Lowell Elementary School within Seattle Public Schools serves about 400 students Preschool-5th grade. Our school population includes students on track to meet and/or exceed standard; students with mild to significant disabilities; students who together, speak over 30 different languages; students eligible for free/reduced lunch,  students/families who are homeless and/or in traditional housing, and students who are advanced learners. We are truly an urban school, with a focus on community and whole-child supports.

This practicum placement is with the School Social Worker (SW) at Lowell. The SW works closely with the principal, assistant principal, counselor, family support worker, and nurse as part of a larger Social Emotional Learning (SEL) team. Needs at Lowell shift day to day depending on student and family needs. Flexibility and ability to adapt and respond quickly are key skills.

The School Social Worker focuses on individual and group level support for students with higher level needs that Tier 1 supports. This may include supporting students in the areas of mental health, student social emotional functioning and behavior, attendance and reengagement in school, care coordination and advocacy, and community resources, referrals, and connections. Practicum activities will be coordinated with the student dependent on their areas of interest and the needs of the school.

- Work with students and families to assess needs related to external resources (financial, legal, housing, immigration, health and mental healthcare, etc.) and school-based supports; find and connect family to relevant supports
- Individual supports for students including counseling, check-ins and skill development
- Small group counseling and supports for students
- Participation in conducting suicide ideation and self-harm screenings with students (dependent on consent) and school threat assessments and follow up supports and services. These would be done with the social worker, not independently.

- Co-facilitating small groups (social skills, self-confidence, CBT-focus, executive functioning, and grief are some examples)
- Co-facilitate classrooms lessons for social emotional learning
- Opportunities to work with social worker to improve schoolwide systems and create schoolwide interventions
- Participate in Multidisciplinary Action Team (MAT) meetings, help create and implement plans for students. Participation in IEP meetings for students
- Participate in and/or lead efforts to engage with local community partners including mental health agencies, local churches, and other local resource agencies and to access/recruit additional resources
- Opportunities to collaborate with interdisciplinary school professionals throughout the district
- Participation in district social work cohort meetings to collaborate with those who share the same role in the district
- Participation in school professional development and staff meetings

- Opportunities to research policy topics of interest that are relevant to the school and can inform school procedures and practices
- Review McKinney-Vento Act and the impacts on student population
- Opportunities to discuss with various leaders and staff how public policies, funding, and current events impact Seattle Public Schools and its students

Prior work with children and families.

A second language is not required. Preferred second languages are Spanish, Portuguese, or Chinese

Please email Angela Paull at ampaull@seattleschools.org. Please include your resume in the email.