School Social Worker - Lighthouse Connections Academy

School Summary

Lighthouse Connections Academy (LCA) is a tuition-free K–12 online public school that students attend from home. Authorized by Oxford Community Schools, Lighthouse Connections Academy is state certified and open to students located throughout Michigan including Troy, Royal Oak, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester, Farmington, and beyond.

Position Summary and Description:

Working from your home office in Michigan, the Social Worker 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. The focus will be providing support through the general education setting and through tiered interventions and instruction for students needing social emotional support.  There may be additional support for the Special Education Department as needed to support goals written in student IEP’s.

• Maintain a caseload of at-risk learners to provide support and behavioral interventions leading to academic success
• Conduct group sessions with students in both a special ed and general ed setting who have common problems which impede their ability to be successful (i.e. anger management, coping skills, etc.)
• Share knowledge of community resources with individual students and families to increase their success at school and beyond
• Develop, monitor progress towards, and communicate student goals and growth plans 
• 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;

Qualifications

• Michigan Residency Required
• Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW) from a CSWE-accredited program
• Experience and demonstrated interest in working with at-risk youth in an urban environment
• Knowledge of special education processes, autism supports, behavior plans, and trauma-informed practices
• 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
• Michigan Residency Preferred
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
• Customer focused approach
• High degree of flexibility
• Demonstrated ability to work well in a fast-paced environment
• Technologically proficient (especially with Microsoft Office products)
• Travel 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
• Ability to work some occasional evening hours, as needed to support families

• Must be able to use a personal electronic device and an email address for two-step authentication.

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.