The School Social Worker promotes and enhances the overall academic mission by providing strategic services that identify and strengthen home, school, and community partnerships and address barriers to learning and achievement. The School Social Worker significantly addresses the social-emotional-environmental issues to support the development of a healthy, safe, and caring environment. Such an environment is achieved by advancing the understanding of the emotional and social development of children and the influences of family, community, and cultural differences on student success along with the implementation of effective intervention strategies.  This is accomplished by working with parents/guardians, teachers, school principals, and community based resources to implement strategies that promote students’ positive school adjustment.

The School Social Worker’s principle task is to empower students, families, and school personnel to access available opportunities and resources that develop each student's potential. The School Social Worker provides comprehensive school social work services to parents, students and school staff, addressing barriers that limit a student from receiving full benefit from their educational experience. The School Social Worker responds to referrals from school administration, parents, teachers, the Response To Intervention (RtI) Team, the Committee on Special Education (CSE), Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE), Early Intervention (EI) and others by providing direct services and by assisting families in accessing appropriate community resources.  Integrated into all major functions are home, school, community assimilation; diversity and cultural competence; dropout prevention; graduation awareness; and adherence to federal and state statutes, professional development and practices, School Social Work Standards and the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics. 

Direct services provided by the School Social Worker includes:

• Individual and group counseling sessions
• Crisis intervention
• Behavior intervention
• Conflict resolution and anger management
• Social skills development
• CSE, CPSE, and RtI participant
• Staff support
• Parent advocate and access to community agencies
• Preparing social and developmental history
• Maintain ongoing liaison with community agencies and resources