CAPISTRANO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
San Juan Capistrano, California

COUNSELOR

DEFINITION

Under direction, 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.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Perform individual and group counseling and guidance functions and activities, including career and vocational, and social and emotional adjustment counseling.
• Collect, organize, and analyze student information through the use of educational historical data, test results, and interview techniques.
• Appraise student interests, aptitudes, and attitudes utilizing a variety of assessment strategies and techniques.
• Serve as a resource to site and District personnel, and members of the school community.
• 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.
• Assist in the development and monitoring of individual education plans for students with exceptional needs.
• Maintain a liaison with social and youth service agencies in pursuing referral follow up activities.
• Pursue evaluation and research activities to determine counseling and guidance effectiveness.
• Assist in the planning, development, and implementation of master student program calendars.
• Assist in identifying school program needs, and participate in developing school instructional programs geared to meet individual pupil needs.
• Assist in the planning, development, and conduct of programs that enhance student educational opportunities, including speaker programs, student visitation programs, and other similarly related activities.
• Establish, maintain, and monitor the maintenance of a variety of files and records pertaining to student counseling, guidance, and related matters.
• Assist in dealing with student behavior management programs, and in resolving welfare and attendance problems and concerns.
• Plan, develop, and present, as requested, a variety of management related reports pertaining to site counseling and guidance functions and activities.

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; effectively participate in the planning and implementation of school guidance and curricular programs; 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; comply with the District’s customer service standards, as outlined in Board Policy.

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

Education:
Equivalent to the completion of an earned Master of Arts or higher degree in psychology, counseling, or guidance.

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






10/97
Revised 9/03; 4/04; 7/04