Expanded Learning Program Counselor

Company Description

Wonderful College Prep Academy

is a charter network in California's Central Valley committed to providing a world-class education for all students. The Academy's mission is to graduate students prepared to earn a college degree and to set them on a promising career path for life. We believe this begins with a nurturing, engaging, community-centered school environment where students develop a strong and well-rounded academic foundation. Ultimately, this will prepare generations of leaders in the Central Valley who are critical thinkers and lifelong learners.

The Academy's first school opened in Delano in 2009, serving students from across the Central Valley in grades 6-12\. In 2016, we moved to our new, state-of-the-art college prep campus in Delano, and in the Fall of 2017, added an elementary school in Delano and opened a second charter school in Lost Hills. In Delano, we serve over 1,800 students in grades TK-12, while in Lost Hills, we serve over 400 students in grades TK-12\.

All students have access to technology, from hands-on STEM learning for younger students in a fully equipped "maker's space" to one-to-one school-provided devices for all students. The Academy aims to provide every opportunity for our students that often is not found in public or charter schools, including the ability to graduate from high school with a free associate degree. Through a unique partnership with Bakersfield College, our students enroll in college classes starting in 9th grade and complete all their A-G requirements, in addition to their AS Degree requirements, over the course of four years. In addition, all graduates are eligible to earn a four-year renewable college scholarship through the generous support of Lynda and Stewart Resnick.

We seek thoughtful, inclusive, skilled communicators and creative problem-solvers who value continuous learning and who are excited to serve our students and families. Now is the time to join a team making enduring change within the Central Valley of California and beyond!

Click here to learn more about the Wonderful Company's other great philanthropic partnerships.

Job Description

The Expanded Learning Program Counselor supports the social-emotional well-being, engagement, and overall development of students participating in the after-school program. The ELOP Counselor works collaboratively with after-school staff, school-day teams, and families to ensure students receive consistent and coordinated support that promotes academic success, positive behavior, and personal growth.

Through individual counseling, small group support, staff consultation, and family outreach, the counselor helps students develop self-awareness, emotional regulation, and problem-solving skills. The counselor also connects students and families with school and community resources, ensuring students have access to the supports they need to thrive both during the school day and in the after-school program.

The goal of this role is to help students recognize their strengths, build resilience, and develop the skills necessary to become confident, responsible, and self-directed learners.

Essential Job Functions:

Student Counseling and Social-Emotional Support

• Provide short-term individual counseling and check-ins for students participating in the after-school program who are experiencing social, emotional, or behavioral challenges.
• Facilitate small-group counseling sessions focused on topics such as emotional regulation, conflict resolution, friendship skills, coping strategies, and resilience.
• Conduct risk assessments and crisis response when students demonstrate behaviors that indicate potential harm to themselves or others, following school protocols.
• Support students in developing positive coping strategies and self-regulation skills that promote success both during the school day and in after-school programming.

Family Engagement and Community Resources

• Conduct proactive parent outreach to support families when students are experiencing social-emotional challenges.
• Connect families with community-based mental health services, social services, and other support resources.
• Serve as a liaison between the after-school program, school-day staff, and families to ensure coordinated support for students.

Student Support Systems \& School Collaboration

• Collaborate with school-day staff, counselors, and administrators to ensure continuity of support for students participating in the after-school program.
• Attend or contribute to MTSS, SST, or student support meetings as appropriate when after-school participation or behavioral supports are relevant to the student’s plan.
• Coordinate with school-day teams to ensure that behavioral strategies, supports, and interventions are reinforced during the after-school program.
• Assist in monitoring and addressing attendance patterns within the after-school program, including outreach to families when students disengage from services that support their academic or social-emotional needs.

Staff Training and Program Support

• Provide professional development and coaching to after-school staff on topics such as:

+ De-escalation strategies

+ Trauma-informed practices

+ Positive behavior supports

+ Supporting students experiencing emotional distress

• Collaborate with program leadership to support the implementation of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons within the after-school program.
• Provide consultation to mentors and staff when behavioral or emotional challenges arise with students.
• Support mentors in developing behavior intervention plans or strategies for students struggling to engage successfully in the after-school environment.
• Provide counseling and wellness support services that promote students’ social-emotional development, positive behavior, and engagement in both the school day and after-school program.

Community \& Program Partnerships

• Maintain partnerships with community agencies and service providers to support student and family needs.
• Coordinate referrals to outside agencies when students require additional support beyond school-based services.
• Participate in school or community initiatives that strengthen student well-being and family engagement.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Services credential in a specialization in Pupil Personnel Services, required
• Credential: Possession of a valid California Teaching Credential, preferred
• Experience: At least 2 years of demonstrated successful K-12 teaching experience as a fully credentialed teacher or counselor, preferred.
• Education: Master’s degree in counseling or related field from an accredited college or university required.

Working Conditions:

• Environment: Office environment; fast-paced work, constant interruptions.
• Physical requirements: Hearing and speaking to exchange information, make presentations and communicate over the telephone; seeing to read, prepare, and proofread documents and view computer monitors; sitting or standing for extended periods of time; dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard and other office equipment; kneeling, bending at the waist, and reaching overhead, above the shoulders and horizontally, to retrieve and store files and supplies; lifting light objects; ability to go to sites apart from primary office to conduct business.

Pay Range: $94,782\.00 - $131,648\.94\. Final compensation will depend on skills \& experience.

Additional Information

Compensation:

• Wonderful College Prep Academy offers highly competitive compensation, commensurate with experience.
• Full-time staff benefits include medical coverage, dental, vision, and life insurance at no cost to the employee.
• For eligible employees, WCPA contributes 19% to CalSTRS. Alternatively, employees may participate in a 403(b) plan with up to 5% employer match (if not receiving CalSTRS contributions).
• Employees have free access to the Wonderful Wellness Center and gym.

Quality of Life in the Central Valley:

Framed by the Sierra Nevada to the east and the Coast Ranges to the west, California's Central Valley is one of the world's most productive agricultural regions and the base of The Wonderful Company's agricultural operations. This vast area enjoys a moderate climate and offers residents a high quality of life, low cost of living, and a host of diverse cultural and recreational activities. From wine tasting and hiking to rafting, fishing, skiing, and surfing -- all within a two-hour drive -- the family-friendly Central Valley has much to offer.

Wonderful College Prep Academy is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

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