Professional School Counselor

Job Description Professional School Counselor Durham Public Schools Student Services

Job Description School Counselor

JOB TITLE: School Counselor

REPORTS TO: School Principal and counseling supervisor

SALARY: Years of Experience Based on State and Local Salary Schedules for licensed staff

STATUS: Permanent, 10 Month, Licensed; Exempt

SUMMARY: The school counselor will utilize leadership, advocacy and collaborate to promote student success. Employee will provide preventive services and respond to identified student needs by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program that addresses academic, career and personal/social development for all students. School counselors assist students with developing skills in the areas of personal/social growth, educational planning, and career and vocational development. The major functions of the school counselor job description incorporate the North Carolina Essential Standards for Guidance, the American School Counselor Association's ASCA Model and the North Carolina State Board of Education's guiding mission that every public school student will graduate from high school globally competitive for work and postsecondary education and prepared for life in the twenty-first century.

RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

1. Establish the school counseling program and develop activities and resources to implement and evaluate the program.
2. Consult with students, parents, teachers, and other school and community personnel to assist in meeting the needs of students.
3. Coordinate all counseling services for students and assist with the coordination and implementation of student services in the school. The counselor also assists teachers with the Guidance Curriculum.
4. Use the majority of time providing direct services through the Guidance Curriculum, Individual Student Planning and Preventive and Responsive Services, and most remaining time in program management, system support, and accountability (National standards recommend 80% of time in Guidance.
5. Provide Individual Student Planning and Preventive and Responsive Services and 20% of time in program management, system support, and accountability (American School Counselor Association.
6. Interpret test results and other student data. The counselor also assists teachers with the educational placement of students by using appropriate educational assessment strategies.
7. Use data to develop comprehensive programs that meet student needs.
8. Provide leadership and collaborate with other educators in the school-wide integration of the State Guidance Essential Standards.
9. Implement developmentally appropriate and prevention-oriented group activities to meet student needs and school goals.
10. Incorporate into their programs the life skills that students need to be successful in the twenty-first century. Job Description Professional School Counselor
11. Assist all students, individually or in groups, with developing academic, career and personal/social skills, goals and plans.
12. Collaborate with parents/guardians and educators to assist students with educational, career, and life planning. Job Description School Counselor Page 2
13. Provide individual and group counseling to students with identified concerns and needs.
14. Consult and collaborate effectively with parents/guardians, teachers, administrators, and other educational/community resources regarding students with identified concerns and needs.
15. Implement an effective referral and follow-up process as needed.
16. Accurately and appropriately use assessment procedures for determining and structuring individual and group counseling services.
17. Provide appropriate information to school personnel related to the comprehensive school counseling.
18. Assist teachers, parents/guardians and other stakeholders in interpreting and understanding student data.
19. Participate in professional development activities to improve knowledge and skills.
20. Use available technology resources to enhance the school counseling program.
21. Adhere to laws, policies, procedures and ethical standards of the school counseling profession.
22. Conduct a yearly program audit to review extent of program implementation and effectiveness.
23. Measure results of the comprehensive school counseling program activities and shares results as appropriate with relevant stakeholders.
24. Monitor student academic performance, behavior, and attendance and facilitates appropriate interventions.

Elementary school counselors work with students to identify their strengths, interests and needs. They help parents and teachers identify potential behavioral problems with their students, and provide students with support as they try to overcome disabilities or developmental problems. They frequently monitor students in classroom and play settings and may suggest changes to the curriculum so that it better meets the needs of the students. Middle school counselors focus less on identifying behavioral problems, and more on helping students achieve their academic, personal and career-related goals. It's true that most middle school students aren't thinking about their careers a whole lot, but counselors are still able to help them evaluate some options that they might potentially be interested in. At this age, students start to encounter difficult social situations that counselors are able to help them resolve. High school counselors help students develop career plans. Often times, counselors are responsible for scheduling their students' classes, and make sure that the classes they schedule align with the students' college and career goals. These counselors also help students understand the college application process and may help them identify financial aid and apprenticeship opportunities. Like middle school counselors, high school counselors also help students work through difficult social situations.

MINIMUM EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND REQUIREMENTS: Master's degree in counseling and hold a state license for school counselors, alternatives to the above qualifications as deemed appropriate and acceptable for a specific program.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

1. Strong leadership ability; excellent management and organizational skills; and ability to work collaboratively and flexibly with parents, students and school staff.
2. Provide short/long-term case management services to individual students.
3. Participate in transition planning for students.
4. Knowledge of mental health provider practices and services delivery. Job Description Professional School Counselor
5. Ability to assess and deliver counseling services to students.
6. Promote parental involvement in school conferences.
7. Promote parental responsibility for regular school attendance.
8. Provide appropriate services/referrals for homeless families.
9. Facilitate student, parent groups.
10. Promote child abuse prevention.
11. Assist families with the interpretation of school policies and procedures as it relates to services and support.
12. Participate in case conferences with other school specialists.
13. Participate in referrals and case management of students/families involved in the court system.
14. Support crisis intervention services.
15. Adhere to the school counselor code of ethical behavior and professional practice.
16. Function independently.
17. Deal tactfully with others.
18. Work well with students, parents and school staff.
19. Attend student support meetings.
20. Ability to counsel student on course selection and registration needs
21. Ability to analyze high school transcripts
22. Ability to counsel student on college and career ready requirements
23. Work collaboratively with school intervention and support teams.
24. Accurately record services rendered in a timely manner.
25. Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
26. Ability to remain calm and professional in environment with shifting proprieties.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: As necessary prolonged and irregular hours of duty and weekend work and availability for work related communication; Must be able to exert a negligible amount of force to move objects; classification consistent with light work.

DISCLAIMER:

The statements of the job description are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by an employee in this category. The description does not contain an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills and other requirements necessary of employees to perform in this position.

Signature Date

HR Rev. August 2014