Counselor - Elementary School

Santa Fe South Public Schools•Oklahoma City, OK

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Elementary School Counselor at Trinity Elementary plays a critical role in supporting students’ social, emotional, behavioral, and academic development. Working in close partnership with site leadership, teachers, district crisis counselors, families, and community partners, the counselor helps ensure students have the support and resources they need to thrive at school. This position is structured as approximately 80% counseling services and 20% administrative and school support. The counselor provides individual and small-group counseling, delivers developmentally appropriate guidance lessons, supports attendance intervention efforts, connects families with resources, and helps identify and respond to student needs. Because Trinity serves young children, the counselor is also an important partner in helping students build foundational skills such as emotional regulation, problem-solving, conflict resolution, self-advocacy, and healthy relationships. While the counselor works closely with site administrators to support student behavior and well-being, the counselor does not serve as a school disciplinarian or administer consequences. Instead, the counselor partners with leadership, teachers, students, and families to identify underlying needs, develop appropriate supports, and help students build the skills necessary for success.

Requirements

Master’s degree in School Counseling or a related field required.
Oklahoma certification as a School Counselor preferred ; candidates actively working toward certification may be considered.
Experience working with elementary-aged children strongly preferred.
Demonstrated ability to support students’ social, emotional, behavioral, and academic development.
Strong communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills with students, families, and colleagues.
Knowledge of crisis intervention, mandatory reporting requirements, and student safety procedures.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment when handling sensitive student and family information.
Strong organizational and documentation skills.
Commitment to continued professional growth, collaboration, and feedback.

Nice To Haves

Love working with young children and understand the unique developmental needs of elementary students.
Believe deeply in supporting the whole child—academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally.
Build authentic relationships with students and families.
Approach challenging student behavior with curiosity, empathy, consistency, and a focus on skill development.
Enjoy working closely with teachers and school leaders rather than operating independently.
Are comfortable balancing direct student services with the broader needs of a growing school.
Bring warmth, professionalism, flexibility, and a solution-oriented mindset to their work.
Thrive in a mission-driven environment with high expectations for both adults and students.

Responsibilities

Provide individual and small-group counseling to address students’ academic, social, emotional, and behavioral needs in developmentally appropriate ways.
Help students develop skills related to emotional regulation, coping, friendship, conflict resolution, problem-solving, and self-advocacy.
Deliver classroom guidance lessons and other schoolwide supports based on identified student needs.
Conduct student observations and consultations to help identify appropriate interventions and supports.
Advocate for students’ mental health, well-being, and access to appropriate services.
Develop and implement individualized student support plans when appropriate.
Provide short-term support while helping families access additional services when students require needs beyond the scope of school-based counseling.
Build strong, trusting relationships with students and serve as a safe, supportive adult within the school community.
Partner with teachers and administrators to create a positive, structured, and supportive learning environment.
Maintain proactive and compassionate communication with parents and guardians regarding student needs, progress, and concerns.
Collaborate with district crisis counselors, school leadership, and community organizations to coordinate appropriate student and family supports.
Serve as a resource to teachers by helping identify strategies for students experiencing social, emotional, behavioral, or family-related challenges.
Participate in school initiatives, family engagement opportunities, and student-focused events.
Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential documentation of counseling services, student contacts, referrals, and interventions.
Coordinate services for students receiving multiple layers of support.
Connect students and families with appropriate school, district, and community-based resources.
Follow up with families and service providers as appropriate to support continuity of care.
Maintain confidentiality while following all applicable legal, ethical, and district requirements related to student information.
Respond appropriately when students may be at risk of harm, including concerns related to suicidal ideation, child abuse or neglect, or threats of harm to self or others.
Follow all district protocols, mandatory reporting requirements, and student safety procedures.
Collaborate with site leadership, district crisis counselors, families, and outside agencies when appropriate to ensure student safety.
Provide developmentally appropriate support to students and staff following crises or other significant events affecting the school community.
Support attendance intervention efforts by partnering with students, families, teachers, and administrators to identify barriers to consistent school attendance.
Analyze student information related to attendance, academics, behavior, and counseling referrals to identify trends and areas of need.
Help develop and implement targeted interventions based on identified student needs.
Contribute to schoolwide initiatives that promote positive behavior, belonging, mental health, and a strong school culture.
Monitor the effectiveness of student supports and adjust interventions in collaboration with teachers and school leadership.
Supporting schoolwide testing coordination, including potentially serving as Building Test Coordinator.
Assisting with schoolwide events, family engagement activities, and student celebrations.
Supporting schoolwide systems and initiatives that contribute to effective campus operations.
Assisting with arrival, dismissal, transitions, or other shared campus responsibilities as needed.
Performing additional duties assigned by the principal or designated supervisor.