School Counselor

Job Description

Job Description

Exploris is a long-standing and award-winning independent public charter school in downtown Raleigh that uses innovative teaching models such as co-teaching, project-based learning, and standards-based grading. We pride ourselves on our core values of Innovation, Relationships, Social Empowerment, Curiosity, Craftsmanship, Responsibility, Connections to Nature, and Reflection, and we use downtown resources and community partners to help connect our scholars to real-world issues. 

Exploris prides itself on the commitment, compassion, talent, and expertise of the people who work here. Parents choose to send their children to Exploris because they know their children will be taught by individuals who go above and beyond for the sake of student learning and who develop strong relationships with their students.

The School Counselor will, as a member of the Student Support Team, plan, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive program of guidance and counseling services. Responsibilities include direct counseling services, guidance curriculum development, and behavior support systems. The School Counselor will also provide a proactive developmental guidance program to support all students in maximizing their personal growth and development.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support students in building positive connections with their peers, crew leaders, grade-level teachers, and other adults.

• Lead the school in outside-of-school opportunities for mentoring, internships, and apprenticeships for students and teachers.

• Foster relationships between students and community members.

• Provide direct solution-focused counseling services to Exploris students.

• Provide crisis counseling and intervention.

• Facilitate counseling groups as needed.

• Develop and maintain knowledge of local mental health and community resources, and provide these referrals to Exploris families as needed.

• Teach a school developmental guidance curriculum based on Responsive Classroom and Positive Discipline approaches, with a Restorative Justice mindset.

• Help teachers incorporate guidance-related and team-building into daily Crew meetings.

• Consult with parents, teachers, administrators, and other relevant people to enhance their work with students.

• Collaborate with administrative, leadership, teaching, and parent teams to obtain access to community resources for students.

• Live out the “relationship” portion of the school’s mission, building professional relationships with students, teachers, administrators, parents, volunteers, business partners, and others.

• Implement an effective referral process to help students and others use special programs and services.

• Plan school guidance and counseling programs to ensure they meet the identified needs of the k-8 student body.

• Develop and coordinate the continuing evaluation of the guidance program and make changes based on the findings.

• Compile, maintain, and file all required physical and computerized reports, records, and other documents.

QUALIFICATIONS 

• To work as a school counselor in a North Carolina public school, one must hold a license specifically in school counseling. To be licensed as a Professional School Counselor in North Carolina, one is required to:

  • Have a master's degree in school counseling from an accredited university, and

  • Pass the Professional School Counselor Praxis exam. 

  • There are routes to provisional licensure as described in State Board of Education Policy LICN-001. Under this policy, individuals who have partially met licensure requirements or hold master's degrees in other areas of counseling may be employed by a school district as school counselors while enrolled in a university program to complete the additional requirements for licensure.

In addition, we prefer team members who:

• Demonstrate knowledge and experience in counseling procedures, positive behavior supports, and responsive practices. 

• Are collaborative yet decisive.

• Are high-energy, self-starters.

• Can be problem-solvers extraordinaire.

• Model kindness, empathy, and self-control.

• Are motivational, inspirational, and empowering.

• Demonstrate outstanding communication skills in written/oral, group/individual, and internal/external formats.

• Hold a no-excuses, can-do mentality.

• Are adventurous, playful (someone who enjoys and appreciates the natural world, being outside, playing games and initiatives with staff and students).

• Embrace the mission, vision, and goals of the organization, including having high expectations for all Exploris students to develop fully and holistically.