[26-27] GA School Counselor

Job Description

Job Description

OUR MISSION

Movement School is a growing network of free, public charter schools. We exist to love and value scholars and communities by leading a movement of excellence in education. In partnership with our families, we equip our scholars with the tools to close generational gaps through self-efficacy, access to world-class instruction, and financial education.

 

ABOUT THIS ROLE

Support the Whole Scholar. Strengthen the Whole School.

Movement School South Fulton is seeking a mission-aligned, highly relational, and student-centered School Counselor to lead the school's comprehensive counseling, mental health, student wellness, and attendance supports.

The School Counselor will provide direct counseling services to scholars, coordinate schoolwide mental health and wellness programming, partner with families and staff to address barriers to scholar success, and lead the school's attendance and truancy intervention efforts. This individual will work closely with school leaders, teachers, special education staff, families, and community partners to ensure scholars receive the social-emotional and mental health supports necessary to thrive academically and personally.

 

WHAT YOU'LL DO

You will lead the social-emotional, mental health, and attendance supports that allow every scholar to show up, engage, and thrive.

 

Scholar Counseling & Mental Health

• Lead and coordinate the school's comprehensive mental health and scholar wellness program

• Provide individual and small-group counseling to scholars experiencing social, emotional, behavioral, family, or school-related challenges

• Develop and facilitate preventative and responsive programming focused on topics such as emotional regulation, conflict resolution, coping skills, grief, peer relationships, and healthy decision-making

• Identify scholars requiring additional mental health support and coordinate referrals to appropriate school-based or community providers

• Support crisis response and intervention for scholars experiencing significant emotional, behavioral, or mental health concerns

• Maintain appropriate documentation and confidentiality related to scholar counseling and mental health services

• Develop partnerships with external mental health and community organizations to expand services available to scholars and families

Scholar & Family Support

• Serve as a trusted resource for scholars and families experiencing barriers that may impact a scholar's ability to attend school and succeed academically

• Meet with families to understand scholar needs and connect them with appropriate school and community resources

• Participate in parent conferences, student support meetings, and other family meetings when social-emotional, behavioral, attendance, or mental health concerns are present

• Collaborate with teachers and school leaders to develop individualized plans for scholars requiring additional support

• Help families navigate school and community resources related to mental health, housing, food insecurity, healthcare, and other needs when appropriate

Special Education & Student Support Teams

• Participate in IEP, 504, MTSS/SST, eligibility, re-evaluation, and family meetings as appropriate

• Provide relevant social-emotional, behavioral, attendance, and family context to multidisciplinary teams

• Collaborate with the Exceptional Children's Coordinator and service providers to ensure scholars with disabilities receive coordinated academic, behavioral, and social-emotional support

• Support the implementation and progress monitoring of student intervention plans when counseling or behavioral supports are included

Attendance & Truancy

• Serve as the school's lead for attendance intervention and truancy prevention

• Monitor schoolwide and individual scholar attendance data to identify patterns of chronic absenteeism, repeated tardiness, and scholars at risk of becoming chronically absent

• Coordinate timely outreach to families when attendance concerns arise

• Conduct attendance conferences with scholars and families and develop individualized attendance improvement plans

• Partner with school leadership and operations staff to ensure required attendance notices, documentation, interventions, and escalation procedures are completed

• Coordinate with external agencies and community partners when additional intervention is necessary

• Track the effectiveness of attendance interventions and regularly report trends and progress to school leadership

• Lead proactive initiatives that promote strong daily attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism

Schoolwide Scholar Wellness

• Develop a comprehensive annual counseling and mental health plan aligned to scholar and school needs

• Analyze counseling, behavior, attendance, and other student-support data to identify trends and determine priorities

• Partner with school leaders to strengthen a positive, inclusive, and supportive school culture

• Provide consultation and resources to teachers regarding scholar mental health, behavior, trauma-informed practices, and social-emotional needs

• Coordinate mental health awareness activities and other schoolwide wellness initiatives

• Support staff in responding appropriately to scholars experiencing significant personal or family challenges

 

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR

We need a compassionate, skilled, and mission-driven counselor who understands that removing barriers for scholars is just as important as instruction.

 

You will thrive in this role if you are:

• Deeply relational — you build trust with scholars, families, and staff and are seen as a go-to resource across the school community

• Skilled in crisis intervention, trauma-informed care, and evidence-based counseling practices

• A strong collaborator who works effectively within multidisciplinary teams including EC staff, administrators, and external providers

• Organized and detail-oriented in maintaining documentation, tracking data, and managing multiple concurrent responsibilities

• Proactive and systems-minded — you identify trends before they become crises and build sustainable supports

• Committed to equity and deeply aligned with Movement Schools' mission to love and value every scholar

 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's degree in School Counseling, Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or a closely related field preferred

• Appropriate Georgia certification or licensure in School Counseling, School Social Work, or a related student-support field strongly preferred

• Experience providing counseling or social-emotional services to elementary-aged students

• Experience working with families and scholars experiencing attendance, behavioral, mental health, or other barriers to school success

• Knowledge of school-based mental health supports, child development, crisis intervention, mandated reporting, and confidentiality requirements

 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of attendance and truancy intervention practices

• Experience participating in IEP, 504, MTSS/SST, or multidisciplinary student-support meetings

• Strong relationship-building, communication, organization, documentation, and problem-solving skills

 

COMPENSATION & SCHEDULE

• Starting Salary: $60,000, commensurate with experience and credentials

• Employment Type: Full-Time

• Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance; 403(b) retirement plan; FSA; and generous paid time off

• Schedule: Follows the academic calendar with pre-scheduled professional development days

• Additional Commitments: Occasional evenings or weekends for family engagement events and school-wide activities

 

WHY YOU'LL LOVE WORKING AT MOVEMENT

• Be part of a school community where your role is valued as essential — not ancillary — to scholar success

• Work alongside a passionate, mission-aligned team that believes deeply in the whole child

• Receive strong leadership support and genuine investment in your professional development

• Serve scholars and families in a community where your work creates real, lasting impact

• Competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package

 

OUR COMMITMENT

Movement Schools is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming community. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of required background checks, including GBI and FBI fingerprint clearance as required by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC).

 

Ready to Support Every Scholar?

If you are a skilled, compassionate, and mission-driven counselor who believes every scholar deserves the social-emotional support needed to thrive, we would love to hear from you. Apply today.