Social Worker - Lighthouse Connections Academy

School Summary

Lighthouse Connections Academy (LCA) is a tuition-free virtual public charter school serving students in grades K-12 throughout Michigan. LCA is authorized by Oxford Community Schools and governed by an independent Board of Directors. The school contracts with Connections Education LLC to provide its educational program and other services. Connections Academy, a division of Connections Education, is accredited by AdvancED. Lighthouse Connections Academy is accredited by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, the Northwest Accreditation Commission, and the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), which are accrediting divisions of Cognia.

Position Summary and Responsibilities

Working remote, the Social Worker (must reside in Michigan) will promote the academic mission 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 children and the influences of family, community, and cultural differences on student successes and by implementing effective intervention strategies. Dropout prevention will be the Social Worker’s primary objective.

The Social Worker will be responsible for the successful completion of the following tasks:

• Implement programs for students and families related to interpersonal adjustment issues;
• Work with school teams to identify and help families access school and community resources, in order to remove barriers to attendance and academic success;
• Participate in the development of crisis prevention and management plans for the school;
• Coordinate with teachers to help identify students who are “at risk” or “in crisis”;
• Act as the main point of contact for these students and families, communicating regularly with them;
• Report and refer critical incidents that jeopardize student well-being as obligated by law, administrative regulations, or ethical standards;
• Attend trainings regarding child abuse and neglect, homelessness, foster care and other social work issues while also training staff on issues related to student safety and child welfare; 
• Support professional development activities for teachers and school staff members;
• Work as part of the IEP team to develop social goals and provide virtual social work services to help the student reach these goals;
• Collaborate closely with School Counselor and Director of Special Education; and
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Please note, if given a job offer, 2-step authentication is required to login to all systems.
• Master’s Degree in Social Work and appropriate Michigan Licensing
• Michigan residency preferred. 
• Must hold an LMSW or be a licensed school social worker
• Experience and demonstrated interest in working with at-risk youth in an urban environment
• Experience with Special Education preferred
• Candidates should have knowledge and familiarity with specific Michigan resources and agencies that will assist in the healthy social, mental, and academic development of students and families
• Ability to work remotely, if necessary
• Ability to travel across Michigan to support families and work with agencies.
• Travel to and attendance at in-person events, including State Testing is required throughout the school year, as determined by the school. This may require overnight travel.

Lighthouse Connections Academy strives to create an inclusive environment that welcomes and values the diversity of the people we serve. We foster fairness, equity, and inclusion to create a workplace environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity.