Social Worker

Overview

Brown Academy is a PreK‑5 school on the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga campus. The school emphasizes creativity, design thinking, and project‑based learning, preparing students to be effective thinkers, collaborators, and designers. Hamilton County Schools (HCS) in Chattanooga, TN, seeks a School Social Worker to collaborate with school‑level teams on mental health, behavioral, academic, and classroom support, and to provide wrap‑around services that connect students, families, and the community.

Responsibilities

• Provide mental health counseling services to individuals and student groups.
• Offer case management and wrap‑around services, including referrals to school‑based and community resources.
• Work with the Mc‑Kinney Vento liaison to identify eligible students and families and deliver ongoing support, including home visits as needed.
• Educate staff on academic barriers such as homelessness, transportation, and nutrition.
• Deliver trauma‑informed practices and restorative circles training to school and district staff.
• Co‑lead Student Success Planning team meetings, consulting and problem‑solving as part of the Multi‑Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS/Student Planning Team).
• Develop and assist in implementing intervention plans, including crisis intervention, suicide risk, and threat assessments.
• Lead or participate in the district crisis response team, providing individual and school‑wide crisis prevention, response, and recovery.
• Advocate for diversity, address social factors that lead to school failure, chronic absenteeism, and discipline disparities.
• Link students and families with post‑secondary resources and information.
• Facilitate or co‑facilitate group sessions or informational meetings for students and families regarding post‑secondary opportunities or alternative career pathways.
• Collaborate with school staff to remove barriers to attendance and academic success through support and wrap‑around services.
• Support and facilitate parent groups to share issues, educate, and problem‑solve to enhance student social, emotional, and academic progress.
• Conduct research and evaluation of job functions, collect data, and develop new policies and programs to increase family and community participation.
• Maintain up‑to‑date documentation in the school social work system and Student Success Planning Platform.
• Adhere to the Social Work Code of Ethics and the Teacher Code of Ethics as defined by Tennessee law, maintain appropriate licensure, and provide required documentation promptly.
• Communicate the role of the social worker and available services to students, parents, and the community.
• Follow established safety procedures, treat all individuals with respect, maintain confidentiality, and arrive to work on time.
• Operate a motor vehicle as needed for work activities.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work.
• Current valid Tennessee license as a School Social Worker (pre‑K‑12) issued by the Department of Education; LMSW or LCSW preferred.
• Eligibility for a School Social Work license may be met by:
  • Completing an educator preparation program in school social work and receiving a recommendation from the approved provider, or
  • Holding a valid social worker license from the Tennessee Board of Social Workers or another state’s licensing board, or
  • Holding a degree in Social Work and a valid out‑of‑state professional‑level educator license (HCS requires a master’s degree).
• If not licensed at the time of application, the candidate must obtain the appropriate license by the start date.

Skills & Abilities

• Case management, assessment, and documentation proficiency.
• Effective verbal and written communication with students, educators, parents, and community members.
• Strong collaboration skills with internal and external partners.
• Analytical, planning, organizational, problem‑solving, decision‑making, and time‑management abilities.

Compensation

Salary is based on a combination of relevant education and experience. The position may be eligible for an increase in total compensation under the Differentiated Compensation Plan for designated schools and hard‑to‑staff positions. Details are available at Hamilton County Schools Differentiated Compensation.