Director School Counseling and Post-Secondary

Description of Responsibilities 

Mission

ChiTech’s mission is to educate, empower and connect a diverse next generation of entrepreneurial thinkers to discover their passions, succeed in their post-secondary lives and thrive in a digital world. 

Position: Manager| School Counselor and Postsecondary Advising I Salary/ 12 Month

Reports To: Head of Schools

Objective:   Provide guidance and oversight throughout students’ high school careers that prepare them for life after graduation. Through careful course selections and career explorations, the goal of ChiTech’s Postsecondary Counselor is to assist students in building their academic resume and ensure that high school coursework is aligned with college and career aspirations. The counselor is an advocate for students and works together with families, teachers, and administrators to address academic and emotional needs. 

Responsibilities

School Wide Counselor Duties (Team Role: Driver)

• Evaluates transcripts of incoming students for the purpose of transferring grades and semester credit hours into the student information system.

• Tracks students four year progress toward fulfilling graduation requirements

• Enrolls students in appropriate grade level  and content courses to ensure ontrack to graduation using the CPS ASPEN platform

• Informs appropriate personnel of possible student course deficiencies for the purpose of assisting in addressing student course requirements

• Manages registration and enrollment in credit recovery courses

Post Secondary Planning and Support (Team Role: Driver)

• Manage SchoolLinks and APEX credit recovery platforms’ school account (update and maintain student data, application support)

• Attend CPS and other professional development opportunities 

• Facilitate individual and group advising sessions for seniors and parents

• Encourage and arrange student/parent attendance at various local college fairs 

• Coordinate visits from college admission and career program reps

• Plan, Coordinate and Attend: 

  • Parent engagement events for FAFSA, workshops, conferences 

  • All School College Visit Day

  • College and Career Week 

  • Decision Day 

• Regularly curate and distribute scholarship information for students/parents

• Plan and facilitate career exploration opportunities for students in all grade levels 

• Coordinate external postsecondary program recruitment and support (POSSE, Questbridge, Chicago Scholars, etc)

• Collaborate with Embarc Postsecondary staff to ensure postsecondary coaching strategy reaches all students 

• Manage student recruitment, enrollment and provide ongoing support for Dual-Credit and Dual-Enrollment programs with CPS & City Colleges of Chicago.

 Instruction (Team Role: Driver)

• Backward design (UBD) and implement curriculum inside of Senior Seminar classes

• Teach and assess 21st Century Skills using researched based materials and activities

• Utilize the Senior Seminar class to guide the college application 

• Uphold classroom and schoolwide expectations

Advisory

• Lead the 12th Grade Advisory Team

• Attend and meet with parents/students during Report Card Pick Up

• Facilitate 12th grade Town Hall meetings (monthly)

• Participate appropriately in restorative practices as primary student advocate for 12th graders 

• Co-plan, facilitate, chaperone Senior Events 

Senior/Alumni/Schoolwide Support (Team Role: Supporter)

• Monitor the initiatives of Senior Board

• Assist with advising alumni on academic, financial, social-emotional issues 

Real World Learning Program (Team Role: Supporter)

• Work with the Director of Real World Learning define strategy, goals and objectives for real world learning program

• Work with Director of Real World Learning to identify, plan and manage student engagement experiences with external partners 

• Advise students on job search strategies, applications and hiring processes for student employment 

• Co facilitate student internship prep workshops and program support (staff advisors, scheduling, communication logistics)

• Oversee individual internship experiences for students when appropriate 

• Chaperone and assist with RWL events 

Enrollment (Team Role: Supporter)

• Analyze transcripts of transfer students and serve as a key decision maker for admission

• Attend High School Fairs on behalf of the ChiTech community

• Participate in key enrollment events throughout the year (Open houses, Shadow Days, Call Campaigns, etc))

Operations/Other (Team Role: Supporter)

• Lunch Supervision 

• Open Houses & other school based events

• Monitor hallways when available 

• Classroom coverage upon request 

Direct Report

Alumni Coordinator