Educational Specialist II - School Counseling

• Assists in the development and cross-departmental implementation of the District's comprehensive school counseling program and aligned school-based program plans, consistent with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and the American School Counselors Association (ASCA).
• Supports the establishment of goals and objectives for school counselors, assisting with the development of effective program plan and training materials and resources for counselors working in grades K through 8. In the development of goals, in cases of high counselor to student ratios, assists counselors in ensuring they are developing counseling plans that use limited resources to create the most impact for students while communicating to district leadership the resources schools need to implement full school counseling plans.
• Provides ongoing professional learning opportunities and support for school counselors' professional development in the areas of supporting students' personal growth through academic and college & career planning and social-emotional development through relevant sessions, materials, and other resources, in person and using technology.
• Through cross-departmental collaboration, facilitates school counselors' coordination with teachers, administrators, non-profit partners, and other stakeholders to deliver school counseling services and supports with classroom instruction and schools' programming, especially in the implementation of guidance curriculum and student planning.
• Through cross-departmental collaboration, facilitates school counselors' coordination with administrators, social workers, student wholeness specialists, community school coordinators, SST chairs, and academic personnel in ensuring schools are providing comprehensive social emotional services and responses to intervention to students.
• Assists in the interpretation, application, and revision of policies and procedures pertaining to school counseling, grade-level promotion, and social-emotional learning.
• In collaboration with partners from the Family and Community Engagement office, assists with the formulation of a design for family engagement supporting the development of students' academic readiness.
• Develops appropriate recordkeeping and reporting systems.
• Provides feedback and support on procedures for referral of students within the school system and the community for related services.
• Assists with evaluating the total program at mid-year and year's end and forwards the written report to appropriate local, supervisory, and state personnel, including observing School Counselors as part of their evaluation process.
• Supports counselors in ensuring that every student has an individual academic plan, including when required by IDEA and City Schools, a transition plan.
• Supports the implementation of the district's elementary and middle school counseling vision as needed by the Director, Post-Secondary Success, and the Education Specialist-II, School Counseling (K-8).
• Performs and promotes all activities in compliance with equal employment and nondiscrimination policies; follows federal laws, state laws, school boards policies and the professional standards.
• Utilizes resources appropriately to complete work in the most efficient manner; proactively communicates the status of work; participates and contributes fully as a team member; and exercises sound judgment and decision-making skills to resolve sensitive matters.
• Maintains confidential and sensitive information.
• Performs and promotes all activities in compliance with equal employment and non-discrimination policies; follows federal laws, state laws, school board policies, administrative regulations, and the professional standards

• Master's degree (required) in school counseling. Degree must be from an accredited college or institution.
• Advanced Professional Certificate with endorsement as Principal/Supervisor or Administrator I
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience working in the field of primary/secondary education, college awareness /college access, and/or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience working in a school-based and/or college/university setting, urban public-school experience recommended.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience working as a school counselor in the K-5, K-8 and/or 6-8 grade bands
• Experience providing school counseling services in a public-school classroom setting recommended, an urban public-school setting preferred.
• Experience working with urban students of color in grades K-8 strongly recommended and preferred.
• High level of proficiency with technology tools for productivity and data supporting academic and related student, school, and district-level data.
• Strong project management, written and oral communication skills, including public speaking skills and listening skills.
• Strong interpersonal and human relations skills.
• Cultural competency; appreciation, embracing, and valuing of diversity.
• Strong problem-solving, critical-thinking, and independent decision-making skills.
• Ability to function as a team player and to work collaboratively and cooperatively in a shared-decision making environment.
• Capability to function as an independent, self-motivated, and self-reliant self-starter who initiates appropriate actions and strategies and can work successfully without constant direction and close supervision.
• Ability to function effectively through prioritization of multiple, and sometimes conflicting, demands to meet established deadlines.
• Ability and availability to lead, attend and participate in evening and weekend activities.
• Ability to travel to and from multiple school sites and other work locations.
• Ability and availability to attend and participate in local, regional, and national conferences.
• Unless expressly stated otherwise with respect to the qualifications indicated in the position description, City Schools reserves the right to consider other combinations of applicable education, training, and experience which provide the knowledge, abilities, and skills necessary to perform effectively in the position.
• Ability to interact with diverse constituencies and convey complicated information with tact and diplomacy.
• Proficient skill in the use of technical computer applications, including electronic databases, case management systems, and Microsoft Office, including Excel and Power Point.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment.
• Skill in research, presenting, and explaining policies and procedures, assembling data, preparing complex reports, and formulating and presenting recommendations.
• Ability to work collaboratively.
• Ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships with school system employees and managers at all levels, as well as government agencies and community stakeholders.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize changing assignments, and organize busy workload, meet deadlines, and work well under pressure, while exercising excellent attention to detail.

Qualified candidates for the above position must submit the following:

• Completed online application
• Resume that clearly demonstrates the above minimum qualifications. It is important that you include all experiences and education related to the position to which you are applying.
• Upload copies of all transcripts -undergraduate, graduate and all MSDE Certifications
• Must provide three (3) professional references to include: name, title, business address, e-mail address and phone number
• All documentation/certification necessary (scanned copies accepted) to substantiate minimum qualifications; must be uploaded into application
• All documentation must be scanned and uploaded to application

Benefits - This position is eligible for benefits. To review the available options please see the information relevant to the union for this position by viewing the following link: http://www.baltimorecityschools.org

Baltimore City Public Schools ("City Schools") does not discriminate in its employment, programs, and activities based on race, ethnicity, color, ancestry, national origin, nationality, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy or parenting status, family structure, ability (cognitive, social/emotional, and physical), veteran status, genetic information, age, immigration or citizenship status, socioeconomic status, language, or any other legally or constitutionally protected attributes or affiliations. Discrimination undermines our community's long-standing efforts to create, foster, and promote equity and inclusion for all. Some examples of discrimination include acts of hate, violence, harassment, bullying, or retaliation. For more information, see Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners Policies JBA (Nondiscrimination - Students), JBB (Sex-Based Discrimination - Students), JICK (Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation of Students), ACA (Nondiscrimination - Employees and Third Parties), ACB (Sexual Harassment - Employees and Third Parties), ACD (ADA Reasonable Accommodations), and ADA (Equity), and the accompanying City Schools Administrative Regulations. City Schools also provides equal access to the Boy and Girl Scouts and other designated youth groups. Link to Full Nondiscrimination Notice.

This position is affiliated with the Public School Administrators and Supervisors (PSASA) bargaining union.

This position is affiliated with the State Retirement Plan.