School Counselor-Middle School

Dover-Sherborn Middle School is seeking a School Counselor for the 2025-2026 SY. General Expectations: The middle school counselor must be capable of developing positive relationships with all students, while responding to developmental needs and maximizing growth opportunities. The counselor must be flexible, approachable, and collaborative as they balance daily tasks and respond to emergencies. Counselors must demonstrate strong oral, written, and technology-based communication skills and be actively involved in the educational process of each student within their caseloads. It is essential for the counselor to establish a rapport with all stakeholders (i.e., students, parents/guardians, staff, community members, etc.) and to create a welcoming atmosphere in the counseling office. Due to the special nature of the counselor’s role, several expectations will differ from a teaching position. Counselors are not required to use work time for grading and are exempt from non-instructional tasks (ie, lunch duty, leading help session, etc), and therefore, job responsibilities necessitate time outside of the school day. Professional tasks may include responding to: emails, school emergencies, scheduling changes, evening meetings, and recommendation applications/letters. Involvement with school counseling associations at the local and state levels is expected as it is critical to the continuing growth of the individual and of the counseling department. OVERVIEW OF COUNSELOR’S RESPONSIBILITIES: -Individual Counseling: -Provide personal counseling to individuals as per teacher, parent, or self-referrals. (Issues include, but are not limited to: friendship, family, classroom behaviors, academic performance, loss, transition to adolescence, social media and conflicts with other students, teachers, and parents.) -Monitor student progress (academic, personal, career ASCA standards) -Create program changes in students’ schedules and update student records as needed -Develop course programs for new students -Assist students with course selection and their transition between grades -Make referrals to a school adjustment counselor, Bridge Program or an outside therapist -Provide short-term counseling, conflict mediation, and problem solving Group Counseling/Classroom Guidance: -Facilitate new student groups and special issue groups as needed -Mediate student/student and teacher/student conflicts, when needed -Facilitate classroom and small group informational meetings for such topics as course selection, grade transition, and middle school counseling curriculum -Collaborate with the school adjustment counselors and the school psychologist as an additional support and resource for group counseling sessions Consultation: -Communicate and collaborate with parents/guardians and outside providers -Consult with, and/or refer students/parents to a school adjustment counselor when a student’s counseling needs expand beyond the services of the school counselor -Facilitate counseling meetings with academic teams to monitor student progress and formulate interventions as needed -Consult with the school adjustment counselor and the school psychologist to develop effective strategies for working with individual students -Attend Special Education meetings and prepare educational assessments as needed -Prepare for and facilitate Section 504 meetings on an individual basis -Meet monthly with the regional Clinical Team (K-12) for consultation meetings -Meet weekly as a counseling department and monthly as a district-wide department -Meet weekly with middle school administration to discuss student issues and concerns -Attend P.O.S.I.T.I.V.E., Guidance Advisory, SPAN-DS, and other meetings as requested Educational Programming: -Collaborate with administration and school-based teams on transition in and out of middle school, including articulation and discussion about academic programming -Perform student placement tasks as requested -Provide developmentally appropriate education and resources to parents/guardians -Host parent evenings providing information on counseling department-related topics -Provide summer orientation and continued support for students and parents/guardians for those who are newly enrolled in the middle school Administrative Responsibilities (individual and shared tasks): -Six additional work selected days (3 before July 1st and 3 prior to the start of school) -Liaison with Vocational Schools (grade eight counselor) -Liaison to other departments (METCO, Special Education, Bridge/GRIT) -Orientation of new/transfer students -Extensive email communication with parents and staff -Ongoing review and development of a developmental counseling program aligning with ASCA National Standards and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Model -Communications via the middle school counseling web page and bi-weekly newsletter -Supervision of records -Supervision of counseling interns when applicable -Program evaluation and data collection -Organize/attend parent-teacher meetings as appropriate -Create and deliver classroom counseling lessons at all three grade levels -Coordinate tutoring for general education students with extended absence -Participate in various building-based committees and meetings as applicable -Other tasks as deemed necessary by the department and the Director EXPECTATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH: -School counselors work with ever-changing information that must be imparted to students, parents, and faculty. It is essential that counselors seek opportunities in and out of the school day to continuously update their professional development, including topics below, and not limited to: -Career exploration and post-secondary planning -School Counseling Curriculum -School safety and crisis intervention -Scheduling and other counseling-focused online platforms -School records and related legal issues- Section 504, Special Education, & 51A reporting -Confidentiality and appropriate boundaries -Current adolescent issues such as eating disorders, anxiety/depression, suicide/self-harm, grief/loss, learning disabilities, family systems, bullying/harassment, social media, etc.