Wellness Counselor Intern

Job Description

Job Description

At Rocketship Public Schools, we believe in the infinite possibility of human potential.  We believe that every student deserves the right to dream, to discover, and to develop their unique potential and it is our responsibility and our privilege to unleash the potential inside every Rocketeer we serve. Our non-profit network of public elementary charter schools propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community. We are a collective of parents, teachers, leaders, and students working together to transform the future for underserved communities across our country. At Rocketship Public Schools, we are unleashing potential.

Our Multi-Tier Systems Support (MTSS) Team serves all students, including across all disabilities (mild, moderate, and severe), through an innovative approach that includes coaching and deep partnership with our general education partners, integrated special education (ISE) partners, school leaders, and related service providers. To best serve our Rocketeers we work to serve students across all areas of need: academic, social-emotional, and behavior.

Position Summary: 

Based in San Jose, CA and reporting to the Manager of Wellness Counselors, the Wellness Counselor Intern will provide direct mental health services to general education students, as well as providing consultation and coaching to school leaders and teachers regarding issues of trauma, mental health, behavior, and community resources.

The Wellness Counselor Intern will serve one to two school sites which may include schools in San Jose, Redwood City, Concord, or Antioch. The Wellness Counselor Intern will partner closely with school psychologists, behavior intervention specialists, special education case managers, school leaders, general education teachers and program specialists to provide direct mental health services and support with ongoing implementation and coaching of strategies to help students succeed in their classrooms. The Wellness Counselor Intern may also be involved in crisis level support and creation of safety plans for students with more significant safety concerns, as well as provide parent training and/or workshops to support students beyond the classroom.

This position requires a willingness and openness to working with students with emotional and behavioral needs. It requires a commitment to serving students in an inclusion model as much as possible and appropriate, and a desire to think critically and creatively about how to support challenging behaviors in the general education classroom setting.

Essential Functions:

• Duties will include, but not be limited to: 
• Create treatment plans and goals to address educationally related mental health service for the purposes of fostering better mental health and positive learning environments for students at all Tiers (Social Skills Groups, Gen-Ed Counseling, Behavior Supports). 
• Provide culturally appropriate and sensitive school-based mental health services in the forms of individual, group, and therapeutic case management, crisis intervention, and consultation services as required by the student’s general education plan.
• Provide crisis intervention for both general education students and special education students as needed. 
• Collaborate with and be a part of any coordinated meetings (SST meetings, MTSS meetings) as the mental health professional. 
• Maintain case notes for student services provided in compliance with the state licensing board and professional code of ethics.
• Provide consultation with parents, teachers, and other appropriate staff regarding the student’s program and any adaptations/materials needed to facilitate improved performance in the classroom or at home.
• Maintain relationships and effectively communicate with school leaders, teachers, and parents in all facets of the position.
• Ensure implementation and fidelity of behavior supports plans including creation, progress monitoring, and ongoing support.
• Maintain a close working relationship with other members of the Network Support ISE Team (NeST—Rocketship’s centralized office that operates in support of its schools and regions) to ensure exchange of best practices, coordination of efforts, and general support for the Integrated Special Education department.
• Lead parent training to teach skills in regards to supporting a student’s mental health and social emotional learning. 
• Ensure the MTSS Team is viewed as positive supports to the organization’s mission that are fully aligned with Rocketship’s Core Characteristics (Innovation, Pursuit of Excellence, Authenticity, Community, and Tenacity), and not as bureaucratic obstacles to serving the needs of the students.

Qualifications:

• Active and current enrollment in a Master’s Level (or higher) Mental Health Program (e.g. MSW, MFT, PCC, or School Counseling/PPSC) (required)
• Commitment to Rocketship’s special education inclusion model and overall mission to close the achievement gap within our lifetime
• Familiarity with socio-emotional learning competencies, trauma informed education practices, multi-tiered systems of supports (MTSS), and restorative practices 
• (highly preferred)
• Strong organizational skills as demonstrated by the ability to effectively manage multiple tasks
• Ability to travel between multiple sites (required) 
• Thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment Ability to be flexible and adaptive in a work environment that is still evolving
• Perform a variety of specialized and responsible tasks: maintain records, establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with students, parents, other school personnel, meet schedule and compliance deadlines
• Possession of a valid California driver’s license: willingness to provide own transportation in conduct of work assignments as you will be required to travel from site to site to work with students and faculty at all sites (mileage reimbursed)

Additional Details:

• The Wellness Counselor Intern position will be on the site-based staff calendar, which includes time off for holidays and traditional school breaks.
• Stipend upon completion of the school year

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and communicate with both adults and children. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally climb ladders. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to high.

Compensation:

Commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus excellent health and wellness benefits, 403b retirement plan, flexible spending account (FSA), and generous paid time off.

Rocketship Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Rocketship Public Schools complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Rocketship Public Schools expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Rocketship Public Schools’ employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated. Click here for our Sexual Harassment Policy. For questions, concerns, or complaints, please contact Human Resources.