PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELOR

PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELOR

School Level: Kindergarten - Grade 5

Primary Focus: Whole-child student success

POSITION SUMMARY

The Professional School Counselor supports the academic, social-emotional, behavioral, and personal 

development of Vision Prep scholars. The counselor works collaboratively with scholars, families, 

teachers, administrators, and community partners to remove barriers to learning, strengthen student 

well-being, improve attendance and engagement, and promote a safe, respectful, college-going school 

culture.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

•  Provide individual and small-group counseling to address academic, behavioral, social-emotional, 

and personal needs.

•  Deliver developmentally appropriate classroom guidance lessons focused on decision-making, 

conflict resolution, character development, coping skills, attendance, bullying prevention, and 

healthy peer relationships.

•  Monitor student attendance, behavior, academic progress, and other early-warning indicators; 

collaborate with staff and families to identify barriers and coordinate timely supports.

•  Participate in MTSS/RTI2, student support, attendance, behavior, Section 504, manifestation, and 

other student-centered meetings as appropriate to the counselor role.

•  Collaborate with teachers and administrators to develop and monitor interventions, behavior 

supports, re-entry plans, and student success plans.

•  Provide crisis response, risk assessment support, and appropriate referrals when scholars 

experience grief, trauma, family change, safety concerns, or other urgent needs.

•  Connect families with school, community, mental-health, housing, food, or other support resources 

when needs extend beyond the services available at school.

•  Promote regular attendance and punctuality by helping identify root causes of absenteeism and 

partnering with families and school teams on improvement plans.

•  Support smooth transitions between grade levels, schools, and programs, including age-appropriate 

college and career awareness beginning in the elementary grades.

•  Maintain accurate, secure, and confidential counseling records and follow all applicable laws, 

ethical standards, and school procedures.

•  Communicate professionally and consistently with parents/guardians while protecting student 

confidentiality and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.

•  Support schoolwide initiatives that strengthen belonging, positive behavior, leadership, 

citizenship, and a safe and inclusive learning environment.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

•  Master's degree in School Counseling, Guidance and Counseling, or a closely related field from an accredited institution.
•  Valid Tennessee school counseling license/endorsement, or eligibility to obtain the required credential.
•  Knowledge of child development, trauma-informed practices, crisis response, counseling techniques, attendance supports, behavior intervention, and social-emotional learning.
•  Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment in sensitive student and family matters.
•  Strong written and verbal communication, organization, collaboration, data-review, and problem-solving skills.
•  Ability to build trusting relationships with elementary-age scholars and work effectively with diverse families and staff.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

•  Experience providing school counseling or student-support services in an elementary school setting.
•  Experience with MTSS/RTI2, Section 504 supports, chronic absenteeism interventions, restorative practices, and schoolwide positive behavior systems.
•  Experience coordinating community referrals and family-support resources.

PROFESSIONAL EXPECTATIONS

•  Demonstrate consistent professionalism, reliability, discretion, and scholar-centered decision-making.
•  Participate in faculty meetings, professional learning, school events, family meetings, and assigned student-support activities.
•  Use data and documentation to evaluate needs, track interventions, and communicate progress while respecting confidentiality.
•  Perform other duties related to student support and school operations as assigned by the Principal or designee.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed. It is not an exhaustive list of every duty, responsibility, or qualification associated with the position.