School Counselor - Academy Of Health Sciences Charter School

The mission of the Academy of Health Sciences Charter School (AHS) is to provide a learning environment that ensures academic achievement while preparing students for college and career readiness and lives of service in the Health Sciences. 

WHY AHS?
In 2023-2024, AHS will empower 5th - 8th grade students as teachers and students build strong bonds and engage in rigorous learning through thematic Health Sciences connections in all subject areas that support success academically and socio-emotionally. Our student-centered school will offer a team of dedicated professionals the opportunity to have an impact by supporting growth and distributed leadership. If you want to have an impact and grow as a leader, AHS is a DNA match for you.

HOW to APPLY: Email resume directly to wandaperez@ahscharte.org or submit this form https://forms.gle/SxF5XzWLGFukQxBV9 

ABOUT THE ROLE

The School Counselor at AHS will work with the school’s Principal and all staff every day to ensure that all students demonstrate dramatic student achievement gains and internalize the school’s values. This individual will also help lead the school’s efforts to create a positive, structured, consistent, caring, and dynamic school culture based on the foundation of authentic, life-altering relationships. At AHS, the School Counselor maximizes the skills of a school-based counselor, a reinforcer of expectations, cultural leader, a key partner to families and students in the pursuit of engagement and empowerment, and models an empowered mindset at all times with all students, staff, and families. 

RESPONSIBILITIES & TASKS

• Provide direct support and counseling services to students with and without IEPs needing behavioral and emotional intervention and support including in crisis situations. •Collaborate with teachers, deans, school leadership, and parents to determine root causes of behaviors that diminish the academic and social emotional learning of a student and his or her peers. 
  
• Implement and design interventions for students that address individual needs.
  
• Ensure the safety and security of all students by following all school protocols for transitions, record keeping, discipline, and emergency situations. 
  
• Collect and use data to inform all decision making for intervention and celebration of growth. •Provide analysis of trends observed in the experiences of students and meaningful proposals for continuous improvement. 
  
• Establish and maintain contact with parents as partners in their child’s education by providing resources for home learning and accurate information regarding a child’s strengths, improvements, and areas of growth. 
  

QUALIFICATIONS

• School Counseling Certification, required. 
  
• Strong cultural competence and with the ability to communicate effectively with a diverse community of parents, students, and teachers 
  
• Well-established communication and collaboration skills and a desire to work on a start-up team 
  
• Exceptional willingness to both learn and lead through feedback 
  
• Mastery of and enthusiasm for strategies proven to support trauma-informed care and effective behavioral and emotional interventions 
  
• MA/M.Ed from an accredited institution in School Counseling required. 
• Experience with 10 to 14 year olds in an urban educational setting highly desired 
• Computer skills: Strong skills, including fluency with Google productivity tools 
• Language skills: fluency in English required 
  
• Mathematical skills: basic skills required, such as calculating percentages and interpreting bar graphs 
  
• Reasoning ability: very high skills in defining problems, collecting data, drawing conclusions, and deal with abstract concepts 
  
• Physical demands: ability to regularly stand, walk, sit, use hands, reach with hands and arms, and talk/hear; occasionally lift/move up to 15 pounds. No special vision requirements 
  

AHS EXPECTATION OF EXCELLENCE

• An effective School Counselor will participate fully in a collaborative planning setting to determine the most effective intervention and response plans for every student
• An effective School Counselor will approach all communication and interventions with cultural relevance and responsiveness consistently collecting evidence of learning by giving and getting feedback
  
• An effective School Counselor will co-lead and engage all students, teachers, and families in a school culture that is transparent, well-designed, and empowers and transforms barriers to success 
  
• An effective School Counselor narrates positive student actions to reinforce expectations and ways of learning 
  
• An effective School Counselor provides consistent, known, and expected incentives and accountability with equity and clarity of intent 
  
• You are a specialist. Proactively provide support directly to students through individual and group counseling sessions by collaborating with teachers and others staff to assess students’ needs and apply consistent interventions. Serve as a key member of the Response to Intervention team to ensure interventions are trauma informed and specific to students’ needs. 
  
• You build strong relationships. Intentionally establish positive, life-altering relationships needed for a middle-school child, a colleague, or a family member to learn with you and from you through daily authentic and culturally relevant/responsive mindsets and actions.
• You are a cultural leader. Strategically and creatively create and contribute to positive norms and expectations for how students and staff function, learn, and grow through holding self and others accountable to the highest standards of kindness, excellence, positive communication, and an empowered mindset. 
  
• You own and empower learning. Take daily ownership of your own learning and the learning of students in order to model empowerment and a growth mindset even in the face of ongoing challenge. Engage in productive struggle and teach specific actions, skills, and strategies to overcome learning and mindset barriers in self, colleagues, and students. 
• You are an executor and analyzer. Go beyond planning and researching to execute consistently within an ongoing continuous improvement in all areas in order to maximize effectiveness and learning. Ensure teachers and leaders find you reliable and consistent in performing all duties as assigned. Analyze results daily to ensure authentic learning and progress towards goals in all areas. Keep accurate records that reflect planned actions, lessons learned, results, and follow up actions. 
  
• You prioritize school safety first. Supervise and maintain the physical safety of self, students, colleagues, and families at all times including emotional safety in all settings.
• You are adaptive and humble. Seek ways to improve through feedback, service leadership, and flexibility. 
  

ABOUT BENEFITS & COMPENSATION
AHS staff receive a competitive benefits and compensation package. Counselors are paid according to a salary scale, starting at a minimum of $55,000 and increasing based on years of experience. In addition, Counselors are eligible for paid time off, medical and dental insurance, a 401(k) with matching contributions, discounted movie tickets, and more.

This position is classified as exempt. 

DIVERSITY MAKES US STRONG AT AHS 
AHS is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates of diverse backgrounds and is committed to equal access for those with disabilities in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other category protected by applicable law. If there is a need for reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact the H.R. Manager to discuss potential accommodations related to your application. 

READY TO JOIN AHS?
To apply to AHS, please submit a resume and cover letter, including your interest in AHS and how you learned about the position. Candidates to be considered for the selection process will be notified via email. Please do not contact the school for information about the position or your application. If you are selected to move forward, you will be contacted.