Project Activate School Counselor Job Description

The candidate should demonstrate empathy, knowledge and an understanding for the diverse backgrounds in our community; place an importance on genuine and authentic connections with students, faculty, staff and parents; be able to work collaboratively with team members of diverse backgrounds; and have the capacity to model an attitude of unyielding curiosity and a growth mindset.

The Project Activate School Counselor is responsible for the oversight of the emotional, social, and psychological health of assigned students.

Duties include:

• Individual and Group Counseling: The primary responsibility of the Counselor is to provide social and emotional support to students utilizing individual and group treatment modalities. The counselor is responsible for the provision of these services with the highest degree of ethical standards.
• The counselor also assists students, teachers, and parents in understanding educational, personal, or social factors which may be affecting a student’s academic progress.
• The counselor will be an objective, available resource to the adults in the community, even though students are the counselor’s primary responsibility.
• The counselor will be available for consultation and provide faculty/staff with information on topics such as adolescent development, standardized test interpretation, peer/adult relationships, group dynamics, and will offer in-service trainings as needed.
• The counselor will help with providing developmentally appropriate, regular programming to enhance students’ social and emotional learning.
• The counselor shall exhibit professionalism through care in communicating, maintenance of objectivity, and discretion with regard to requirements for confidentiality.
• The counselor will adhere to established Ethical Standards of practice.
• The counselor will be expected to be able to maintain appropriate documentation and electronic records for students using the school database management software.
• The counselor will also serve as a resource for parents and families to support student well-being.
• The Counselor will maintain a robust referral network of providers and be prepared to recommend local resources (educational, psychological, crisis response) that might be helpful to families.
• The Counselor will follow-up on referrals, as appropriate, and function as a liaison between the professional or agency and the school community,  particularly in the event of a student needing to take a medical leave of absence.
• The Counselor shall be familiar with mandated reporting and public law regarding child abuseand with appropriate procedures to be followed by the school should such cases come to the School’s attention.

Qualifications:

• A minimum of a Master's Degree in School Counseling, Clinical/Counseling Psychology, School Psychology, or Clinical Social Work is required.
• Eligibility for (or already obtained) licensure in the state of North Carolina is preferred.
• Successful applicants will possess excellent computer and organizational skills.
• The candidate should have experience in a school setting working with adolescents and their parents - including teaching, counseling, and developing student and parent education programs.
• The candidate should possess a high degree of interpersonal warmth and skill across a wide range of stakeholders in negotiating the nuances, complexities, and demands of a high-profile, fast-paced academic institutions.

Position reports to Project Activate Director
*This is a grant-funded position which is scheduled to run through 10/2026