2026-2027 School Social Worker

General Definition of Work

Promotes maximum development of all students by prevention/alleviation of problems that interfere with the tasks of learning through knowledge of human behavior, social systems, and social work skills. Reports to Coordinator of School Social Work & Mental Health.

Qualification Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Salary

State Salary Schedule

Reports to

Coordinator of School Social Work & Mental Health

Essential Functions

• Intervene, using social work methods, in situations affecting student educational progress.
• Provide crisis intervention services.
• Assist families with interpretation of school policies and procedures.
• Provide appropriate services/referrals for homeless families.
• Work with students and families to identify steps that promote school attendance.
• Investigate, as prescribed by law, violators of the compulsory attendance law.
• Strengthen home, school, and community connections by identifying essential components to create learning environments for students.
• Participate in case conferences with student services personnel.
• Collaborate with community agencies.
• Assess the school and community needs.
• Implement appropriate programs, groups and initiatives that target at-risk populations.
• Plan individual school and system-wide programs to promote a positive and caring climate.
• Ensure students’ educational, social, emotional, and physical needs are met in accordance with established laws and regulations.
• Utilize skills that respect issues of cultural and ethnic diversity and equity for every student and family.
• Address child abuse and neglect, family functioning, parent involvement, school attendance.
• Maintain working relationships with students/families, staff, administrators, and community agency staffs.
• Adhere to the values and ethics of the social work profession.
• Organize time and workload to meet the needs of students in assigned schools.
• Maintain accurate case records and documentation.
• Understand and practice in accordance with, federal, state, and local laws, and/or policies that relate to students and families.
• Determine how community resources may be beneficial to student, family, and family’s involvement in the academic process.
• Perform other professional responsibilities as assigned by supervisor.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Extensive knowledge of human behavior, social systems and social work skills.
• Understanding of how trauma impacts students, families, and systems.
• Excellent rapport building and advocacy skills.
• General knowledge of the principles of organization and administration.
• General knowledge of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.
• Skill in counseling, motivating students and talking with parents.
• Ability to manage culturally sensitive topics.
• Ability to coordinate the efforts of support services personnel and outside agencies.
Ability to maintain complete and accurate records and statistics and to develop meaningful reports from that information.

Education and Experience

Bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, or doctoral degree in social work required with at least two years of related work experience being desirable.

Special Requirements

North Carolina Class SWA license in Area 00006, School Social Worker, will be required. If certificate is not held, individual must be willing to obtain provisional certificate and earn a regular certificate.

Physical Requirements

• This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 10 pounds of force.
• Work regularly requires speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel and repetitive motions, frequently requires sitting and occasionally requires standing, walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, reaching with hands and arms, pushing or pulling and lifting.
• Work has standard vision requirements.
• Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word.
• Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels.
• Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities.
• Work occasionally requires exposure to outdoor weather conditions.
• Work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).

Disclaimer

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to this job.