2026-27 Middle School Counselor

KIPP•Nashville, TN

4h•Onsite

About The Position

KIPP Nashville Public Schools is a network of high-performing, free, open-enrollment K-12 schools that has been committed to positively affecting student outcomes in Nashville since 2005. KIPP Nashville is part of the acclaimed KIPP Network, which educates 100,000+ students nationwide and supports students from Pre-Kindergarten through college, career and beyond through the KIPP Forward program. KIPP Nashville currently operates 4 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 2 high schools and is opening one additional elementary school in 2025. The mission of KIPP Nashville is to create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence they need to pursue the paths they choose - college, career and beyond - so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world, guided by core values of GROWTH, TEAM, and SHINE. KIPP Nashville seeks a highly dedicated school counselor who will bring a “whatever it takes” attitude to its team. The School Counselor will work directly with students and families to provide effective, high quality interventions that are data-driven. The Counselor will work directly with teachers to cultivate their knowledge of students’ social and emotional development. To ensure that the social and emotional needs of all students and families are met, the School Counselor will be a key driver of the schools’ student culture vision of creating a safe, inclusive, and character building culture for every child. The School Counselor provides the following core services: prevention, intervention, assessment, and collaboration.

Requirements

Valid Tennessee professional school counselor license or Master of Social Work
Bachelor’s degree
Pass Criminal Background Check
Commitment to working with students from educationally under-resourced communities
Unwavering commitment to KIPP Nashville’s mission, students, families, and community
Firm belief in affirming the identity of students, families and staff
Passionate and committed to being a leader for racial justice and equity, and teaching in a school committed to anti-racism
Passionate about data-driven instruction
Demonstrates excitement in growing students into their highest self
Superb personal organization skills to keep on top of deadlines and measures of accountability
Team player: demonstrates maturity, growth mindset, strong work ethic, follow-through and flexibility

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree
At least two years of counseling experience
Experience and demonstrated success teaching students from educationally under-resourced communities
Experience teaching or supporting diverse learners

Responsibilities

Build relationships and collaborate with external education and social services professionals to develop appropriate agency services for students and families
Participate in weekly intervention meetings to thought partner with teachers around social and emotional supports
Facilitate workshops and other learning opportunities for families
Conduct home visits that support families to meet KIPP Nashville College Prep Elementary expectations and increases student/family involvement
Participate on school staff teams to develop policies and practices to proactively build school culture including opportunities for team-building and collaboration among students
Help drive a school-wide atmosphere that suits the needs to our students, teachers, and families
Facilitate professional development for teachers to help them understand child development and how it affects student performance academically and social/emotionally
Drive social and emotional intervention plans for our most high need students
Run individual and group counseling sessions with research-based social and emotional practices
Assist students, teachers, and families to develop solutions to family and community factors that influence students’ capacity or ability to learn
Complete high-quality progress notes for all students receiving counseling services weekly
Conduct interviews with a student, family members, and KIPP staff members to gather information about each student’s social, emotional and behavioral needs; help all constituents integrate information to best meet the student’s needs
Conduct observations to gather data in order to determine best options for interventions
Create professional learning goals each year and implement feedback towards these goals
Offer support to and receive constructive feedback from colleagues in order to create a professional working atmosphere that is conducive to growth and improvement
Establish and maintain strong communication lines with all parents and share progress
Be available for open houses, parent teacher conferences and other events involving parents
Make oneself available to students, parents and other staff members
Pursue challenging professional goals each year
Willing to offer support and receive constructive feedback from colleagues in order to create a professional working atmosphere that is conducive to change and improvement
Participate in school-wide and individual professional development, including pre-service training over the summer and weekly during the academic year (held during school hours)

Benefits

Starting salary ranges are based on years of aligned experience and conferred degrees, BA Scale $55,000-$90,000 | MA+ Scale $60,000-$98,000
Compensation package is derived from the regional KIPP Nashville Public Schools pay scale.
This position is exempt and will follow a 10-month work schedule.
Robust benefits package including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance policy options.
Application for these benefits may be made immediately upon employment. The policy is effective upon the first of the month following the first day of work.
The vacation package for salaried employees includes 29 paid days throughout the 10 month work schedule (including holidays, fall break, thanksgiving break, winter break) as well as summer break.
In addition employees in this role are allotted 6 PTO days.
Employees are allotted an additional 2 days after every 2 consecutive years of employment.
Eligible staff members receive payment for unused PTO days at the end of the fiscal year.
Adoption/Parental Caregiver Leave- up to 10 weeks parental leave for the primary caregiver and 2 weeks parental leave for the secondary caregiver paid at 100%.
Support Teachers are provided with laptop computers with access to the internet and or email to assist them in performing their job responsibilities.