Social Worker, Peabody

Position: Social Worker

Peabody School

Peabody School Community: 

Welcome to The Peabody School Community! At the Peabody School, our identity is shaped by an inclusive and deeply cohesive community that champions both the pursuit of academic excellence and a profound commitment to service. Our entire community is united by our powerful mission: To love. To learn. To lead.

This strong community spirit is nurtured daily through our morning meetings and shared weekly with families via our publication, Pumas in the Know. We take pride in being an educational pioneer, specifically as the first school in CPS to implement the esteemed Kodály music program, affirming our belief that "Music is for everyone."

We enrich our students' experience with an average of one major community event each month, providing diverse opportunities for celebration, academic enrichment, and relationship building. Deeper student-educator connections are fostered through varied before- and after-school clubs, such as Math Olympiad, coding, curriculum-linked learning clubs, and our Big Brothers/Big Sisters mentorship program. Our dedicated family organizations, the Friends of Peabody and Peabody Connections, are vital partners who sponsor valuable enrichment like author visits and essential field trips. Every facet of our practice is driven by our commitment to the physical, emotional, and academic well-being of our students.

The Opportunity:

The School Social Worker is highly qualified and knowledgeable in the implementation and delivery of a variety of behavioral health supports that address the impact of trauma and mental health challenges while building skills and resiliency so that students may achieve their full potential academically, socially, and emotionally. The School Social Worker will report directly to the Principal and work collaboratively with the school administration, educators, support staff, and the family liaison to create a high-quality educational experience for students in a safe and welcoming learning environment. The School Social Worker will also collaborate with the Office of Social Emotional Learning and engage as a member of the district’s school social worker department.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide ongoing support, modeling, and consultation with educators, administrators, and school staff around asset-based, culturally and linguistically responsive school and classroom practices that support the social-emotional development of all students.
• Actively participate in a multi-tiered system of support through the administration of SEL and/or mental health screeners and assessments, analyzing data trends and patterns, working collaboratively with school staff to determine effective interventions, and progress monitoring the effectiveness of such interventions (ex, SST, TAT participation and/or facilitation)
• Collaborate and work in partnership with the Office of Social Emotional Learning through attendance at meetings, professional development, and supervision sessions to ensure continuous improvement of clinical practice and service delivery.
• In partnership with school-based teams, provide a continuum of evidence-based social, emotional, and mental health services, including crisis intervention, assessment, individual and group counseling, and referrals and collaboration with community providers.
• Work in partnership with students and families to provide psychoeducation, identify resources, and coordinate referrals to external agencies and programs to support the needs of students and families.
• Support the implementation of Tier 1 social-emotional learning curriculum and classroom and school-wide practices to help students develop SEL competencies such as self-awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
• Provide timely assessments in complex situations in order to identify immediate supports necessary to address safety concerns, suicidality, and/or concerns around suspected abuse or neglect.
• Provide education and professional development for school staff in collaboration with the building principals to help educators improve their understanding of the cultural, societal, and social-emotional factors that can impact students’ behavior and access to education
• Perform other duties as assigned

Your Skill Set:

As the incoming School Social Worker, you will possess many, though perhaps not all, of the following characteristics and qualifications:

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in social work or mental health counseling.
• At least 3 years of successful experience in social work, preferably in a diverse, urban, educational, or therapeutic setting. 
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.  
• Ability to create an environment that promotes individual growth, positive self-identity, and inclusivity. 
• Ability to collaborate and consult effectively with administration, staff, students, families, and other stakeholders to address a broad range of needs.
• Ability to assess complex situations and design individual, small group, and whole school interventions to address student needs.
• Demonstrated cultural proficiency and a deep sense of cultural humility, self-awareness, and reflection.
• Massachusetts Licensure: DESE School Social Worker/School Adjustment Counselor and clinical licensure (LCSW, LICSW, or LMHC) preferred
• Proficiency in a language other than English (preferred)

How to Join Our Team:

Please upload a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills, experience, and commitment to equity in education meet the qualifications of the position as well as stating how you heard about this opportunity.

At the Cambridge Public Schools, we are committed to cultivating an environment where diverse perspectives and backgrounds are embraced, acknowledging that a team reflecting diversity of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, and veteran status allows us to serve our communities better. To that end, we welcome and encourage applicants to bring their authentic selves when considering employment opportunities within our school district.