Guidance Counselor

Wissahickon Charter School•Philadelphia, PA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Wissahickon Charter School is seeking a Guidance Counselor for our Fernhill site for the 2026-27 school year. The Guidance Counselor's primary responsibilities include providing individual and group counseling and crisis intervention across grades K-8. The position also includes helping to manage the high school admissions process and teaching guidance classes. The ideal candidate will have a Master's degree or License in Social Work or Counseling and will have experience working with students in an urban setting.

Requirements

Master's degree in a position-related field
All required FBI & PA clearances
Belief that all children can learn and succeed
Belief in WCS's mission and vision
Collaborative work style; including maturity, humility, and a sense of humor
Strong oral and written communication skills with all constituents
High level of personal organization, planning, and follow-through
Flexibility to adjust strategies in order to reach goals
Receptiveness to feedback, positive attitude, and a desire to continuously improve
Willingness to speak openly and honestly about issues of race and equity and to work to dismantle white supremacist culture

Nice To Haves

Master's in Counseling or Social Work
Minimum of 2 years counseling experience in an urban school
Familiarity/experience with Philadelphia high school admissions process
Prior K-8 teaching experience

Responsibilities

Counseling Working with the existing guidance counselor, establish schedules and provide individual, group and IEP-mandated counseling
Work as part of the administrative team to determine trends in students' social and emotional needs across the school
Work collaboratively with the existing guidance counselor, school leaders, teachers, learning specialists, and other staff to support students
Provide crisis prevention/ intervention, including steps related to child abuse, suicide, bullying and homelessness
Support classroom teachers with behavior and emotional concerns of students
Act as a liaison for outside agencies as needed
Participate in student-focused meetings and hearings
Establish and maintain relationships with families through regular communication, updates and opportunities for involvement
Track student data to help inform interventions
Supervise and monitor the Peace Center, our hub for student-led conflict resolution
High School Application Preparation Stay abreast of current high school admissions processes
Build and maintain relationships with School District of Philadelphia, charter, private, parochial and alternative high schools and admissions staff
Coordinate and manage all administrative duties related to the high school admissions process, including hosting events for families and students and working with teachers to provide necessary documentation
Teaching Plan and teach up to 8 guidance classes a week to 5th-8th graders, including content related to high school admissions, career planning, puberty, sexual education, financial literacy and other topics relevant to students' needs
Consistently implement classroom management and grading practices
Exemplify WCS's CARES values (Collaboration, Academic Excellence, Responsibility, Empathy, Self-Reflection) in interactions with all students, families, colleagues and community partners
Seek out and be receptive to feedback from the Middle School Principal, existing guidance counselor, and peers
Participate in all professional development and team planning meetings