Position Type:
Special Education
Date Posted:
6/26/2025
Location:
North Star Academy
Date Available:
8/19/2025
Duluth Edison Charter School is hiring a School Social Worker (Special Education) for the 2025-2026 school year. We are dedicated to the achievement of academic and personal excellence for every student. Join our team today!
Summary
School Social Workers (Special Education) at Duluth Edison Charter Schools are committed to academic and personal excellence for every student. They provide school-based mental health services within a multi-tiered system of support in order to promote student assets and reduce social, emotional, economic and environmental barriers to learning. They understand what it means to be a lifelong learner and participate in ongoing professional development including goal setting, learning, clinical supervision or consultation, and reflection in each school year. DECS School Social Workers work as members of interdisciplinary service teams. They serve as leaders in the school and community for promoting and supporting student success.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Provide culturally-responsive school-based mental health services for students with educational disabilities, mental illness or other significant impairments in social, emotional and behavioral functioning that interfere with educational progress in collaboration with interdisciplinary service teams:

• Identify student needs through initial evaluation and ongoing assessment procedures.
• Conduct special education evaluations.
• Establish IEP and service goals that address student needs.
• Deliver theory-, research- and evidence-based intervention to individuals and small groups that are matched to student needs and connected to schoolwide programming.
• Provide responsive services to address crises and emerging situational, social, emotional and behavioral factors that interfere with educational progress.
• Consult and collaborate with parents/caregivers and school personnel to promote student assets, reduce barriers to learning, and support student achievement and success.
• Closely monitor student progress through data-based practices to inform service delivery and decision-making.
• Maintain clear and accurate documentation of services in accordance with professional standards of practice, district procedures and special education and other relevant regulatory requirements.
• Analyze and interpret student achievement, attendance, discipline and service data to identify areas of success and gaps among different groups of students. Use data analysis to create annual student outcome goals aligned with school improvement plans.

Promote a school climate and culture conducive to student learning and educational excellence:

• Follow and model professional ethical guidelines as identified in the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics and the School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) Ethical Guidelines Series.
• Promote effective school policies and administrative procedures that produce safe learning environments and address issues of diversity and social and economic justice.
• Facilitate professional development activities for school personnel to share School Social Worker expertise.
• Attend staff meetings and participate in professional development training.
• Participate in District-provided training related to crisis intervention skills and techniques. Utilize approved verbal de-escalation skills and behavior management techniques during crisis intervention, including physical holding in emergency situations as prescribed by district procedures, provided training and Minnesota statutes.
• Comply with federal and state legal mandates that impact education and school social work including special education laws and due process procedures.

Maximize access to school-based and community-based resources:

• Stay current with School Social Work research and best practices.
• Facilitate engagement, communication and collaboration among students, family, school and community.
• Mobilize school and community resources in order to promote student assets and reduce barriers to learning.
• Direct and monitor the work of assigned Student Support Specialists, and participate in the performance review process.
• Collaborate and consult with community agencies, organizations and other professionals serving children, youth and families.

Supervisory Responsibilities
School Social Workers direct and monitor student services provided by assigned Student Support Specialists and contribute to the performance review process. Concerns are reported to the supervising Student Support Services Manager. School Social Workers have no formal authority to hire, terminate or discipline staff.
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education and Experience

• Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from a CSWE-accredited social work program.
• Experience working with children and/or adolescents with mental illness or other significant impairments in social, emotional and behavioral functioning.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

• Valid license from the Minnesota Board of Social Work with eligibility and ability to obtain licensure as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW).
• Valid School Social Work license from the Minnesota Department of Education.

Language Skills
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format. Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.
Mathematical Skills
Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
Reasoning Ability
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
Computer Skills
Computer and technology skills enabling the incumbent to successfully complete the duties of this position are required.
Certificates, Licenses, Registrations
Relevant computer systems and/or security certifications are strongly desired but not required. Teaching license is strongly desired, but not required.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.