What are the responsibilities and job description for the School Counselor - Elementary position at Middlebury Community Schools?
JOB GOALS: Provide direct counseling support to students through responsive services.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS include the following. Other duties may be assigned:
- Implement the elementary counseling curriculum.
- Guide individual and groups of students through the development of educational, personal, social or career plans.
- Counsel individuals and groups of students with problems.
- Consult with teachers, parents/guardians and staff regarding students’ needs.
- Refer students with problems and their parents/guardians to special programs, specialists, and outside agencies.
- Participate in activities which contribute to the effective operation of the school.
- Plan and evaluate the counseling program.
- Pursue continuous professional growth.
- Implement the elementary counseling curriculum:
- Conduct classroom counseling lessons in collaboration with teachers or systematically conduct developmental counseling groups.
- Consult with and/or provide resources to teachers and parents/guardians to facilitate their instruction of counseling content.
- Consult with and be a resource person to teachers to facilitate inclusion of counseling curriculum which is found in the Indiana State Standards and the Indiana State Plan for Developmental School Counseling.
- Guide individual and groups of students through the development of educational and career exploration.
- Work with teachers and parents/guardians in preparation for transitions from one school to another.
- Coordinate work and career awareness activities.
- Facilitate participation in beginning of the year student orientation activities.
- Meet individually with students to facilitate student’s self-understanding improvement of their behavior and performance. This may include a portfolio system.
- Increase parent/guardian participation in the schooling process of their student through special parent activities.
- Encourage student feedback to the school and student active participation in their education.
- Assist students in assessing and interpreting their abilities, interest, skills and achievement.
- Counsel individuals and small groups of students with problems:
- Conduct structured, goal-oriented counseling sessions in systematic response to identified needs of individual or groups of students. Recurrent topics may include academic failure, family issues, child abuse, attendance and/or behavior problems, peer problems, and substance abuse.
- Consult with teachers, parents/guardians and staff regarding student’s needs:
- Participate in/conduct conferences with teachers, parents/guardians, and students.
- Conduct in-service programs for faculty.
- Act as a resource person for faculty, staff, and parents/guardians.
- Conduct or provide opportunities for parent education programs.
- Write articles for parent newsletter.
- Assist families with school related problems.
- May implement and supervise an advisor/advisee or peer programs for staff or students.
- Refer students with problems and their parents/guardians to special programs, specialists, and outside agencies:
- Consult and coordinate with in-school specialist, such as school administrators, licensed school social workers, licensed school nurse and licensed school psychologist, community based mental health professionals, service agencies, and physicians.
- Participate in, coordinate or conduct activities which contribute to the effective operation of the school:
- Provide continuous orientation of staff and community to the developmental counseling program through use of newsletters, local media, school and community presentations.
- Serve on departmental curriculum/community committees; interpret group test results to faculty and staff.
- Contribute to the school’s goals for enhancing education in the building.
- Establish effective liaisons with the various staffs.
- Act as an advocate for groups and individual students as decisions are made that will affect those students.
- Become knowledgeable about community resources, employment opportunities, and the local businesses, industry and social service agencies.
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Plan and evaluate the counseling program:
- Annually review the counseling program content based on student needs and competency statements as identified through the Indiana State Plan for Developmental School Counseling.
- Continue development and updating of counseling curriculum.
- Establish the counseling department calendar.
- Evaluate the counseling learning activities as they are implemented.
- Conduct follow-up studies and communicated results of evaluations to various publics.
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Pursue professional growth:
- Attend local school in-service and state sponsored staff development offerings.
- Join professional associations as appropriate.
- Read professional journals.
- Become knowledgeable in current issues in education.
- Attend relevant workshops and conferences sponsored by professional organizations.
- Take post-graduate courses.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function 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. All applicants must pay for and pass a background check.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:
Must hold a Master’s Degree in School Counseling. Must hold a valid Indiana license in School Counselor, Director of Guidance, or Supervisor of Guidance.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:
Valid state driver’s license – operator permit.
LANGUAGE SKILLS:
Ability to read, comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence, and effectively present information.
MATHEMATICAL SKILL:
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
REASONING ABILITY:
Ability to apply common sense and understanding to carry out instructions in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
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 hand to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk and hear. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move10-50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the 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.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:
185 days. Length of year and salary is determined per teacher contract.
EVALUATION:
The counselor will be evaluated yearly by the School Principal.
