High School: School Counselor (Social and Emotional) - Greater Boston

Our Mission

Together with our families and communities, we create joyful and identity-affirming schools where students achieve excellent and equitable academic outcomes. We believe doing this ensures that our students are prepared to pursue any path they choose — college, career, and beyond — so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world. Our program is based on:

• A focus on high-quality instruction supported by rigorous professional development to ensure that our students develop the academic skills necessary to pursue the life they choose.
• A high regard for character development to ensure that our students and staff celebrate and develop their character and identity strengths.
• An emphasis on family engagement, because we believe that our students are most likely to be able to maximize their potential when we work in partnership with our students and their families.
• A focus on college readiness for all students so that all students can make choices about their post-secondary education and future.

What We Do

We seek to provide a world-class education for students from educationally underserved communities in Lynn and Boston. Our student demographics mirror those of neighborhood schools in terms of race, socioeconomic status, Multilingual Learners (MLL), and students who receive special education services.

Our promise to families is that their children will enter college and the professional world able to thrive academically due to their literacy, numeracy, and core knowledge in science and social studies. We also promise that our students will develop the zest for learning and grit necessary to persevere as they climb the mountain to and through college and career. Our graduates will be prepared to return to their community as teachers, leaders, and architects of continued growth in Lynn and Boston.

Who We Are

KIPP Massachusetts began enrolling students in 2004. We currently hold two charters, operating two “districts.” Our first district, KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School, is based in Lynn, MA. Our second district, KIPP Academy Boston Charter School, is based in Mattapan, MA. Each district is housed on one or more “campuses,” which we use to refer to different grade spans, for example, elementary grades, middle school grades, or high school grades.

In Lynn, KIPP Academy Lynn Elementary (serving grades K-4), KIPP Academy Lynn Middle (serving grades 5-8), and KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate (serving grades 9-12), are all under our Lynn charter. Admission to any grade in the Lynn district is admission to all remaining grades in the Lynn district K-12. 74% of our students in Lynn are Hispanic, 15% are Black, 3% are multiracial, 5% White, and 4% Asian. 

In Boston, KIPP Academy Boston (serving grades K-8) is under our Boston charter. Admission to any grade in the Boston district is admission to all remaining grades in the Boston district K-8. 36% of our students in Boston are Hispanic, 59% are Black, 3% are multiracial, 1% are White, and 1% are American Indian or Alaskan Native.

Across both districts, we serve over 2,200 students. KIPP MA has a Regional Office, with teams such as Teaching and Learning, Talent and Operations, which supports both districts.

KIPP Foundation

KIPP Massachusetts partners with the KIPP Foundation, which is a non-profit national network of college-preparatory public charter schools serving elementary, middle and high school students. The KIPP Network has a 30+ year track record of preparing our students in educationally underserved communities for success in college and life.

The KIPP Public Schools Network is made up of 278 K-12 schools, 28 regional support organizations, and the nonprofit KIPP Foundation. We are a national network with nearly 16,500 educators and 190,000 students and alumni. Together, we continually raise the bar for teaching and learning, then ensure success in one classroom travels across our network to hundreds more. We believe that excellent academic, safe and structured schools, empowered teachers, an emphasis on character development and support through college and career are the foundation for student success, and we strive to provide this for every student.

All KIPP schools, whether they are in Massachusetts or in other states, are part of the free public school system in their respective states and enrollment is open to all students. KIPP public charter schools are given more academic and budgetary flexibility than traditional public schools, and in exchange commit to deliver high-quality academic results for students.

Job Description

School Counselor (Social and Emotional) at KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School

At KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School, we believe our students’ character and emotional growth is inextricably linked to their academic progress. Our school counselors play a vital role in shaping the culture of our schools and helping students lead a life of impact and choice. School counselors are responsible for supporting the emotional, social, academic, and character growth and well-being of KIPP Academy Lynn Charter School students and families. Counselors are an integral part of the KIPP team working to ensure our students succeed in school and go on to lead self-sufficient, successful, and happy lives.

This role requires consistent and reliable demonstration of the following essential job functions and key responsibilities:

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Manage aspects of the referral process for social services, partnerships, and special education services, including:

• Provide support and documentation for all students with IEPs

• Meet regularly with students who have mandated counseling on their IEPs

• Conduct regular assessments of current and emerging student and family needs

• Develop and maintain partnerships with external agencies

• Refer individuals and families to external resources and services and collaborating with said services

• Consult with the school’s Student Response Teams to develop comprehensive supports and interventions to students who are presenting challenging behaviors.

• Communicate effectively with students, families, and colleagues, and respond to family concerns promptly and effectively.

• Participate actively in team meetings, school-wide activities, professional development, and other events.

• Directly support the students’ social and emotional health to ensure their well-being and safety.

• Communicate with proper support staff about student behavior, attendance, and other possible challenges, and support Principal, Deans, and teachers when discipline issues arise.

• Provide recommendations to the staff and leadership team around approaches to working with struggling students.

• Establish a professional rapport and strong relationship with students, staff, and families.

• Display the highest ethical and professional behavior and confidentiality when working with students, parents, and staff.

School and Professional Responsibilities

• Participate in school-wide and individual professional development, including pre-service training over the summer and weekly during the academic year

• Take ownership for the development of your craft and seek feedback from your coach (meet 1x/1-2 weeks with coach, implement feedback, engage in co-planning and active practices, participate in live coaching, etc.)

• Perform necessary support duties including (but not limited to) coverage, bus, lunch, and dismissal duties

• Develop strong relationships with families through participating in school events and consistent phone calls home

• Be willing to offer support and receive constructive feedback from colleagues in order to create a professional working atmosphere that is conducive to accountability, change, and improvement

• Collaborate with grade level and content teams to tackle common challenges and implement grade-wide systems, sharing responsibility for all students

• Dependable attendance according to our school calendar

General Requirements and Responsibilities

• Embody KIPP MA’s Code of Conduct by acting with integrity, leading with humanity, centering self-awareness and critical consciousness, taking personal responsibility, and engaging productively

• Participate and engage in regional professional development and community events as required

• Demonstrated ability to collect and interpret data, evaluate, reason, define problems, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, and make reasonable judgments and decisions in a timely manner in accordance with the needs of the school

• Self-awareness, flexibility and emotional intelligence to navigate a setting with students who express diverse needs

• The consistent use of interpersonal and self-management skills to effectively support behavioral and emotional needs of students to ensure a safe and inclusive environment, as well as build relationships and manage conflict with students, staff, and caregivers

• Effective communication skills to perform assigned duties and to meaningfully exchange information with students, staff, families and others in person, through written communication, in front of groups, and on virtual platforms

• Physical mobility to move self in various positions in order to execute duties effectively, which may include kneeling, walking, pushing/pulling, squatting, twisting, turning, bending, stooping and reaching overhead

• Physical strength sufficient to periodically lift and/or carry 20 pounds of materials or supplies and to physically restrain a student to keep from harming themself and/or others in an emergency situation

• Manual dexterity sufficient to perform repetitive hand/wrist/arm motions and to operate a computer and office equipment

• Please note that any employee who serves in the role of a school counselor must obtain informed consent, using the School’s Informed Consent Form, from at least one parent or guardian prior to providing counseling services to the student. If the parents or guardians are separated, divorced or never married, the school counselor should use best efforts to obtain written informed consent from both parents or guardians, unless prevented from doing so by mitigating circumstances. In situations where written consent cannot be obtained despite best efforts, the provider should obtain verbal consent from the applicable parents or guardians, document the conversation, and keep a copy with the student’s counseling records. Regardless of the form, informed consent to treatment must be obtained from at least one parent or guardian; for minors whose parents are divorced, separated, or never married, ideally from both.

KIPP MA staff are supported in their demanding work by experienced and dedicated leadership and staff who have themselves proven successful in the teaching role. Our leaders maintain consistent school-wide systems and procedures - academic, behavioral, cultural, logistical - designed to permit staff to do their best work. 

In addition to the responsibilities listed above, there will occasionally be other duties as assigned that staff will engage in to help promote a positive and safe learning environment and culture.

Qualifications

• Deep alignment with KIPP MA’s mission and values, including the unwavering belief in the high potential of all students

• Computer literacy and baseline familiarity with Google Suite

• MSW or Master’s degree in counseling-related discipline (required)

• Licensure through DESE, the Board of Allied Mental Health and Human Services or the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Social Work (required)

• Experience working within a school environment or extensive work with children or young adults

• Experience in therapeutic modalities related to children and families in traditionally underserved communities, including assessment and treatment of trauma.

• A strong work ethic, extensive knowledge of child and adolescent development, and a documented track record of personal and professional success

• Oral and written proficiency in Spanish or Haitian Creole are highly preferred

• Pass Criminal Background Checks

KIPP MA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe in building a vibrant and welcoming school community that advances our mission of ensuring that all KIPP students graduate with the skills and confidence to lead fulfilling lives. This includes a commitment to attracting and developing individuals who understand the experiences of the students and communities we serve. We hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability.

Additional Information

The minimum base salary for this exempt position is $58,000 to $88,000 (per 1.0 FTE/45 hours per week), depending on experience. The role includes a $1,000 signing bonus—and an annual $2,000 retention bonus in subsequent years, as well as other bonuses, when eligible. This role follows our School Year calendar. For more about what we offer, how to apply and more about KIPP MA, please visit this link HERE.