School Socio-Emotional Counselor

School Socio-Emotional Counselor

REPORTS TO/EVALUATED BY Principal, Vice Principal

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT  School Year
- Fulltime

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES Assigned specifically to two grades to provide social-emotional and academic support.

Notre Dame Cristo Rey High School (NDCR) is a private, Catholic, college-preparatory high school located in Lawrence, serving 274 students—many of whom are first‑generation college‑bound and bring strong aspirations for academic and professional success. The school is part of the Cristo Rey Network, a growing network of 30 schools across the United States built on a model that integrates rigorous academics with real‑world work experience.

Through the Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP), each student works five full days per month during the academic year at one of 74 partner companies, earning approximately 60% of the cost of their own education while gaining invaluable workplace experience and professional skills.

Primary Functions:
The socio‑emotional counselor will focus on two grades of students (caseload of roughly 140‑150 students) and support socio‑emotional and academic needs. The counselor is expected to meet and form relationships with all students on their caseload.

• Conduct structured, goal‑oriented counseling sessions in response to identified needs of individuals or groups—topics include academic failure, attendance and behavior problems, peer problems, family issues, bullying, self‑harm and suicidal ideation.
• Consult with and facilitate conferences with teachers, staff, and parents/families regarding developmental needs of students.
• Work collaboratively with the Principal, Vice Principal, and Dean of Students to identify and address student mental health and behavioral issues.
• Serve as an advocate and model for students, demonstrating personal and intellectual honesty and respect for others’ rights.
• Provide counseling to individual students (behavioral, emotional, academic, social, psychological) and to small groups of students in the freshman class.
• Consult with and be a resource person to teachers to facilitate the infusion of strategies into the classroom.
• Assume an active role in designing, implementing, monitoring, and adjusting behavioral and/or educational plans for individual students as needed.
• Serve as an advocate for groups or individual students as decisions affect them.
• Document and evaluate guidance learning activities as they are implemented.
• Pursue professional growth by attending development offerings, joining associations (ASCA, MASCA), reading professional journals, and attending relevant workshops.
• Provide activities that help students understand themselves and their relationships with others, and develop decision‑making and problem‑solving competency.
• Provide direction, consultation, and training services for teachers on classroom/student management, student–teacher and teacher–parent relationships, and social/emotional development of children.
• Other duties as assigned by the Principal, Vice Principal, and Dean of Students.

• Guide parents toward resources available to them, both within and outside the school system, and serve as a resource person to parents and staff on the growth and development of children.
• Refer students with problems to appropriate program specialists or community agencies.

• Must possess a master’s degree in School Counseling, Mental Health Counseling, or Social Work from an accredited college or university.
• Must possess and maintain proper certification (initial or professional) as a certified School Counselor, School Adjustment Counselor, LCSW, or LMHC.
• Necessary skills include excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong organizational skills, and the ability to meet deadlines. Experience in high school counseling and teaching is required, and computer skills are necessary.
• The ideal candidate will have strong interpersonal skills, familiarity with the goals, objectives, and mission of a college‑preparatory school, the ability to respond effectively to the needs of a diverse student and parent population, knowledge of diverse psychological and social/emotional/behavioral needs, demonstrate the core values of NDCR, and integrate into the family culture at NDCR.
• Must be able to accurately compile and analyze data, summarize information, and provide written reports as requested.
• Fluency in Spanish is preferred.

The salary for this position ranges from $60,000–$75,000
, based on experience and educational qualifications. Notre Dame Cristo Rey High School offers opportunities for professional growth, leadership development, and increased compensation over time.

If interested, please send a thoughtful cover letter and resume to hr