ES Counselor

Lake Norman Charter is seeking qualified candidates for Elementary School Counselor for the 2026-2027 school year. The position is located at LNC ES East campus.

Lake Norman Charter

Elementary School Counselor (Grades K-4)

Position Type: Full-Time, 10-month

FLSA Status: Exempt

Location: Lake Norman Charter ES East: Huntersville, NC

Reports to: Building Principal, Assistant Principal

Purpose: Lake Norman Charter (LNC) is a K-12 public charter school that provides a rigorous and comprehensive educational environment to develop students with a focus on college readiness, leadership, and social responsibility.

The Elementary School Counselor supports the academic, social-emotional, and personal development of all students by delivering a comprehensive, data-informed school counseling program. This role collaborates with teachers, administrators, and families to promote student well-being, remove barriers to learning, and foster a safe, inclusive school environment aligned with the mission and values of the charter school.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Student Development

• Provides developmentally appropriate classroom lessons aligned to the NC Guidance Essential Standards (academic, leadership, durable skills, and social-emotional domains).
• Delivers small-group counseling focused on topics such as friendship skills, emotional regulation, problem-solving, coping strategies, and academic habits.
• Offers short-term, solution-focused individual counseling for students experiencing barriers to learning.
• Uses data to identify student needs and designs targeted interventions.
• Supports students in developing self-awareness, self-management, social-awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

School Counseling Program Management

• Implements a comprehensive school counseling program aligned to the ASCA National Model and NC School Counseling Standards.
• Conducts needs assessments, program evaluations, and use results to improve services.
• Serves as a liaison with the district 504 Coordinator by supporting the implementation of existing 504 plans, assisting with the evaluation process for students who may qualify, and ensuring teachers understand and follow required accommodations.
• Maintains accurate documentation such as counseling logs, referrals, parent communication, and MTSS data.
• Uses data to communicate with parents, track student growth and identify patterns in attendance, tardies, behavior, and academic performance.
• Ensures compliance with federal, state, and district policies, including confidentiality and ethical guidelines.

Social-Emotional & Behavioral Support

• Collaborates with teachers to implement proactive behavior supports and classroom SEL strategies.
• Participates in the MTSS process by providing and supporting teachers with evidence-based interventions, progress monitoring, and Tier II/Tier III support for behavior.
• Assists students in crisis using de-escalation strategies and provides follow-up support.
• Coordinates re-entry plans for students following extended absences, discipline, or hospitalization.

Collaboration & Advocacy

• Serves as a student advocate by promoting equity, access, and inclusion for all learners.
• Collaborates with teachers, specialists, administrators, and support staff to remove barriers to student success.
• Communicates regularly with families to provide resources, updates, and guidance on student needs.
• Acts as a liaison between the school and outside agencies, mental health providers, and community organizations.
• Participates in school-based teams such as MTSS, Child Study, and Crisis Response.

Crisis Prevention & Response

• Assists in developing, practicing, and implementing the school crisis plan.
• Provides immediate support to students affected by trauma or crisis and assists in classroom-level communication when appropriate.
• Participates in threat assessment protocols following state and district procedures.

Career & Academic Development

• Introduces K–4 students to foundational career awareness concepts, including interests, strengths, and community roles.
• Supports development of academic habits such as goal-setting, organization, perseverance, and self-advocacy.
• Collaborates with teachers to embed durable skills (LNC Knights Armor), Leadership in Action (LiA), and academic skills into classroom instruction.

Professionalism & Leadership

• Engages in ongoing professional development to remain current on best practices in school counseling and student mental health.
• Upholds all ethical standards outlined by NCSCA and ASCA.
• Serves as a leader in schoolwide initiatives that promote positive school culture, attendance, SEL, and character development such as Leadership in Action, Knights Armor, and Knight of Honor).
• Contributes to staff training related to trauma-informed practices, SEL, behavior supports, and mental health awareness.

Additional Duties

• Attends student meetings/conferences to discuss individual performance, as needed.
• Promotes an understanding and appreciation for diverse populations.
• Maintains knowledge of LNC policies/procedures along with state/federal laws pertaining to counseling.
• Attends a variety of student-related activities to promote student interaction and school effectiveness (i.e. lunch, recess, school events, etc.)
• Adheres to the ethical standards of state and national school counselor associations, including modeling professionalism as it relates to interactions with both families and staff.
• Performs additional duties as assigned by the building principal or other designated administrative staff.

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s Degree in School Counseling or related
• NC DPI Licensure in School Counseling required
• School Psychologist certification welcomed
• Preference for school counseling or guidance-related experience at the elementary level