Job Description: Pretoria Campus School Counselor (PreK - Grade 8)
CAMPUS: Pretoria Campus | SUPERVISOR: Pretoria Campus Principal | START DATE: 01 August 2026 |
POSTING DATE: 11 November 2025 | CLOSING DATE: 30 January 2025
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.
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Position overview
The Pretoria Campus Counselor plays a vital role in the development of student’s social and emotional growth from Pre-K- Grade 8. The Counselor works in partnership with all members of the community to promote and foster positive working relationships in the best interests of student learning, providing support and guidance for families when necessary. He/she will work closely with faculty and parents to support their role in developing the social and emotional well-being of students. In working directly with the Principal, the Counselor will help implement efficient and effective systems to ensure student’s social and emotional needs are being met.
Qualifications, Experiences, & Role Specific Requirements
● K – 12 (or at least K-8) license or certification in counseling with a master’s degree
● At least 5 years of experience in working with a variety of special needs
● Experience as an elementary and middle school counselor or related experience
● Recent and relevant professional development in the field of counseling
● Proven ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and at multiple levels
● Experience in implementing developmentally appropriate elementary and middle school counseling programs
● Experience and expertise in running effective parent education workshops
● Experience in working with social/emotional and behavioral challenges, disorders, and disabilities
● Ability to interpret educational psychological assessments and academic assessments
● Knowledge of learning disabilities and learning disorders
● Experience in dealing with academic support as it relates to the above disorders
● Successful practice of working with parents and students in a counseling role
● Positive attitude with a calm and consistent approach
● Ability to communicate effectively with others
● Is a highly flexible thinker
● Builds strong, positive working relationships with colleagues
● Ability to participate in and establish collaborative structures
● Deep understanding of students needs at the elementary and middle school level
● Uses initiative and is proactive
● Follows through on decisions
Key Responsibilities:
● Is a key member of the learning support process
● Works collaboratively with the Principal to actively develop the social and emotional well-being of the students, staff and families within the community
● Actively participates in The Child Study Team process under the direction of the Principal
● Collaborates with the Principal, Learning Support Coordinator and the Learning Support teachers to develop programs for students with learning needs
● Develops guidance programs for direct instruction within the classroom (PK-Grade 8)
● Works with classroom teachers through observations, strategy development, and the CST process
● Provides information and consults with staff and parents regarding various learning needs and topics related to learning support
● Works with the Principal, Learning Support Team and classroom teachers to determine class placement
● Provides support to Admissions through application review, observations, and recommendations
● Collaboratively assists students and families as they transition in and out of school
● Coordinates small group and individual counseling sessions with students
In addition to the specialist level expectations, teachers at AISJ are welcomed into a collegial and collaborative working environment. In support of this, teachers are expected to:
● Communicate and liaise on a regular basis with fellow team department/grade members with regards to planning,
assessment, parent and community contact, subject organization and classroom issues including discipline, expectations
● and routines
● Communicate and liaise with other school colleagues in an effort to promote social and emotional awareness
● Take an active role in behavioral management and pastoral care of class groups
● Attend and constructively contribute in staff meetings
● Assist in supervision of student breaks
● Coordinate class activities as deemed necessary
● Maintain up-to-date records of assessment, attendance, planning, reports, conferences, and communication with parents
● Establish links with the parent community to ensure that parents are kept well informed about student progress
● Assist, as required, in the development of social and emotional curricular materials
● Act as a resource/contact/support for new staff members (i.e. curriculum, schedules, procedures)
● Participate in at least two co-curricular activities per year
● Participate in and assist with school 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 Workdays: Monday through Friday - 188 (one hundred and eighty-eight) days per school year.
Workday: 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.
Full-Time Teacher: Secondary Teachers will teach 6 of 8 in the block schedule.
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.
