2025/2026 School Counselor OR Site Based Licensed School Social Worker, Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary School, 1.0 FTE

Durango School District 9-R is accepting applications for a School Counselor OR a Site-Based Licensed School Social Worker to join the team in the 25/26 school year at Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary School.  Position begins 8/7/25.

Job Title: Social Worker / School Counselor – Site Based 

FLSA Status: Exempt
Department: School Based               

Prepared Date: December 14, 2016, July 15, 2024
Typical Work Year: 10 months

SUMMARY: Utilizing leadership, advocacy, and collaboration, school-based social workers promote student success, provide preventive services, and respond to identified student needs by implementing a comprehensive school social work and counseling program that addresses academic, career, and personal/social development for all students.  Assess the needs of students, providing appropriate services, monitoring student performance, consulting with the instructional staff to assist them in providing strategies for student academic, social and personal growth, and coordinating services for and communications with a student’s family and other social service resources.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Plan and implement services that support students in the content areas. Provide adaptive services based upon identified unique characteristics of students and communities.
• Assess school culture and climate and implement programming that ensures an inviting, respectful, supportive, and inclusive school environment.
• Create and/or support accessible learning environments characterized by acceptable student behavior, efficient use of time, and appropriate behavior strategies.
  • Work with and counsel identified students to enhance their personal and social growth and increase their responsibility for behavior and attitudes. Provide opportunities and resources for students to increase academic success, improve interpersonal relationships, learn problem-solving and decision-making skills, and resolve conflicts and crisis situations.
  • Consult with and assist instructional staff with program modifications and strategies to encourage and support student personal and social growth and responsible behavior.
• Maintain clear and constructive lines of communication with students, families, and other significant adults and/or professionals to build collaborative partnerships. Utilize assessment information and other data as the basis for creating immediate and long-range plans.
• Provide the training and the tools that will enable parents/guardians to understand and meet their child’s academic, social and emotional needs.
• Assist with Site-Based MTSS, RTI, IEP and Child Study meetings.
• Meet all legal requirements including timelines for professional practices such as, but not limited to IEPs, ICAPs, 504, RtI, concurrent enrollment, and/or graduation plans/requirements.
• Monitor data to set trends and to create/implement programs to close gaps in student achievement. Implement programming designed to increase postsecondary workforce readiness and Portrait of a Graduate skills and attributes.
• Respond to student mental health crises and needs by offering education, prevention, and access to crisis/short term counseling. Make referrals to community resources as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

ADDITIONAL JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Assure the safety and welfare of students including necessary actions to ensure that students are supervised at all times.
• Demonstrate faithfulness and promptness in attendance at work.
• Submit required reports promptly at the times specified.
• Demonstrate care of and protection of School District property.
• Report suspected child abuse or neglect as required by law.
• Use the District’s internet and E-mail system as specified in Policy.
• Fulfill other duties as assigned by the Principal, Superintendent or their designees.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING: Master’s degree in Social Work, or Counseling, Colorado Department of Education License for school social work of school Counselor or eligible for Colorado state licensure. Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) training required within two months of hire.

EXPERIENCE: Experience is preferred but may not be necessary for hiring.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, & REGISTRATIONS : Ability to get to work and travel within Durango School District 9-R and LaPlata County. Must hold or be able to obtain by start date a Colorado Department of Education License for social work or school counselor.

TECHNICAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, & ABILITIES:

• Communicate effectively in written and oral form using positive interpersonal skills
• Consultation skills.
• Ability to develop and support the behavior intervention plans, classroom management systems, and reinforcement systems.
• Ability to use effective interventions for at risk learners.
• Knowledge of Applied Behavior Analysis.
• Knowledge of developmental, emotional, and behavioral disabilities.
• Experience in data collection and data analysis.
• Ability to develop and provide training related to accessing community resources and behavioral intervention practices in all school settings.
• Non-violent and physical intervention techniques.
• Ability to use proper English grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure
• Knowledge of first aid skills.
• Ability to promote and follow Board of Education and District Policies, Superintendent policies and building/department procedures.

Durango School District 9-R is an equal opportunity educational institution and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, age, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability or need for special education services in admissions, access to treatment, or employment in educational programs or activities which it operates, or any other applicable status protected by federal, state or local law. For information regarding civil rights or grievance procedures, contact Laura Galido, Compliance Officer, Durango School District 9-R, 201 E 12th Street, Durango, CO 81301, (970) 247-5411, lgalido@durangoschools.org, or the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 1244 Spear Boulevard, Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204-3582, (303) 844-5695.

Salary : $51,500 - $77,830