School Counselor - IDEA Valley View (Immediate Opening)

IDEA Public Schools • Cincinnati, OH

2d • $60,569 - $72,683 • Onsite

About The Position

Role Mission: Students and families are the most important stakeholders at IDEA Public Schools. The role of School Counselor leads the campus family engagement vision, social emotional learning program, and coordination of mental health and counseling supports for all scholars on the campus , while also providing direct counseling services. School Counselors play a vital role in ensuring every IDEA Greater Cincinnati student is known, supported, and on a clear path to success in college, career, and life. As our schools grow, counselors serve as the bridge between academic readiness and student well-being—providing proactive support for social-emotional development, persistence, and mental health. They help students set goals, overcome challenges, and navigate key academic transitions, ensuring that no student falls through the cracks. By fostering trust, building resilience, and partnering closely with teachers and families, School Counselors strengthen our culture of care and accountability—making IDEA schools safe, supportive, and empowering environments where every student can thrive. When the work is lead effectively, the entire school staff is clear on their roles in supporting students and families, has the data needed to drive action, inspired, and supported to engage with students and parents in a meaningful way which would result in meeting the goal for all students to have the academic and social skills they need to achieve their goal of going to and through college. Through this work, School Counselors ensure our schools are a place where students feel safe physically and emotionally safe and therefore can learn, grow, and succeed in and outside of the classroom. This position is grant-funded with Accelerate Great Schools funds. This is a grant-funded position and funding may be extended. A grant-funded position has no guarantee of ongoing and indefinite employment. All duties and responsibilities tied to this position are allowable and allocable to the grant. The employee will work solely (100%) on allowable activities outlined in the grant program.

Requirements

• Master's degree in School Counseling, Counseling, Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, or related field required
• Valid OH School Counselor certification or counseling /social work licensure (LMSW, LCSW, LCSW-S, LPC-A, LPC, LMFT-A, LMFT ) required
• Proven track record of success
• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to manage student behavior
• Belief in and alignment with IDEA’s mission and values is non-negotiable
• Ability to adjust and adapt to a multitude of situations in the school environment

Nice To Haves

• Previous experience in a school or school setting

Responsibilities

• Counseling and Student Support Provide individual and group counseling to students to address academic, behavioral, emotional, and social needs.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of all interventions and services (minimum of 10 hours of direct student services weekly).
• Serve on the Campus Crisis Team, responding to and supporting students in need of immediate care or intervention.
• Refer students for intensive or specialized services and coordinate with mental health providers and community agencies.
• Support teachers and staff in understanding and responding to student social-emotional needs.
• Family Engagement and Student Persistence Lead the campus strategy for student persistence and family engagement, ensuring strong relationships between families and school staff.
• Partner with campus leaders and grade-level teams to identify and intervene with at-risk students.
• Facilitate family problem-solving meetings to ensure students’ needs are met and families feel supported.
• Plan and execute family engagement events aligned to campus culture and community needs (minimum of four annually).
• Analyze persistence and withdrawal data to identify trends and develop proactive retention strategies.
• Ensure 90%+ persistence among new students through strong onboarding, communication, and belonging initiatives.
• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Leadership Lead implementation and monitoring of Crew curricula.
• Train and coach teachers to deliver Crew lessons with fidelity.
• Conduct regular classroom observations, provide actionable feedback, and track progress using observation rubrics.
• Administer fall and spring student and family surveys, analyze results, and guide the campus in responding to feedback.
• Facilitate schoolwide SEL programming, including Bullying Prevention Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, and related events.
• Data, Compliance, and Reporting Maintain 100% accuracy in student documentation, risk assessments, and At-Risk/Leaver coding.
• Collaborate with the EMIS Registrar team to ensure accurate persistence, attendance, and student support data.
• Document all counseling services, crisis interventions, and family contacts in the district-wide documentation system.
• Ensure compliance with state-mandated guidance lessons and SEL assessment requirements.
• Campus Collaboration and Leadership Partner with teachers and Assistant Principals of Instruction, and Content Leads to align student supports with academic goals.
• Serve as a thought partner to the Campus Lead Team to build systems that promote belonging, resilience, and college readiness.
• Provide professional development on SEL, family engagement, and supporting students in crisis.
• Foster a campus culture of care and connection where all students feel physically and emotionally safe.

Benefits

• We offer a comprehensive benefits plan, covering the majority of the employee premium for the base medical plan and subsidizing the majority of costs for a spouse/domestic partner and children.
• Paid Family Leave: Eligible staff may receive up to 8 weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child, based on their tenure with the organization and caregiver designation.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Staff members may apply for up to 50% of tuition paid toward a qualifying degree program, up to $5,250 maximum per year subject to manager discretion and budget availability.
• Employer-Paid Mental/Behavioral Health: 5 face-to-face counseling sessions within a year, unlimited 24/7 telephonic counseling, and other work-life services available at no cost.
• Other benefits include dental and vision plans, disability, life insurance, parenting benefits, flexible spending account options, generous vacation time, referral bonuses, professional development, and a 403(b) plan.
• IDEA may offer a relocation allowance to defray the cost of moving for this role, if applicable.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees