Counselor - Middle School

Position: School Counselor

Term: 9 months

Classification: Certified/Exempt

Location: South Middle School

Qualifications:

• Valid Missouri Certification, required
• Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling, required
• Two years classroom teaching, preferred

Supervisory: No

Reports to: Building Principal

Code: 002-2122-6111-3030-00000-1-000

Job Number: 2552

Successful candidates will have a demonstrated knowledge of personal, academic, and career development. Counselor must also have knowledge and skills to support students through crisis and behavioral situations. Counselor must be able to provide developmental counseling; facilitate scheduling using Powerschool; ability to deliver guidance lessons; and ability to provide support to the Principal/s as needed.

General Expectations:

• Supports the mission of Joplin Schools.
• Supports the value of education.
• Become familiar with, enforce, and follow all applicable Board policies and regulations, administrative procedures, other directions given by district administrators and supervisors, and state and federal laws.
• Properly supervise students at all times, if applicable to essential job functions.
• Obey all safety rules, including rules protecting the safety and welfare of students.
• Care for, properly use, and protect school property.
• Maintain courteous and professional relationships with students, parents/guardians, other district employees and the public.
• Communicate effectively with supervisors, department staff, all members of the school district, and community as required.
• Provides excellence in customer service both internally and externally.
• Complies with privacy rights and safeguards confidential and/or sensitive information pertaining to staff and students.
• Reacts to change productively and receive and transmit constructive criticism as it relates to job duties.
• Actively participate in professional development and obtain skills and information necessary to effectively perform job duties.
• Conduct all official business in a professional and timely manner, utilizing district technology resources.
• Arrive to work and leave work at the time specified by supervisors and attend all required meetings pertinent to the position.
• Maintains accurate records and filing systems for accountability and audit purposes as required by law and Board policy.
• Solve practical problems utilizing math functions as needed to complete job duties.
• Read and interpret documents such as work orders, safety rules, and handbooks and apply to job duties.

Essential Functions:

• Assists teaching staff in their efforts to infuse specialized curriculum and the Missouri Connections curriculum for the purpose of assisting students with the development of their Personal Plan of Study.
• Collaborates and consults with teachers, administrators and other staff in building or district for the purpose of providing/receiving information and/or making recommendations regarding students' personal/social development, academic success, or college/career awareness and goal setting.
• Collaborates, consults, and conferences with parents for the purpose of providing/receiving information and/or making recommendations regarding students' personal/social development, academic success, or college/career awareness and goal setting, as well as providing appropriate referral information when necessary.
• Coordinates the MAP Grade Level Assessments and appropriate EOC exams in conjunction with building and district administration for the purpose of adhering to all ethical and standardized administration guidelines.
• Coordinates, conducts and/or participates in activities for the purpose of contributing to the effectiveness of school programs and in meeting students' needs.
• Develops and implements a variety of special programs for the purpose of providing relevant information, data, and research regarding students' personal/social development, academic success, or college/career awareness and goal setting in accordance with the building and district goals and objectives.
• Evaluates and revises the school guidance program for the purpose of ensuring that the program is effective and compatible with district and building goals and objectives.
• Guides and counsels individual students and groups for the purpose of meeting developmental, educational and guidance needs.
• Monitors students' progress for the purpose of identifying personal/social development needs, academic success, or college/career awareness and goal setting progress and providing appropriate intervention to increase student success.
• Performs other related duties as assigned for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective functioning of the school community.
• Serves as liaison between home, school and appropriate community resources for the purpose of coordinating efforts to meet students' personal/social development needs, academic success, or college/career awareness and goal setting.
• Carry out all other duties as assigned

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, talk, and hear. The employee frequently is required to stand or sit. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception.

Attendance

Regular and consistent attendance is an essential function of this position.

The work conditions and environment described here are representative of those that an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Conditions and Environment

The work environment is consistent with a typical office environment.

Note: The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees, and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.