Title:

Social Worker

Work Unit:

Exceptional Student Services Department/

Assigned School Site(s)

Reports To:

Exceptional Student Services Department Director(s)

Contract Length:

9 month

Pay Schedule:

Ancillary

Overtime Status:

Exempt

Hours:

7 hours per day

Union Status:

NEA

Licensure:

NMPED Social Worker

Note: All positions with Santa Fe Public Schools require a post-offer/pre-employment background check. Some positions have additional requirements as established by federal or state rules and regulations.

General Function:
The school social worker is truly an instructional support provider who works in collaboration with school staff to provide support and services to students with a focus on social-emotional well-being and academic performance. Employs appropriate methods of practice that enable students and families to function adequately within their educational and community settings by: providing individual, group, and family counseling to students and families, providing intensive crisis intervention to remedy effects of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of children, preparing and interpreting social histories or assessments, participating in planning for student transitions to help ensure continuity of services appropriate to the unique needs of individual students leaving school or transferring between programs, helping ensure parents' understanding of decisions, procedures, and meetings affecting their child, helping ensure participation of parents in school conferences which affect their children through home visits, telephone calls, correspondence, and other means, identifying school district and community services appropriate to the needs of students and families, executing referrals, and providing follow-up, and serving as an advocate for parents to ensure that their wishes and concerns regarding their children are registered and considered by school personnel and agencies.

Education/Training/Experience:
Basic minimum requirements are subject to change to meet the needs of the District.
Minimum: Valid NMPED Social Worker license and New Mexico Clinical Social Worker license (LCSW previously known as LISW); Master Social Worker license (LMSW) with a master’s degree from an accredited school.
Preferred: Three years of social work in a school setting. Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Knowledge/Skills and Abilities:
Ability to exercise effective communication and interpersonal skills with diverse populations, both in-person, on the telephone, virtually, and electronically. Builds strong rapport with children and youth while holding healthy boundaries. Must be flexible and have excellent organizational skills. Solution-focused and able to think outside the box to problem-solve. Ability to effectively use technology to compile and present data, reports, and correspondence. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from site staff and administration, families, community groups, and the general public. Understands our students’ intersectional identities. Can hold safe conversations with diverse groups of young people around complex issues. Proficient in Google Suite (Email, Calendar, Sheets, Forms, Docs,

Meets, Whiteboard, etc.) and/or Microsoft Suite. Skilled at engaging with youth via multiple social media platforms.

Essential Job Functions:
Performs all functions in accordance with established policies, procedures, safety and environmental regulations, facility and computer security policies and procedures. Functions are subject to change from time to time to meet the needs of the organization. Current essential functions include the following:

Demonstrates professional knowledge and skills in dealing with social phenomena as they relate to students' functioning and achievement in school.
Establishes basic case management procedures for effective social work intervention, including, but not limited to, coordinating multidisciplinary efforts for the management of cases when appropriate.
Consulting with and assisting school and community personnel regarding case management;
Participating in interdisciplinary team meetings relevant to the assessment and disposition of individual students; interpreting and presenting assessment results and recommendations, and employing a process for terminating and closing cases upon completion of services.
Structure the method of social intervention by appropriate planning and preparation, by investigating all relevant information regarding a referred case, consulting with school personnel, community agencies, or family members to assess the identified concern.
Conducts an individualized social, emotional, and adaptive assessment of the student, the student's family, and the educational and social community; formulates individual goals and objectives for the management of each case.
Demonstrates a professional and helpful demeanor in relationships with students, parents, and school personnel by: providing support and encouragement to students, parents, and staff in an atmosphere of mutual respect; developing a caring relationship with students and parents and showing consideration of their feelings; communicating openly with students and parents by listening and responding to their opinions and suggestions; promoting respect and positive interpersonal relationships among students and families; working cooperatively with fellow employees to develop and maintain effective interactions; promoting free and easy communication between home and school; communicating to parents the significance of school programs and emphasizing positive achievements of students.
Utilize appropriate methods to continuously evaluate a student's services by keeping a personal, confidential file on all cases.
Maintaining an up-to-date log while indicating types of referrals, dates, and status of referral and referral sources.
Completing any written reports that may be required, such as family assessments, as promptly as possible, and assessing the effectiveness of and further need for social work services.

Salary Range:
Level 2 Teacher: $65,000+
Level 3 Teacher: $75,000+

Resources Used in Performing the Job Include (but are not limited to):
Standard office equipment and software platforms such as Microsoft Office and the Google Suite.

Physical/Cognitive Requirements:
Regularly required to stand; move throughout a room and/or facility. Communicate verbally and electronically. Face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams. Use hands to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, and reach with hands and arms. Frequently required to stoop, kneel, crouch, and/or crawl. Occasionally required to sit, climb, balance, and drive. May have occasion to perform light lifting, but not more than 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus. Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license and private automobile. Some evening or weekend work and travel may be required. Must possess and maintain a valid New Mexico Driver's License.

Environmental Conditions:
Work is performed in an office setting with exposure to Visual/Video Display Terminal (VDT) and extensive personal computer and phone usage. Some sitting, standing, bending, and reaching may be required. Some occasional travel is required for meetings and conferences. Job tasks will be performed in close physical proximity to other people and via virtual conferences.

Personal Accountability:

Demonstrates reliability as evidenced by attendance records and punctuality.
Properly notifies supervisor and/or designee of absences or tardiness.
Begins and completes work within the allotted time.
Consistently appears in attire appropriate to the work environment.
Demonstrates skill in the use of equipment, including its capabilities, limitations, and appropriate/special applications
Protects the district’s resources through appropriate and careful use of supplies and equipment.
Utilizes appropriate body mechanics to aid in the prevention of muscle strain/injury.

Santa Fe Public Schools does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, disability, age, veteran status, medical/genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

2026-2027 SY: Social Worker (SW) (POOL)