Alt Program- Founding Social Worker
23 days ago
New York
Job Description Who We Are Comp Sci High Alternative (CSH_ALT) is a new charter alternative high school program in the South Bronx, enrolling its founding cohort of 35 students and launching in August 2026. We are designed for students who are over-age, under-credited, or returning after disrupted schooling and need a different path to success and graduation. CSH_ALT exists because Comp Sci High’s mission is to give every South Bronx student a path to economic freedom, and traditional high school models do not work for all students in the South Bronx. When students struggle in school, get involved with the juvenile justice system, or lack stable housing, we see this as a system failure, not a student failure. That is why we are launching a new alternative program as a small “school within a school.” CSH_ALT is small by design, relationship-driven, and focused on helping students earn a real diploma while developing emotion regulation, executive functioning, and life skills required for employment, post-secondary training, and long-term economic stability by the age of 25. For many of our students, academic recovery cannot happen without mental health counseling. That is why social work is not peripheral to this school model; it is central to it. As a founding team member, you are expected to be prepared for this reality–ready to do the work, manage challenges, and contribute to building something real, authentic, and meaningful. As a founding Social Worker, this role requires someone able to navigate real challenges-trauma, instability, distrust of adults-while helping to design systems that make this school both restorative and structured. We blend in-person instruction, technology-supported coursework, and career-connected learning to create a structured yet flexible environment where students are known, supported, and held to high expectations. As a founding team member, you will help shape the culture, systems, and instructional model of a brand-new school built on dignity, relevance, and second chances. We are not just building better academic students, but better people, and restorative SEL is the heartbeat. Our Values and Beliefs At Comp Sci High Alternative, our values define how we do the work, how we teach, lead, and show up every day. We value diverse views and opinions, but these are the mindsets we need in every member of our team: * This is hard work. The most important work usually is. We serve young people who have been disconnected from school and often from other foundational supports, and we expect staff to be energized by that responsibility, not intimidated by the mission or afraid of our students. * Presence matters. Students are constantly observing how adults move, speak, and carry themselves. How you show up is part of the lesson. Staff are expected to model confidence, professionalism, and purpose while remaining authentic and adaptable. * You are a founder. As a founding team, we are building this school in real time. This requires flexibility, persistence, shared responsibility, and consistent follow-through. * You are uncompromising. We’re radical in our honesty–our students need truth, not sugarcoating, so we keep it all the way real. We’re radical in our expectations–we hold a high standard, and correct clearly because correction here is care. We’re radical in our care–we know that authenticity builds trust, and trust is earned when students know we are preparing them for the realities ahead, not protecting them. We’re radical in our consistency–we hold the line every single time, we follow through on what we say, and we do not move the standard based on moods or moments. Students trust adults who are steady, predictable, and aligned in word and action. In addition to achieving individual goals, every CSH_ALT team member is expected to demonstrate commitment to Comp Sci High’s SCORE values. SCORE values: * Self-Awareness: Understand the impact of my actions on students, families, and colleagues; seek feedback and make meaningful adjustments over time. * Consistency: Honor commitments through presence, punctuality, preparation, and follow-through; communicate proactively when challenges arise. * Ownership of the Community: Build respectful relationships with students, families, and colleagues; learn about and honor the cultures of the communities we serve; speak directly with-not about-my colleagues; and take responsibility for mistakes by acknowledging their impact. * Resilience: Recover from setbacks, repair strained relationships, and move forward with determination and purpose. * Excellence: Believe in the boundless potential of our students by pushing them to grow; deliver high-quality work for students, families, and colleagues every day. At CSH_ALT, culture is not managed; it is practiced daily. We hold ourselves to these standards because our students are watching, learning and building their own sense of what it means to be part of a strong, accountable community. The Social Work Role Vision for the Founding Social Worker - CSH_ALT Role: This is not a “check the box” counseling job. This is daily, hands-on, sometimes messy work. As a founding Social Worker, you are not joining a finished counseling program; you are helping to build it. You will set up how counseling works in our alternative model, define crisis response, and make sure mental health is part of advisory, instruction, attendance, and internships. You will not be working with students who simply need help managing test anxiety. Many of the students we serve are: * Over-age and under-credited, including students with 10–15 credits at age 18 or multiple failed regents exams * Returning from long-term absences or repeated school disruptions * Navigating immigration status challenges and language barrier * Parenting, financially supporting family members, or working jobs while enrolled * Court-involved, on probation, or navigating active ACS cases * Gang-affiliated or navigating peer and community gang influence * Living in or transitioning from shelters, foster care, or housing instability, including eviction * Diagnosed with IEPs or 504s and managing significant academic and emotional needs * Struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, anger, or untreated mental health concerns * Grieving community violence or navigating unstable family dynamics * Suspended multiple times from prior schools * Emotionally dysregulated, struggling with authority, consistency, and boundaries * Distrustful of school because school has not worked for them Some have not had consistent therapy. Some do not have stable adults at home. Many are smart. Many are capable. Many are tired. This school is built to rebuild and relaunch their sense of self-worth. Who We’re Looking For: At its core, this role requires emotional steadiness, compassion, and clear judgment. You must be able to work with students who have experienced instability, loss, involvement in systems, and disappointment from adults without becoming reactive or overwhelmed. Some students will present as guarded, defensive, or withdrawn. You are expected to respond consistently, with structure, and professionally. You must be able to hold compassion and accountability at the same time. You can acknowledge a student’s circumstances without lowering expectations. You do not excuse harmful behavior, nor do you respond with shame. You maintain boundaries, reinforce responsibility, and approach conflict calmly and directly. You are comfortable working within environments where progress is not linear. You can manage tension without escalating it, rebuild relationships after conflict, and remain consistent even when students test limits. You know that trust is built through steady follow-through, not intensity. This role is not for someone who needs predictable days, avoids difficult conversations, or struggles with organization and follow-through. It is for someone who is prepared to be steady, structured, and sincerely dedicated to young people who require both care and standards. This expectation exists in addition to the mandated clinical and compliance responsibilities listed below. Mandates: Ongoing Counseling: * Conduct high-quality group and individual sessions with mandated and at-risk students. * Adhere to mandated frequency, duration, and maximum group size on IEPs * At-risk students are seen 1x/week, biweekly, or as needed, depending on needs * Respond quickly to referrals tied to attendance decline, behavioral escalation, court stress, housing instability, or family conflict Crisis Intervention: * Conduct risk assessments for students presenting risk of self-harm, suicidal ideation or actions, homicidal ideation, and abuse/neglect * Monitor safety risks based on results of assessments. Examples: * Connecting with emergency contacts, * Referring to mental health or emergency services, * Making ACS reports, if necessary Documentation: * Document all sessions and crisis interventions with session notes in SimplePractice * Log encounter attendance for all mandated students in SESIS * Write IEP reports and goals for mandated students; attend IEP meetings * Develop treatment plans and treatment progress reports * reflecting functional growth (attendance, behavior management, internship readiness) Care Coordination and Advocacy: * Maintain regular contact with parents/caregivers of students on caseload * Refer and advocate for services, including therapy referrals, housing resources, grief support, food access, and probation coordination * With consent, connect with external providers to align care and interventions. * Coordinate with ACS workers to ensure families are receiving needed services * Support students in dealing with court requirements, housing instability, and external stressors that impact school functioning School-wide Collaboration and Programming: * Attend weekly team meetings and provide insight on mood trends, attendance patterns, and behavioral needs * Conduct classroom observations and push-in support sessions * Assist in developing and improving the advisory and SEL curriculum * Conduct student workshops on necessary topics (e.g., stress management, boundaries) * Facilitate parent workshops on adolescent development and mental health * Lead staff PDs on teen development and mental health * Contribute to building a structured, therapeutic, and accountable school culture Hours Classes run on a flexible schedule. Teachers work 1:00 PM – 9:00 PM, with student classes beginning on or around 3:00 PM. We operate on an alternate summer schedule with additional professional days built into the school year. Fridays are off during the school year and balanced with scheduled summer work focused on curriculum building and hybrid refinement. Specific calendar details will be shared during the interview process. Pay and Benefits Salary: $70,000 - $100,000. We offer very competitive benefits, commensurate with experience, and great opportunities for professional and career development. Qualifications * Experience providing counseling/therapy for adolescents, preferably in a school setting * Experience working in an urban school, with a track record of excellent student SEL growth * Experience with a variety of psycho-educational and behavioral assessment tools * Experience in management of mental health crises * LMSW and NYS School Social Work Certification required; LCSW preferred * Experience differentiating for students of many abilities * A demonstrated commitment to working with teens * Willingness to learn more tech and Computer Science skills * Transfer school experience preferred. To Apply Submit a resume and cover letter detailing your experience and interest in our work to . Comp Sci High is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from all backgrounds.
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