School Counselor

OPPORTUNITY Counselors at Green Dot Public Schools are responsible for providing counseling and guidance services to all students, with a particular emphasis on preparing students for college. This includes ensuring that students have taken the necessary coursework to fulfill the California State University and University of California A-G requirements; taken the appropriate college entrance exams; as well as assisting the students in completing their college applications.

This position also requires conducting individual and small group counseling for students in need. Expertise with prevention, intervention, developmental and crisis counseling experience is highly desired. We require all counselors to have a Clear California PPS credential in School Counseling, and a master’s degree in School Counseling is highly preferred.

Our talented staff is committed to continuing their own learning and refining their practice to stay current in the field ensuring a quality education for all. We offer weekly professional development days, monthly observations, summer training, new staff support meetings, and opportunities for staff to attend conferences. Recognizing the importance of professional empowerment, counselors are represented by the Asociación de Maestros Unidos (AMU), an affiliate of the California Teachers’ Association, and the National Education Association.

Visit https://tinyurl.com/mub9tvxy to view our Los Angeles locations. ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES > Organize and maintain college catalogs, brochures, handbooks, and other appropriate resource materials > Coordinate and implement dissemination of information to students, parents, and community members pertaining to the college admissions process Provide specific information regarding entrance requirements, applications, scholarships, costs, tuition, financial aid, and testing deadlines Provide college counseling services through group and individual counseling > Help students become aware of all phases of post-secondary school options > Maintain student records regarding post-secondary plans > Provide faculty and staff with current information related to the college admissions process > Coordinate visits by college representatives during the school day > Organize and implement field trips to college campuses > Organize a system of transcript dissemination to colleges and universities for student applicants > Provide assistance to faculty and staff in writing letters of recommendation and secondary school reports > Write letters of recommendation for students regarding admissions and financial aid scholarships > Provide necessary information and materials for students regarding PSAT, SAT I and II, and ACT Determine eligibility of students applying for test fee waivers Administer PSAT and interpret results for students, parents, and staff > Coordinate and administer school and community scholarships > Initiate scholarship fundraising efforts > Maintain contact with graduates concerning scholarships and post-secondary school activities > Facilitate processing of student forms and applications Coordinate application procedures for financial aid Offer student and parent workshops to provide information and assistance in completion of accurate forms > Provide follow-up interpretation of financial aid packages > Provide individual and small group counseling to students in need (prevention, intervention, as well as DIS counseling, if designated on student IEP) > Work collaboratively with School’s SST, School Psychologist and other support personnel to ensure student success > Create and implement curriculum with regards to Advisory, college readiness, and career readiness courses > Available for contact with parents, students and staff to discuss student progress and problems after class, at night or on weekends (via cell phone or in person) > Maintain work hours extending beyond school hours for other professional duties or functions such as staff meetings > Maintain professional standards and a school environment that is productive, safe and focused > Participate in Green Dot and individual professional development > Participate in other events aimed at promoting or developing Green Dot and its schools (e.g., student recruitment) QUALIFICATIONS As an ideal candidate, you > have a California Clear PPS Credential in School Counseling/Guidance (required) > have a master’s degree in School Counseling from an accredited college or university (highly desirable) > have experience with individual and group counseling (highly desired) > are bilingual in English/Spanish (highly desired) > have a passion for improving urban high schools and driving education reform > are knowledgeable about bilingual education > have experience working in an urban school setting > have prior counseling experience (mental health), including DIS Counseling > have demonstrated leadership capabilities > have proven management and team building skills > have excellent interpersonal, communication and writing skills > are able to work with parents, students, faculty, post-secondary educational representatives, as well as school community groups > are able to represent the school in a positive way > are able to understand student maturity levels and the process of goal selection > are able to help students gain an awareness of interests and abilities and to help them make course choices that will lead to appropriate careers commensurate with interests and abilities > are able to understand test construction and interpret educational test data > are able to understand school graduation requirements and parallel entrance requirements for post-secondary institutions > are able to motivate students and provide academic incentives for success > are able to understand the relationship between school curriculum and college programs > are able to understand the unique social-emotional needs of individual students > are dependable, humble, have a sense of humor and a rock-solid commitment to Green Dot’s mission and the communities we serve > will need to pass a TB test and background check at time of offer The information contained herein is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of the duties and responsibilities of the job, nor is it intended to be an all-inclusive list of the skills and abilities required to perform the job COMPENSATION Our 2024-25 step and column salary scale ranges from $62,316- $127,985, based on education and experience. Visit https://careers.greendot.org/benefits-salary/ to learn more.

In addition, Green Dot offers one of the most robust and comprehensive benefits packages in the industry (for both you and your dependents): > 100% no-cost premium Anthem Vivity HMO option (for employee and dependents) - a network that includes some of the best hospitals in the nation (Cedars Sinai, Huntington Memorial, Torrance Memorial, UCLA and more) > 100% no-cost premium options for dental and vision coverage, as well as options to purchase other medical and dental plans (including Anthem PPO, Kaiser HMO, MetLife and more) - visit https://tinyurl.com/27brsuyz for more information > Employee Assistance Program (100% employer-paid) > Life and AD&D Insurance (100% employer-paid) > Optional Term Life & AD&D Insurance > Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance (100% employer-paid) > Flexible Spending Accounts (health and dependent care) > Wellness programs and resources > Financial planning/coaching access > Student Loan forgiveness access > Asociación de Maestros Unidos (AMU) membership, an affiliate of the CTA and NEA > California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS) participation, with both employee and employer contributions > Higher ‘longevity’ salary step increase in years 4, 8 and 13 > Annual ‘exemplary attendance’ bonus > Potential opportunities for paid stipend work (as needed by each school site) > Approved family care and/or medical leave (unpaid) > 198-day work year Green Dot also offers generous paid time off for an overall work-life balance, while giving employees the opportunity to impact a growing, mission-driven organization that is committed to the success of all students: > 10 days of paid time off during the school year for personal illness/injury (a portion of which may be used for personal necessity) > 25 days of paid time off during the school year for our Fall, Winter, and Spring breaks (which include the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays) as well as an additional 6 annual paid holidays (MLK Day, President’s Day, Cesar Chavez Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day and Veteran’s Day) > 3-5 days of paid bereavement leave (if needed) Green Dot Public Schools has embedded a diversity, equity and inclusion lens in our organizational culture, as well as in our educational and talent practices. We are committed to hiring those who reflect the diversity of our communities, and we recruit, employ, support, compensate and promote employees, without regard to their actual or perceived race, religious creed (including religious dress or grooming practices), color, national origin or ancestry (including native language spoken), physical or mental disability (including HIV or AIDS), medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status (including registered domestic partnership status), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), gender (including gender identity and expression), parental status, age (forty (40) and over), sexual orientation, Civil Air Patrol status, military and veteran status, citizenship, immigration status or any other consideration protected by federal, state or local law. Please note that Green Dot Public Schools California is unable to sponsor any applicant for a temporary or permanent U.S employment-based visa, nor hire any applicant currently holding a temporary U.S. employment-based visa.