SUBSTITUTE COUNSELOR(S) 2026-27

POSITION OBJECTIVE:

Substitute school counselors provide services to students, parents, school staff and the community at grades K-12.

COMMITMENT TO EQUITY:

The Bellevue School District is committed to a diverse workforce representative of our students, one that embraces and models cultural competency as an international community.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: (These duties are a representative sample; position assignments may vary.)

• School counseling core curriculum: delivery of structured lessons to help students attain desired competencies in three domains: academic, career, and personal/social, supporting the knowledge, attitudes and skills appropriate for students' developmental level;
• Individual student planning: counselors coordinate ongoing systemic activities designed to assist students in establishing personal goals and developing future goals; provide case management for 504 plans;
• Responsive services: designed to meet students' immediate needs and concerns, including individual counseling, small-group settings, and/or crisis response;
• Indirect student services: counselors interact with others in collaborative settings, consulting with parents, teachers, and other providers;
• Accountability: counselors utilize data to determine effectiveness of the school counseling program and counseling interventions to guide future actions and improve future results for all students.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS:

• Reports directly to and is supervised by the Building Administrator with shared supervision from the Executive Director of Student Services and designee.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE (positions in this class typically require):

Required:

• Possess or qualify for immediate issuance of a valid Washington state Educational Staff Associate (ESA) certificate in counseling;

Preferred:

• Experience and training in social justice and equity highly preferred;
• Training and/or experience in counseling students re: substance abuse, sex education, suicide ideation, and other personal/social needs.
• Ability to instruct in multiple languages preferred.
• Experience working in a multi-cultural environment preferred.

SKILLS (position requirements at entry):

• Demonstrated skill and experience supporting and contributing to the success of full continuum of special needs students;
• Demonstrated skill and experience working with diverse populations, including, but not limited to minorities, immigrants, low-income and homeless, non-English speaking, etc.
• Demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills, organizational abilities, judgment, discretion, problem-solving skills, and initiative; culturally relevant effective human relation skills, including diplomacy, tact, people management skills, humor, and flexibility;
• Skills in oral and written communication; team building; problem-solving; time management; program design; evaluating and assessing the effectiveness of services;
• Ability to maintain confidentiality; work effectively under pressure and remain flexible;
• Ability to monitor and reflect on own job performance, encourage feedback from school teams and administrators; participate in ongoing training to enhance professional skills; continue professional study and activities; stay current on issues.
• Ability to perform all duties in accordance with applicable board policies and district and legal requirements.
• Ability to meet and maintain punctuality and attendance expectations.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Positions in this class typically require: stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, finger dexterity, grasping, talking, hearing, seeing, and repetitive motions. This position may be exposed to prolonged exposure to visual display terminals as required.

Medium Work: Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

Incumbents may be subjected to moving mechanical parts, odors, chemicals, extreme temperatures, inadequate lighting, workspace restrictions, and intense noises.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

These are on-call positions. The number of days or hours that a substitute works is dependent upon the number of contracted staff who are absent on any given day. No specific guarantee of work is offered.

Rate of pay is $53.57/hour. Substitutes are not eligible for benefits until they work 630h in a certain school year.

NOTE:

The above job description is intended to represent only the key areas of responsibilities; specific position assignments will vary depending on the business needs of the department.

Verification of identity and authorization to work in the United States must be completed. The District does not currently provide visa sponsorship. All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory results of background checks with prior employers/professional references; satisfactory outcome of a criminal history background check (includes fingerprinting); satisfactory outcome of sexual misconduct information from prior school district employers; and approval by the Bellevue School Board.

Bellevue School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, homelessness, immigration or citizenship status, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, neurodivergence, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:

Civil Rights, Racial Discrimination, and Gender Expression or Identity Discrimination: Civil Rights/Nondiscrimination Compliance Coordinator Nancy Pham, (425) 456-4040 or phamn@bsd405.org.

Sex-based Discrimination, including Sexual Harassment: Title IX Coordinator: Jeff Lowell, (425) 456-4010 or lowellj@bsd405.org.

Disability Discrimination:

Section 504/ADA Coordinator: Kerince Bowen, (425) 456-4168 or bowenk@bsd405.org

Mailing address for all three: 12111 NE 1st Street, Bellevue, WA 98005.

Members of the public with disabilities who have specific concerns about the effectiveness of the District's communications to them should contact Janine Thorn, Chief Communications and Engagement Officer, at 425-456-4000 or thornj@bsd405.org.