The School Counselor is responsible for providing comprehensive developmental guidance and counseling services to students in the areas of academic achievement, career and educational decision making, and personal/social development. The counselor acts as a consultant in this regard to staff, parents, and community. The School Counselor reports to the Head of Schools.
Primary Responsibilities:
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- Uses all available data, including academic grades, behavioral and attendance data, to identify students in need and to deliver services.
- Provides group and individual counseling to improve students’ academic, emotional, behavioral and social functioning.
- Provides outcome-driven school counseling services that are aligned with the school’s academic, culture and development goals.
- Ensures school counseling services are aligned with American School Counseling Association (ASCA) National Standards and Competencies for School Counseling Programs.
- Provides consultation with staff on best practices for providing students with social, emotional and behavioral supports that drives academic success.
- Provides comprehensive support to teachers to improve students’ social emotional functioning, which includes extensive in class support.
- Develops individualized behavior and academic plans for students, including Functional Behavior Assessments and Behavior Action Plans.
- Designs, implements and assesses guidance curriculum that is aligned to the school’s character traits and behavioral data trends.
- Works as a partner with parents to provide consultation and parent-centered education to support academic success.
- Provides support to homeless students that align to the McKinney-Vento Act.
- Assesses student needs and make referrals to appropriate school resource personnel, social agencies, community agencies and alternative programs.
- Serves as the case manager for all grade level 504 plans.
- Serves as the grade level liaison for the Student Support Team (SST); which requires intensive collaboration with SSP Chairperson.
- Works with academic scheduler to ensure all students are placed in the appropriate classes.
- Provides career counseling to all students; including transitional service beyond high school.
- Plans and coordinates programs that support academic success, such as test preparation skills, study skills, career day, honor roll celebrations, and data driven behavioral celebrations.
- Provides in-service training on topics related to the school counseling program and supporting student achievement.
- Interprets tests, student data and other assessment results appropriately within the counseling environment for the purpose of developing and implementing academic plans for individual students.
- Collaborates with community partners to provide services to the school.
- Provides support as needed for school-wide testing.
- Provides mediation services to students in need.
- Performs other duties as assigned.