State of North Carolina - North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services

Description of Work

Wright School

Per G.S. 126-5(c1) (37), this position is Exempt from all provisions of NC General Statute Chapter 126 (State Human Resources Act) with the exception of Articles 6 and 7.

About Wright School

Wright School is a Division of State Operated Healthcare Facilities (DSOHF) institution and a non-medical Re-Education (Re-Ed) program. We provide short-term residential treatment and special education for children ages 6–12 with serious emotional and behavioral challenges. Our philosophy emphasizes the power of teaching, relationships, and community to help children and families succeed.

About the Role

The Lead Day Teacher Counselor is at the heart of our program. You’ll lead a small group of no more than 8 students, supported by two Youth Program Assistants (YPAs). The 3-to-8 ratio — provides strong adult support and time to build meaningful connections with each child.

At Wright School, your responsibility is to create and monitor progress on IEP goals, while a dedicated Assessment & Evaluation Team manages the broader EC process and documentation. This structure allows you to stay focused on teaching, student relationships, and treatment.

Key Responsibilities

• Teach and support up to 8 students (ages 8–12) with the help of 2 assistants. Students typically attend Wright School for 6 months.
• Plan and implement the academic portion of the treatment day, using remediation and best-practice strategies.
• Provide structure, consistency, and therapeutic interactions throughout the school day.
• Develop and monitor progress toward student IEP goals.
• Collaborate with the Assessment & Evaluation Team, clinicians, family social workers, and families as part of a true multidisciplinary team.
• Maintain a supportive, safe, and engaging classroom environment.

What Makes This Role Different

• Small groups: Never more than 8 students per classroom.
• Strong support: Two assistants in every class, plus clinical and assessment teams.
• Team approach: You’re never on your own — Wright School is built on collaboration. IEP meetings, weekly team meetings, case reviews, and professional development occur during your scheduled work hours while other teacher-counselors lead classroom activities.
• Focus on students: You guide IEP goals and classroom growth while specialists handle most compliance.
• Mission-driven: Every part of the program is designed to maximize student success.

Schedule & Setting

• Full-time, 12-month position at Wright School in Durham, NC.
• Daytime hours, Monday–Friday.
• Part of a program serving only 24 students total, so every staff member knows every child.

Why Work Here

• Small classes, big impact: 8 students max with two assistants in every classroom.
• Real support: Teachers focus on instruction and IEP goals, while a specialized team handles compliance.
• True teamwork: Work daily with clinicians, family social workers, and educators who support each other.
• Mission-driven: Join a program built to help kids and families succeed.

About the Department of Health and Human Services: The NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) serves the needs of the most vulnerable of North Carolinians and in order to accomplish this, we hire only the most dedicated and caring individuals. Finding qualified clinical professionals to treat and care for our clients is a continual challenge as demand for services grows and the availability of providers struggles to keep pace. We are seeking a motivated individual who is up for this challenge and is dedicated to our mission of providing North Carolinians with the very best in clinical care.

Compensation and Benefits: The state of North Carolina offers excellent comprehensive benefits. Employees can participate in health insurance options, standard and supplemental retirement plans, and the NCFlex program (numerous high-quality, low-cost benefits on a pre-tax basis). Employees also receive paid vacation, sick, and community service leave. In addition, paid parental leave is available to eligible employees. Visit the NC DHHS Benefits and Wellness website for more information.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities / Competencies

To receive credit for all of your work history and credentials, you must list the information on the application form. Any information listed under the text resume section or on an attachment will not be considered for qualifying credit. Qualified candidates must document on the application that they clearly possess all of the following:

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of childhood development and the impact of trauma.
• Knowledge of DSM-5 diagnoses and common interventions for emotional/behavioral disabilities.
• Knowledge of academic remediation strategies.
• Ability to manage a group of children (with support) for the full school day.
• Ability to learn and commitment to the principles of the Re-Ed model (relationships, strengths, and community).

Preferred Experience

• Prior work in a mental health treatment or Re-Ed program.
• Training in Crisis Prevention Intervention and Medication Administration.
• Background in experiential education (e.g., adventure or wilderness programs).

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Some state job postings say you can qualify by an "equivalent combination of education and experience." If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See oshr.nc.gov/experience-guide for details.

Bachelor's degree or above in Teaching Area with/or eligible to receive a license level of one of the following:

Bachelor's, Master's, Advanced, Doctorate. Must be Highly qualified for EC, Elementary or Core Area.

Degrees must be from appropriately accredited colleges or universities.

Supplemental and Contact Information

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All positions in the Division of State Operated Healthcare Facilities (DSOHF) shall be subject to pre-employment drug testing and criminal record background checks. All facilities within DSOHF are tobacco free environments. The use of tobacco products of any kind including vapor products are prohibited from our campus. All employees are required to adhere to the facility's Vaccination Policy.

Please make sure you complete the application in full. Resumes may be uploaded with your application, but will not be accepted in lieu of a fully completed application and will not be considered for qualifying credit. "See Resume" or "See Attachment" will NOT be accepted.

If multiple applications are submitted to an individual position, only the most recent application received prior to the posting closing date will be accepted. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM on the closing date.

Applicants will be communicated with via email only for updates on the status of their application. Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information regarding the status of your application over the phone. To check the status of your application, please log in to your account. Processing applications will take an average of 6 – 8 weeks due to the high volume of applications received. It is not necessary to contact the Human Resources Office to check the status of an application. Upon the closing date, applications are "Under Review" and will be screened by Human Resources for qualified applicants.

For technical issues with your applications, please call the NeoGov Help Line at 855-524-5627. If there are any questions about this posting other than your application status, please contact HR at 919-764-7200.

NOTE: For temporary, contract or other supplemental staffing appointments: There are no paid leave, retirement or other benefits associated with these appointment types.

For permanent and time-limited appointments:

Eligible employees have benefits that include employee health insurance options, standard and supplemental retirement plans, NC Flex (a variety of high-quality, low-cost benefits on a pre-tax basis), and paid vacation, sick, and community service leave, to name a few. Paid parental leave is available for eligible employees. Some benefits require 30 + hours work/week for participation.

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