Secondary School Upper School Counselor - Atlanta International School

ABOUT OUR SCHOOL

Atlanta International School (AIS) brings together students, educators, and families from around the world and Atlanta with a shared goal: to develop courageous young leaders ready to make a positive impact.

Our community represents 90 nationalities and over 60 languages. Starting in August 2025, AIS’s Upper School will span two campuses: the Buckhead Campus for Grades 3K-12 day students and the Sandy Springs Campus for Grades 9-12 day and boarding students.

This dynamic, inclusive environment gives AIS its unique energy—a place where students, educators, and families thrive, innovate, and belong. As an International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum school from 3K to Grade 12, we offer the PYP, MYP, DP, and CP, with additional flexibility through AISx. This unique program is tailored for pre-professional students in athletics, entertainment, entrepreneurship, and more. AISx partners with Mouratoglou Tennis Academy and the Atlanta United Youth Team and holds Athlete Friendly Educational Center (AFEC) accreditation.

Our ur engaging and comprehensive academic programs develop internationally minded, critical thinkers who excel at connecting complex knowledge to create innovative solutions. At AIS, students experience a world-class education within a diverse, multicultural, and multilingual community that prepares them for meaningful, global impact.

JOB PURPOSE

AIS teachers inspire students from diverse backgrounds to become courageous leaders in a culturally responsive and restorative learning environment. We are a community of innovative educators who create engaging, inquiry-based lessons that spark critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. As part of the Sandy Springs Campus team, you'll work with both day and residential students in a beautiful, setting surrounded by nature that enriches the educational experience.

This role is a unique opportunity to be part of the founding team building our new Sandy Springs campus. The Sandy Springs Counselor supports AIS’s international Upper School students (Grades 9-12) academically, socially, and emotionally, so that they are able to thrive in their high school years and transition well into university. This role, part of the collaborative AIS School and College Counseling teams, develops programs that foster student self-esteem, self-awareness, and sound decision-making. The Sandy Springs Campus Counselor benefits from strong support by a team of 3 college counselors and 7 school counselors at the Buckhead Campus, operating under a unified, dual-campus approach.

FLSA: Exempt
Reports to: Director of College Counseling and Director of School Counseling
Start Date: July 21, 2025
Application Deadline:

AIS CORE VALUES BASED COMPETENCIES

• Commitment to Growth – Seeks continuous self-improvement.
• Collaborative Teamwork – Builds strong, supportive relationships.
• Adaptability – Maintains flexibility and openness to change.
• Inclusivity – Actively welcomes and engages diverse perspectives.
• Empathy – Shows compassion and understanding toward others.
• Intercultural Communication – Communicates effectively across cultures.
• Bias Awareness – Recognizes and mitigates personal biases.
• Task Prioritization – Manages time and tasks efficiently.
• Accountability – Takes responsibility for actions and outcomes.
• Constructive Conflict Resolution – Resolves conflicts in a restorative way.

RESPONSIBILITIES 

School Counseling

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

• Empowers students: Fosters a supportive and inclusive learning environment where all students feel valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential.
• Promotes equity interventions: Actively advances equity initiatives to address systemic barriers” could replace “actively works to move forward equity initiatives to dismantle systemic barriers.

School Counseling Preventative Programming:

• Curriculum development: Collaborates with colleagues to develop and implement developmentally appropriate social-emotional learning programs that are facilitated in sessions with the counselor and/or through the advisory program.
• Parent education: Collaborates with school leadership to develop parent sessions with topics such as cyber safety, and adolescent development through the principal’s coffee mornings.
• Student support: Oversees programs that support new students' transition into the school community.

Preventative and Response Services:

• Student support: Provides individual and group counseling to address students' emotional, social, and academic needs.
• Accessibility: Offers open counseling hours and appointments to all students.
• Record-keeping: Maintains accurate and up-to-date student records.
• Child protection: Actively participates in the school's child safeguarding team and adheres to all relevant policies and procedures.

Collaboration and Communication:

• Teamwork: Collaborates with colleagues, parents, and students to identify and address student needs.
• Professional advice: Provides guidance and support to staff on student-related issues.
• Community outreach: Communicates effectively with the school community about counseling services.

Child Protection:

• Child safety: Ensures the implementation of the school's child safeguarding and protection policy.
• Ethical practice: Handles disclosures and referrals in accordance with professional standards and legal requirements.
• Confidentiality: Maintains confidentiality in all interactions with students.

College Counseling

Academic Individual Student Planning 

• College Counseling: Implement the AIS counseling curriculum, advise students on further education, and guide them through the university search and application process.
• IB Program: Provide expertise in IB Diploma and Career-related Programs, advise on course selections, and manage reference letters.
• Career Exploration: Facilitate career exploration, identify suitable careers, and provide guidance on internships and gap year opportunities.
• Standardized Testing: Collaborate on the coordination of standardized tests for university admissions.

Professionalism

• Cultural Competence: Demonstrate cultural awareness and adaptability in working with diverse students and families.
• Professional Development: Commit to ongoing professional development, research, and learning.
• Professional Affiliations: Participate in relevant professional organizations.
• Student Confidentiality: Uphold high standards of confidentiality with student information.

Data Management

• Transcript Management: Oversee Sandy Springs Campus (SSC) student transcript creation, maintenance, and issuance in collaboration with the High School registrar.
• Student Progress Tracking: Monitor student progress in University Counseling, maintain meeting notes, and track milestone completion.
• Data Analysis: Analyze relevant data (standardized test scores, university admissions) and provide reports to AIS leadership.
• Academic Records: Oversee SSC student high school diplomas, college transcripts, and Diploma Program credits.

Collaboration

• College & University Relations: Build relationships with college representatives to promote AIS students.
• University Visits: Host university visitors and organize group trips to university fairs.
• School Collaboration: Partner with school leadership, faculty, and staff to provide accessible and effective counseling services.
• Community Partnerships: Collaborate with community stakeholders to offer college and career resources.
• Communication: Communicate effectively with parents, students, and families.
• Graduation Planning: Partner with the graduation planning team and provide guidance on key elements.

SKILLS & REQUIREMENTS

• Education: Holds a degree in School Counseling or a related field from an accredited institution.
• Experience: Relevant experience in counseling or related roles. Experience working with diverse populations is valued.
• University Admissions: Understanding of US and/or international university admissions processes and requirements.
• Professional Development: Stays current on professional practices, educational research, and information technologies related to counseling.
• Professional Affiliations: Collaborates with CIS, NACAC, International ACAC, and other relevant organizations.

TO BE CONSIDERED
To be considered for the above-mentioned position, please submit the following items through our online career site https://www.aischool.org/our-school/careers: a letter of interest, resume, and email and phone contact information for three professional references with at least one being supervisory in nature by the stipulated deadline. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. We will contact those applicants whose skills and experience best match our needs. Due to the high volume of applications, we regret that we are not able to take or return phone calls regarding employment. 

EEO
AIS is an equal opportunity employer. We are a diverse community of professionals that broadly reflects the people of the metropolitan Atlanta area and the United States at large. We aim to align our hiring process with our mission and institutional goals. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion or religious practices, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship status, national origin, age, ability status, military status, unemployment status or any other category protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws. AIS takes affirmative action in support of its policy to employ and advance all qualified candidates.

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