About KIPP Texas

KIPP Texas Public Schools is a network of 59 public charter, open-enrollment, pre-k-12 schools educating nearly 34,000 students across Austin, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. Together with families and communities, our mission is to create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose —college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.

Founded in Houston in 1994, and operating as KIPP Texas since 2018, our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism in our classrooms, in our offices, and in the communities we serve is unwavering. We are looking to hire a diverse team of dynamic, collaborative, and dedicated individuals with an unyielding belief that every child will succeed. Join our Team and Family and champion equity, chase excellence, persist with purpose, bring joy, and help us rise together.

KIPP Texas is part of the national KIPP network of 255 college-preparatory public charter schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Nationwide, KIPP students complete four-year college at a rate of 36 percent, comparable to the national average for all students and approximately three times higher than the average of students from low-income communities.

About the Opportunity

Utilizing leadership, advocacy, and collaboration, the School Mental Health Counselor/Social Worker will promote student success, provide preventative services, and respond to identified student needs by implementing a comprehensive developmental school mental health program that seeks to meet the needs of the whole student. The School-Based Mental Health Counselor/Social Worker will seek to develop and facilitate programming that effectively removes barriers to learning and equip students with the necessary tools needed to navigate their educational experience and beyond.

KIPP Student Support Services (S3) exists to prevent, respond to, and minimize the barriers to learning that KIPP Texas students may experience. Reporting to the School Leader/Principal, the School-Based Mental Health Counselor/Social Worker is responsible for developing, coordinating, and facilitating comprehensive mental health programming at their assigned school. This may include providing direct support to students, coordinating resources for families, coordinating data-driven interventions and programming, and facilitating professional development for staff and parents. This position furthers the mission of KIPP Texas as it helps ensure that all students have the tools they need to learn.

Duties and Essential Job Functions:

The School Mental Health Counselor/Social Worker will have responsibilities such as, but not limited to, the following:

• Selects and administers age appropriate assessment methods and materials in order to determine the needs of the student.

• Develops and implements direct intervention strategies for students, teachers, and families to resolve stressors and remove barriers that interfere with student success. 

• Conducts specialized individual and group counseling sessions to address specific emotional, social, and behavioral needs of students.

• Mobilizes and coordinates community resources for students and families to address academic, behavioral, emotional, and social needs.

• Develops and creates strategies for parents, teachers, and students on instructional and behavioral issues.

• Develops and builds community agency partnerships with service providers to expand resources available to students and families.

• Provides crisis management services, including assessing for safety.

• Advocates for student services and students’ best interests.

• Provides case management services including, but not limited to, referrals to community resources, collaboration with other professionals.

• Provides trainings and workshops to teachers, school staff and parents

• Serves as a liaison between the student, home, school, private counseling facilities and

community resources such as social services, court services, and family service agencies.

• Acts as a member of the regional and state crisis response team. 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Ability to synthesize knowledge and present it to stakeholders, including parents, students, and administrators, in a comprehensive manner

• Ability to work both on broad-based strategy and everyday details

• Independent, self-starter with a strong focus on student development

• Strong organizational and planning skills

• Possession of a passionate and loving attitude toward all children

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)

• Proficiency using computers, printers, copy machines, and fax machines

• Reliable transportation is needed to travel between campuses

Required Education and/or Experience: 

Accomplished professional experience in one or more of the following settings: PK-12 schools, early childhood centers, out-of-school-time programs. The ideal candidate will have the following experience, expertise, and skills:

• Master’s degree in school psychology, social work, psychology, counseling or related field.

• Must hold one of the following license types: LPC-I, LPC, LPC-S, LMSW, LCSW or LMFT. 

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Training/adult education experience.

• Excellent organizational skills.

• Demonstrated facility with utilizing data to inform programmatic decisions.

Physical Requirements: 

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times.

• Must be able to access and navigate each department at the organization's facilities.

Work Environment: 

• Typical school environment with frequent interruptions

Compensation and Benefits:

The School Mental Health Counselor will be funded directly from the Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ESSER) grants awarded by the Texas Education Agency under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (ESSER II) and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ESSER III). This position will be funded solely (100%) from the ESSER II and III allocation for direct expenses through September 30, 2023, and may continue to be funded through September 30, 2024, depending upon the availability of ESSER grant funds. At the end of the grant period this position may be eliminated unless other sources of funds are secured to maintain this position or a similar position. The employee must sign this job description acknowledging receipt of the job description and signing their acknowledgement that this position is grant funded and is temporarily aligning with the terms of the grant period.

As a full time KIPP Texas employee you are eligible to participate in all KIPP Texas’ benefit plans. KIPP Texas offers a robust variety of benefits choices, including medical, dental, and vision options, as well as life insurance, fertility, and disability plans starting as low as $25/month.

KIPP provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees.
As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability