Job Application for DP Empowered: College & Career Counselor (2025-2026 School Year) at Democracy Prep Public Schools

About the Opportunity

Democracy Prep Public Schools is a college prep institution and it is our mission to ensure all students have the option to go to college. We also acknowledge and celebrate multiple post-secondary pathways. We prioritize civic engagement, global citizenship/student travel, arts, and athletics, in addition to excellent academics.

A core tenant of the Network’s 5-year strategic plan, DP Empowered is a comprehensive 4-year advising program for students in grades 9–12 that prepares them for high school success and the development of a personalized postsecondary plan through a dual approach of whole group instruction and 1:1 advising. Part of the College Access and Success Team, the 9th grade College & Career Counselor is at the nexus of these priorities working in collaboration with students, families, faculty, the college team, student support teams, school leadership, and the DP Empowered Program lead to facilitate DP Empowered programming in the 9th grade.

This position will lead 9th grade programming, designed to help students explore their identity, develop academic and life skills, and navigate potential career paths. The advising and course programming you oversee will empower students to understand themselves better, set goals, build effective study habits, and begin exploring future career options. The course combines hands-on projects, reflections, and class discussions to foster personal growth and prepare students for future academic and professional success.

This opportunity is best suited for someone with experience in both teaching and school counseling or social work, who is comfortable working with students in a classroom setting and implementing a curriculum emphasizing group work, project based learning, and discussion. Compelling candidates will demonstrate skill in cultivating a classroom culture characterized by high expectations and strong student performance, a strong interest in project based learning and leading discussion based activities, and is incredibly organized. The 9th grade College & Career Counselor will report directly to the Senior Director of Postsecondary Programming.

Who You Are

An educator with an unwavering commitment to the Democracy Prep mission of college success and authentic civic engagement for our scholars.
A skilled writer with the ability to provide strong feedback on student work and craft exceptional student recommendations and other written communications.
A clear communicator and enthusiastic networker with the ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders and families, and connect students to unique programs that support post-secondary readiness.
A strong interest and skill in teaching, project based learning, and discussion-based activities that may include some of the following characteristics:

Student choice in designing projects
Student research in order to access, manage, and analyze information
Reflection used to modify or change project direction and outcome to enhance student growth
Exploration of real world problems and challenges
Providing learning opportunities for students through multiple modalities

Highly skilled at classroom management
A skilled project manager
Committed to a holistic approach to education that addresses academic, social-emotional, and behavioral factors that impact school culture and student success.
A graduate of a Bachelor’s degree program (required), and a MSW or MSEd in School Counseling (preferred)

What You’ll Do

Classroom and Discussion Facilitation

Lead the 9th grade DP Empowered class, including intellectual preparation and the execution of curriculum lesson plans.
Help students explore and cultivate personal, career and academic interests both through in-class experiences and individual student check ins
Facilitate age-appropriate conversations and activities centered on current events, participation in community service and outreach opportunities, and active celebration of scholars' culture, heritage, and identity.
Build a positive classroom culture through the effective use of classroom management best practices
Cultivate strong partnerships with scholars, families, and the school's scholar support team.

Advising and Advocacy

Conduct ongoing individual and group advising sessions to assess the academic, emotional, social and behavioral needs of students.
Collaborate with the Scholar Support (and social work) Team(s) to determine appropriate steps to support student academic success
Help students identify and apply to compelling summer opportunities
Review academic records
Document student interactions via Overgrad, our CRM for counseling
Conduct weekly grade audits

Data Management and Communication

Collect, organize, and analyze qualitative and quantitative data related to specific elements of the program, such as assessment quality and feedback, counseling notes, survey results, etc.
Develop and speak to insights from student data to drive implementation and development of program

Compensation

Salary is $70,000 - $80,000 and commensurate with your experience. Democracy Prep employees are provided with a benefits package that includes medical, vision, and dental insurance, 403B matching, parental leave, a smartphone, and a laptop.

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Democracy Prep is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, familial status, domestic violence victim status, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. Our mission is to educate responsible citizen-scholars who will change the world. We strongly believe that by building a DREAM team that represents numerous perspectives, backgrounds, and expertises, we can achieve this goal together. This is a value we highly support and strongly encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply.

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DP Empowered: College & Career Counselor (2025-2026 School Year)

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