MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELOR

DEFINITION: 

Under the direction of the school site Principal, provide behavioral and educational counseling to individuals and small groups of students; assist students in understanding and seeking solutions to social, emotional, or academic problems and issues; serve as a resource pertaining to student behavior management strategies, and welfare and attendance problems and concerns; and other related functions as required.

PURPOSE: 

Utilizing leadership, advocacy, and collaboration, school counselors promote student success, provide preventive services, and respond to identified student needs by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program that addresses academic, personal/social/emotional development for all students.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM

•     Discusses comprehensive school counseling program with administrator. 

•     Develops/maintains a written plan for effective delivery of the school counseling program based on current individual school data.

•     Communicates goals of the comprehensive school counseling program to education stakeholders.

•     Maintains current and appropriate resources for education stakeholders.

•    Uses 70% of time providing direct services/meeting with groups, individuals, meet/confer and counsel with parents, school personnel, and members of various youth serving agencies in developing alternative solutions to student educational, social and emotional problems and concerns; 25% of time in school-wide program management, climate/system support and accountability and 5% of time in career/vocational guidance functions and activities for eighth grade students.

DELIVERY OF A COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM  

Curriculum

•     Provides leadership and collaborates with other educators

•    Implements developmentally appropriate and prevention-oriented group activities to meet student needs and school goals.

Individual Student Planning 

•    Assists all students, individually or in groups, with developing academic and personal/social skills goals and plans.

•     Accurately and appropriately interprets and utilizes student data.

•    Collaborates with parents/guardians and educators to assist students including educational and career planning of eighth grade students.

Preventive and Responsive Services    

•      Provides individual and group counseling to students with identified concerns and needs.

•    Consults and collaborates effectively with parents/guardians, teachers, administrators and other educational/community resources regarding students with identified concerns and needs.

•     Implements an effective referral and follow-up process.

•   Accurately and appropriately uses assessment procedures for determining and structuring individual and group counseling services.

•    Establish, maintain, and monitor the maintenance of a variety of files and records pertaining to student counseling, guidance, and related matters.

•    Assist in the development and monitoring of 504 Plans and individual education plans for students with exceptional needs.

System Support

•     Provides appropriate information to staff related to the comprehensive school counseling program.

•    Assists teachers, parents/guardians and other stakeholders in maintaining school’s positive behavior support climate.

•      Participates in professional development activities to improve knowledge and skills.

•     Uses available technology resources to enhance the school counseling program and student career interest/inventory exploration.

•     Adheres to laws, policies, procedures, and ethical standards of the school counseling profession.

•     Respond to school crisis intervention and response.

ACCOUNTABILITY:

•    Conducts a yearly program audit to review extent of program implementation.

•    Collects and analyzes data to guide program direction and emphasis.

•    Measures results of the school counseling program activities and shares results as appropriate.

•   Monitors student academic performance, behavior and attendance and assists with appropriate interventions.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Knowledge of:  Principles, methods, techniques, strategies, and trends in educational, social, and emotional adjustment counseling; applicable and appropriate aptitude, interest, and achievement appraisal instruments, techniques, and procedures; social and youth service agencies in the local area; social, emotional, and behavioral characteristics of adolescent students; program evaluation and research techniques, strategies, and procedures; appropriate curriculum and instructional programs pertaining to students with a variety of aptitudes and varying interests; and Section 504 Plan and individual education plans.

Ability to: Assist students in effectively analyzing and developing alternative solutions to behavioral, educational, social, and emotional problems and concerns; conduct, analyze and effectively utilize a variety of individual and group testing procedures and instruments applicable to student clients; effectively deal with site and District personnel, parents, social and youth service agencies in resolving student problems and concerns; communicate effectively in oral and written form; understand and carry out oral and written directions with minimal accountability controls; establish and maintain effective organizational, public, and community relationships; effectively participate in the planning and implementation of school guidance and curricular programs; comply with the District’s customer service standards.

Experience:  Prefer two years of successful public school counseling experience or three years successful classroom teaching.

Certification Requirement:  Possess a valid California Pupil Personnel Services Credential authorizing service as a school counselor.

ADA REQUIREMENTS:  Incorporated within one or more of the previously mentioned performance responsibilities, which are essential functions of this job description, are the following essential physical, mental and environmental requirements (reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions):

Physical:

a.   Ability to push, pull, and transport instructional and/or presentation materials.

b.   Ability to communicate so others will be able to clearly understand a normal conversation.

c.   Ability to understand speech at normal levels.

d.   Ability to bend, twist, stoop and reach.

e.   Ability to drive a personal vehicle to conduct business.

Mental:

a.   Ability to organize and coordinate schedules

b.   Ability to analyze and interpret data

c.   Problem solving

d.   Ability to communicate with the public

e.   Ability to read, analyze and interpret printed matter and computer screens

f.    Ability to create written communication so others will be able to clearly understand the written communication

g.   Ability to communicate so others will be able to clearly understand a normal conversation.

h.   Ability to understand speech at normal levels.

Environment:

a. Indoor – frequently

b. Outdoor – occasionally

c. Ability to work at a desk and in meetings of various configurations.