Secondary Counselor (2026 - 2027 School Year)

Position Summary

The primary responsibilities are to provide a comprehensive counseling program for all students and consult with teachers, parents, and staff to enhance their effectiveness in helping students grow socially, emotionally, personally, and educationally. Utilizing leadership, advocacy, and collaboration, school counselors promote student success, provide preventive services, and respond to identified student needs by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program that addresses academic, career and person/social development for all students.

Position Responsibilities

• Implement a school guidance curriculum based on the Department of Elementary and Secondary (DESE) guidance found on their website
• Counsel individuals and groups of students through the development of educational, personal, social, and career plans and goals
• Counsel with and train teachers, parents, and staff regarding children’s needs in the areas of trauma, behavior, social, and emotional development
• Refer children with needs and their parents to special programs, specialists and other outside agencies
• Participate in and coordinate activities that contribute to the effective operation of the counseling program
• Conduct whole class counseling sessions on topics including but not limited to friendship, bullying, self-esteem, good touch/bad touch, etc.
• Help create and sustain a positive learning environment for all students
• Aid in creating and implementing behavior plans for identified students
• Provide outlets and avenues for students to communicate with staff, serving as a liaison to empower students, develop leadership skills, and build healthy relationships built on trust
• Establish and set goals while tracking gains in student performance
• Participate in meetings, training, and professional development
• Help lead building professional development sessions on Social Emotional and counseling-related topics
• Collaborate with District Social Emotional Learning Coordinator (SEL) team members to create and implement streamlined student supports
• Serve as the building's McKinney Vento contact
• Coordinate family supports via the Impact Mo model
• Oversee the food pantry for the assigned building
• Meet professional obligations through efficient work habits such as meeting deadlines, honoring schedules, coordinating, etc.
• Act in a professional and ethical manner at all times and comply with school policies, procedures, and expectations
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by their supervisor

Skills And Qualifications

• Missouri Certification: Counselor K-12
• Bachelor’s Degree required; Master’s Degree preferred, Licensed Professional Counselor
• Minimum five years of elementary school counseling experience preferred
• Strong familiarity with education and child welfare policies and best practices and a motivation to continue expanding that knowledge base through self-study and interaction with peers
• Excellent organization skills and an ability to coordinate multiple tasks and activities
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills and an ability to keep multiple stakeholder groups, including parents, teachers, staff, volunteers and partners, informed of critical issues, activities and schedules
• Ability and enthusiasm for promoting the school and its mission to a broad and diverse group of people
• Excellent work ethic, positive attitude, flexibility and willingness to perform tasks assigned
• Demonstrates ethical behavior and confidentiality of information about students and teachers in the school environment and community
• Must pass an extensive background check