2026-2027 School Counselor - Audubon Baton Rouge

Audubon Schools; Baton Rouge (LA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Audubon Schools is seeking a School Counselor to provide counseling and support services for students at assigned campuses. The role includes short- and long-term therapeutic counseling, weekly meetings with administrators, and collaboration with the nurse and social worker to monitor student needs.

The counselor will lead small groups on social skills, participate in IEP/SAT meetings, and maintain detailed records while advocating for students and engaging families with resources for external

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's preferred for advanced practice.
• Certification or ability to gain licensure as a School Counselor is desired.
• Experience in public/charter school settings is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Counsel students individually and in small groups to support social-emotional growth.
• Lead SEL programs and collaborate with teachers on student needs.
• Attend IEP/IAP/SAT meetings and coordinate with school staff and families.
• Advocate for student needs and provide crisis counseling when needed.
• Maintain compliant records and data related to student progress and interventions.

Skills

Counseling

Social-emotional skills

Group facilitation

Collaboration

Communication

Data tracking

Crisis counseling

Advocacy

Restorative justice

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor's degree in counseling/related field

Master's degree in counseling/education or related field

Certification as School Counselor or LP C or similar

Job description

School Counselor

Purpose of Position: To provide counseling and support services to students

Employment Status: Full-time Reporting

Reports to: Principal

Location: Assigned Campus

Essential Functions:

• Works with students to identify and evaluate their social/emotional abilities, interests, skills and achievement, individually and in small groups
• Provide short and long-term therapeutic counseling based on need
• Lead specific and general small groups of students to work on social skills
• Collaborate and participate in Tier 1 school SEL programming
• Advocate for students' needs with team leaders and teachers
• Attend/participate in all requested IEP/IAP/SAT meetings
• Work with Social Worker to schedule long-term services
• Provide parent resources for internal/external therapeutic services and appraisal
• Direct mental health services for students and families individually and group
• Provide staff resources for external mental health services
• Maintain communication/collaboration with parents and outside service providers
• Prompt attendance and active participation in all scheduled duty and event roles/assignments as directed by administration
• Participate in bimonthly principal/administrative meeting to update on all aspects of job
• Track student data & maintain detailed, compliant records and files
• Meet weekly with Principal/Administration to review strategies, population, & needs
• Work in tandem with school nurse to monitor/manage student medications
• Participate in Student Assistance Team (SAT) & IEP meetings as requested
• Perform all school duty/roles as scheduled
• Advise 8th graders on high school applications/transition processes

Engages in broader school improvement efforts and engages with external resources to ensure the school has access to the most current trends and resources in counseling.

Additional Duties:

• Works with colleagues to provide professional development that will enhance their understanding of how to support students' social-emotional growth and development.
• Maintains professional certifications, memberships, and training to enhance ability to support the school community.
• Adheres to a professional work schedule created collaboratively with or directly by administration.
• Transparent communication with principal regarding all important and/or emergency situations or incidents arising on a daily basis.
• Prompt attendance and active participation in all scheduled duty and event roles/assignments as directed by administration.
• Participate in bimonthly principal/administrative meetings to update on all aspects of the job.
• Regularly consults with parents, teachers, students, and external networks to provide information and supports that will benefit all students.
• Designs programs as needed to address emerging and identified student needs.
• Works with Curriculum Directors and lead teachers to plan and coordinate promotional and transitional activities/celebrations (high school information and application processes; if applicable)
• Other duties as assigned by the Site Administrator(s)

Responds to Urgent Needs:

• Serves as a student advocate by consulting with parents or guardians, teachers, other educators, and community agencies regarding strategies to help students and families.
• Adheres to professional work schedule created collaboratively with or directly by administration
• Transparent communication with principal regarding all important and/or emergency situations or incidents arising on daily basis
• Conduct individual and small group counseling sessions to help students identify problems, causes, alternatives, and possible consequences as they confront challenges in relationships.
• Makes appropriate referrals to outside agencies as necessary.
• Provides crisis counseling which includes prevention, intervention and follow up
• Train students to serve as peer mediators, conflict managers, tutors, and mentors.

Proactively plans a curriculum of activities aligned with data and school specific needs

• Collaborates with other educators to deliver elements of the curriculum through infusion in other classroom disciplines.
• Conducts planned small group activities outside the classroom to respond to students' identified needs or interests.
• Plans and delivers workshops and information sessions aligned with the counseling curriculum for staff, parents, and guardians.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Interest in providing only the highest quality educational, social and emotional experiences for students and their families
• Superior grasp of effective, research-based behavioral methods and strategies for a diverse youth, including a restorative justice model
• Proven ability to influence and enhance cooperative working relationships within a team environment
• Ability to lead within a fast-paced, dynamic, and rapidly-changing environment
• Exemplary instructional and classroom management skills
• High level of personal organization and planning
• Excellent communication skills with diverse constituents (teachers, parents, children, board members); clear writer, facilitator and public speaker
• Proven ability to proactively lead by example, effectively manage adults, and respond positively to feedback.
• Team player: maturity, humility, grit, flexibility, follow-through, sense of humor, open to feedback and a "roll-up-my-sleeves" attitude.

Education, Training and Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years of elementary school counseling experience
• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree counseling, education or related field preferred
• Certification or ability to gain certification as a School Counselor, Certification as a Licensed Professional Counselor or similar desired.
• Experience leading and managing adults.
• Experience in and/or understanding of the public school system including charter schools is desirable

NOTE: The foregoing list of essential duties and responsibilities is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification. It is not necessarily descriptive of any one position. The omission of an essential function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a logical assignment to the position.