College Counselor - YES Prep North Forest Secondary (24-25)

Job Description

POSITION: College Counselor

REPORTS TO:  Director of College Counseling

POSITION TYPE: 11-month

START DATE: 24-25 School Year

 

COMPENSATION: Starting at $60,000

At YES Prep, work for a mission that impacts the life trajectory of students and their families. YES Prep creates pathways to extraordinary opportunity through best-in-class development, competitive compensation and benefits, and recognition for your impact. Grow as an authentic leader and be part of an equity driven, team-oriented culture.  

Our campuses are advancing educational equity. Some quick stats about us: 

• 18,650 Students
• 2,100 Team Members
• 15 Secondary Campuses
• 9 Elementary Campuses
• 92% Students Who Qualify for Free/Reduced-Price Lunch
• 96% Hispanic & African-American Students
• 90% Students Who Are Accepted to a 4-Year University
• 88% First-Generation College Students
• Ranked in the Top 100 High Schools in the Nation, U.S. News & World Report
  
  

 

We serve the students of Houston, Texas, the 4th largest city across the United States. There are over 20 public-school districts and other great public charter school options, like KIPP Texas-Houston and IDEA Public Schools, within Houston’s city limits serving our increasing population. We are a rapidly growing organization, committed to creating life-changing opportunities for over 23,000 students by 2025. 

THE ROLE

When you join the YES Prep team, some of the exciting work and responsibilities will include: 

• Helping coordinate and host high school visits and college fairs college admissions representatives;
• Directly advising and counseling 40 seniors and 40 juniors per year and assist with all aspects of our comprehensive college counseling program;
• Working with the Director of College Counseling to support campus-based alumni programming;
• Working with college counseling department, as well as appropriate YES grade level chairs, selected course leaders and/or seminar teachers, and campus-based instructional support leaders, to plan, coordinate and facilitate the Seminar Program across the 9th-12th grade levels;
• Teaching up to four seminar classes each day during the school year, most likely Senior Seminar section (College 101) and Junior Seminar courses on the preparation for the college admissions process;
• Executing student, family, and staff programming as it relates to the areas of Financial Aid and Scholarships, House Bill 1403/Senate Bill 1528 (working with undocumented students), Testing and Preparation, College Visitations Program, and Student Opportunities / Enrichment programs and college counseling parent engagement;
• Assisting with specific projects and areas as determined by the Director of College Counseling and/or Principal (based on expertise and knowledge base of college counselor);
• Additional duties as assigned.
  
  

 

THE PERSON

We seek staff with diverse backgrounds, talents, interests, and ideas. Certain traits consistently shine through for our most successful employees: passion for the mission, drive for results, care for students, resilience, and humility. Other traits needed and desired for this role are:  

 

MUST HAVES 

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year college or university  
• At least 1 year of experience in either the high school counseling and/or college admissions field OR 1 year teaching Seminar in K-12
• Ability to work outside of normal hours and on weekends
• Belief in and commitment to the mission and core value of YES Prep Public Schools 
• Openness to giving and receiving frequent feedback 
• Ability to maintain emotional control under stress 
• Ability to work urgently in a fast-paced and results-oriented environment 
• Creates and maintains positive working relationships on a team and/or in a highly collaborative environment 
• A dedication to learn, grow, and develop as a professional 
  
  

NICE TO HAVES 

• Bilingual Spanish
  
  

EVERY OPPORTUNITY STARTS WITH A YES 

Great schools begin with great people who believe every day is an opportunity to make a difference.  At YES Prep, you have an opportunity to join a family of diverse educators who are leveling the playing field by providing opportunities for a high-quality, college-forward curriculum while also ensuring our students feel supported through their academic journey and empowered to lead choice-filled lives. YES Prep is more than a family of public charter schools, it’s the future of public education—it’s an opportunity to say, “Yes, you can!” 

THE PERKS

• Compensation – This position is an exempt, salaried position; salary offers commensurate with experience.
• Health and Supplemental Insurance – A $0 monthly medical option that includes $600 towards a Health Savings Account, in addition to a variety of supplemental benefits including Dental, Vision, Disability, Life, etc. Employees must work 20 hours a week to be eligible for a full spectrum of benefits, and 10 hours a week minimum for medical benefits.
• Retirement Plans – Participation in Teacher Retirement System of Texas and a 457b Retirement Plan.
• Paid Time Off – Employees working 20 hours a week receive 12 days of Paid Time Off in addition to the system closures during the Academic Calendar.
• Paid Leave Programming – In the event you need to be out due to medical needs (including maternity and paternity leave), YES Prep offers paid leave, paid at 100%, based on eligibility and tenure.
• Professional Development - YES Prep values longevity and performance over time. We invest in developing leaders through high-quality programs, effective coaching, and ongoing professional development.
• Award Winning Culture – The strong cultures of our campuses and Home Office are just one of many reasons we were named Houston’s Best Place to work in 2018, 2019, and 2021. We won the 2012 Broad Prize for Excellence in Urban Education and were a 2016 finalist as well.
  
  

WE ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO EQUITY & DIVERSITY

YES Prep strives to recruit a diverse team of leaders. We believe there is a transformative academic and social benefit for students when their teachers and leaders reflect a diversity of backgrounds. Ninety-five percent (95%) of staff members agree that the organization provides a welcoming environment given their background and identity according to our latest system survey. 

YES Prep is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or parenthood.