Mission Statement:
Uplift's mission is to create and sustain public schools of excellence that empower each student to reach their highest potential in college and the global marketplace and that inspire in students a life-long love of learning, achievement, and service in order to positively change their world.
Equity Vision Statement:
Uplift Education proactively engages scholars, families, and staff members to thrive as their authentic selves and partner in the journey required to identify, address, and correct existing and potential inequities.
Primary Purpose:
The primary purpose of the Behavioral/Social Counselor is to plan, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive program of school-based mental health services to their assigned school, including direct counseling services, psychoeducational curriculum, and systems support. Behavioral/Social Counselors provide a clinically-oriented, developmentally-based program to encourage all students to maximize personal growth and provide direct counseling services for students.
Duties/Responsibilities:

• Provide responsive services to scholars including clinically effective solution-focused counseling and therapeutic services, crisis counseling, mental health assessments, facilitating counseling groups, implementing interventions, and other creative mental health initiatives as needed.
• Develops a knowledge of local mental health and community resources and provide these referrals to Uplift families as needed.
• Teaches developmentally appropriate psychoeducational, guidance, and prevention curriculum to students and helps teachers incorporate psychoeducational and SEL-related information into existing curriculum.
• Consults with parents, teachers, administrators, and other relevant people to enhance their work with students and collaborates with school personnel and outside partners to obtain access to community resources for students.
• Contributes to the creation of a diverse and equitable workforce and school community.
• Reports to their assigned manager of counseling services, who is a mental health clinician that is centrally housed. Does not report directly to campus-based administration but collaborates closely with administration at their assigned campus on a daily basis.
• Plans school-based mental health programs to ensure they meet identified needs of the campus and network, implements an effective referral process to help students and others use special program and services, and develops and coordinates a continuing evaluation of the Counseling Services program and makes changes based on findings.
• Ensures that their campus-based counseling program follows TEA guidelines outlined in The Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs Guide. Please note that academic counselors and campus leaders handle all scheduling and testing coordination responsibilities while the behavioral/social counselor focuses on mental health needs directly related to the responsive services, guidance curriculum, and system support components of the comprehensive school counseling model.

Education, Experience, and/or Certification(s)

• Minimum of Master's Degree in Counseling, Social Work, or closely related field, AND a Valid Texas Educator Certificate in School Counseling, OR Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), OR Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). LPC-Interns and Licensed Master Social Workers (LMSW) will also be considered.
  
  • Preferred experience: minimum of two (2) years' experience as a counselor/mental health professional in a school setting; Knowledge of evidence-based counseling procedures, student appraisal/assessment techniques; Knowledge of American School Counseling Association (ASCA) comprehensive guidance program; Demonstrated leadership qualities regarding program development; Knowledge of law as it pertains to mental health in the school setting; Ability to use data to develop and evaluate programs.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Communication Skills: Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills and ability to develop and execute presentations, trainings, and new systems related to the role. Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of personnel, students, and parents required.
• Computer Skills: To perform this job successfully, an individual should be competent in Microsoft Office applications and ability to learn and use computer software as necessary. Ability to use basic office equipment.
• Safety Skills: Every employee of the School has an obligation to know our safety rules and procedures; to teach what they know to others; to recognize unsafe actions and situations; to warn others of unsafe situations; to react to emergency situations and to report hazardous or unsafe practices to those in a position to correct them.
• Program Development and Program Monitoring Skills: Demonstrated experience, skills and knowledge in the design and execution of student support service programs and partnerships. Knowledge of best practice student services protocols and familiarity with student services law. Ability to use data to develop and evaluate student support programs and services

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Employee must be able to maintain emotional control under stress. Occasional prolonged and irregular hours will be necessary.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, and use stairs. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level is low to high and may have frequent interruptions. There may be activity from other employees and students of a distracting nature.
Starting Salary: $59,000
Application Procedure:
Apply online
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
Uplift Education is an equal employment opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any classification protected by federal, state or local law.