School Counselor

Job Description: School Counselor

Background

Libertas School of Memphis is a Montessori, liberal arts public charter elementary school serving a high-need neighborhood in Memphis. Our mission is to be a school for human flourishing: cultivating minds, hands, and hearts for lives of wonder, work, and love. We offer students from preschool through fifth grade a rich, rigorous, and personalized education through Montessori learning, supported with rich liberal arts content through Core Knowledge, and the best practices of high-performing urban schools. This work is done within an attachment village of supports between school, families, and our community.

Role Summary and Information

In line with our school culture and mission, apply skills in mental health, learning, and behavior, to provide one-on-one and small group counseling and related intervention for students, while fostering a nurturing school environment and family relationships.

• Full-time role. School hours roughly 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM. Faculty meetings on Wednesdays until 4:30. Regular leadership, coaching, or academic meetings outside of school hours.
• Reports to: Student Support Coordinator
• Key relationships: Attachment Village team, Special Education Team, Principal, Teachers & Assistants; service provider partners

Key Responsibilities

• Counseling and social-emotional support: Manage a caseload of students, primarily students with IEPs that include regular counseling services. Provide quality individual and group counseling, and opportunities to learn and practice skills and virtues.
• Child study: Participate in child study process as needed to help identify and address student needs. Collaborate with Special Education team, Attachment Village team, and faculty members to monitor caseload, set goals, review growth, etc. Observe students on support docket and gather information. I am running a few minutes late; my previous meeting is running over.
• Family engagement: Foster positive relationships with families. Provide communication and reports, participate in meetings. Empower parents with approaches that support student flourishing.
• Other: support other school initiatives as needed; other duties as assigned

Qualifications and traits

• Experience in therapy, counseling, or social work role, preferably in a high-need or underserved community.
• Preferred: master’s degree in social services field (e.g. therapy, counseling social work).
• Substantial knowledge and experience around understanding and supporting student conduct, relationship and emotional development.
• Warm and firm demeanor.
• Effective communication, including listening, writing, and speaking.
• Ability to multi-task while staying organized and attentive to detail.
• Flexible, takes initiative, and has a strong sense of personal ownership of responsibilities.
• Work collaboratively, with a growth mindset. Give and receive feedback in a spirit of craftsmanship.
• Model of character.
• Dedication to support human flourishing through the Montessori method and the school’s philosophy of wonder, work, and love for all students.

Compensation

• Salary/wage competitive with compensation in local school district and nearby charter schools.
• Eligible for salary increases for performance or stipends for additional duties.
• Investment in faculty professional development and growth. We also offer to eligible applicants our Teacher Residency program, which provides financial sponsorship and additional coaching and support to achieve state licensure and/or Montessori certification. Please contact us for more details.
• Paid sick leave. Deferred pay model distributes salary throughout the year (including breaks and vacations).
• Full time employees are eligible for health insurance benefits, which we sponsor at an above-market rate (approx. 70% covered by employer for all levels of coverage). We also offer dental, vision, and other benefits, and retirement plans similar to local schools.

Application process

Interested candidates should apply online at www.LibertasMemphis.org, where candidates can also learn more about our school. Please submit a resume, at least three references, and a cover letter (required) explaining why you would be a good fit for this position. Libertas does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, handicap, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.