Middle School Counselor

Indiana Public Schools • Indianapolis, IN

36d

About The Position

The Middle School Counselor will provide comprehensive counseling services to students, parents, and staff, addressing academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs to ensure student success. The counselor will support students in overcoming barriers to learning, assist families in accessing appropriate resources, and collaborate with educators to create a positive and inclusive school climate.

Requirements

• Master's degree in School Counseling or a related field.
• Licensed School Counselor (or ability to obtain appropriate certification/licensure).
• Prior experience working in a school setting and/or supervised practicum in an accredited school.
• Experience working with diverse student populations.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
• A proactive problem solver with initiative and teamwork skills.
• Passion for urban education and a commitment to high academic and behavioral standards.
• Strong analytical, facilitation, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Professional demeanor with confidence and a commitment to fostering a positive school environment.

Nice To Haves

• Spanish bilingual preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide individual and group counseling to students to support their academic, social, and emotional well-being.
• Develop and implement school-wide programs that promote student success and well-being.
• Respond to referrals from teachers, administration, and the student support team to provide direct interventions and support services.
• Support attendance initiatives by meeting with students and parents to address attendance issues and develop action plans.
• Assist the school in implementing attendance policies and support interventions for excessive absences and truancy, including participation in student support team meetings and court interventions as needed.
• Conduct home visits to engage families and support student success.
• Provide crisis intervention and conflict resolution services as needed.
• Collaborate with school staff and families to develop behavior intervention plans for students.
• Assist in verifying student residency when required.
• Develop and facilitate professional development training for staff and parents on topics related to social-emotional learning, trauma-informed practices, and behavior management.
• Stay current with best practices and trends in school counseling through ongoing professional development.
• Maintaining all required paperwork including but not limited to communication logs and meticulous notes regarding all services provided to students.
• Provide assistance with transportation and related services related to McKinney Vento
• Pull individuals and/or groups for social skills groups/counseling.
• Communicate with parents, teachers, and administrators.
• Maintain accurate case files and reports to track student issues and progress.
• Assist in remediation by providing treatment plans or counseling.
• Serve as a liaison between the school and Eskenazi Mental Health.
• Develop 504 plans for students.
• Participate in the Individual Education Plan (IEP) process as necessary.
• Participate in Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) meetings.
• Provide students with uniforms and communicate with families if they do not have them.
• Issue uniform assistance and violation letters.
• Work with staff to file Department of Child Services (DCS) reports.
• Organize Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) professional development and workshops.
• Review and monitor student attendance by following state and school policies that may include referrals, attendance action plans, and weekly attendance reports submitted to the principal
• Supervise lunch duty for upper and lower school.
• Serve on the building-level MTSS team and collaborate with classroom teachers, building administrators, and parents when designing MTSS interventions.
• Implement attendance incentives and distribute attendance letters.

Benefits

• Paid health, vision, and dental insurance
• FSA/HSA
• Life Insurance
• Short and long-term disability
• 403B retirement plan with a 7.5% match if you contribute 3% of your gross income
• TRF plan with a 6% match if you contribute 3% of your gross income
• PTO
• 11 paid holidays
• 14 weeks of Paid School breaks (1 Spring; 9 Summer; 1 Fall; 1 Thanksgiving; 2 Winter)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Stipends
• End-of-year bonuses
• Tuition reimbursement for education-related degrees
• Health membership reimbursements

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees