School Network Staff Director of Counseling, Wellness, and Mental Health Services
Job Description
About the Director of Counseling, Wellness, and Mental Health Services: The Director of Counseling, Wellness, and Mental Health Services will play a key role in ensuring the network has the vision for mental health programming and social emotional learning (SEL) necessary to make KIPP’s mission a reality. The ideal candidate is an experienced, and licensed School Psychologist that can lead on social emotional programming and mental health staff development.
About KIPP: Together with families and communities, KIPP creates 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. KIPP is a national network of tuition-free, public charter schools open to all students. There are 255 college-preparatory KIPP schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia, serving more than 100,000 students. Nationally, KIPP students are graduating four-year colleges at three times the national average for low-income students.
Who we are: KIPP Colorado Public Schools is a network of six free college-preparatory public charter schools open to all students. Our 350-person staff educates 2,600 students from ECE to 12th grade. At KIPP Colorado, we partner with our KIPPsters, educators, families and communities to ensure that we are all united around the goal of a choice-filled future for our KIPPsters. Our core values of excellence, belonging, belief, advocacy and courage are central to who we are and how we operate at all levels of our organization.
What we do: We believe in the unique gifts and brilliance of every student. We believe in setting a high bar for joy and academic excellence to ensure the infinite possibilities our students have before them become a reality. We aspire to create and reinforce a culture of achievement, belonging and support. We know that every student is different and we personalize learning based on a student’s needs, skills, and interests.
Role Responsibilities and More About How You’ll Spend Your Time in this Role
KIPP Colorado Mental Health Programming
- Support Mental Health Providers and develop KIPP’s Mental health providers to ensure they are prepared for key responsibilities of their roles, including but not limited to supporting Special Education Individual Education Programs (IEPs) and evaluations, 504 Plan development and evaluations, Mental Health Plans, partnership with school culture leadership and planning for tiered supports, and Crisis Planning support (such as Suicide Risk Reviews and Threat Assessments) in alignment to compliance requirements set forth by local, state, & federal law and other guidelines
- Support school leadership teams in coordinating contracted mental health providers and partnerships with mental health organizations.
- Provide school site manager mental health feedback on technical skills and compliance completion for mental health provider performance evaluation(s)
- Refine or develop systems/ tools related to school-based mental health roles, including but not limited to: Roles and responsibilities for School Social Workers and School Psychologists ; Onboarding plans; Resources for observation and coaching of mental health providers; and Evaluation systems and tools
- Lead, design, and support schools in implementation of universal screening and progress monitoring systems for behavior and social emotional at-risk screening. Align practices to DPS requirements as needed.
- Act as lead liaison with the district/authorizer mental health department and turnkey all necessary information and updates to the KIPP CO mental health team as needed
- Participate in all and turnkey important information from district/authorizer mental health department meetings and trainings
- Provide direct/indirect school psychology services and evaluation assessment support for a caseload of students with IEPs, as needed
KIPP Colorado Mental Health Team Development
- Support vision for KIPP’s role in supporting new mental health providers with induction and mentorship
- Provide licensure Induction mentorship hours as needed to the regional school psychologists. Directly manage the Social Worker Induction Mentor (stipend position)
- Provide monthly coaching to every KIPP social worker and biweekly coaching and direct management to Regional School Psychologists
- Develop and lead a monthly mental health professional learning community for all KIPP CO social workers and school psychologists in alignment to priority focus areas
- Provide consultation to teachers implementing Tier 1 SEL Curriculum
- Ensure Mental Health systems and structures align with T1 SEL and supportive classroom strategies
- Development of instructional leaders, Deans, and mental health providers for strong implementation of social emotional programming continuum (e.g., referral to a provider, mental health MTSS systems, documentation of services, etc.); and create and successfully roll-out these systems
- Lead, coordinate, and co-create essential mental health beginning of the year training for all mental health providers
Professional Responsibilities
- Believe deeply in the mission, values, and Race, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (RIDE) commitments of KIPP Colorado Schools and that all children can and will learn.
- Providing an active presence, strategic supervision, and intentional monitoring to ensure student safety and engagement in rigorous learning (regardless of my role and its proximity to students)
- Take ownership for the development of your craft (meet 1x/1-2 weeks with a manager, implement feedback, engage in active practice, etc.)
- Meet professional obligations including and not limited to meeting deadlines and honoring schedules.
- Collaborate with colleagues and seek feedback in the spirit of continuous improvement.
- Reflect on professional practices to meet individual professional development goals.
- Assume personal responsibility for student achievement.
- Actively participate in professional development, grade level, and department meetings.
- Actively engage in all school-wide professional development.
- Serve as a positive, contributing member of a grade team, collaborating with colleagues to tackle common challenges and implement grade-wide initiatives.
- Share candid, solutions-oriented feedback with peers and leadership on a regular basis.
- Maintain strong attendance each day and be on time to all responsibilities
- Assist with both student and staff recruitment.
- Other duties as assigned
Director Role Level Specifics, Scope of Work, and Level of Responsibility “For more about how you’ll lead at the Director level, please visit the KIPP Colorado Role Levels Matrix (this is an internal document, only).
About Your Skills and Qualifications at the Director Level:
- Master’s degree or higher from an approved specialist-level program (required)
- Spanish bilingual (preferred)
- Active Professional Level Special Service Provider license with a School Psychologist (ages 0-21) endorsement from the Colorado Department of Education (preferred at time of hire, may obtain within the first twelve months in the position)
- Experience as a School Psychologist (a minimum of three years required)
- At least 5 years of school based experience and/or a strong record of helping underserved students achieve academic success (required)
- Past experience (2 years) of leading adults in a school environment (required)
- A full understanding and Commitment to an Exceptional Student Experience (more about that HERE) (required)
- Outstanding organizational skills and high attention to detail; outstanding written and oral communication skills
- Ability to manage the ambiguity and multiple priorities inherent in an entrepreneurial environment
- Proactive problem solver who demonstrates initiative and teamwork
- Strong work ethic coupled with an enthusiastic and passionate approach to one’s work
- Multi-faceted, multi-skilled, resourceful and willing to do whatever it takes to help the school reach a level of academic excellence
- High level of detail orientation and sound excellent organizational skills
- Strong communication, feedback and facilitation skills
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Articulate, professional demeanor with strong self-confidence and initiative.
- Entrepreneurial mindset, with the creativity and versatility to work productively in a fast-paced environment
- Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, high-energy environment with a proven ability to meet and complete multiple deadlines and tasks with meticulous attention to detail.
- Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop productive working relationships with stakeholders across functional and organizational lines
- Passionate commitment to KIPP Colorado mission and to high standards of excellence
Compensation and Benefits:
Staff retention and satisfaction is imperative for KIPP Colorado. We seek to provide competitive compensation and benefits including the following:
- Competitive Market Salary: Starting salary for this role begins at $90,000
- Please submit a comprehensive resume to assure all your experience is accounted for! (Tip: We don’t care if your resume is more than one page, we are eager to see and compensate you for all of your experience and accomplishments.)
- Excellent Healthcare Plan: 100% of employee-only monthly premium paid by KIPP Colorado and options for family enrollment and coverage, through United Healthcare.
- Time Off !!!: More than 6 weeks of annual vacation and Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Based on hire date, employees are eligible for up to 8 days of Paid Time Off (PTO)
- All employees receive summer break through an Org closure, based on work location and position
- Access to Parental and medical leave: Includes 6 weeks paid and 6 weeks unpaid for a total of 12 weeks (after your first year).
- Career Trajectory: Access to opportunity to to move up, across schools, and grow your career and weekly coaching session to refine your craft.
- Mental Health Care: Immediate and ongoing access to mental health support through our Employee Assistance Program.
- Technology & Access: Equipment provided: laptop & phone
- Retirement Planning: Participation in the Colorado PERA retirement program, including a PERA 401k option.
- Move to Join Us: Relocation reimbursement (when applicable)
- Additional Pay: Most school offer various stipend opportunities
- All the Insurance Options:
- Wellness reimbursement
- Voluntary employee, spousal, and child life insurance
- Voluntary long term disability insurance
- Voluntary short term disability insurance
- Optional Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
- All the Info: For more information, you can view our benefits FAQ here .
KIPP Colorado Schools is dedicated to equal employment opportunities and fair labor practices. KIPP Colorado Schools, KIPP Denver Collegiate High School, KIPP Northeast Denver Middle School, KIPP Northeast Elementary, KIPP Northeast Denver Leadership Academy, KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy and KIPP Sunshine Peak Elementary provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals based on job-related qualifications, and the ability to perform a job without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religious creed, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, legally protected medical condition, veteran status, sexual orientation, or on any other basis made unlawful by federal, state or local laws. It is our policy to maintain a non-discriminatory environment free from intimidation, harassment or bias based upon these grounds.
