2025-26 Social Worker - Cactus View ES

Social Worker
Location: Cactus View Elementary School
FTE: 1.0
Non-Interim Position
Dates: 7/25/2025 - 5/22/2026

Purpose Statement:

The Social Worker serves the student whose social, emotional and/or family problems interfere with his/her capacity to function adequately within an educational environment. The Social Worker professionally assesses the problem(s) in order to provide and refer for interventions that help eliminate barriers to learning. The Social Worker assists students in removing barriers to learning and developing skills and behaviors critical for academic achievement.  They promote and enhance the overall academic success by providing services that strengthen home/school/community partnerships and alleviate barriers to learning.  The Social Worker significantly contributes to the development of a healthy, safe, and caring environment by advancing the understanding of the emotional and social development of youth and the influences of family, community, and cultural differences on student successes and by implementing effective intervention strategies. 

Essential Functions:

• Ability to work effectively with district and school site administrators, teachers, support staff, parents and community agencies.
• Demonstrates professional knowledge and engages in ongoing professional development 
• Ability to collaborate with all levels of staff
• Prepares and maintains a variety of confidential and non-confidential manual and electronic records (e.g. activity logs, phone logs, community resources, etc.) as appropriate for the purpose of documenting activities and providing up-to-date reference of services.
• Skill in identifying the needs of individuals and families in the areas of educational, social, mental health, and medical services, then developing and implementing the appropriate services needed.
• Maintains confidentiality of student and family situations while recognizing other professionals servicing the student may need appropriate information to adequately support the student. 
• Adheres to the NASW Code of Ethics and SSWAA ethical guidelines
• Display ethical and professional behavior in working with students, parents, school personnel, and outside agencies associated with the school.
• Ability to multi-task and respond to emergent situations.
• Understanding of basic child development and the impact that trauma has on development and systems.
• Understanding of community based basic needs and social services.

Duties to include but not limited to:

• Collaborates with teachers, administrators, staff, and community by providing support and assistance with social/behavioral management, home visits, truancy, and referral to community resources. (i.e., provides services as needed and requested, serves as a consultant role to school and administrative staff, is readily available to assist school staff members as requested).
• Provides direct social work assistance to children and their families (i.e. is available to meet with parents and school staff as to determine student/family needs, make contacts with appropriate agencies/resources to address needs, follows through with parents and/or agencies to ensure services received, maintains documentation of referrals provided for students/families).
• As needed, serves as a support member of school teams to support academic success and social emotional wellbeing including, but not limited to, PBIS Team, Threat Management Team, RTI/MTSS, and PLC. 
• Provides professional support to students (individually or in a small group setting) during times of transition, heightened stress, critical change or other situations impeding student success to enable successful outcomes.
• Implements, as appropriate, prevention curriculum programs consistent with current school needs and best practices (i.e. Social Emotional Learning, Bullying/Abuse Prevention, Drug Use Prevention).
• Develops and provides crisis intervention strategies to improve student success.
• Participates in school and District based meetings as required.
• Serves as a member of multidisciplinary teams to support academic success and social emotional wellbeing including, but not limited to, Site Administration, District Administration, Special Education teams, and other Student Support services.
• Work collaboratively with district based student support services and programs to align resources for maximum impact.
• Build partnerships with community agencies for the purpose of meeting student and family needs.
• Implement social service support throughout the school and/or district that will impact student’s attendance, behavior and grades.
• Facilitate responsive services through effective use of small group and individual support to assist students in increasing their self-esteem, coping skills, communication skills, social interactions and conflict-resolution management, etc.

Requirements:

• Master's degree in social work (M.S.W.) required
• AZBBHE License or ADE School Social Work Certification preferred

KNOWLEDGE is required to perform basic math, including calculations using fractions, percents, and/or ratios; read a variety of manuals, write documents following prescribed formats, and/or present information to others; and understand complex, multi-step written and oral instructions.   Specific knowledge based competencies required to satisfactorily perform the functions of the job include:  accounting/bookkeeping principles.

ABILITY is required to schedule activities; collate data; and use basic, job-related equipment.   Flexibility is required to work with others in a variety of circumstances; work with data utilizing defined but different processes; and operate equipment using defined methods.  Ability is also required to work with a wide diversity of individuals; work with similar types of data; and utilize job-related equipment.  Problem solving is required to identify issues and create action plans.  Problem solving with data may require independent interpretation; and problem solving with equipment is limited.  Specific ability based competencies required to satisfactorily perform the functions of the job include: maintaining confidentiality; meeting deadlines and schedules; setting priorities; and working with detailed information.

Responsibility

Responsibilities include:  working under direct supervision using standardized routines; providing information and/or advising others; utilization of some resources from other work units may be required to perform the job’s functions.   There is a continual opportunity to have some impact on the organization’s services.

Work Environment

The usual and customary methods of performing the job’s functions require the following physical demands; some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling. And significant fine finger dexterity.  Generally the job requires 60% sitting, 20% walking and 20% standing.   This job is performed in a generally clean and healthy environment.

Experience:   Job related experience is desired.

Education:    Masters Degree in Social Work (MSW)

                     AZBBHE License or ADE School Social Work Certification preferred

Equivalency: 

RequiredTesting:                         Certificates and Licenses:                                                                           Masters Degree in Social Work (MSW)

Continuing Educ./ Training:               Clearances:

                                         Criminal Justice Fingerprint/Background Clearance

FLSA Status - Exempt

Paradise Valley Unified School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex or disability, in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs and activities. Any person having inquiries concerning the School's compliance with the regulations implementing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), or Title II of the Genetic Information NonDiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) may contact the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources.