Job Description: Johannesburg Elementary School Counsellor (Tentative)

Job Description: Johannesburg Elementary School Counsellor (Tentative)

CAMPUS: Johannesburg Campus
SUPERVISOR: ES Principal
START DATE: 1 August 2027
POSTING DATE: 09 October 2026
CLOSING DATE: 28 October 2026

 

Inspire Learning to Build Our Better World. At the American International School of Johannesburg (AISJ), we are committed to providing an exceptional education that empowers global citizens to fulfill their future purpose. Our vision is to inspire learning to build a better world. We seek a dedicated and passionate professional who aligns with our commitment to excellence and believes in the transformative power of education. Every team member is crucial in creating a supportive and nurturing learning environment. At AISJ, we value every employee as a learner and expect them to embody and support the AISJ Portrait of Learner (Resilience, Mindful, Thinker, Globally Connected, Curious, Contributor) through their work. We are dedicated to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion within our school community.

Position Overview

The Elementary School Counsellor champions the social, emotional, and academic development of students from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 5. Working collaboratively with educators, families, and school leadership, the Counsellor implements proactive multi-tiered support systems and social-emotional frameworks to foster an inclusive, nurturing, and culturally responsive learning environment. This role ensures that every learner thrives in alignment with the school’s vision and highest international standards of pastoral care.

Qualifications & Experience:

Required Educational Qualifications & Certifications

• Master’s Degree in School Counseling, Educational Psychology, or a closely related field from an accredited institution.
• Active K–5 (or equivalent) valid state, national, or international school counseling license/certification.

Required Professional Experience

• A minimum of 5 years of successful experience as an Elementary School Counsellor. Demonstrated experience leading child protection policies, safeguarding training, and child safety initiatives.
• Proven expertise managing student profiles involving complex social, emotional, and behavioral challenges.
• Proven ability to analyze psycho-educational assessments, conduct FBAs, and craft individualized BSPs.

Preferred Qualifications & Specialized Experience

• Previous counseling leadership within an International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) school or top-tier international/multicultural elementary school environment.
• Professional proficiency with Adaptive Schools frameworks and collaborative leadership practices.
• Completion of Category 1 IB PYP workshop or training certification.
• Experience delivering structured SEL programs, specifically the Second Step curriculum.
• Track record of designing and facilitating impactful parent education workshops. Active membership and continuous engagement in recognized international counseling organizations and professional learning networks.

Key Responsibilities:
Direct Student Support & Case Management

● Conduct targeted individual counseling sessions and facilitate small-group programs to support learners’ social, emotional, and behavioral development.
● Co-lead the Student Study Team (SST) process alongside the Director of Student Support Services and Elementary Learning Leader to design, monitor, and refine student intervention plans.
● Design, conduct, and analyze Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) and author actionable Behavior Support Plans (BSPs) for students with complex behavioral needs.
● Interpret psycho-educational evaluations and academic assessments to guide instructional accommodations and individualized support strategies.
● Coordinate transition initiatives for learners and families entering or leaving the Elementary division, including the PK onboarding process and the Grade 5 to Grade 6 Middle School articulation.

Curriculum, Safeguarding & SEL Leadership

• Oversee and deliver the Elementary Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum across all grade levels.
• Coordinate and lead Child Protection training, workshops, and personal safety lessons for staff, students, and the broader community.
• Serve as a divisional resource on student mental health, proactive behavior strategies, and pastoral care, assisting teachers through classroom observations and strategy co-development.

Collaboration, Admissions & Community Outreach

• Collaborate regularly with the Principal, Director of Student Support Services, Learning Support, and English as an Additional Language (EAL) specialists to provide integrated support.
• Partner with the Principal and educators to guide student class placements each academic year.
• Assist the Admissions team through application reviews, candidate observations, and placement recommendations.
• Facilitate parent education workshops and maintain clear communication channels to support family well-being and student development.

Documentation & Operational Contributions

• Maintain up-to-date documentation regarding counseling notes, support plans, transition logs, and family communications.
• Attend and constructively contribute to division, Student Support Services, and full faculty meetings.
• Participate in break and recess supervision to observe peer interactions and provide real-time social coaching.

  Additional Responsibilities

• Chaperone and support students during the Elementary Classroom Without Walls (CWW) program and off-campus trips.
• Sponsor or facilitate student service groups and lead/co-lead at least one Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) per academic year.
• Perform assigned campus supervision duties during break times and recess.
• Participate in and support school-wide weekend functions, community gatherings, and divisional events as required.

Teacher Competencies

Planning for Learning

• Curriculum Design: Creates personalized, challenging learning sequences that build on prior knowledge while ensuring knowledge transfer and regular reflection opportunities.
• Collaborative Planning: Partners across disciplines and specialties to create cohesive learning experiences
  that connect global contexts while anticipating student needs.
• Inquiry-Based Learning: Designs flexible conceptual units that honor student choice, pace, and multiple pathways to demonstrate understanding.

Maximizing Teacher Efficacy

• Student Agency & Critical Thinking: Creates self-directed learners who think critically, set goals, and drive their own learning journey.
• Research-Based Instructional Excellence: Implements proven teaching strategies that adapt to individual student needs through continuous assessment and adjustment.
• Connected Learning Design: Weaves together global perspectives, real-world applications, and cross-disciplinary connections to create meaningful learning experiences.
• Collaborative Leadership: Builds a learning community where students develop leadership skills through structured collaboration and personalized engagement.

Reflecting as Practitioners

• Student Agency: Builds student capacity for self-assessment through modeling, tools, and targeted feedback that drives individual growth.
• Data-Informed Practice: Analyzes student achievement data to align curriculum, refine teaching strategies, and measure instructional effectiveness.
• Professional Growth: Engages in collaborative reflection and data analysis with colleagues to continuously improve teaching practices and student outcomes.

Promoting Relationships, Community, & Culture

• Builds strong community-school partnerships and actively participates in community initiatives to enrich the learning environment.
• Adapts teaching practices by staying informed of educational and societal changes while understanding each learner’s unique cultural background, learning style, and needs.
• Creates an inclusive learning environment that embraces diversity, challenges stereotypes, and connects learning to students’ real-world experiences and cultural contexts.
• Fosters a growth mindset by encouraging calculated risk-taking and developing students’ autonomy, personal responsibility, and ownership of learning.

All community members are expected to be committed to the AISJ Community Principles.

• We are better when we act together.
• Our differences make us stronger.
• Every voice counts. Every voice matters.
• Every team needs individuals. Every individual needs a team.

Work

Number of Work Days: : Monday through Friday – 188 (one hundred and eighty-eight) days per school year.
Work Day: 7:10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and from 7:10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

Other Duties As Assigned: The Teacher will be expected to perform any work assigned to them that is within their skills and capabilities and to be flexible about changes to this function that may be required from time to time for operational reasons. This includes other duties as assigned by their supervisor from time to time.

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply, please complete the electronic form [Click here]. Information captured will be securely stored and used for a reference check on the candidate’s compatibility. AISJ reserves the right to appoint the strongest candidate before the closing date if required.

SAFEGUARDING & CHILD PROTECTION

AISJ maintains robust child protection policies to ensure a safe, secure, and caring environment for our students. All employees must undergo criminal background checks, attend annual training, and sign a safeguarding agreement.

PRIVACY

By submitting your CV, you consent to AISJ processing your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy, accessible at AISJ Privacy Policy, and under the Protection of Personal Information Act of 2013.