What are the responsibilities and job description for the Guidance Counselor (School Counselor) position at New Bedford High School?
We are deeply committed to an inclusive curriculum and school community that reflects the diversity of our student population. We strive to have the highest quality educators and encourage applications from candidates representing a broad range of skills and diverse backgrounds. We seek candidates who are dedicated to inclusion and have a clear interest in being part of the richness of diversity that the New Bedford Public Schools community has to offer.
Position:
- Guidance Counselor (School Counselor)
- To support capacity within the school to provide the best academic and clinical support services for students with disabilities, students in referral, and/or at-risk students in New Bedford Public Schools.
- Promote the academic, personal/social, and career/college potential of its students.
- Assist students with academic learning by providing strategic services that identify and address academic support, social emotional and behavioral concerns, environmental issues, and college and career readiness.
- Work with parents/guardians, teachers, administration, and community resources, the guidance counselor will implement strategies that promote students’ positive and successful school adjustment and educational experience.
- Prepare students for academic achievement, career readiness and develop their personal or social competencies through a comprehensive, preventive and developmental counseling program.
- Counselors work with students to foster independence, life- long learning, personal and civic responsibility, and the ability to navigate an ever changing world. While students are the primary focus of the counselors, positive relationships with families, teachers, and administrators are also crucial to the success of the program.
- Work through various aspects of the Student Services Department and work with staff to develop and implement a program that meets the whole student. Specifically addressing a student’s academic, social, emotional, and behavioral needs.
- Serve as a liaison between families and the school to positively promote collaborative processes in educational planning for students by encouraging family participation in the school setting
- Educate and encourage students and families regarding the importance of daily school attendance, high school graduation, and college and career planning at all levels (6-12).
- Assist in the development of a Response to Intervention (RTI) model for the school to include both in-school and community supports and interventions, to address academic, social, emotional, and behavioral learning. Counselors serve as members on building student assistance/support teams, which meet to share information and develop strategies to meet the specific needs of individual students.
- Assist in the collection of statistical and student data (including behavioral infractions, at-risk forms) and complete all necessary reports and submit them to the Principal, Special Education Supervisor, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services/Administrator of Special Education.
- Student class scheduling. Aids and schedules students in course and subject selection.
- Coordinate the 504 process and monitor the implementation and compliance of the 504 plans.
- Support the Team evaluation process and insurance of all state and federal compliance requirements regarding evaluations, progress monitoring, progress reporting, and team meetings.
- Attend Team meetings as necessary to ensure provisions of quality special education and related services in the area of academic support, social emotional needs, and behavioral concerns.
- Conduct Home Assessments/Visits as required and needed.
- Complete goals, objectives and progress reports for students with counseling or transitional services in the IEP or 504.
- Support Special Education Facilitator with IEP monitoring and compliance as needed. Responsibilities may at times include chairing or coordinating IEP meetings and completing the required paperwork.
- Develop and deliver the school counseling curriculum in a classroom setting.
- Assist students in the areas of academic and career planning and in personal/social development.
- Support students plan for, adjust to, and develop skills for successful transitions in school, between grades/levels, to the next level high school, and post high school activities.
- Provide individual and small group counseling in a variety of settings to address anxiety, relationships, bullying, peer pressure, conflict resolution, anger management, and other relevant social topics as needed.
- Provide mediation, de-escalation, and crisis intervention services as necessary.
- Conduct lunch groups to foster and teach social skills.
- Provide academic counseling by monitoring progress reports and report cards of students, participating in various teacher/team meetings, reviewing standardized testing, facilitating course selection meetings, and monitoring student progress toward promotion and graduation requirements.
- Communicate regularly with teachers in order to ensure that students are reaching their academic potential.
- Consult and collaborate with teachers, staff and parents in understanding and meeting the needs of students in the school setting.
- Make appropriate referrals of students and parents to outside agencies and specialists.
- Participate in activities that contribute to the effective operation of the school.
- Pursue continuous professional growth to stay abreast of the field.
- Promote an understanding and appreciation of diverse populations and cultures.
- Monitor and advise students and their parents as to progress toward promotion/graduation.
- Register students new to the school and orients them to school procedures and the school’s varied opportunities for learning.
- Work to prevent students from dropping out of school.
- Certification in proper area and level by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Initial Guidance Counselor)
- Master’s degree from an accredited college or university. Evidence of specific professional study in the field of special education, psychology, social work, including educational administration and supervision.
- Licensed or eligible for licensure as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), or Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW).
- Preferred fluency in Spanish and/or Portuguese.
- Three years’ experience in the area of student services, special education, and/or mental health/clinical social work practice.
- Knowledge/experience using the new educator evaluation system.
- Experience designing and implementing positive behavioral intervention supports and strategies, social/emotional curriculum, behavior improvement programs and clinical support to students and families.
- Experience working collaboratively with community-based children’s services agencies, Department of Child and Family Services, Department of Youth Services, Department of Mental Health and other community programs to better integrate services for students in the New Bedford Public Schools.
- Knowledge of Chapter 766 and the DESE procedures and requirements for special education compliance, monitoring, and implementation.
- Excellent communication skills- written, verbal and non-verbal.
- Excellent interpersonal and social skills with colleagues, district staff, families and community.
- Excellent Work Attendance.
- Reports to: School Principal or Designee
- Rate: In accordance with the NBEA Unit A contract found here
