Middle School Counselor 

Job Description

ABOUT US

Arts in Action Community Middle School opened in Fall 2016 and serves grades 6-8 students. We believe that all students deserve access to the arts. We believe that instruction should be culturally relevant, inclusive and meet the diverse needs of all learners. We believe social justice is integral to education and aim to teach students how to advocate for themselves, our community, and the world.

For more information on the school's mission and vision, please see www.artsinactioncharter.org.

OUR MISSION: To empower, prepare, and inspire students in Los Angeles to achieve their highest potential and become active citizens who work toward building a more just, humane, and sustainable world by providing a democratic arts-enriched and nurturing school environment. 

JOB DESCRIPTION: The School Counselor will work with the School Director and the school team to help lead a school-wide approach to identifying, securing, and ensuring success for every child. The school counselor ensures direct support for students, the inclusion of parents through partnership, and integration of services for children. The School Counselor is familiar with PBIS and other MTSS-based programs and works with the School Directors and other stakeholders to ensure students' success in our program. The counselor is responsible for providing individual and group counseling to students, maintaining appropriate records and paperwork, facilitating classroom visits/lessons, and collaborating with the School Director, staff, students, and parents. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide advocacy, child welfare, and counseling services to students, especially students with IEPs, with Designated Instructional Services (DIS) counseling goals and needs.  
• Assess, identify, and provide group and individual counseling to general education students with emotional, social, and behavioral concerns.  
• Collaboration with teachers and the leadership team to provide classroom visits and lessons. 
• Participation in the implementation of the Social Emotional Curriculum.  
• Collaboration with stakeholders in the creation and implementation of different tiers of social-emotional and behavioral support.
• Maintain an organized system of case notes and records, utilizing Welligent and the school’s Student Information System. 
• Assist in implementing Restorative Justice Programs (e.g., Ripple Effects, Harm Circles, Restorative Circles). 
• Participate in developing school-wide initiatives, assemblies, and policies related to safety, violence prevention, and positive school culture.  
• Maintaining frequent parent communication about relevant issues.
• Share the responsibility of communicating the educational program to the community through such activities as back-to-school nights, parent conferences, family nights, and org-wide events.
• Other duties as assigned by the School Director.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• A California Pupil Personnel Services Credential.  

• Experience working with students, families and school community is strongly preferred.
• Ability to establish/foster a positive and safe school culture.
• Demonstrated ability in conflict resolution.
• Possesses a growth mindset and a love of learning.
• Bilingual Spanish is strongly preferred.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

PHYSICAL JOB QUALIFICATIONS: 

The conditions herein represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. These physical standards are generic, and tasks may vary depending on the school or specialized site assignment. The information in this physical standards description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and is not an exhaustive list of duties performed. The individuals currently holding this position perform additional duties and additional duties as assigned.

• The physical ability to stand and or walk frequently.
• The physical ability to seldom carry up to 20 pounds (to carry and transport documents/files to meetings).
• The physical ability to participate in repetitive movements (typing, sitting down, filing paperwork). 
• The physical ability to occasionally crouch down or squat (assisting in first aid duties)
• This position works primarily indoors in indoor offices with some outdoor work (including eating and common area(s), auditorium, playground(s), restroom(s), stairs if applicable, and parking lot(s)) with the following possible exposures: dust, wind, sun, insects; bloodborne pathogens and biohazardous waste; variances in temperature (50 degrees to 120 degrees); variances in weather conditions (snow, rain, sleet, etc.); noise which can range from quiet to loud (over 600 students on campus at any given time); fast-paced work environment with possible stressful situations and need to multi-task; traffic congestion; playground projectiles such as baseballs, footballs, basketballs, etc.; intervening physically to stop conflicts between angry or emotionally upset students; and, dealing with students, parents, employees and the general public who may exhibit unpredictable or anti-social behavior.
• Employees in this position may have a higher level of exposure to illness or infection from students. 
• May be exposed to students who may ask inappropriately personal questions, display socially unacceptable behavior, display physically aggressive behavior, and insult your characteristics, including appearance, age, sex (including gender & orientation), and race.
• May be assigned to work with students who engage in physically aggressive behavior which increases the risk of getting physically injured. 
• There is also frequent contact with staff and the public.
• Handle quick turnaround times, multiple deadlines, and prioritizing multiple tasks.
• Handling high levels of stressful situations and responsibilities.
• Consistent attendance.

WAGE AND BENEFITS:  This is a full-time, 10-month, exempt salaried position that follows the academic school year calendar, with the possibility of additional summer employment based on organizational needs and program availability.

The salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. Counselors are compensated based on their placement on the Teacher salary scale, divided into Developing, Lead, and Distinguished categories. The counselor salary range is $71,000-$118,642. Compensation is determined based on years of experience, expertise, and education units. 

In addition to a competitive salary, the organization offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, paid time off, a STRS match, an optional 403 (b), and other employer-sponsored benefits, in accordance with applicable plan documents and organizational policies.

Schools in Action is non-sectarian in its programs, admissions

policies, employment practices, and all other operations shall not charge tuition and shall

not discriminate on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, disability,

religion or sexual orientation, either actual or perceived.