write quarterly progress reports.
• Write and maintain Behavior Intervention Plans, as needed.
• Maintain written client contact notes that are accessible to students, parent/guardians, teachers and administrators.
• Provide consultation to building-based personnel regarding best practice interventions for students struggling with social, emotional, and/or behavioral challenges.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the job satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to: 

• move about the classroom, school, school grounds, office, and/or off-site locations. 
• On some occasions, it may be necessary to move quickly across even or uneven surfaces; 
• remain in a stationary position for periods of time; 
• operate a computer and other school/office productivity machinery (i.e., iPad, copy machine, computer printer, assistive technology, etc.); 
• read material from a computer monitor as well as handwritten or printed matter with or without visual aids; 
• position oneself to maintain files and access school/classroom/office materials;
• communicate with others so that information received and given is understood and accurately communicated;
• communicate and collaborate effectively with students, parents, and other staff members in person, via video conference, on the telephone, and/or in writing;
• observe details at close range
• in the school setting, ensure the safety of students;
• multitask and meet multiple demands from several people;
• may need to teach and support students with life skills development such as eating, cleaning, and toileting 
• lifting up to and including 25 lbs
• the noise level in the work environment is moderate to loud.

• Formal application
• Rating of education and experience
• Oral interviews 
• Reference check
• Strong record of work performance in current and previous roles required
• Successful completion of Criminal Records Check (C.O.R.I.), Sexual Offender Record Check (S.O.R.I.), and fingerprints.

The Natick Public Schools do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, color, religion, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, physical and intellectual differences, immigration status, homeless status, or any other class protected by law.