Elementary School Counselor or Social worker

Reports To: LCIS Principal for remainder of 2025-2026 school year 

LCES Principal for 2026-27 and beyond

Length of Assignment: 189 days per year; Start by 2/23/2026 or as soon as available

Salary: Certified Teacher Salary Schedule Pending Negotiations plus EXCELLENT benefits! (PTO, Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, etc.)  Salary and benefits prorated for the start date.

Purpose of Position:

The Elementary School Counselor/Social Worker supports the academic, social, and emotional growth of students by fostering a safe, inclusive, and caring school environment where every child is known and supported. Grounded in Leadville’s close-knit mountain community, this role helps students develop perseverance, collaboration, compassion, respect, responsibility, and curiosity (LCSD’s Habits of Work and Learning, HOWLS). The School Counselor/Social Worker builds strong, trusting relationships with students and partners with families and staff to remove barriers to learning and well-being. Responsibilities include care coordination, assessment and referral, and providing individual and small-group counseling or therapeutic support as needed. This position plays a key role in promoting a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach that supports both prevention and intervention. The School Counselor/Social Worker contributes to a positive school climate through collaboration, flexibility, and problem-solving. A team-oriented mindset and willingness to adapt are essential in a small district setting. The ultimate goal is to help students feel safe, capable, and ready to learn and thrive.  2026-2027 Caseload TBA

Responsibilities:

Duties of this job include, but are not limited to:

• Assesses qualitative and quantitative data to identify student support needs and measure the impact of interventions, in collaboration with school administrators and other support team members.
• Serves as a member of 1st Responder Team for student behavior, mental health, crisis response, and social/emotional concerns.
• Provide coordination or delivery of mental health minutes as designated on IEPs, in collaboration with the Special Education Teacher and the Special Education District Coordinator.
• Apply techniques, strategies, and intervention to enhance/motivate students to meet IEP goals and objectives and monitor student performance based on IEPs.
• Evaluate the need for social and emotional support under Section 504 and IDEA.  Interpret assessment data and develop goals to meet individual student needs.
• Participate in interdisciplinary staffings to determine the eligibility, appropriate planning, and re-evaluation for students who require special education services/programs.
• Uses research or evidence-supported strategies to provide social-emotional and therapeutic supports to identified students across all tiers of need (I-III). These supports may be provided to individuals, small groups, or classrooms as determined by need.
• Participates as a member of the school Multi-Tiered System of Support process. 
• Partner with staff to ensure that consistent social-emotional structures and supports are provided for students.
• Provides professional development to promote school-wide social-emotional learning curriculum, initiatives, and trauma informed discipline practices
• Utilizes assessment tools to understand student strengths and areas for growth, and to determine an appropriate course of action.
• Creates and follows referral, intervention and support protocols to meet the most significant needs of all students, builds upon common social/emotional, behavior, and academic goals to deliver services as appropriate.  
• Participates in family engagement efforts that support the social, emotional, and behavioral health of students, including collaborating with parents for intervention and placement options. 
• Works regularly with school leadership to review and flexibly adjust schedule as needed
• Collect and maintain evidence of student progress toward identified skills (evidence may include examples of student work, data tracking documents, exit tickets, behavior charts, discipline data, and student self-reflection).
• Provides referrals, care coordination services, and family outreach for students in need of or receiving outside therapeutic services.
• Utilize the Suicide Interevention Procedure to determine level of support needed for a child experiencing crisis.
• Serves as the mental health consultant on threat assessments, on an as needed basis.
• Partner with other district mental health professionals.

• Assists in the promotion of a positive school climate and follows school norms and expectations.
• Promotes a positive professional and ethical image of the school district, social emotional and behavioral-mental health supports and special education services.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Must meet the requirements for a CDE Special Services Provider License as a School Counselor OR Social Worker
• Must hold the Special Services Provider license by CDE within 45 days of hire
• Master’s Degree in Social Work or School Counseling required (CDE license within 45 days of hire - or enrollment in alternative license/degree programs)
• Able to pass all fingerprinting/background checks
• Be able to motivate, encourage, and work with Intermediate School students grades 3-6, and also grades PreK-5, in following year
• Experience implementing social/emotional curriculum to both classrooms and small groups
• Possess educational and professional experience in social work or counseling
• Experience working with students from diverse backgrounds and a variety of family situations
• Experience with educational systems and practices, such as MTSS and PBIS 
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred

Salary : $55,688 - $84,592