JOB TITLE:     School Counselor

REPORTS TO:    Principal and/or designee

SALARY:     Based on State and Local Salary Schedule

STATUS:             10 months 

SUMMARY:  

The job School Counselor was established to promote student success, 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. The School Counselor incorporates 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:

Development and Management of a Comprehensive School Counseling Program

• Discusses the comprehensive school counseling program with school administrator
• Develops and maintains a written plan for effective delivery of the school counselling program based on the NC Comprehensive School counseling Standard Course of Study
• Communicates the goals of the comprehensive school counseling program to education stakeholders (i.e., administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community/business leaders)
• Maintains current and appropriate resources for education stakeholders
• Uses the majority of time providing direct services through the Guidance Curriculum, Individual Student Planning and Preventative and Responsive Services, and most remaining time in program management, system support and accountability (National standards recommend 80% of time in Guidance Curriculum, Individual Student Planning and Preventive and Responsive Services and 20% of time in program management, system support, and accountability(American School Counselor Association, 2005) 
• Uses data to develop comprehensive programs that meet student needs

Guidance Curriculum

• Provides leadership and collaborates with other educators in the school-wide integration

Of the State Guidance Curriculum Standard Course of Study

• Implements developmentally appropriate and prevention-oriented group activities to meet student needs and school goals
• Incorporates into their programs the life skills that students need to be successful in the twenty first century

Individual Student Planning 

• Assists all students, individually or in groups, with developing academic, career and personal/social skills, goals, and plans
• Accurately and appropriately interprets and utilizes student data
• Collaborates with parents/guardians and educators to assist students with educational, carre, and life planning

Preventive and Responsive Services

• Provides individual and group counseling to students with identified concerns and needs
• Consults and collaborates with parents/guardians, teachers, administrators, and other educational/community resources reg students with identified concerns and needs
• Implements an effective referral and follow-up process as needed
• Accurately and appropriately uses assessment procedures for determining and structuring individual and group counseling services

System Support

• Provides appropriate information to school personnel related to the comprehensive school counseling program
• Assists teachers, parents/guardians, and other stakeholders in interpreting and understanding student data
• Participates in professional development activities to improve knowledge and skills
• Uses available technology resources to enhance the school counseling program
• Adheres to laws, policies, procedures, and ethical standards of the school counseling profession

Accountability

• Conducts a yearly program audit to review extent of program implementation and effectiveness
• Collects and analyzes data to guide program direction and emphasis
• Measures results of the comprehensive school counseling program activities and shares results as appropriate interventions

MINIMUM EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND REQUIREMENTS:

• Master’s Degree from an accredited College or University in School Guidance & Counseling or working towards receiving one

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Passionate about closing the achievement gap and ensuring that every child, regardless of circumstance or background, receives an high quality education
• Coaches, mentors, and challenges others to excel despite challenging situations and obstacles
• Relentlessly pursues the improvement of Central Office performance and school leadership, instruction, and operations, and is motivated by a desire to produce fathomable student achievement gains
• Advance toward  work with a sense of possibility and sees challenges as opportunities for creative problem solving; takes initiative to explore issues and find potential creative solutions.
• Excels in constantly changing environments and adapts flexibly in shifting projects or priorities to meet the needs of a dynamic transformation effort; comfortable with ambiguity and non-routine situations
• Increases the effectiveness of surrounding teams through collaboration, constant learning and supporting others; sensitive to diversity in all its forms; respects and is committed to learning from others
• Does whatever it takes to consistently deliver with high quality under tight deadlines; successfully manages own projects through strong organization, detailed work plans, and balancing of multiple priorities
• Convey clearly and compellingly with sundry stakeholders in both oral and written forms; anticipates and responds to customer needs in a high-quality and courteous manner

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, talk and listen.  The employee is occasionally required to use hands to fingers, handle, or feel: reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to  15 pounds or more at times.

DISCLAIMER:

Statements of the job descriptions 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.