School Counseling Intern
Organizational Overview:
Excel Academy was founded in 2003 with the mission to provide a high-quality education to students in East Boston and Chelsea. Over the years, we have grown from one middle school to a network of four schools with 1,400 students in grades 5 to 12. At Excel Academy Charter Schools, we believe that when a student has the support and tools to pursue a productive post-secondary pathway aligned to their personal identity and values, it can fundamentally change their life trajectory.
We present our students with educational experiences that allow them to grow and discover their best selves so that when they leave our halls, they can successfully navigate all of the post-secondary options available to them. You can read more about the impact of the Excel Academy model here.
At Excel Academy we learn from our students, families, and staff and make improvements. We have increasingly adapted to provide a holistic education that values our community as collaborators in the learning process, social-emotional support, equity for diverse learners, and fosters identity development. We prioritize an approach that is both rigorous and inclusive. Our team of passionate, intelligent, driven, and loving staff are at the core of the work we do.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Under the direct supervision of a licensed School Counselor, the School Counseling Intern will provide direct individual and group counseling services to Excel students by using clinical counseling and consultation techniques to promote student mental health, social-emotional development, and adjustment to school, home, and community.
DUTY DAYS: 2 days/week for first year placement, 3 days/week for final year placement
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, PREREQUISITES
- Possess a beginning, working knowledge of a variety of forms of academic, social, and emotional support for middle school students.
- Able to speak to the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion and express both self-awareness of and a desire to grow your own cultural competence as a mental health/social work clinician.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
- Collaborate and meet weekly with School Counselor/Site Supervisor to discuss and review student cases, learning plan, and goals for the internship.
- Manage weekly caseload of 15 students via direct individual counseling.
- Facilitate at least 1-2 weekly social-emotional grade-specific counseling groups.
- Consistently and routinely update student files and other documents for tracking student progress in accordance to HIPAA regulations.
- Assess the counseling needs of identified special education students and develop and implement appropriate IEP goals and objectives, as well as write quarterly progress notes.
- Attend IEP and/or inter-departmental meetings for students receiving other related services.
- Collaborate and consult with external service providers, as needed.
- Foster healthy and productive family engagement through consistent communication outreach, providing available community resources, and meetings.
- Consult with School Counselor/Site Supervisor regarding making outpatient referrals.
- Consult with School Counselor/Site Supervisor on acute crisis and mandated reporting procedures if/when necessary.
- Continually improve clinical skills by seeking out constructive feedback and professional development opportunities.
- Attend weekly grade level team meetings to report on student progress, as needed.
- Attend weekly Student Support Team meetings as an active team member reviewing and consulting on high-priority student cases.
- Attend and participate in campus and network-wide professional development training sessions throughout the school year.
- Attend and participate in school-led Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) trainings and workshops throughout the school year.
- Attend and participate in MS Counseling Department professional development training sessions throughout the school year.
TEAM MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES
- Reports to School Counselor/Site Supervisor. Collaborates with teachers, Admin (Dean of Students, Dean of Student Supports, Head of School), School Psychologist, and other related service providers.
- Serve as a productive member of the Excel community;
- Align student support services with the school’s mission and educational philosophy;
- Participate in generating and upholding Excel Staff norms;
- Meaningfully participate in Friday meetings, school PD and Family Conferences;
- Do whatever it takes to ensure that the mission of the school is fulfilled.
Qualifications:
- A Bachelor’s degree is required;
- A commitment to and belief in all students and the mission of Excel Academy Charter Schools, including Excel’s values and educational model;
- A commitment to addressing racial and economic inequity in education;
- The ability to focus and thrive in a fast paced, entrepreneurial environment;
- The ability to work effectively in a team environment and the willingness and desire to support others in doing their best work; and
- An openness to change, a willingness to problem-solve, and an interest in receiving feedback for continuous improvement.
Preference will be given to applicants who also:
- Have experience in a public or charter school setting;
- Speak Spanish, Portuguese or Arabic fluently;
- Can speak to the importance of rigorous classroom instruction and culture;
- Can speak to the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Excel Academy Charter Schools is committed to its work as an anti-racist organization. One critical element of that commitment is building and empowering a diverse staff that reflects the community that we serve.. We strongly encourage applications from candidates whose experiences share important points of intersection with those of our students. Staff who demonstrate fluency in Spanish, Portuguese or Arabic (languages spoken widely by our diverse community of families) will receive additional compensation, as will staff who are alumni of our schools.
Excel Academy Charter Schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, ancestry, athletic performance, special need, proficiency in the English language or a foreign language or prior academic achievement.
Applications will be reviewed as they are received and candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.