Counselor

Lewistown Public Schools

Job Description

Job Title:               SCHOOL COUNSELOR

Classification:       Certified Position

Reports To:           Principal/Superintendent

FLSA Status:         Exempt     

Updated:                February 2016

SUMMARY:  Utilizing leadership, advocacy, and collaboration, school counselors 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 major functions of the school counselor job description incorporate the Montana State Board of Education priorities of high student performance. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:  Other duties may be assigned

Development and Management of a Comprehensive School Counseling Program –

• Discusses the comprehensive school counseling program with the school administrator.
• Develops and maintains a written plan for effective delivery of the school counseling program based on the ASCA Comprehensive School Counseling model and current individual school data.
• Communicates the goals of the comprehensive school counseling program to education stakeholders.
• Maintains current and appropriate resources for education stakeholders.
• Uses the majority of time providing direct services through the Guidance Curriculum, Individual Student Career Planning and Preventive 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 (2003). The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs. Alexandria, VA})

Delivery of a Comprehensive School Counseling Program –

Guidance Curriculum

• Provides leadership and collaborates with other educators in the school-wide integration of the School Counseling Model.
• Implements developmentally appropriate and prevention-oriented group activities to meet student needs and school goals.
• Maintains student records and protects their confidentiality. Initiates, assembles, maintains, and interprets accurate health records, attendance records, cumulative progress records, activity records, and uniform transcript records for assigned students.

• Ability to coordinate college scholarship/application process.

• Aids students in course and subject selection.

• Supervises the preparation and processing of college, scholarship, and employment applications.
• Makes recommendations to colleges for admissions and scholarships.
• Provides student information to colleges and potential employers according to provisions of the Board's policy on student records.
• Organizes and conducts annual College and Career Day.

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 and career planning.

Preventive and Responsive Services

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

System Support

• Provides appropriate information to staff 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.
• Collects and analyzes data to guide program direction and emphasis.
• Measures results of the school counseling program activities and shares results as appropriate.
• Monitors student academic performance, behavior and attendance and assists with appropriate interventions.

The above performance responsibilities are not all-inclusive and may be altered or added to by the Principal, Superintendent of Schools or Board of Trustees.

QUALIFICATIONS - To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE - Master's degree from an accredited college or university; and a valid Montana Class 6 Specialist License with a School Counselor (K-12) endorsement.

LANGUAGE SKILLS - Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals.  Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community.  Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format.  Ability to effectively present information to administration, public groups, and/or Board of Trustees.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS - Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume.  Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

TECHNOLOGY SKILLS - The work environment for instructors has increasingly become technology driven.  Lewistown Public Schools expects staff to meet reasonable expectations in the use of computers and other technology, in and out of the classroom.

REASONING ABILITY - Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS - The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear; and taste or smell.  The employee frequently is required to stoop, kneel, or crouch.  The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT - The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS - Employees of Lewistown Public Schools must exhibit acceptable work habits and perform tasks in a professional manner by adhering to the following guidelines:  Maintain proper grooming and dress consistent with the type of task being performed; be regular in attendance and punctual for work; initiate tasks in a self-directed manner and perform work with a minimum of supervision; organize work and manage time to achieve efficiency and high quality of work; perform tasks neatly and accurately in accordance with desired quality and quantity; provide positive feedback to supervisor(s) for implementing ideas which will make the work assigned more effective and efficient; maintain self control and a friendly, outgoing disposition; and maintain confidentiality of related work matters as applicable.

DRUG FREE WORKPLACE - Screening tests for alcohol and illegal drug use may be required before hiring and during your employment in the Lewistown Public Schools, as per Board Policy #5226.  Employees of Lewistown Public Schools must submit to a fingerprint criminal background check.  Any appointment will be contingent upon the results of the criminal background report received from the Department of Justice, which must be acceptable to the Board of Trustees, in its sole discretion.

EVALUATION - Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the Board's policy on Evaluation of Non-Administrative Staff.