Company Description

About KIPP Texas Public Schools 

KIPP Texas Public Schools is a network of 57 public charter, open-enrollment, pre-k-12 schools educating nearly 34,000 students across Austin, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. Together with families and communities, our mission is to create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose - college, career, and beyond - so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.

Founded in Houston in 1994, and operating as KIPP Texas since 2018, our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism in our classrooms, in our offices, and in the communities we serve is unwavering. We are looking to hire a diverse team of dynamic, collaborative, and dedicated individuals with an unyielding belief that every child will succeed. Join our Team and Family and champion equity, chase excellence, persist with purpose, bring joy, and help us rise together.

KIPP Public Schools is a national network of public charter schools that prepares students with the skills and confidence to create the future they want for themselves, their communities, and us all. We are a network of 280 schools, nearly 15,000 educators, and 175,000 students and alumni.

You can see all our job opportunities at https://kipptexas.org/join-our-team/.

Job Description

Utilizing leadership, advocacy, and collaboration, the School Mental Health Counselor will promote student success, provide preventative services, and respond to identified student needs by implementing a comprehensive developmental school mental health program that seeks to meet the needs of the whole student. The School Mental Health Counselor will seek to develop and facilitate programming that effectively removes barriers to learning and equip students with the necessary tools needed to navigate their educational experience and beyond.

KIPP Student Support Services (S3) exists to prevent, respond to, and minimize the barriers to learning that KIPP Texas students may experience. Reporting to the School Leader/Principal, the School Mental Health Counselor is responsible for developing, coordinating, and facilitating comprehensive mental health programming at their assigned school. This may include providing direct support to students, coordinating resources for families, coordinating data-driven interventions and programming, and facilitating professional development for staff and parents. This position furthers the mission of KIPP Texas as it helps ensure that all students have the tools they need to learn.

Duties and Essential Job Functions:

The School Mental Health Counselor will have responsibilities such as, but not limited to, the following:

• Selects and administers age appropriate assessment methods and materials in order to determine the needs of the student.
• Develops and implements direct intervention strategies for students, teachers, and families to resolve stressors and remove barriers that interfere with student success. 
• Conducts specialized individual and group counseling sessions to address specific emotional, social, and behavioral needs of students.
• Mobilizes and coordinates community resources for students and families to address academic, behavioral, emotional, and social needs.
• Develops and creates strategies for parents, teachers, and students on instructional and behavioral issues.
• Develops and builds community agency partnerships with service providers to expand resources available to students and families.
• Provides crisis management services, including assessing for safety.
• Advocates for student services and students’ best interests.
• Provides case management services including, but not limited to, referrals to community resources, collaboration with other professionals.
• Provides trainings and workshops to teachers, school staff and parents
• Serves as a liaison between the student, home, school, private counseling facilities and community resources such as social services, court services, and family service agencies.
• Acts as a member of the regional and state crisis response team. 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Ability to synthesize knowledge and present it to stakeholders, including parents, students, and administrators, in a comprehensive manner
• Ability to work both on broad-based strategy and everyday details
• Independent, self-starter with a strong focus on student development
• Strong organizational and planning skills
• Possession of a passionate and loving attitude toward all children
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)
• Proficiency using computers, printers, copy machines, and fax machines
• Reliable transportation is needed to travel between campuses

Qualifications

Required Education and/or Experience: 

Accomplished professional experience in one or more of the following settings: PK-12 schools, early childhood centers, out-of-school-time programs. The ideal candidate will have the following experience, expertise, and skills:

• Master’s degree in school psychology, social work, psychology, counseling or related field.
• Must hold one of the following license types: LPC-I, LPC-A, LPC, LPC-S, LMSW, LCSW, or LMFT. 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Training/adult education experience.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Demonstrated facility with utilizing data to inform programmatic decisions.

Additional Information

Compensation and Benefits

As a full-time KIPP Texas employee you are eligible to participate in all KIPP Texas’ benefit plans. KIPP Texas offers a robust variety of benefits choices with competitive rates, including medical, dental, and vision options, life insurance, and disability plans.

KIPP provides equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability.