MCS

HS School Counselor

Meridian Charter Schools

place Chicago, 60668

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Counseling, Social Work, Other Behavioral, Mental, or Healthcare Field

local_atm $65,000 - $88,584 a year

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PTO, Retirement Plan, Other Benefits

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English, Spanish, Arabic

High School Counselor Job Description

You Belong Here

Apply today: https://meridiancharterschools.org/careers/

Reports To: School Principal/Leadership Team

Position Summary:
Meridian Charter Schools is seeking a High School Counselor to enhance academic performance, promote access and equity, and foster a positive school climate. The Counselor will help students develop academic strategies, manage emotions, build interpersonal skills, and plan for high school and post-secondary opportunities. This role includes expanding career and scholarship opportunities for students pursuing higher education and ensuring they meet all credit requirements for freshman on track and graduation. Reporting to the Principal or a designated leader, the Counselor will collaborate with leadership teams and engage with families to support student success.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Create and manage effective school counseling programs that support the school’s mission, goals, and needs, address student needs and interests, support a positive school climate, and engage families and staff.

Set priorities and metrics for the program based on the school’s mission, strategic goals, needs, and district and network mandates.
Engage in thorough annual and quarterly program planning.
Develop action plans that include work in classrooms, small group facilitation, lesson plans, use of time goals, weekly, quarterly, and annual calendaring, promotion of equity and access, post-elementary/post-secondary planning, etc.
Devise plans to support network and school goals with respect to high school (elementary)/college admissions (high school).
Develop comprehensive, effective communication plans to engage students and families and keep stakeholders informed.
Assist disciplinary personnel with investigations into student incidents.
Other duties as assigned within the framework of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Deliver developmentally appropriate activities and services to and for students to improve attendance, achievement, conduct, participation, and post-secondary outcomes.

Deliver direct services to students through classroom-based instruction, academic advisement, individual and small group counseling.
Provide indirect services to students through consultation, collaboration, referrals, school-wide programs, and external partnerships.
Engage in effective and efficient appraisal and advisement, providing students with opportunities to reflect on and explore their abilities, interests, and achievements and to develop decision making skills to direct the course of their lives.
Deliver equitable academic counseling services for all students.
Counsel students who have problems with discipline or attendance.
Facilitate course registration.
Provide direct assistance to students and families with high school application processes (elementary only).
Provide direct assistance to students and families on college admissions processes (high school only).
Participate in the orientation, coordination, and academic advice of new students.

Regularly assess the quality and effectiveness of the school counseling program.

Assist schools to address complex concerns of families of diverse learners, working to resolve issues, complaints, and service delivery problems in a timely manner.
Issue semester communications to families of diverse learners on matters that are of critical importance.
Work with schools to create information sessions and college fairs that feature services available to diverse learners and specialized programs for students with special needs.
Collect and analyze school counseling program data, share with the leadership team, and apply findings to program revision and recommendations to the school.
Analyze schoolwide data and apply findings to program revision.

Attend to and fulfill professional obligations as defined by the school, network, and district.

Ensure compliance with mandates from CPS, CICS, and CEP.
Lead the facilitation of the special education, ELL, social work, and MTSS programs and services across all campuses.
Ensure the development and implementation of effective course registration processes.
Safeguard student records and information per state and federal guidelines.
Participate in IEP meetings, as needed.
Participate or lead MTSS/RTI processes, grade level team meetings, professional development workshops, or other school/network teams relevant to the work of school counselors.
Build positive and respectful relationships with staff, students, families, and community partners.
Implement comprehensive, effective communication plans to engage students and families and keep stakeholders informed.
Modify student schedules, as needed.
Assist with alternative educational program placement, when needed.
Use sound judgment to change or modify student schedules.
Other duties as assigned within the framework of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Demonstrate a dedication to collaboration, innovation, and flexible approaches to professional practice.

Participate positively and productively in department, school, network, and parent meetings.
Actively participate in the development and implementation of new counseling structures, techniques and approaches to service delivery and program construction.
Actively participate in discussions and programs to improve student performance, experience, attendance, conduct.
Consult with teachers about building positive, productive relationships with students.
Consult with instructional coach, principal, or school leadership designee to identify and resolve student issues, needs, and concerns.
Integrate students into counseling program development.
Collaborate with the school faculty and administration in revising programs based on current and future needs and programming.
Engage actively, positively, and productively in the instructional coaching process.
Accept and apply coaching feedback.

Reflect, support, and promote the mission and vision of the school as well as the principles of D.E.I.

Demonstrate preparation and skill in working with students from diverse cultural, economic and ability backgrounds.
Support the creation of inclusive, identity-affirming spaces for students.
Implement professional practice and responsibilities, demonstrating cultural competence.
Implement D.E.I principles in interactions with members of the school community.

Qualifying Education/Licensure:

Bachelor’s Degree (Required)
Master’s Degree (Required) in School Counseling or Social Work (A Plus!)
Current Illinois State Board of Education licensure for counselors (Preferred) or current, comparable out-of-state licensure
Bilingual Spanish/English; Arabic/English; Urdu/English (Strongly Preferred)

Other Qualifications:

1-2 years experience working with students in a school or similar setting (Required)
Experience in urban school setting (Strongly Preferred)
Ability to work with student information databases to record or change information, modify schedules, fulfill compliance mandates, or other tasks as needed.

Knowledge and Experience:

Substantial knowledge of school counseling principles, techniques, and scope and limitation of practice.
Understanding of the differences between social work and school counseling and ability to operate with that understanding.
Ability to modify strategies and interventions as necessary to meet student needs.
Ability to work effectively and professionally with students, parents and/or guardians, staff members, and community representatives.
Capacity to be flexible in approaches to programming structure and service delivery.
Fundamental understanding of human development principles as applied to children and adolescents.
Strong ability to apply contemporary principles and practices to school counseling.
Solid oral and written communication skills.
Sound and professional judgment.

This position is a Full-Time position.

Physical Job Requirements:

The usual and customary methods of performing the job’s functions require the following physical demands: occasional lifting, carrying, pushing, and or pulling; some kneeling, crouching, and significant finger dexterity. Generally the job requires 50% sitting, 30% walking and 20% standing. This job is performed in a generally clean and climate controlled environment.

Compensation: Meridian Charter Schools provides a highly competitive salary and benefits package which includes health, dental, vision, and life insurance as well as retirement planning and PTO. We are also committed to supporting professional growth and membership in local, state and national educational organizations. This position qualifies as a union member position and aligns to the compensation established by the most updated collective bargaining agreement, based upon certification, education, and years of service.

Meridian Charter Schools is an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce. We encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply for this pivotal leadership role.

Apply Today! https://meridiancharterschools.org/careers/