Elementary School Counselor

About RPA
Rockwood Preparatory Academy is a K-5 public charter school serving a diverse student population in the Reynolds School District, in the Rockwood community of Portland. Our mission is to provide excellence and justice in education by ensuring that ALL students, K-5, can demonstrate rock-solid reading, arithmetic, writing, and spelling skills. We are a model public elementary school that dispels the myth that racial background and economic status are determinant factors in a child's ability to reach high levels of academic achievement.
We have assembled a staff who deliver an outstanding education through rigorous academics, high behavioral expectations, and passionate educators who put Relationships for Success into practice.
About this role
Our academic model is demanding by design. It only works when students can regulate, connect, and stay in the building. That is where this position comes in.
The School Counselor is a member of the building leadership team and works alongside administrators, special education staff, and classroom teachers to keep students emotionally supported and academically available. This is a hands-on, kid-facing job. You will know your students by name and know their families by name.
We are looking for someone who wants to make a difference in the lives of the students they serve. If that is you, come join our team in Rockwood.
What you will actually do
Direct student support
Provide short-term individual and small group skill building for students whose social, emotional, or behavioral needs are interfering with their learning or someone else's
Teach concrete, developmentally appropriate skills: emotional regulation, conflict resolution, friendship, coping strategies, safety
Support delivery of the schoolwide SEL curriculum
Facilitate restorative conversations between students and, when appropriate, between students and staff
Conduct risk assessments and lead the school response when a student is in crisis
Support the school in meeting applicable student support, safety, and educational requirements. This may include supporting the development and implementation of Section 504 plans, functional behavior assessments (FBAs), behavior support strategies, required student safety and prevention programs, including Erin’s Law requirements, and responding to student and staff support calls and other student-related concerns.
Family and community connection
Serve as a consistent point of contact for families around student wellbeing
Connect families to community mental health, housing, food, and medical resources, and help them navigate the referral process rather than just handing over a phone number
Follow up. A referral that goes nowhere is not a service.
Lead truancy and attendance intervention in partnership with the office and administration
Staff partnership
Help teachers build classroom-level interventions that work inside a Direct Instruction schedule, not around it
Coach staff on de-escalation, trauma-informed practice, and when to loop you in
Bring data and observations to student support and MTSS team meetings
Advise administration on patterns you are seeing before they become crises
Systems and records
Maintain accurate, timely, confidential records of student, family, and provider contact in Synergy
Support implementation of RPA's MTSS framework, PBIS, and restorative practices
Contribute to school planning on attendance, mental health, suicide prevention and awareness, abuse and neglect reporting, and crisis response
Other duties as assigned, because this is a small school and we all pitch in
Required Qualifications
Licensed School Counselor: Valid Oregon TSPC School Counselor license, or eligibility to obtain one prior to start date.
In addition:
Experience providing mental health, counseling, or SEL support in a school setting, preferably elementary
Ability to assess and teach developmentally relevant social and behavioral skills to young children
Strong facilitation, coaching, conflict resolution, and problem-solving skills
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and stay flexible when priorities shift
Clear, professional written and verbal communication with students, staff, and families
Comfort with technology, student information systems, and shared document tools
Ability to obtain and maintain valid First Aid and CPR certification
Ability to obtain and maintain certification in non-aversive behavior crisis prevention and intervention
Willingness to follow and promote board policy
Ability to pass a criminal background check as required for Oregon school employment
Reliable commute to Portland, OR, or plan to relocate before starting
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in a high-need school or community
Bilingual
Working knowledge of MTSS, PBIS, restorative practices, and trauma-informed practice
Experience collaborating with outside providers, DHS, or community agencies
Experience with Synergy
Who Tends to Do Well Here
Someone who stays calm when a kid is falling apart. Someone who follows through on the phone call nobody else made. Someone who thinks a child can be held to a high academic bar and supported at the same time, because at RPA those are not separate jobs. You'll have a lot of independence, so you need to be comfortable running with things on your own. You also need to speak up early when you're stuck or need support, before a small problem turns into a big one.
Working conditions
Physical demands: Work is performed in a school environment. The employee must be able to, with or without reasonable accommodation:
Stand and walk for extended periods, including frequent movement between classrooms, offices, the cafeteria, and outdoor spaces throughout the day
Ascend and descend stairs multiple times daily
Sit for extended periods during meetings, sessions, and documentation
Bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, and sit on the floor to work at eye level with young children
Lift, carry, push, or pull up to 25 pounds
Reach with hands and arms, and perform repetitive keyboarding and computer work
Move quickly across the building and respond physically when a student is in crisis, including safely implementing non-aversive crisis intervention techniques consistent with training
Communicate clearly in person, by phone, and in writing, and hear and understand voice conversation including in noisy environments
See at close range and at a distance, distinguish color, and adjust focus
Supervise students outdoors, including on uneven ground and playground surfaces
Environmental

Employment type
Full-Time

Work arrangement
No