School Counselor - IDEA Lakeland

Role Mission

Students and families are the most important stakeholders at IDEA Public Schools. The School Counselor leads the campus family engagement vision, social‑emotional learning program, and coordination of mental health and counseling supports for all scholars on campus. The role ensures staff build authentic relationships with students and families, maintains data integrity for interventions, and holds the entire campus team accountable for student and family success.

Compensation – Salaries typically range from $60,000 to $70,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications, plus a performance bonus based on team performance and goal attainment.

Other Benefits

• Paid Family Leave – up to 8 weeks for birth or adoption, based on tenure and caregiver designation.
• Tuition Reimbursement – up to 50% of tuition for qualifying degree programs, capped at $5,250 per year.
• Employer‑Paid Mental/Behavioral Health – 5 face‑to‑face counseling sessions per year, unlimited 24/7 telephonic counseling at no cost.
• Dental and vision plans, disability, life insurance, parenting benefits, flexible spending account options, generous vacation time, referral bonus, professional development, and a 403(b) retirement match up to 4% of annual compensation.
• Relocation allowance may be provided if applicable.

• Education:
  
  Master’s degree in School Counseling, Counseling, Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, or related field – required.
• Experience:
  
  Prior experience in a school or similar setting – preferred.
• License or Certification:
  Valid School Counselor Certification or Mental Health Provider License (Clinical Social Worker Intern, LCSW, LCSW‑S, LMHC, LMHC Intern, LMFT‑A, LMFT, School Counselor) – required.

• Proven track record of successful outcomes.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage student behavior.
• Alignment with IDEA’s mission and values is non‑negotiable.
• Adaptability to a variety of school‑environmental situations.

• Achieves/Owns Campus Goal of Overall Student Persistence
  • Leads execution of the school’s vision for retaining all students, directing all stakeholders in family engagement and student persistence.
  • Maintains a caseload of individual/group counseling for at‑risk students and refers those needing intensive services to licensed providers or outside agencies.
  • Plans and executes student and family engagement events aligned to culture and community needs.
  • Leads professional development for all campus staff on family engagement roles.
  • Manages campus data for student persistence, ensuring 100% accuracy and reporting, partnering with PEIMS for trend analysis.
  • Coordinates interventions with grade‑level teams, establishing accountability structures for administrators, GTLs, and teachers.
  • Initiates parent conversations to address needs, collaborating with campus leaders.
  • Provides coaching and training to teachers on student social‑emotional needs.
  • Serves on the campus crisis team.
  • Conducts individual and group check‑ins, advising students on social‑emotional issues.
  • Leads communication platforms:
    Remind, Smore, and Facebook.
  • Administers parent surveys twice annually, analyzes data, and creates responsive plans.
  • Administers student surveys twice annually for feedback on the IDEA experience.
• 90% New Student Persistence
  • Partners with Enrollment Specialist and APO to ensure high‑quality onboarding from day one.
  • Influences campus team in family engagement roles to retain new students.
  • Plans and executes new parent events to integrate families into campus culture.
  • Coordinates onboarding with APO, ensuring operational support at events.
  • Owns data accuracy for new student persistence, collaborating with SIS/Registrar and stakeholders for trend analysis.
  • Facilitates community structure that builds belonging within the first 10 days.
• 90% Documentation Compliance
  • Documents ten hours of direct student services weekly in the district system.
  • Coordinates community services within the school system.
  • Uses Student & Family Survey data biannually to assess campus climate.
  • Serves on crisis response team to address student and…