About the position

Austin International School (AIS) is seeking a full-time school counselor with 5+ years of school experience and LISW, school counselor license, or LPC-S. We strive to build a student support team that reflects the rich diversity of our student body and provides strong role models for all children. Additionally, it is paramount that our approach to student support and counseling aligns with the school’s values of adaptability, autonomy, creativity, inclusiveness, kindness, and responsibility.

This is a key leadership position within our student support team, ideal for a counselor with a strong sense of presence, confidence in managing school-wide initiatives, and an ability to connect authentically with students of all ages. This position plays a key role in supporting the social-emotional well-being of students across the school’s multilingual and multicultural environment. With a student body that is evenly split by gender, we value counselors who are attuned to the social-emotional needs of all children and who can connect with a wide range of developmental and cultural experiences. In this role, the school counselor provides individual and small group counseling, proactive in-class support to promote effective emotional-regulation and social skill development, leads school-wide PBIS and wellness initiatives, and collaborates with school leadership, teachers, families and students to cultivate and maintain a safe, inclusive, and nurturing school culture aligned with our school values.

This is a student-facing position designed for a compassionate, culturally competent professional with experience in school-based counseling, prevention programs for children and teens, and cross-cultural communication for our prekindergarten through grade eight program. Additionally, this role offers the opportunity to help shape and grow a comprehensive student support program within a collaborative and forward-thinking school community.

Key Responsibilities:  All responsibilities apply to all students and all grades.

1. Direct Student Support

• Provide short-term individual and small-group counseling to students presenting with social-emotional or behavioral concerns aligned with the schools values and best practices for school-based counseling.
• Offer crisis support and mediation when urgent student needs arise.
• Provide proactive in-class support to teach skills related to social and emotional success
• Maintain appropriate and confidential documentation of student support services in accordance with school policies.
• Assist in the creation and implementation of behavioral interventions and provide support for students who need behavioral support.

2. Collaboration with Faculty and Families

• Partner with the Director of Student Support and classroom teachers to identify and serve students in need of support.
• Participate in student support meetings, contributing professional insight on emotional well-being and behavioral needs.
• Provide guidance to families navigating mental health and emotional development topics and needs; help connect families with external resources as needed.

3. Schoolwide Wellness Initiatives

• Collaborate with school leadership to deliver age-appropriate classroom workshops or wellness activities aligned with AIS’s values education or SEL needs.
• Contribute to the design or facilitation of faculty training related to child development, mental health, and student wellness.
• Participate in campus events, community education, or parent workshops that align with the counselor’s expertise.

Qualifications

Required:

• Ability to provide services in English (French and/or Spanish a plus)
• Minimum 5 years of counseling experience in a school or child-centered setting. Comfort with children of all ages is a must.
• Master’s degree in School Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or related field
• Current license as an LISW, Licensed School Counselor, or LPC-S
• Experience providing 1:1 school-based counseling and leading school-wide mental health or behavior initiatives
• Demonstrated ability to lead student wellness programming, behavior intervention plans, or restorative practices
• Experience working with children from diverse backgrounds and family structures, with a strong ability to establish rapport across age and gender lines.
• Proven strategies for engaging students who may be hesitant to open up.
• Commitment to confidentiality, professionalism, cultural humility, clear and compassionate communication, and ethical practice
• Significant experience with school-based programs such as:
• Social-Emotional Learning (e.g., Second Step, CASEL framework, RULER, ROX)
• Crisis Prevention and Intervention (e.g., QPR, ASIST, trauma-informed care, ATOD, healthy relationships, body image, and eating).
• Behavior Management, Behavior Intervention and Restorative Practices (e.g., PBIS, Restorative Circles, Responsive Classroom, etc.)
• At-Risk screening tools and referral processes
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training (e.g., culturally responsive practices, anti-bias education)
• CBT and DBT in Schools
• Legal and Ethical Compliance (e.g., FERPA, IDEA, Section 504, Title IX)

Preferred:

• Experience supporting co-curricular programs (e.g., advisory, student mentorship, sports, recess, or playgroup or extracurricular leadership).
• Experience in international, multilingual, or culturally diverse school environments
• Classroom teaching experience or team-based instructional collaboration
• Experience mentoring boys and young men or leading gender-responsive SEL programming (e.g., BAM, The Council for Boys and Young Men, ROX, etc.)
• Training in restorative justice, conflict resolution, or behavior coaching models
• Experience leading or supporting co-curricular programs (e.g., advisory, athletics, student leadership, recess, or afterschool clubs)
• Familiarity with psychoeducational or behavioral assessment tools
• Bilingualism in French or Spanish is a plus but not required

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $60,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Physical Setting:

• Private school

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Ability to Commute:

• Austin, TX 78727 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Austin, TX 78727: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person