School Social Worker – Special Education (Temporary, K–5), Crystal Lake, IL

Position Overview

Spotter Staffing is seeking an experienced School Social Worker to provide temporary leave coverage at a K–5 elementary school near Crystal Lake, Illinois. You will work three days a week alongside a school psychologist, a full-time social worker, and a part-time counselor, supporting students with IEPs, including a cross-categorical self-contained program. You will step into a strong existing structure and carry it forward with well-established processes already in place.

About the School and Community

You will work in a K–5 elementary school of 446 students, part of a PreK–8 district of about 12 schools serving Crystal Lake and surrounding communities in McHenry County, roughly 45 miles northwest of Chicago.

• Building size: 446 students, a manageable size where the student services team knows students and families well
• Title I: The school is Title I, so supports for families and students with higher needs are part of the picture;  there are 17 students in the self contained program
• Student services team: A full-time school psychologist, a full-time school social worker, and a part-time school counselor work together in the building
• District support: The district has a dedicated Student Services department and a Social Emotional Learning program, with district clinicians supporting student well-being
• Diverse community: The district reports families speaking about 60 different languages
• Experienced leadership: The building and special education leadership are seasoned, collaborative, and hands-on

The Program and the Students

The building has a cross-categorical self-contained program with three classrooms and 17 students, alongside students with IEPs served across K–5. Students in the program often present with:

• Executive function challenges
• Developmental delays
• Higher-functioning autism spectrum needs

This work calls for a social worker who is patient, structured, and skilled at building social-emotional, self-regulation, and executive functioning skills, and who can partner closely with teachers, related service providers, and families.

Your Team and Who You Report To

You will report to a highly experienced leader who has a background in special ed. Leadership across the building is seasoned, supportive, and clear about expectations.

The student services team is positive and high functioning. You are stepping in for a strong, experienced social worker who built solid processes for caseload management, IEP work, and documentation. This is not a build-from-scratch role. The right person will learn those systems quickly, adopt them, and keep things running without a dip in quality while the regular social worker is out.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide social work services to students with IEPs in grades K–5, including direct and consultative services outlined in each IEP
• Serve the cross-categorical self-contained program (3 classrooms, 17 students) with social-emotional, self-regulation, and executive function support
• Deliver individual and small-group counseling and social skills instruction
• Participate in IEP meetings, annual reviews, and eligibility conferences, and write the social work components of IEPs, including present levels, goals, and progress reports
• Complete social developmental studies, functional behavior assessments, and behavior intervention plans as needed
• Provide crisis response and de-escalation support for students
• Collaborate with the school psychologist, counselor, teachers, and related service providers
• Communicate with families and connect them to school and community resources
• Track services and maintain accurate, timely documentation and compliance records using the team's existing processes
• Follow the departing social worker's established workflows so students and staff see a seamless transition

Qualifications

Required

• Master's degree in Social Work (MSW)
• Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) with School Social Worker endorsement (Type 73)
• Solid, hands-on experience with the school social work process and writing and supporting IEPs
• Experience working with students with executive function challenges, developmental delays, and autism
• Ability to learn and adopt existing team processes quickly and work independently

Preferred

• Prior experience in an elementary school and in a self-contained or cross-categorical setting
• Experience with FBAs, BIPs, and crisis intervention

Who we're looking for: An experienced, self-starting social worker who is comfortable stepping into a busy team, takes ownership from day one, and is positive and collaborative. This role is not a fit for early-career or brand-new school social workers.

Schedule, Pay, and How to Apply

• Schedule: 3 days per week, 8:10 AM – 3:40 PM (days to be confirmed)
• Duration: Temporary leave coverage starting in early November, scheduled to end February 14, with a strong possibility of extension
• Pay: Up to $55 an hour
• Employer: Spotter Staffing, a specialty education staffing firm placing educators and related service providers in K–12 schools across Illinois and Texas

To apply, send your resume and a copy of your Illinois license and endorsements to Spotter Staffing. A recruiter will reach out to discuss the role and next steps.