High School Guidance Counselor (2023-2024)

ABOUT ACHIEVERS:

Achievers Early College Prep Charter School (AECP) is New Jersey's first public charter school for students in grades 6-12 that provides them with the unique opportunity to take a course of study in STEM fields and Digital Media Arts following the 8th grade and earn up to 60 college credits, enabling students to redefine the high school experience and graduate with skills, experiences, and content mastery that's significant to them in the market place and the world beyond.

ACHIEVERS FIT:

• Evidence of self-motivation and willingness to be a team player
• Exhibits a laser-focus on rigorous instruction by emphasizing student engagement with complex texts, critical thinking, and comprehensive literary analysis
• Experience in school(s) which rely heavily on intervention, literacy, and learning as a means to dramatically increasing student achievement develop content knowledge and skills (preferred)
• Unwavering commitment to feedback, improvement, and notion of "I'M ALL IN!"
• Thrives in a small-school environment (comfort with change and ambiguity, takes initiative)
• Demonstrates a passion for and commitment to Achievers Early College Prep's mission
• Strong skill in analyzing student work and student data, coupled with a deep commitment to data-driven decision making
• Belief in and alignment with Achievers core beliefs and educational philosophy is non-negotiable!
• Culturally aware, culturally sensitive, and asset-based thinking a MUST!

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The College Counselor will have three primary functions: helping students to plan and track their credits, guiding students in their college search and application process, and teaching lessons to students, in order to achieve 100% college acceptance or post-high school opportunity; additionally, the college counselor will work closely with our instructional and advisory teams to engage their support in navigating early college success.

In the counseling function, the college counselor will meet individually with all students to support their college application process. This includes supporting the search - finding a "best-fit" college, based on students' interests, needs and strengths. The counselor will be familiar with PSAT, SAT and Accuplacer, as well as manage the AP credit process. The counselor will serve as part of the ninth grade summer bridge team to assist rising 9th graders with the transition from middle school.

In their senior year, students will be guided through the college application process by the college counselor. This also includes supporting students through the financial aid processes - including finding scholarship opportunities and helping students understand financial aid. Ultimately, the college counselor's primary accountability is towards college acceptance - with 100% of students being accepted to a four-year university or a post-high school opportunity that leaders to a STEAM career.

In the teaching function, the college counselor will instruct students around topics in the college search, application and financial aid processes. Additionally, aspects of college life, preparing for autonomy and accessing resources on a college campus will be topics that students need to master through the instruction of the college counselor.

Qualifications

• Passionate about increasing the college attainment rate in urban communities
• Certain that all students can go to college
• Resourceful and persistent, constantly seeking to improve upon results
• Someone who strives to be the best at what they do and has fun along the way
• A graduate of a four-year university
• Committed to personalizing learning for each student and willing to learn with us as we innovate in our use of space, time, the role of teachers, and technology
• A Social Worker certificate, Guidance Counselor certificate, prior Upwardbound or high school experience is desired
• Comfortable with a high degree of transparency around results and accountability for results
• A collaborative team player who works well with other adults and engages in healthy conflict to get the best results for students
• Entrepreneurial and enjoys having autonomy, flexibility and accountability
• Supportive of our warm/strict discipline model and effective in maintaining a consistent, disciplined classroom

Responsibilities (including but not limited to)

• Liaisons with various agencies (DSS, DJJ, etc.) and institutions (churches, universities, etc.) in order to assist in effecting positive change for students and families that will translate into improved school adjustment and achievement for the child.
• Collaborates with school staff including other mental health providers assigned to respective schools.
• Chair academic conferences with parents i.e. promotion in doubt
• Provides mandated workshops on child abuse and child neglect to all school staff.
• Counsels students individually and in groups.
• Incorporate students' parents as partners in the learning process. Keep parents apprised of student's progress, attitude and behavior. Keep scheduled appointments and be accessible to parents when they have questions
• Serves as a member of Crisis Intervention Teams.
• Monitors school climates and finds ways of positively impacting that environment for children.
• Provides consultation with school staff and parents concerning the growth and development of individual students.
• Serves as an advocate for children and for parents around issues that are negatively impacting a child's success in school.
• Collaborates with special education teacher and serves on as a liaison with CSE.
• Identifies, assesses and when warranted and possible, modifies social-emotional, cultural, economics as well as other environmental factors impacting negatively on a child's success in school.
• Identifies and assesses learning and behavior problems, including factors in the school environment contributing to student problems.
• Provides group counseling, educational workshops, and other services to parents on topics such as parenting, stress reduction