School Counselor

Position Type:
Teaching/School Counselor

Date Posted:
7/8/2026

Location:
District Wide

Date Available:
08/14/2026

Closing Date:
Until Filled
Job Summary:

Cook County School District 130 is seeking a dedicated, student-centered counselor to join the team at Nathan Hale Middle School. We are looking for an educator who is passionate about supporting the academic, social-emotional, and career development of young adolescents while partnering with staff and families to help every student thrive.

The Middle School Counselor develops and implements a comprehensive school counseling program aligned with the academic, career, and social-emotional needs of students in grades 6 8. The counselor collaborates with students, families, teachers, administrators, and community partners to promote student success, remove barriers to learning, and foster a safe, inclusive, and supportive school environment.

Primary Responsibilities:

Program Leadership

• Develops and implements a comprehensive school counseling program.
• Uses student data to evaluate program effectiveness and identify student needs.
• Collaborates with administration to establish annual counseling goals.

Student Services

• Provides individual and group counseling.
• Supports students experiencing academic, behavioral, or social-emotional challenges.
• Responds to student crises.

Collaboration

• Partners with teachers, families, and community agencies.
• Participates in MTSS/problem-solving meetings.
• Collaborates with the feeder high schools regarding student transitions.

School Programs

• Coordinates Step-Up Day.
• Assists with career exploration activities.
• Coordinates high school and career fairs.

Qualifications :

• Current and valid state of Illinois Professional Educator License with a school counselor endorsement.
• Two or more years of successful counseling experience with middle school students in a public-school setting preferred.
• Outstanding knowledge of adolescent development, social and environmental conditioning, cultural diversity, and family systems.
• Knowledge of comprehensive school counseling programs and evidence-based practices that support students' academic, career, and social-emotional development.
• Skilled listener, problem-solver, and relationship builder.
• Builds trusting relationships with students and families.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Experience using student data to drive interventions.
• Bilingual (Spanish) preferred.

Salary and Benefits:

• Starting salary begins at $60,697 , with placement on the salary schedule based on verified education and up to twenty years of qualifying full-time teaching experience. (Please click the link to view the current salary schedule).
• Qualified candidates may be granted up to twenty years of verified full-time teaching experience for credit on the salary schedule.
• You will be paired with an experienced educator through our comprehensive Teacher Mentoring Program.
• The District offers a competitive benefits package, which includes health (Blue Cross Blue Shield), dental (Guardian), vision (VSP) and life insurance plans (2026-2027 CCSD130 Benefit Summary Guide).
• Access to a $100 annual Employee Wellness Program reimbursement and a high quality Employee Assistance Program for you and your family.

Working Conditions:

• 180-day school year
• Student attendance calendar (August May)
• Daily work hours: 7:45 a.m. 2:45 p.m.