**Anticipated** School Social Worker - Middle School (6-8)

School Social Worker - Middle School (6-8) Anticipated

School Social Worker

Revised: September 2026

Perm/contract:

SY26-27: Department:

Core Instruction
FLSA Status:

Non-exempt: Level:

Middle Grades (6-8)
Primary Reporting Location & Hours:

Assigned School Building & In accordance with Oak Park Teachers Association Collective: Reports to:

Building Principal & Core Instruction Administration
Compensation: (prorated per start date)

In accordance with Oak Park Teachers Association Collective: Date Available:

SY26-27
Bargaining Unit & Classification:

OPTA & Certified: Supervisory Responsibilities:

N/A
Benefits: (prorated per start date)

Insurance- medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance are available

Leaves- paid sick, and personal days provided

Retirement- pre-tax retirement plans (e.g. 403b) available

D97 Ideal Team Member Profile

• The ideal team member in District 97 is a visionary and equity-centered leader who inspires excellence and fosters collective responsibility for student success. This individual:
• Champions the district's vision and drives forward-thinking, innovative practices that anticipate future educational needs.
• Stewards public trust and resources with fiscal responsibility and ethical transparency.
• Demonstrates relentless commitment to student success, ensuring that every decision supports equitable opportunities and outcomes for all learners.
• Organizes and empowers teams to work collaboratively toward shared goals, recognizing the interdependence of roles across departments and schools.
• Fosters a culture of care, learning, and service, grounded in authentic engagement with students, families, staff, and community members.
• Models integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality, serving as a role model for ethical and respectful conduct at all levels.
• Thrives in a culturally, racially, and linguistically diverse environment, showing a deep passion for inclusive practices and building belonging for all team members.
• Seeks and embraces feedback, especially when it challenges them to grow and improve in service of students and colleagues.
• Understands the powerful intersection of leadership, learning, and equity, and aligns their work to dismantle systemic barriers.
• Courageously addresses unprofessional behavior, holding self and others accountable to high standards in service to the community and students.

About This Role

School Social Workers are ethically driven master's level practitioners with the unique ability to improve student academic outcomes by improving students' social-emotional well being and school climate, supporting teachers and administration, assisting families with their child's social-emotional needs, and identifying local resources and intervening in crisis situations. School Social Workers have the skill set necessary to assist in working with children with behavioral challenges. School Social Workers have a positive effect on the students they work with leading to positive educational outcomes. The ideal candidate will work in support of the district's equity commitments as expressed in Board Policy 7:12: Ensuring Racial and Educational Equity.

Essential Role Responsibilities

• Perform casework service with individual students to address personal, social, or emotional needs related to their educational and social progress.
• Perform case work service with parents to increase parents' understanding, their constructive participation in resolving their child's problems, and their knowledge and use of appropriate resources available.
• Consult and collaborate with other school personnel in gathering and giving information on a case or classroom group, and in establishing and planning for respective roles in the modification of students' behavior.
• Supervise the referral of students to, and serve as liaison with, such outside agencies as the Department of Children and Family Services and the Juvenile Court as appropriate.
• Serve as liaison between home and school when considerable follow-up is necessary, as in welfare cases, foster home children, and disadvantaged students.
• Assist children directly toward adjustment in school.
• Keep all necessary records as required.
• Other duties as assigned by the Principal.

Required Skills & Knowledge

• Understanding of social work instruction, laws, and policies.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in using technology for instruction and record-keeping.
• Reliable, organized, and able to prioritize tasks effectively.

Education, Credentials and/or Experience

• Professional Educator License with School Social Work Endorsement
• Master's of Social Work Degree

Physical Requirements:

This position requires the performance of light work�which requires exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently to move objects. The position includes close visual acuity, frequent talking, hearing, walking and standing, occasional lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling, some stooping, kneeling, crouching and/or crawling and significant fine finger dexterity. The job is performed in non-hazardous environments and a clean atmosphere. The position may require indoor and outdoor supervision during varying temperatures and climatic conditions.

Apply through Frontline:

Applications are currently being accepted for this position via our district website. Please reach out to our human resources department at district97hr@op97.org, if you have questions about the application process.

We encourage interested applicants to apply, as we continue to uplift our equity policy. Our goal is to recruit, employ, support, and retain racially and linguistically diverse and culturally competent administrative, instructional and support personnel. Oak Park Elementary School District 97 is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

The mental demands, physical demands, and work environment characteristics are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to allow an employee with disabilities to perform the essential functions.