Middle School Counselor

Middle School Counselor Job DescriptionReporting to the Managing Director of Support Service, the KIPP Middle School Counselor is responsible for implementing the comprehensive school counseling program. This position has 4 major categories of work: 1) Social Emotional Learning 2) Deliver Direct and Indirect Services 3) Responsive Services 4) System Support. The Counselor will positively contribute to the entire KIPP team culture to ensure strong preparation for student success throughout their middle school academic career to help them create their chosen future. Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to the 4 following categories:Social Emotional Learning/Implementing Counseling Program (Direct Student Services)Coordinates, implements, and evaluates social-emotional learning through professional development of staff and observations of execution.Support lessons and events aligned to comprehensive counseling programs for middle school students.Implements the secondary comprehensive counseling program by conducting and training staff to implement identity-affirming social-emotional learning activities in the classroom as planned in conjunction with school administrators and teachers; consults with and serves as a resource to teachers to facilitate the infusion of culturally affirming social-emotional learning activities.Collaboratively coordinates and implement suicide prevention programming.Keeps up to date records and documentation of individual and group session progress. Deliver Direct and Indirect ServicesComplete individual student academic planning for 8th grade transition into 9th grade.Collaboratively plan and communicate middle school to high school transition, including developing academic planning and programming.Performs individual and group counseling functions and activities (e.g. college, career, social-emotional, etc.) to enhance student success.Conducts structured, goal-oriented counseling sessions to meet the emotional, physical, and psychological health needs of individuals or a group of students, covering topics including self-awareness, self-identity and sexuality, addressing barriers around academic success, external factors (family, community), and peer interactions.These efforts support the counselor's role of helping to meet the academic, career, and social needs of students by providing individual planning, responsive services, and school counseling curriculumSystem SupportsParticipates in and facilitates the support team processes: assumes an active role in designing, implementing, monitoring, and adjusting educational and session  plans for individual students. Periodically reviews the comprehensive counseling program with staff and administrators, using the program evaluation self-study; reviews and modifies the program calendar and evaluates guidance learning activities.Participate in IEP, 504, Student of Concern, CARE team, and other student-focused meetings.Facilitates CARE Level meetings for grade level/teacher implementation.Assists staff members with parent or district referrals for section IEP or 504 Coordinator. Collaboratively develops a variety of special programs (e.g. career night,  parents meetings, etc.)Monitors students' progress to identify issues and take appropriate action to increase student success.Supports implementation of restorative and trauma-sensitive practices and policiesThe counselor provides activities to meet the needs of the students; provides support to other educational programs; and implements an evaluation system to determine impact of the school counseling programResponsive ServicesCollaborates with administration, staff, students, families, and community to support and/or solve educational and socio-emotional issues.Support school leadership with identifying patterns of behaviors that are leading to disciplinary action and collaboratively support implementation of strategies to reduce these behaviors.Coordinates and conducts meditations for conflict resolution.Supports student McKinney-Vento identification processes and appropriate referrals to social work.Supports Crisis Prevention and Response Supports identifying students at risk of not having credits and collaborates with stakeholders to create a plan for student success.  Refer students/families to appropriate school and community resources.Job success measured by: Social Emotional Learning 100% of classrooms score 80% or higher during Social Emotional Learning (SEL) walkthrough90% of students report at least 1 skill or concept acquired during a quarterly assessment of SEL lessons.At least 2 pt increase in specific targeted SEL metric selected by the counseling department from Semester 1 to Semester 2 to show student growth in a targeted SEL skill.Individuals and Groups have documented data to evidence progress.System Supports: 100% of 8th grade students have completed their ICAP before entering high school.Responsive Services: 100% of referrals are completed and documented.