Classroom Counselor
About the job
- Knowledge of behavioral management strategies, trauma-informed practices, and positive behavior interventions.
- Ability to communicate and engage with students, staff, and families.
- Ability to implement and reinforce behavior intervention plans in collaboration with teachers and specialists.
- Strong de-escalation skills and ability to respond to student crises using appropriate intervention techniques.
- Ability to adapt and problem-solve in a fast-paced school environment.
- Commitment to continuous learning and professional development in behavioral support strategies.
- An associate’s degree, at least 60 college credits, or a passing score on the ParaPro exam is required.
- Physical activities may include assisting students in a classroom setting, physically supporting students in crisis, and sitting for extended periods while completing documentation.
- Provide small-group academic support, reinforcing learning strategies and engagement.
- Teach and reinforce positive behaviors to promote student self-regulation and social-emotional growth.
- Build relationships with students, staff, and families to support student development.
- Collect and maintain behavioral data to track progress and guide interventions.
- Assist in de-escalating and managing student crises, implementing appropriate intervention techniques.
- Collaborate with teachers to implement Positive Behavior Support plans and create structured classroom environments.
- Work as part of a team to promote a positive and inclusive classroom culture.
- Perform additional duties as assigned to support student and school needs.
- At least one year of experience working with adolescents in a school setting and/or experience supporting students receiving special education services.
- An education-related field of study.
About the company
Mastery Charter Schools runs a non-profit network of 24 charter and turnaround schools in Philadelphia and Camden, serving about 14,000 K-12 students. It remakes chronically underperforming public schools by overhauling leadership, operations, and supports while keeping the student body; funding comes from per-pupil public money, plus philanthropy and federal grants. Its curriculum is college-preparatory and data-driven, using a competency-based system where students must reach 76% mastery to advance, with extensive teacher development, social-emotional learning, and mandatory internships for high schoolers. Its goal is to raise student achievement and urban education equity by scaling a proven turnaround and leadership model through public funding, grants, and community partnerships.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Founded
2001
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Mastery raised minimum teacher pay to $60,000 for 2024-25, aiding recruitment.
- CHOP partnership builds a healthcare curriculum that links students to employer demand.
- 2026 device restrictions and enrollment demand support stronger discipline and fuller classrooms.
What critics are saying
- Philadelphia serves over 11,000 students now, down from 14,000, signaling demand erosion.
- Public reports show no staff separations in spring 2025, but retention incentives continue.
- Mastery depends on district facilities and public per-pupil funding; a hostile authorizer could crush expansion.
What makes Mastery Charter Schools unique
- Mastery turns failing district schools into managed networks, not standalone campuses.
- Its 2025 Camden annual report showed NJSLA proficiency more than 25% above Camden.
- Apply Philly Charter data showed Mastery received 7,119 applications and 2,862 offers in 2026.
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Benefits
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Mental Health Support
Professional Development Budget
Employee Discounts
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 5%1 year growth
↑ 5%2 year growth
↑ 5%PHILADELPHIA, May 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mastery Schools has increased the annual minimum starting teacher salary to $60,000 for the 2024-25 school year. The new starting salary represents a 9% increase from the 2023-24 school year starting salary for new teachers. In addition to new teacher salaries, all Mastery Schools teacher pay scales were increased by an average of approximately 5%."Teachers are our most valuable resource, and they deserve to be paid a fair salary," said Dr. Joel Boyd, CEO of Mastery Schools. "At Mastery, we are proud of our longstanding history of prioritizing higher pay and competitive compensation for our teachers. As we continue to navigate through a national teacher shortage, Mastery is committed to recruiting and retaining qualified, talented, and passionate teachers to provide a high-quality education to our students."Mastery Schools expects to hire about 190 teachers for the 2024-25 school year
Mastery Charter Schools will partner with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to create a specialized healthcare curriculum to help its students land industry jobs upon graduation.
Mastery Schools CEO, Dr. Joel Boyd, has announced the promotion of Yvette A. Núñez as the charter network's first Chief of Staff.
Mastery Schools announces the launch of the Raptor Visitor Management System in all of its buildings.
Joel Boyd, the current superintendent of Lowell, Mass., schools, has been named CEO of the Mastery Charter network.