Company Description

Organizational Overview

Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) North Carolina, is a network of eight tuition-free, college-preparatory public charter schools educating approximately 3,000 students in grades K-12 in Durham, Halifax, Northampton and Mecklenburg counties. At KIPP NC, we are committed to improving the life outcomes of North Carolina’s children through the delivery of culturally relevant curricula that are grounded in research, and clearing the paths that our students choose to follow by ensuring that they have the roadmaps and guideposts they need to arrive at success - however they define it.

KIPP North Carolina is also committed to building the pipeline of the state’s most talented and effective teachers and leaders through competitive compensation, integrated professional development lead by coaches and mentors, and resources they need to succeed, all rooted in core values that articulate our collectively designed organizational beliefs:

Pursue Excellence - 

We uphold high standards for our staff, and are committed to providing the necessary resources, training, mentorship and feedback to help each staff member not only meet, but exceed, expectations. We believe excellence is a habit and a sustained pursuit, not an endpoint.

Build Knowledge - 

We offer our educators robust school-based, regional and external professional development opportunities, before the start of and during the school year, designed to empower them with the latest teaching strategies and technology integration techniques. School Leaders and a statewide teacher development team provide professional coaching for school-based staff and foster collaborative learning, encouraging the exploration of effective teaching strategies and best practices.

Fight Injustice -

As a staff, we dismantle the white supremacy within our institution and deepen our own learning and understanding of anti-racism and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) through providing organization-wide regular workshops designed to holistically guide us through the redesign of our workplace culture through the lens of liberation. Additionally, we train and prepare our educators to deliver culturally responsive curricula that respect learners' cultures and prior experiences, and acknowledge and value the legitimacy of different cultures, not just the dominant culture of a society. 

Spark Joy - 

We believe in publicly and privately acknowledging and celebrating the outstanding contributions of our staff, and recognize exceptional individuals across the region. We also understand the importance of fostering a positive and collaborative work environment. We organize monthly school-based staff outings to provide an opportunity for our team to unwind, socialize, and engage in activities that promote camaraderie and a sense of community.

Rise Together - 

We create space for our region to assemble and celebrate all successes - a space in which we strengthen community by embracing each other’s unique identities, and honoring the contributions that will allow us to lift as we rise in the years ahead. We believe Team always beats Individual. 

Job Description

ROLE OVERVIEW:

Social Workers at KIPP North Carolina provide crucial support and services to students. In this role, social workers will work directly with students, teachers, community partners and families to provide individual and group counseling, as well as link families to long-term solutions and external support organizations.

Responsibilities of a School Social Worker include, but are not limited to:

Service Delivery 35%

• Provide group and individual therapy and classroom support to special education students, general education students, as well as assess student response to the interventions identified.
• Respond to acute mental health crises and provide appropriate intervention services to students and families. 
• Develop and manage student behavior intervention plans, monitor progress, and provide support and consultation to general and special education teachers to promote implementation.
• Conducts student and classroom observations to monitor individual student progress
• Provide on-going consultation to teachers, parents, and other school personnel to support students’ learning, behavioral challenges, and mental health needs.
• Conduct risk assessments when students present with safety concerns.
• Act as a team member who supports mental and behavioral health programming at the Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 levels of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
• Facilitate Professional Development for staff to spread awareness on social worker's role in the school
• Initiate monthly initiatives at the school and spread awareness to all students and staff

Workflow Documentation 25%

• Complete all necessary special education paperwork for special education meetings.
• Log progress notes with all of the required information about the student’s specific IEP goals, responses to the designated interventions, and plan for upcoming sessions, in a timely manner.
• Serve as 504 case manager for students with a 504 plan. Complete paperwork, monitor implementation of accommodations, provide behavior support services when applicable, and log notes when applicable. 
• Collects data to track plan fidelity and monitor progress towards goals for IEPs, Tier 3 plans, and BIPs.
• Manages the Mckinney-Vento Program for the school

Stakeholder Collaboration 20% 

• Consult and collaborate with school leaders, teachers, and student support team members to offer prevention and intervention strategies to resolve learning and behavioral challenges of students.
• Conduct classroom observations to observe students and model for teachers how to support students with unique behaviors and mental health disabilities
• Support stakeholders in understanding the integration of child development, student academics, and social-emotional functioning. 
• Demonstrate a positive, collaborative, problem-solving mindset with students, parents/guardians, educators, administrators, community members, and colleagues. 
• Work directly with Community Based Organizations to make referrals for students in need of mental health services. 
• Collaborate with the school team to decrease chronic absenteeism and truancy. 

School and Community Support 20% 

• Participate in Attendance meetings and support families who have been identified as Truant by creating a plan to increase student attendance
• Serve as the school liaison to social service agencies in the surrounding community. 
• Act as the School-Based Homeless Liaison, identifying and supporting families that are in need of permanent housing through completion of referrals and fulfilling identified needs. 
• Participate in mediations, administrative reviews, discipline hearings, and due process proceedings as it relates to students on caseload. 
• Participate in school Open Houses, Parent-Teacher Conferences and other school events engaging parents outside of normal operating hours

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Knowledge:

Required Qualifications

• A deep commitment to the mission of KIPP NC and an unwavering belief in the potential of all our students
• An unwavering commitment to anti-racism, equity, and inclusion
• Possess a deep commitment to both racial equity and improving the lives of kids from low-income communities; experience working within predominantly Black, Brown, and/or low-income communities
• Bachelor’s degree
• Master’s degree in Social Work from an accredited institution
• Current North Carolina licensure (or ability to gain reciprocity) in social work at the Master’s level: e.g., LMSW or LCSW
• Knowledge of federal and state Special Education law
• Knowledge of best practices for special education and assistive technology
• Independent self-starter with a strong focus on student development
• Proven written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organizational and planning skills
• Possession of a passionate and loving attitude toward all children
• Responsiveness; follow-up and follow-through with students, families, and faculty members are essential
• Ability to exercise excellent judgment in decision-making
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing priorities
• Experience collaborating with team members and providing constructive and instructive feedback
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)

Preferred Qualifications

• 2 years of experience as a School Social Worker
• Experience developing and delivering Professional Development to adults
• Fluency in Spanish
• Ability to synthesize knowledge and present it to stakeholders in a comprehensive manner
• Ability to interpret policy, procedures, and data
• Ability to work both on broad-based strategy and everyday details

Additional Information

Additional Information

• Social Workers are 12 month employees and work during the summer
• Hours during the school year are M, Th, F 7:30am - 3:30pm & Tues, W 7:30am - 5pm
• All school Social Workers support the school with arrival, lunch and recess duty, and dismissal

Compensation

We currently offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package including:

KIPP NC Gaston Compensation Scale

• Healthcare (medical, vision, and dental) at no cost to individuals and deep discounts for dependents
• Enrollment in a retirement program with employer match
• On-going professional development opportunities:
  • Support programs for new teachers
  •  coaches and weekly coaching meetings for all teachers
  •  Regular content and grade-level specific PDs
• Generous time off:
  • Paid Time Off  (5 days PTO & 6 days sick leave annually)
  • Time off for all major national holidays (including Fall Break, Winter Break, Spring Break, and 7 weeks off during the Summer)