School Counselor

Ripon, California

2011-2012 School Year

Company Summary

Connections Education is a leading, fully-accredited provider of high-quality, highly accountable virtual education solutions for students in grades K–12.  Since 2001, the company’s Connections Academy division has delivered individualized learning to students through virtual public schools and a private online academy.  In the 2011-2012 school year, 23 Connections Academy virtual public schools will operate in 22 states and expect to serve more than 40,000 students from across the U.S. The Connections Learning division meets the needs of schools, school districts, and other institutions looking to develop and enhance their online learning programs.  Connections Learning delivers a full range of targeted digital learning solutions to the K-12 education community including online courses, a program for homebound students, a digital learning platform, and more.  More than 300 schools, school districts, state departments of education and other educational institutions, serving tens of thousands of students throughout the United States and beyond, are already utilizing Connections Learning products and services. Connections Education is committed to expanding quality education through technology and helping students achieve both academic and personal success.

Students in Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, and Stanislaus counties now have the opportunity to thrive at California Connections Academy @ Ripon (CalCAR), a tuition-free public virtual school. CalCAR gives students the flexibility to learn at home with a curriculum that meets rigorous state education standards. Connections Academy is a division of Connections Education, which is accredited by AdvancED. AdvancED is an organization representing 27,000 public and private schools and districts across the United States and in 65 countries worldwide.

Position Summary and Responsibilities

Working from our office in Ripon, California, the School Counselor will virtually assist students and parents/learning coaches with course selection, scheduling and will be the initial point of contact for student concerns that span multiple subject areas as well as non-academic issues.  The School Counselor will become an expert on course and credit requirements and will work with the Manager of School Counseling to establish counseling processes for middle and high school students.  

The School Counselor will be responsible for the successful completion of the following tasks:

• Advise students and families related to academics, career planning and graduation;
• Keep abreast of all high school graduation requirements, including special requirements such as community service, and communicate this information to the High School Coordinator and to the principal;
• Assist students and parents with the secondary school course selection process according to specific state credit and graduation requirements and student needs and interests.  An integral part of this process is assisting students and parents to develop a Four Year Plan for meeting graduation requirements;
• Advise students with issues related to dropping courses and changing schedules, seeking support as needed, while ensuring that the school’s course selection and drop policies are adhered to;
• Review student transcripts and the entry of credits into the online transcript system;
• Follow procedures to ensure that Connections Academy transcripts are accurate and up-to-date;
• Work with the administrative assistants to obtain school records from the student’s previous school (where applicable) and forwarding student records when appropriate;
• Implement programs for students and families related to interpersonal adjustment issues;
• Work with school teams to identify and help families access school and community resources;
• Participate in the development of crisis prevention and management plans for the school and serve as a key member of the Student Support Team (SST);
• Coordinate a team of middle and high school teachers to help identify students who are “at risk” or “in crisis”;  Act as the main point of contact for these students and families, communicating regularly with them;
• Oversee and maintain the Personal Learning Plan (PLP) for each student;
• Implement efforts to secure complete and accurate records for Connections Academy students;
• Support families through the school withdrawal process, assisting with data collection regarding withdrawal;
• Report and refer critical incidents that jeopardize student well-being as obligated by law, administrative regulations, or ethical standards.  Stay abreast of all state regulations relating to incident reporting and documentation;
• Assist teachers when students enroll mid-semester, making sure that teachers receive guidance on integrating the students into their coursework, and ensuring that previous grades, credits, and evaluations are handled appropriately;
• Communicate with the Curriculum Team to ensure that curriculum offerings meet state requirements;
• Implement special programs such as Advanced Placement support, SAT and ACT Preparation, and college entrance preparation;
• Understand the requirements for and assist the principal to facilitate the administration of all high school testing, including exit exams, PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP exams;
• Help students to research and understand their post-secondary career and educational options;
• Assist with student preparation of applications for college and jobs;
• Educate students and parents about college admissions requirements and financial aid;
• Support professional development activities for teachers and school staff members;
• Assume teaching and grading duties as necessary including teaching middle school elective courses;
• Coordinate high school graduation ceremonies;
• Other duties as assigned. 

Requirements

• California Counselor certification
• Strong technology skills (especially with Microsoft Office products)
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
• Customer focused approach
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills
• High degree of flexibility
• Team player with demonstrated leadership skills
• Demonstrated ability to work well in fast-paced environment
• Willingness to travel on occasion for marketing and state testing events  (may require occasional overnight travel)