High School Social Worker

Role Responsibilities and More About How You'll Spend Your Time in this Role

Professional Responsibilities

• Believe deeply in the mission, values, and Race, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (RIDE) commitments of KIPP Colorado Schools and that all children can and will learn
• Assume personal responsibility for student achievement
• Read, internalize, and adhere to the KIPP Colorado Policies and Procedures manual and guidelines
• Providing an active presence, strategic supervision, and intentional monitoring to ensure student safety and engagement in rigorous learning (regardless of my role and its proximity to students)
• Take ownership for the development of your craft (meet 1x/1-2 weeks with a manager, implement feedback, engage in active practice, etc.)
• Commit to being prepared. Such as; internalizing and preparing for lessons; preparing for O3s/coaching, preparing for meetings, coaching, PD, etc
• Meet professional obligations including and not limited to meeting deadlines and honoring schedules
• Consistently leverage existing professional tools, including but not limited to Google Suite (google documents, etc.) and Microsoft Suite (including but not limited to your KIPP Colorado email, Teams chat / meetings, Teams phone, and Microsoft outlook)
• Maintain strong attendance each day and be on time to all responsibilities
• Collaborate with colleagues and seek feedback in the spirit of continuous improvement
• Reflect on professional practices to meet individual professional development goals
• Actively participate in professional development, grade level, and department meetings
• Actively engage and implement in all school-wide and Org wide professional development
• Serve as a positive, contributing member of a grade team or functional team, collaborating with colleagues to tackle common challenges and implement org and grade-wide initiatives.
• Share candid, solutions-oriented feedback with peers and leadership on a regular basis, assuring that feedback is shared directly with the intended recipient. Ensure that feedback is focused on improving outcomes and experiences for students
• Assist with both student and staff recruitment and engagement- including events, home visits, calls home, and other determined and related requirements
• Your role, professional development, org wide meetings, etc may require you to travel around Denver to other KIPP Campuses, our Home Office, or other KIPP or PD events
• Other duties as assigned (such as but not limited to, lunch duty, arrival/dismissal duty, bathroom duty, school support duties, etc.)

Evaluation and Services

• Develops and executes needs assessments in the first month of school year
• Uses a variety of appropriate formal and informal tools and techniques including observations and interviews to evaluate the progress and performance of KIPPsters and their families
• Provides services to students in one-on-one and small group counseling sessions
• Collaborates with school team to determine the services needed for each student, based on their IEP goals and requirements, their personal goals, and other school-based goals for their learning and development
• Use knowledge and understanding of how the home, school, and community influence one another to intervene for KIPPster success through such practices as assessment, crisis intervention, home visits, conflict resolution, individual and group counseling, consultation, program development, dropout prevention, college counseling and graduation awareness
• Promote family support of KIPPsters learning experience within the context of multicultural understanding and competencies
• Develops and provides training programs that address school goals and mission.
• Engage in individual and school safety implementation, including prevention, assessment/intervention for KIPPsters at-risk of harm to self or others, child abuse reporting and crisis response

Advocacy

• Advocate and facilitate change that effectively responds to the needs of KIPPsters, families and KIPP Colorado network using appropriate statutes, case law, policies, and procedures
• Assist KIPPsters and their families to gain access to formal and informal community resources

Consultation and Collaboration

• Consult with community members, families, and KIPP school staff to facilitate an understanding of factors in the home and community that impact KIPPsters’ educational experiences
• Consult on issues as attendance, diversity, mental health, behavior management, delinquency, crisis intervention, homelessness, child abuse, neglect, and the importance of confidentiality
• Initiate and support activities to overcome institutional barriers and gaps in services as a participant of interdisciplinary teams in accordance with the school mission and with the unique contribution of bringing the KIPP staff, home, KIPP school and community perspective to the KIPP interdisciplinary process
• Work with internal and external individuals, groups, and organizations to develop programs or systems of care that support and enhance the health, social and emotional well-being, and safety of all KIPPsters and staff
• Promote collaboration among community health and mental health service providers and facilitates KIPPster access to these services
• Orient community providers to KIPP school climate, and the community
• Actively participate on RTI/problem-solving teams, such as KIPPster intervention teams, discipline support teams
• Track student attendance rates
• Lead collaboration with Grade Chairs to take preventative and responsive action toward maintaining a 95% average daily attendance rate

Program Planning, Implementation and Evaluation

• Effectively plan, implement and evaluate KIPP programs that promote KIPPster and family success
• Apply knowledge of environmental factors in planning programs
• Conduct individual and/or KIPP school-wide assessments and surveys to assess the school and/or the community needs
• Assist the KIPP school in planning programs that alleviate situations, which may interfere with the learning process of KIPPsters
• Assist in the evaluation of effective school-based programs

Accountability

• Advocate, facilitate and contribute to school social worker accountability in terms of the local, state and federal policies
• Adhere to the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and Standards for School Social Work
• Evaluate own practice to maximize the effectiveness of services and resources provided to the KIPPsters, families and school
• Maintain up-to-date documentation and records
• Organize time and workload in order to meet responsibilities
• Participate in all KIPP professional development opportunities as well as opportunities that work to directly improve knowledge and skills in job performance

Student Support Team

• Lead attendance team in identifying and tracking interventions for KIPPsters who are struggling in school
• Oversee RTI/attendance team so that RTI and attendance concerns are addressed in a systematic and efficient manner

Additional Responsibilities

• Participate in active presence and strategic supervision and monitoring to ensure student safety and engagement in rigorous learning
• Partner with the Assistant Principal of Special Services and Special Education Teachers to ensure proper implementation of 504s, BIPs, IEPs, safety plans, accommodations, modification, and language support for students
• Enforce positive behavior systems
• Attend designated school functions outside of school hours (Back to School Night, Report Card Conferences, Community Events, etc.)
• Perform necessary support duties including (but not limited to) bus, lunch, and dismissal duties,chaperone field trips. Participate in parent meetings, conferences, and periodic evening events
• Develop strong relationships with the families of students through home visits, participation in school events and phone calls home
• Communicate regularly with families about academic progress and behavior
• Participate in daily duties (i.e. breakfast, lunch, dismissal) to support school operations
• Maintain accurate records, and data tracking systems
• Assist with both student and staff recruitment

Role Level Specifics, Scope of Work, and Level of Responsibility: For more about how you’ll lead at this level, please visit the KIPP Colorado Role Levels Matrix (this is an internal document, only)

About the skills and qualifications you will bring to this role:

• Masters Degree in Social Work (required)
• Spanish bilingual (preferred)
• Colorado Department of Education Special Service Provider License with a Social Worker endorsement (required)
• LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) (preferred)
• Previous school social work experience (preferred)
• At least 2 years of teaching experience (highly preferred but not required)
• Ability to work during after-school, evening, and weekend meetings and events at the school (required)
• A full understanding and Commitment to an Exceptional Student Experience (more about that HERE) (required)
• Commitment to and experience with youth of various cultural and economic backgrounds
• Outstanding organizational skills and high attention to detail; outstanding written and oral communication skills
• Ability to manage the ambiguity and multiple priorities inherent in an entrepreneurial environment
• Proactive problem solver who demonstrates initiative and teamwork
• Strong work ethic coupled with an enthusiastic and passionate approach to one’s work
• Multi-faceted, multi-skilled, resourceful and willing to do whatever it takes to help the school reach a level of academic excellence
• High level of detail orientation and sound excellent organizational skills
• Strong communication, feedback and facilitation skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Articulate, professional demeanor with strong self-confidence and initiative
• Entrepreneurial mindset, with the creativity and versatility to work productively in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, high-energy environment with a proven ability to meet and complete multiple deadlines and tasks with meticulous attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop productive working relationships with stakeholders across functional and organizational lines
• Passionate commitment to KIPP Colorado mission and to high standards of excellence