School Adjustment Counselor High School 2025/2026

School Adjustment Counselor High School - 2025/2026

Reports To: BHS Principal or Designee

SUMMARY:

To provide direct services and care coordination to BHS students, ensuring all students have equitable access to behavioral and mental health services within the educational setting. Work in collaboration with school-based and district-based staff to implement a comprehensive school-based mental health system. The position also supports the Academic Achievement Center, including coordinating tutoring services, providing executive function coaching, and other interventions to support student success.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Communicate clearly and concisely both in oral and written form;
• Use evidence-based mental health practices and data to most effectively guide increasing student growth and achievement using proactive and solution-focused approaches to meet student needs.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, parents, staff, and the community.
• Work independently, prioritize tasks, and manage several projects simultaneously.
• Perform duties with awareness of all district requirements, state and federal laws, and Burlington Public School policies.
• Foster an inclusive and equitable environment for students of all backgrounds and abilities.
• Maintain appropriate confidential records.
• React professionally and objectively to unpredictable situations (e.g., environmental changes, behavior/aggression, mental health crisis, etc.).

• Strong collaborative, counseling, advising, teaching, coaching, and leadership skills to support student programming and work in a team setting.
• Strong organizational skills to balance the responsibilities of a high-demand position.
• Ability to plan and implement services and supports within multi-tiered systems of support based on district and school objectives and the needs and abilities of assigned students.

QUALIFICATIONS:

The qualifications listed below are preferential to the duties and responsibilities as listed in the job description, but may be waived at the discretion of the Superintendent of Schools.

• School Adjustment License required
• A Master's Degree in Social Work, Mental Health Counseling, or School Counseling.
• At least three years of working as a school adjustment counselor is preferred.
• Understand how to work with outside agencies such as DCF, DTA, external behavioral health agencies, mobile crisis teams, etc.
• Previous school counseling experience preferred

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of community-based resources, including but not limited to: MassHealth assistance/applications, emergency shelters, the Department of Transitional Assistance, RAFT applications, etc.
• Effective communication skills – including written and oral communication, and use of technology tools to facilitate collaboration among teachers.
• Excellent problem solver, communicator, and listener.
• Able to work collaboratively with others, to lead, and to implement effective change.
• Able to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with administration, students, peers, and families/caregivers
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with school and district staff.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with students and parents.
• Ability to prioritize work assignments and complete work within time requirements.
• Ability to invest the time and meet the expectations of the role, including participation in training programs.
• Ability to perform duties with awareness of all District requirements and School Committee policies.

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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to walk and travel between work sites. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds for example equipment, supplies and books. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and the ability to adjust focus. Manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination is necessary. The position requires the individual to meet multiple demands from several people and interact with students, parents, and staff.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works inside, but at times may work in an outdoor environment that is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee but is in accordance with the terms of the contract for the position and is subject to change as the needs of

the Burlington Public Schools and the requirements of the job change.

COMPENSATION:

In accordance with the Burlington Educators Association Unit A contract

The Burlington Public Schools prohibit discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator for students, Lisa Chen, or Title IX Coordinator for staff, Joanne Faust.

The notice of nondiscrimination is located at:

https://www.burlingtonpublicschools.org/district/notice_of_non-_discrimination

Burlington Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and school environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or pregnancy status, age, genetic information, ethnic background, ancestry, disability, homelessness, immigration status or any category protected by state or federal law. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.

~ We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer ~