VOICE Charter School (http://www.voicecharterschool.org/) is an elementary and middle school located in Long Island City, Queens that serves about 650 students across grades K-8.  We are located just minutes from Manhattan (two stops outside of Manhattan on the F, N, and W train lines) and Long Island City’s growing waterfront district, thriving arts community, and rapid residential growth. We are looking to identify extraordinary educators and administrators committed to urban education who wish to join a dynamic professional learning community.

Our mission is to create a safe and healthy learning environment that will nurture, motivate and challenge all of our children to achieve the highest level of academic excellence and to develop into mindful, responsible, contributing participants in their education, their community and the diverse society in which we live.

What makes VOICE different?

At VOICE, it’s not just about the music. It’s about the people. It’s about what you can be. It’s about using your passion. It’s about relationships. It’s about having the opportunity to choose. It’s about caring enough. It’s about each individual child and adult.

We believe in efficacy. At the core of our academic culture is the idea that all students are capable of doing well in any discipline. At VOICE, all students will learn – being smart is not something that you are, it is something you become.  At VOICE, you will be pushed to become more.

We support and develop the effectiveness of our teachers. We believe that teachers need time to collaborate to build their practice, so we provide our team with over two hours of planning time a day as well as additional days for collaborative thought partnership and planning during the school year. 

We promote participation in music and the arts. As music and art help develop problem solving and critical thinking skills and open children's imaginations, all VOICE students participate in and learn from daily activities in the arts including rigorous choral training. We design our arts-integrated curriculum to bring joy and wonder to the lives of our children, providing them with the skills necessary to forge their own path.

All Staff at VOICE:

• Love and nurture all of our students as they become deeply caring and responsible individuals;
• Take personal responsibility and work collaboratively to ensure that all students achieve and grow, understanding that the performance and progress of our students is directly under our control;
• Ask questions and empower students to exercise curiosity and wonder about the world around them;
• Hold themselves to the highest standards;
• Push and support themselves, their students, and their colleagues;
• Proactively seek and incorporate feedback;
• Help each individual child gain the opportunity to choose what his or her future will be.

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Position Responsibilities:

The Social Worker Supports the emotional needs of VOICE Students to provide them with a safe and healthy learning environment that nurtures, motivates and challenges. Them to achieve the highest level of academic excellence and to develop into mindful, responsible contributing participants in their education and communities. 

Counseling 

• Mandated Counseling: Work with the Special Education faculty to ensure counseling specifications on student IEPs are met; research and employ best practices and techniques; conduct individual and group counseling sessions; communicate with families, faculty and staff about interventions
• Non-Mandated Counseling: Make recommendations and receive referrals on students who may benefit from counseling; initiate creation and administration of counseling groups as needed
• Parent/Family/Guardian Relationships: Communicate closely with parents/families/guardians about child referrals, goals and progress; respond to parent/family/guardian outreach and provide at-home intervention strategies; conduct at-home visits as needed
• Faculty and Staff Relationships: Initiate and maintain relationships faculty and staff; communicate closely with them on student progress and brainstorm strategies; advocate for early intervention with students; follow up with all cases and students to ensure plans are put into place; Attend meetings about student behavior and grade team meetings as necessary

IEP Management 

• Draft progress reports for annual IEP meetings
• Monitor student progress toward annual goals
• Draft strategic IEP goals to allow for students to increase engagement in school
• Participate in all IEP meetings for students with mandated or at risk counseling
• Behavior  Coordination
• Attend meetings with faculty, parents, and families about student behavior as needed

Crisis work 

• Respond to and support with crises, which may include but is not limited to situations involving bullying, sexual harassment, expressed intent to harm self or others, or extreme emotional reactions to life events; aid in investigation of events and administer group or individual counseling as appropriate
• Provide direct support to students and families and consultation and support to other faculty and staff regarding intervention in crisis situations
• Conduct annual ACS Training for staff

Social Emotional Learning 

• Planning Lessons
• Direct Instruction in classrooms
• Supporting teachers in implementing lessons

Staff Wide Professional Expectations

• Embrace and be an ambassador of VOICE’s mission, vision and values 
• Collaborate, communicate and maintain effective and professional relationships as member of an interdisciplinary team of educators, support staff, and administrators
• Participate in required meetings and events, which may include student events,   school concerts, parent-teacher conferences, on- and off-site conferences and trainings, and others.
• Meet expectations related to punctuality and professionalism including but not limited to reporting to work on time, following the appropriate call-out and lateness procedures, timely responding to emails, consistently meeting deadlines and communicating appropriately on progress on projects and goals.
• Proactively and appropriately seek assistance and/or guidance when faced with challenges appropriately provide and receive feedback to/from students, parents, faculty, classroom assistants, support staff, and administration
• Reflect on professional practice through self-reflection and engagement in informal and formal feedback processes

Position Qualifications:

 Educational Background and Work Experience

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• New York State teaching certification in Social Work
• Training and academic coursework in Child and Family Therapy
• Required: Fluent in speaking and writing Spanish
• Preferred:

               Master’s in Social Work (MSW) or Guidance Counseling (MSW preferred)

               NYS recognized LMSW (Licensed Masters in Social Work)

               Experience with and interest in working with high needs students

Skills and Knowledge

• VOICE’s mission, vision, values and culture
• Fluent in Spanish 
• Effective skills in self-management including but not limited to meeting deadlines, effective prioritization of tasks, self-organization, managing up, and efficient time and task management
• Ability to gather and analyze data using defined and differentiated processes ? Tact and sensitivity, including but not limited to adhering to confidentiality obligations such as mandated reporting as part of child protection
• Ability to build strong and effective collegial relationships as part of an interdisciplinary team of educators and administrators
• Ability to build warm individual relationships with students
• Ability to communicate and build relationships effectively and appropriately with diverse range of individuals, including but not limited to current and prospective students and families, colleagues, and external partners
• Social work:
• Familiarity with restoration process
• IEP Process and counseling requirements and processes
• NY State requirements for case notes
• NY State Counseling and Social Worker Requirements
• NY State Laws and community resources relevant to low-income families

Educational Background and Work Experience

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university required
• New York State teaching certification required. VOICE will consider only candidates that are either (a) already fully certified at time of application, or (b) on track to become fully certified by the first day of employment.
• Teaching or student teaching experience in a school required
• New York State teaching certification in Students with Disabilities, Special Ed, or ESL preferred
• Experience with and interest in working with high needs students preferred
• Special education and/or ESL certification is preferred

[Please note: All offers of employment are contingent upon the employee meeting all prerequisite job qualifications by the first day of employment.]

Compensation and Benefits: 

Salary range is $70,000 to $100,000. Compensation is competitive and based on experience and education.  We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including participation in a pre-tax commuter benefits program and partial reimbursement for monthly commuting expenses, gym reimbursement, cultural enrichment reimbursements, participation in the Teachers Retirement System pension program, frequent access to baked goods, and many opportunities to get to know your VOICE colleagues!

How to Apply: Please submit an electronic application (including a VOICE-specific cover letter and resume) at https://voicecharterschool.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx

VOICE Charter School is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In its employment decisions, VOICE does not discriminate on the basis of an applicant or employee’s race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, unemployment status, or any other status protected by law.