9th - 11th Grade KIPP Forward Counselor

Job Description

At KIPP NJ, our mission states that we prepare our students to change the world. We believe that, for most of our students, a Bachelor's degree is the stepping stone for students to pursue professional and personal success. We also believe that this is not the only path to professional and personal success, and are committed to supporting 100% of our students, including those who choose a non-college post-secondary pathway. We believe in career exploration and exposure throughout high school so all students leave with a strong sense of their passion, purpose, and plan for a strong start in college or a progressive professional pathway of their choosing. We know that truly preparing students for college and career requires an intense focus on student GPAs and ACT results, experiential learning opportunities such as summer programs and dual enrollment courses, excellent college & career counseling, and strong relationships with and programming for students and their families.

The College & Career Match Counselor's job is to support a college and career-ready trajectory for our students. We expect our Match Counselor to build strong and trusting relationships with students, and use effective advising skills to support students in taking all necessary steps to graduate from high school and ultimately matriculate to a post-secondary program of highest aspiration.

METRICS OF SUCCESS

Outcomes:

Relationships: counselor builds strong, trusting relationships with students, families, and colleagues

Strong GPAs: students understand the importance of GPA and are striving to reach GPAs that allow them access to strong postsecondary options

On-Time Graduation: students are on track to graduate high school on time

Experiential Learning: eligible students participate in experiential learning opportunities, including dual enrollment, pre-college summer programs, and internships

College & Career Wishlists: students in 11th grade create college and career wishlists aligned with their desired, quality postsecondary pathway

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Advising:

Conduct ongoing 1:1 check-ins with identified cohorts of students in grades 9 - 11th to assess their passion, purpose, and plan

Guide 11th-grade students through the process of creating a strong, balanced wishlist that is aligned with their individual interests and takes their academic profile into consideration AND uses it as motivation to positively impact students' academic profile for the remainder of the year

Maintain consistent engagement and partnership with families of 11th-grade students

Student & Family Programming:

Coordinate school-wide college and career exposure events (special programming days, family night, etc) in collaboration with KF team

Plan and lead college visits and workshops in collaboration with KF team

Plan and lead workshops for families on the essential topics related to high school and postsecondary success in collaboration with KF team

Plan and lead workshops and small group advising sessions for 9th and 10th-grade students focused on building key College and Career knowledge, skills, and beliefs

Data Management:

Track meeting notes and student data - both qualitative and quantitative - consistently and accurately

Analyze student academic data to drive action planning and support plans

Present key data trends to school staff and Regional Director of Match

ACT:

Manage accommodation request process through Learning Specialist Coordinator

Oversee execution of interim ACT testing in 9th and 10th grade in conjunction with AP/SL

Oversee execution of ACT prep in 11th grade in conjunction with AP/SL

Collaborate with ADSO and Assessment coordinator for practice ACT exams

College & Career Prep:

Coordinate with CCR teachers to ensure key college and career knowledge - including wishlist creation in 11th grade - is occurring in classes

Manage school - based process of enrolling students in strong, vetted pre-college programs, internships, and dual enrollment courses

Progress to Graduation:

Maintain transcripts

Manage schedule request platform on PowerSchool

Oversee schedule request process in College & Career Readiness classes, in partnership with others

Create alternate plans for under-credited students (credit recovery, alternate schedules, etc.)

Support family conversations regarding Progress to Graduation, including in quarterly Report Card Conferences

Conduct check-ins with identified cohorts of 9th and 10th graders (academic progress, attendance, key skill-building, experiential learning opportunities) and ongoing check-ins with 11th graders

Help students progress towards HS graduation through proactive advising, tailored interventions, and targeted programming that is responsive to student needs