DIRECTOR OF COUNSELING SERVICES

Lawton Public Schools; Lawton (OK); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Lawton Public Schools seeks a Director of Counseling Services to lead the district's comprehensive counseling, mental health, and student wellness strategy. You will set direction, supervise licensed professionals, and coordinate with OSDE and community partners to ensure equitable access to high-quality services that support academics, attendance, behavior, and graduation.

The role requires a Master's in related field and at least five years in school counseling or mental health, with three

Qualifications

• Five years of experience in school counseling, student services, or mental health.
• Three years supervising licensed professionals.
• Expertise in MTSS, crisis response, program evaluation, budgeting, and strategic planning.

Responsibilities

• Lead and advise on district counseling, mental health, behavioral health, and student wellness.
• Develop and update the District Comprehensive Counseling, Mental Health & Student Wellness Strategic Plan.
• Lead districtwide school counseling program aligned to the ASCA National Model.
• Build integrated districtwide counseling, mental health, crisis response, and wellness systems.
• Establish districtwide mental health protocols, referral pathways, screening, and documentation standards.
• Direct crisis response, suicide prevention, threat assessment, postvention, and recovery services.
• Lead MTSS, PBIS, restorative practices, and behavioral frameworks implementation.
• Develop solutions to systemic barriers affecting student mental health services.
• Recruit and mentor counselors and licensed professionals.
• Evaluate LMSWs and LMHPs as assigned.
• Provide professional development and clinical support for licensed professionals and counselors.
• Coordinate CEUs and licensure documentation; maintain compliance.
• Maintain licensure renewal and supervision documentation systems.
• Develop partnerships with OSDE, ODMHSAS, universities, tribal governments, Fort Sill, healthcare providers, and districts.
• Grant writing and administration for counseling initiatives.
• Develop department KPIs and dashboards for crisis response, referrals, caseloads, attendance, behavior, graduation, wellness, and program effectiveness.
• Present reports to Superintendent, Cabinet, Board, families, and community stakeholders.
• Oversee budgets and grants; steward resources.
• Ensure FERPA, Title IX, McKinney-Vento, and state/federal counseling/health regulations compliance.
• Represent the district on local, regional, state, tribal, military, and behavioral health committees.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Assistant Superintendent.

Skills

MTSS expertise

Crisis response

Program evaluation

Budgeting

Strategic planning

Supervising licensed professionals

Education

Master's degree in School Counseling, Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, Educational Leadership, or related field.

Job description

Qualifiations

Director of Counseling Services

Qualifiations

Credentials:

School counseling/mental health certificate

Education:

Master's degree in School Counseling, Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, Educational Leadership, or related field.

Training/Experience Required

• Five years successful experience in school counseling, student services, or mental health.
• Three years of experience supervising licensed professionals
• Demonstrated expertise in MTSS, crisis response, program evaluation, budgeting, and strategic planning.

Reports To:

Assistant Superintendent of Educational & Student Services

Terms of Employment: 238 (IN PERSON POSITION)

Overtime Status: Exempt

Job Objective (Purpose Of Position)

Provide leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight for the districts comprehensive counseling, mental health, social-emotional learning, crisis response, prevention, intervention, and student wellness systems. Serve as the district advisor on counseling and mental health initiatives while ensuring equitable access to high-quality services that improve academic achievement, attendance, behavior, wellness, graduation, and postsecondary success.

Minimum Requirements

• Valid Oklahoma driver license, insurable driving record, and ability to operate district vehicles.
• Knowledge of applicable state and federal laws, regulations, and compliance requirements governing education programs in Oklahoma; State funding allocation methods.

Essential Job Functions (Performance Responsibilities)

• Serve as the district's leader and advisor for counseling, mental health, behavioral health, and student wellness.
• Develop and annually update the District Comprehensive Counseling, Mental Health & Student Wellness Strategic Plan aligned with district priorities.
• Lead and continuously improve a districtwide Comprehensive School Counseling Program aligned to the ASCA National Model.
• Build and sustain integrated districtwide counseling, mental health, crisis response, prevention, intervention, and wellness systems.
• Establish districtwide mental health protocols, referral pathways, universal screening procedures, documentation standards, and evidence-based practices.
• Direct crisis response, suicide prevention, threat assessment, postvention, psychological first aid, and recovery services aligned with OSDE expectations.
• Lead implementation and continuous improvement of MTSS, PBIS, restorative practices, and behavioral intervention frameworks.
• Develop sustainable solutions to systemic barriers affecting student mental health services.
• Recruit, supervise, mentor, and develop guidance counselors, LPCs, LMSWs, LMHPs, and related staff.
• Evaluate/appraise LMSWs and LMHPs (as assigned).
• Provide professional development, clinical support, and technical assistance for licensed professionals and school counselors.
• Coordinate and maintain Continuing Education Unit (CEU) opportunities; complete or oversee all Oklahoma licensing-board documentation required to maintain professional licensure and continuing education compliance.
• Maintain systems supporting professional licensure renewal, supervision documentation, and continuing education records.
• Develop partnerships with OSDE, ODMHSAS, universities, tribal governments, Fort Sill, healthcare providers, community agencies, and neighboring districts.
• Write, secure, administer, and monitor grants supporting counseling and mental health initiatives.
• Develop department KPIs and monitor dashboards including crisis response, referrals, caseloads, attendance, behavior, graduation, wellness, and program effectiveness.
• Present reports and recommendations to the Superintendent, Cabinet, Board of Education, families, and community stakeholders.
• Oversee budgets, contracts, grants, and responsible stewardship of resources.
• Ensure compliance with FERPA, Title IX, McKinney-Vento, Oklahoma counseling standards, Oklahoma behavioral health licensure requirements, suicide prevention laws, threat assessment requirements, and all applicable federal, state, and district regulations.
• Represent the district on local, regional, state, tribal, military, and behavioral health committees.
• Perform other duties assigned by the Assistant Superintendent.

This job description reflects management's assignment of essential functions; and nothing herein restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctorate preferred.
• Oklahoma administrator certification or eligibility.
• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), LCSW, LMFT, or other Oklahoma behavioral health license preferred.
• District-level leadership experience.
• Experience with strategic planning, program evaluation, grant administration, executive leadership, crisis management, and public presentations.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

Demonstrated ability to build sustainable systems, use data for continuous improvement, communicate effectively with executive leadership, cultivate collaboration and accountability, and improve student outcomes through comprehensive counseling and mental health services.

Knowledge Of:

Applicable state and federal laws, regulations, and compliance requirements governing education programs in Oklahoma; State funding allocation methods.

Ability To:

Communicate orally and in writing sufficient to express ideas, thoughts, and instructions clearly to clients, community, and staff; collaborate with other agencies in planning and implementing effective special education programs, including staff and parent training, within established budget constraints; analyze complex situations and prepare response alternatives for consideration by decision-making groups.

Physical/Mental Requirement And Working Conditions

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Leadership Competencies

Demonstrated ability to build sustainable systems, use data for continuous improvement, communicate effectively with executive leadership, cultivate collaboration and accountability, and improve student outcomes through comprehensive counseling and mental health services.