Immediate School Counselor (High School)

KIPP Public Schools is a national network of tuition-free public schools educating nearly 190,000 students in grades PreK-12 across 21 states and Washington, DC. While each school is unique to its community, we are united around a shared promise: Together, A Future Without Limits.

KIPP Jacksonville Public Schools is part of this network. Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue their chosen paths—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.

In the 2026-2027 school year, KIPP Jacksonville will serve over 3,000 students in four schools on the North and West sides of Jacksonville, Florida:

• KIPP Impact Academy: Kindergarten - 8th grade
• KIPP VOICE Academy: Kindergarten - 8th grade
• KIPP Bessie Coleman Academy: Kindergarten - 8th grade
• KIPP Bold City High School: 9th - 12th grade

Schedule

• K-8 Staff: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday (occasional meetings or events outside these hours)
• K-8 Students: 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM (Wednesday dismissal at 1:30 PM)
• High School Staff: 6:45 AM - 3:45 PM, Monday through Friday (occasional meetings or events outside these hours)
• High School Students: 7:15 AM - 2:30 PM (Wednesday dismissal at 12:30 PM)

Every Wednesday is an early release day for students, allowing teachers to participate in weekly professional development and content team meetings. *Wellness Wednesdays are an exception when all staff leave at student dismissal.

About the Role

This role is available at KIPP Bold City High School (9-12). The School Counselor is a year-round, certified position responsible for working closely with families, Learning Specialists, teachers, students, and the Principal(s) to enhance the school’s ability to meet its academic mission, especially where home, school, and community collaboration is key. Success in this role is measured by positively impacting:

• Student attendance
• The onboarding experience of new families
• Students’ social/emotional well-being
• Credit recovery, as needed

Counselors also execute at least one school-based community event per school year and create/maintain systems to support their initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the coordinator and LEA for all district MRT meetings
• Support classroom teachers with in-class character education and classroom guidance as determined by school leadership
• Provide individual or small group counseling for students, including weekly social and/or emotional interventions
• Provide updates to leadership on student emotional/physical well-being based on interactions with families, assessments, and observations
• Support students with challenging behaviors
• Track school-wide attendance data and work with families of students with low attendance to improve attendance
• Serve as a liaison between families and community resources, including creating programming or forming partnerships to benefit students and families
• Onboard new families to KIPP
• Oversee summer reading and credit recovery programs through FLVSO
• Other duties as outlined by school or regional leadership teams

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree and a relevant Master’s degree to meet Florida certification standards for Guidance and Counseling (Pre-K - Grade 12)
• Florida Teaching Certification or eligibility for certification in Guidance and Counseling (Pre-K - Grade 12)
• At least one complete year of school counseling experience with a proven track record of high achievement
• Alignment with KIPP Jacksonville’s core values: high expectations, growth mindset, commitment to team, trust, joy, and sustainability
• Passing a background check, as required by law (including screening through the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse per Florida House Bill 531)

Preferred Qualifications

• Two or more years of school-based high school counseling, including evidence of building systems and partnerships, or
• Two or more years of high school teaching experience with a proven track record of high achievement in the classroom

Pay

• Starting salary for a first-year school counselor: $53,000
• Additional stipends may be available (e.g., millage stipends, TSIA stipends, or other instructional stipends for certified staff). In the current year, certified New-to-KIPP instructional staff received an average of $11,000 in additional stipends.

Benefits

• Health benefits (medical, dental, and vision)
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• 403(b) retirement program with company match
• Individualized coaching and professional development