The College and Career Counselor at Propel Schools is integral to student success. Each counselor plays an essential role for students, families, and teachers in ensuring that students are exposed to various post-secondary options, prepared with the skills and mindsets to thrive after high school, and be fully supported in their endeavours. College and Career Counselors assume ownership for ensuring all scholars have access to and participate in the various opportunities provided. College and Career Counselors play a critical role in identifying and recruiting scholars for opportunities, based on understanding each scholar as an individual. College and Career Counselors serve in a 12-month role on the school’s leadership team and are essential to fulfilling Propel’s goal of 100% college acceptance and 100% enrolled in postsecondary education or training after high school.

School Leadership

• Provide leadership for implementation in scholar preparation and transition to postsecondary success.
• Provide leadership with the following key results:
  • 100% of students are trade, university or college accepted
  • 100% of students complete and present a rigorous post-secondary plan
  • 100% of students continue their education and/or training through college/university, trade school, career development training, or military.
• Deliver Professional Development to staff on college and career preparation, including successful implementation of Naviance, our college and career platform.
• Support the school’s character development program and ensure it builds and reinforces positive self-identity and necessary character strengths
• Support school culture initiatives
• Model the school’s core values in daily interactions with staff, students, and families
• Collaborate with fellow members of the school leadership team to implement and sustain programs for students and families that recognize and celebrate achievement and continuous growth
• Participate in and deliver professional development and training on issues related to school counseling
• Collaborate with fellow College and Career Counselors to enforce a system to accurately monitor student attendance; create Scholar Attendance Improvement Plans (SAIPs) for students with difficulty attending school; collaborate with school principals regarding attendance information in preparation of enforcement of truancy charges
• Maintain compliance with the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s mandate of the Career Education and Work Standards, including documenting and reporting all CEW evidence and ensuring each scholar has 100% completion of the required number of artifacts/evidence.

College and Career Preparedness

• Facilitate career awareness activities, including, but not limited to, coordination of student visits to colleges/universities/technical schools, arrangement of college/career awareness activities for students and families, and arrangement financial aid information sharing activities for students and families
• Plan a Propel-wide College and Career Fair 2 times per year.
• Set measures of total student scholarship funds and work with the Senior Expedition teacher and CREW Leaders to ensure that all students have access to scholarship opportunities. This work includes the feedback and counseling of students so that they understand the importance of scholarships in attaining their post-secondary goals.
• Serve as point person for Naviance by preparing scope and sequence and lesson materials for students and teachers. Ensure that all teachers receive proper professional development on operating the Naviance Program in CREW.
• Participate as a member of intervention teams, such as SAP and RtII to support student success
• Collaborate with staff and parents to help students overcome academic barriers
• Support teachers, administrators and other school personnel, as needed, to develop, implement and monitor progress of behavior interventions for students and groups of students
• Facilitate the creation and management of 504 Service Agreements for eligible students
• Prepare and teach classroom lessons related to career awareness
• Collaborate across the counseling department to improve school-wide career awareness initiatives
• Acts as the school’s primary scholar recruiter for the Scholar Opportunities plan, which includes the following:
  • Job Shadowing/Internship experiences
  • Service Learning Hours
  • Career Pathway Program
  • Dual Enrollment
  • Extraordinary Opportunities
• Oversee the implementation and maintenance of the Service Learning Club
• Maintain monthly contact with Dual Enrollment professors by monitoring grades, attendance and scholar needs

Student Support

• Develop and lead classroom lessons, small groups, and individual counseling sessions related to social/emotional needs (including, but not limited to: social skills, coping, friendships, conflict resolution, changing families, self-awareness, self-esteem, etc.)
• Serve as the building 504 Service Agreement Coordinator; facilitate 504 Service Agreement meetings and coordinate the development of a plans to determine aids, services, and accommodations required by students
• Act as building Homeless Liaison: monitor and support students who are in transition or displaced, report required data to Propel’s Homeless Liaison
• Support the transition of students from 8th to 9th grade and from 12th grade to college
• Facilitate post-secondary planning with students to include administration of career interest surveys, review of student transcripts, development of career/vocational plans, and assistance to students in the completion of college entrance, financial aid and scholarship applications
• Conduct individual student planning meetings with scholars to inform scheduling and finalize post-secondary plans.

Systems Support

• Prepare and present formal reports
• Accurately monitor and analyze data related, but not limited to college acceptance rates, attainment of scholarships, dual enrollment grades, attendance rates, and graduation rates.
• Attend and participate in staff and other school activities and meetings as appropriate
• Serve on the school’s leadership team in carrying out organizational and school goals as necessary
• Maintain records and deadlines in a timely fashion
• Be highly present and visible during school hours relentlessly ensuring a positive school environment
• Coordinate Mentoring Program: enroll students, assign mentors, supervise mentoring, plan and supervise large group events throughout the year, etc.
• Construct and track a comprehensive Early College Exposure Program for all students
• Participate with leadership team and building staff to plan, problem solve, and support one another on an ongoing basis
• Participate in building activities to support School-Based Mental Health Partnership and serve on the Student Assistance Team, participate in monthly meetings, and bridge communication and supports to school staff
• Collaborate with specialists on school-wide initiatives such as internet safety, drug and alcohol prevention curriculums, bully prevention initiatives, etc.

Family and Community Engagement

• Plan, facilitate, and communicate a Parent Engagement Series for High School parents on a range of topics that will lead to postsecondary success for their child, including but not limited to the college application process, scholarships, and transition support
• Communicate with families regarding graduation tracking and progress in addition to Scholar Opportunities.
• Plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate the community service graduation requirement.
• Ensure accurate transcripts and provide to all stakeholders in a timely fashion.
• Provide referrals to community support agencies as needed
• Develop and coordinate collaborative partnerships with outside organizations that support student needs
• Provide a monthly newsletter to all parents communicating college and career activities, updates, scholarship opportunities and other “need-to-knows.”
• Actively engage with the school community by attending annual events
• Articulate Propel’s Promising Principles to the greater community
• Successful Candidates will have:
• High level of personal organization and planning
• Ability to develop rigorous lesson plans and assessments
• Strong communication and relationship building skills
• Willingness to participate in on-going Professional Development
• A commitment to the Promising Principles of Propel.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Knowledge of admission application requirements and processes, and financial aid processes, for college/universities, trade schools, career development programs and military.
2. Knowledge of area programs geared towards high school students and post-secondary options.
3. Knowledge of, and experience working with,diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability and ethnic backgrounds
4. Knowledge of and experience with Naviance and/or Skyward is strongly preferred.

Requirements:

1. PA School Counselor Certification PK-12, or 7-12
2. Must have High School Counseling experience.
3. Current TB, FBI, Child Abuse, and Criminal History Clearances

Organization Overview:

Every day, Propel strives for the extraordinary. We can achieve it - but not without extraordinary people who take society's injustices to heart and have the vision and energy to inspire others.

Almost 15 years ago, Propel started as a dream. The dream was to build an organization with the capacity to transform public education in Southwestern Pennsylvania so that all children have access to high performing public schools. Today, that dream is a reality.

Propel has become one of the largest, fastest-expanding set of charter schools in Pennsylvania with the highest levels of student achievement among Pennsylvania public school districts serving high poverty areas. The first school opened in 2003 with 180 children, occupying a small hospital basement. In 2018, almost 4,000 K-12 students attend thirteen facilities in Homestead, McKeesport, Montour, Munhall, Turtle Creek, Braddock Hills, Northside, Pitcairn and Hazelwood.

Our Mission is to catalyze the transformation of public education so that all children have access to high performing public schools. Propel owes its success to the hard work and dedication of its people, both in and out of the classroom.