Position Title: School Counselor
Division: Family & Student Support Services and School
Reports To: Principal or Principal Designee (AP)
FLSA Status: Exempt
Salary Schedule: Teacher w/ supplement: ES - $750; MS & HS - $1,500
Work Days: Elem - 190; Middle - 220; High - 220
Essential Duties:
1. Promote the school system's counseling program by:
• Possessing the knowledge, abilities, skills, and attitudes necessary to plan, organize, implement and evaluate a comprehensive, developmental, results-based school counseling program.
• Providing system support through effective school counseling program management and support for other educational programs.
• Providing direct and indirect services with and for students.
• Providing responsive services through the effective use of individual and small-group counseling, consultation and referral skills.
• Implementing school counseling curriculum through the use of effective instructional skills and careful planning of structured group sessions.
2. Facilitate delivery of counseling services through a comprehensive school counseling program by:
• Conducting group counseling/advisement with students in the areas of educational, career, and social-emotional needs.
• Coordinating with local school staff to provide supportive instructional classroom activities that relate to student educational, career, and social-emotional needs.
• Assisting with interpretation of standardized group testing.
• Ensuring that all students receive appropriate career readiness advisement.
• Ensuring that all students receive appropriate college readiness advisement.
• Consulting with school staff on student problems and concerns as needed or requested.
• Consulting with parents on student problems and concerns as needed or as requested.
• Promoting the use of community resources in meeting student needs.
• Advocating for equity of services for all students.
• Engaging in professional development activities.
• Applying newly acquired professional knowledge.
3. Follow professional practices consistent with local school and system policies by:
• Interacting in a professional manner with students, parents/guardians, and colleagues.
• Being available to students, parents, and colleagues in accordance with system policies.
• Facilitating home and school communication by such means as holding conferences, telephoning, and sending written communications.
• Maintaining confidentiality of students, students’ records, parents, staff, and school business.
• Working cooperatively with school administrators, teachers, other service personnel, and parents.
• Modeling correct use of oral and written language.
• Demonstrating accurate and up-to-date knowledge of content.
4. Comply with local school, system, and state policies and regulations by:
• Conducting counseling activities at the time scheduled.
• Supporting policies and regulations concerning student conduct and discipline.
• Being punctual.
• Maintaining plans as required by school policy.
• Implementing designated counseling core curriculum.
• Maintaining accurate, complete, and appropriate records and reporting promptly.
• Attending and participating in faculty meetings and other assigned meetings and activities according to school policy.
• Complying with conditions as stated in the individual’s employment contract.
5. Act in a professional manner and assume responsibility for the counseling program by:
• Taking precautions to protect records, equipment, materials, and facilities.
• Assuming responsibility for supervising students.
6. The School Counselor for students in grades 6-12 shall, through advisement:
• Provide students with information for postsecondary plans, financial aid, and scholarship information.
• Plan and coordinate the advisement program for the school.
• Evaluate transcripts and review records in order to advise students and faculty members about course selections and placement.
• Conduct an exit interview with students who are withdrawing from school.
7. Follow the system’s procedures in referring students to a local school support team.
8. Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Hold or be eligible for a Georgia Educator Certificate in School Counseling.
- Ability to work well with students, parents, staff, and the community.
- Exceptional integrity, commitment to confidentiality, excellent character, and strong professional reputation.
- Must abide by the Georgia Professional Standards Code of Ethics for Educators.
- Must be regularly, predictably, and reliably at work.
- Ability to be present at the physical worksite.
- Must perform tasks involving prolonged periods of standing, walking, and sitting.
- Must perform routine physical activities such as bending and lifting/pushing/pulling up to 50 pounds.
- Must be able to properly and consistently supervise students, particularly during emergency situations.
- Vision, hearing, written, and verbal communications are essential factors in performing required tasks.