Banning Lewis Academy - School Counselor

About the Team

ACCEL Schools is seeking an experienced and caring School Counselor for Banning Lewis Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. The School Counselor will promote student success, provide preventive services, and respond to identified student needs by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program that addresses academic and personal/social development for all students.

At Banning Lewis Academy, we blend the tradition of character development and values with modern technology and tools to create an engaging learning environment that accelerates student achievement and readiness without losing sight of student well-being and personal development. Our mission is to create a safe, positive environment that fosters intellectual curiosity and a thirst for discovery where students and staff success through exceptional programs.

At Banning Lewis Ranch, we serve students in Grades K-5. Highlights include our Capturing Kid’s Hearts Program, Celebration of Learning Nights, 5th Grade Capstone Field Trip to Washington DC, and a well-rounded student schedule that includes Spanish, Art, PE, Music & Technology.

At Banning Lewis Prep, we serve students in Grades 6-12. We carefully transition students into Middle School with purposeful social activities and programs as LEAD our leadership development program, sports through the Central Colorado Athletic League, and numerous clubs and electives. In High School, we offer traditions such as Homecoming, Prom, and Student Senate. We focus on Concurrent Enrollment opportunities, Service Learning Projects, Senior Capstone Projects, and college and career readiness (such as online courses, career & technical business programs, foreign exchange program opportunities and much more. At the High School level, our athletes compete in the Tri-Peaks League and have many additional extracurricular opportunities such as Mock Trial, Jazz & Concert Band, National Honor Society, and more.

About the Opportunity:

The School Counselor will provide the school community, parents, students and teachers with an exemplary, ongoing professional student-counseling program. To provide services which contribute and respond to the individual needs of students and their parents by: arranging for initial assessments; participating on IEP team as appropriate; conducting or overseeing evaluations; developing and refining the behavior management system; monitoring interventions; serve as liaison with school staff and outside resources; and maintaining consistency and continuity in the school’s response procedures. Strong social/emotional or trauma informed care background preferred.

Responsibilities include to:

• Share a commitment to the success of the mission, goals, and objectives of the charter school.
• Set high expectations and standards for the achievement of students and own personal performance.
• Offer resources, professional expertise and coaching that supports student achievement of school’s academic standards.
• Use multiple sources of data collection to analyze barriers to student achievement and to access, identify and apply to the improvement of the behavior management program.
• Offer opportunities for the community to be involved in student and school success.
• Assume responsibility for coordinating, monitoring and reporting student interventions.
• Serve as resource specialist for teachers and parents regarding any counseling needs.
• Work with students, parents and staff in a compassionate and productive manner.
• Assist teachers in effective planning, organization and implementation of strategies for optimum behavior management.
• Serve as liaison to school staff and outside resources; maintain consistency and continuity in the school’s response procedures.
• Plan for initial student assessment and participate on the IEP team as appropriate.
• Conduct or oversee student evaluations.
• Guide the teacher learning process in implementing personal learning plans of students as a means to effective classroom management.
• Identify and develop creative intervention methods and procedures to adapt effectively to unusual situations.
• Demonstrate exceptional counseling techniques including documentation and student tracking.
• Work cooperatively with parents and generate parents’ confidence in the teacher and the school community at large.
• Provide a school culture based on the principles of firm, fair, and consistent practices, respect for individual students, and development of responsible citizenship.
• Conduct one-self according to professional, ethical principles.
• Be familiar with and support school administration in the effective implementation of the school’s Emergency Response Plan.
• Adhere to all procedures and policies as outlined in the Employee Manual.

About You:

• Graduate degree in Counseling, Social Work or related field.
• Strong social/emotional or trauma informed care background preferred
• Valid State of Colorado certification and demonstrated competence as a school based social services counselor.
• Must demonstrate mastery of all areas of counseling responsibility and be computer literate.
• Must demonstrate a strong understanding of local, regional, State and Federal resources that support families, students and school institutions.
• Successful completion of federal and state criminal background checks
• Ability to work well under pressure as well as effectively prioritize and execute tasks to meet deadlines consistently
• Ability to use discretion in managing confidential information
• High quality written and verbal communication skills
• Experience in an urban and/or school turnaround setting is a plus

About Us

“We believe that every child should be able to be anything they want in life, regardless of their birthplace and circumstances.” – Ron Packard, CEO & Founder

ACCEL Schools is a network of 80+ high-performing, public charter schools serving PK-12 students. We proudly advocate for school choice and work to address educational inequities throughout the United States. Our schools are inclusive and widely differ to reflect the unique values of the many urban, suburban, and rural communities we serve. Our brick-and-mortar, virtual, and hybrid schools specialize in closing educational gaps and offer innovative models such as career-technical education, sports training, bilingual programming, and more. We have been recognized and praised by legislators, authorizers, and researchers for providing exceptional education options to students in historically under-resourced communities.

We offer the following benefits:

Compensation and Life benefits – time & peace of mind

• Compensation is about $55,000 and is commensurate with experience
• Paid time off
• Retirement contributions
• Optional Basic Life and AD&D insurance
• Voluntary life insurance (employee, spouse, child)
• Discounted childcare at Early Learning Academies locations

Health benefits – stay well & thrive

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Voluntary short-term disability insurance
• Voluntary long-term disability insurance

Career benefits – keep growing

• Career advancement opportunities throughout Accel Schools and our strong network of 4,000+ instructors and education professionals

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

It is our policy to abide by all federal, state and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination based solely on a person’s race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth, physical disability, mental and/or intellectual disability, age, military status, veteran status (including protected veterans), marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, familial status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition, genetic information, sexual orientation, or any other protected status except where a reasonable, bona fide occupational qualification exists.