Background:

Washington Leadership Academy (WLA) is a world-class college prep high school in Washington D.C. that prepares students to thrive in the world and to change it for the better. WLA employs college prep academics, computer science instruction, and real world experiences to ensure that students achieve their full potential. WLA fosters a community of wellness where students and staff members feel like family. WLA is one of 10 schools in the nation to be recognized as a “Super School” and awarded a $10 million grant to redesign high school and empower young people.

Role and Responsibilities:

The social worker will serve students at WLA who have experienced loss or trauma and help them develop positive coping skills. The social worker will assist the team at WLA with developing creative strategies to assist students experiencing loss or trauma such as meditation during detention, restorative justice circles, and group therapy.

Sample activities may include:

Provide behavior support services as required by student Individualized Education Plans
Counseling students who have experienced loss or trauma;
Connecting students and families to external resources as needed;
Developing strong relationships with students and families;
Assisting with many tasks related to school startup;
Developing creative strategies to help students overcome loss and trauma;
Recording creative strategies in formats that other schools can comment on, copy, and/or improve upon;
Provide tier 1 interventions, such as develop and implement SEL curriculum
Maintaining a special education caseload, 504 caseload, including paperwork;
Conducting assessments, evaluations, interviews, and observations (if qualified);
Preparing and maintaining confidential records and reports;
Assessing risk factors and providing academic, behavioral, and mental health interventions;
Other duties as assigned

Expectations of the role:

Mindsets
The work WLA is undertaking is very challenging, but we are tenacious in pursuit of our mission to prepare our kids to thrive in the world and change it for the better.
We are endeavoring to prepare ALL kids for both four-year college and computer science-related careers, including those with special education needs, significant behavioral needs, and varied backgrounds.
We are endeavoring to utilize restorative discipline practices even when it is hard because we know that restorative practices are best for kids.
We have a deep commitment to the inherent power of our young people and to school as a place where students are encouraged to grow and nurture that leadership and power.
We know that students are deserving of warmth and respect from adults at all times.
We know it is our responsibility to support all students to grow - acknowledging that students are younger humans without a fully-developed prefrontal cortex, and that we have to meet students where they are developmentally when it comes to growth.
We know that the learning environment is a collaboration between students and teachers, all of whom bring passion, experiences, and curiosity to the classroom.
We know that grades are the responsibility of both the teacher (for engaging students) and the student (for taking those opportunities to engage), and should be primarily a reflection of mastery rather than compliance.
We believe that equity, inclusion and empowerment must always be the center of our work and our culture, specifically around race, gender identity/sexual orientation, and socio-economic status.

Professionalism
Timeliness arriving to school, attending meetings, and submitting deliverables
Collegiality, warmth, and respect of all team members and students

Reporting Relationships:

The School Social Worker will report to the Director of Wellness, but will work closely with the Principal, the Executive Director, and Dean Team.

Minimum Requirements:

Master’s degree
License to provide therapy to adolescent students
Self-guided, mission-aligned, detail-oriented
Relationship-oriented
Great communication skills

To apply:

Please submit an application and upload a resume here.
As part of the application, you may be asked to submit references, lesson plans, and/or performance tasks

Washington Leadership Academy

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