Major Responsibilities

Communication

Guidance Curriculum/Individual Planning/Responsive Services/System Support

Consistently exhibits effective communication skills when working with superiors, peers, parents, and students so that individuals have confidence in the counselor’s knowledge, concern, and competence.

1. Interprets and shares information about student achievement and progress with parents, teachers, and other professional personnel.
2. Works closely with teachers to identify at-risk behaviors in students so that intervention can take place.
3. Promptly responds to parent and/or student inquiries through telephone or personal contact.
4. Conducts required classroom guidance activities on a regularly scheduled basis.
5. Informs teachers, administrators and the public about the guidance program; i.e., community meetings, media presentations, and newsletters.
6. Other duties and assigned

Student Placement 

Individual Planning/Responsive Services

Exhibits accurate knowledge of the school program and of ways in which specific students' needs can and should be addressed through the program, helping to insure that student placement is most efficacious and appropriate.

1. Assists in classroom and/or behavioral management planning with parents and professional personnel
2. Participates and/or contributes information upon request for campus ARD meetings.
3. Coordinates a program of new student orientation both at the beginning of school and for transfer students during the school year and assists with their placement in instructional programs as needed.
4. Other duties and assigned

Information Services

System Support/Guidance Curriculum

Ongoing data collection about students is efficiently conducted, dissemination of information is planned and initiated, and requests for information are honored quickly and efficiently.

1. Establishes and/or maintains the necessary lines of communication between home and school to enhance the development of the student.
2. Explains and interprets the role of the counselor to school staff.
3. Within the bounds of confidentiality, keeps teachers informed of progress made by  students who are receiving counseling services, and provides information that will enable the teachers to reinforce the counseling objectives.
4. Provides information to the public regarding guidance programs and activities.
5. Collects and disseminates guidance materials that are relevant to the educational,  vocational, and personal needs of students.
6. Other duties and assigned

Counseling Services

Responsive Services/Individual Planning/Guidance Curriculum

Students and parents are made to feel welcome by the counselor and are given the kind of academic and/or vocational counseling which is appropriate or are referred carefully and caringly to other resources so that a variety of student needs and parent concerns can be met.

1. Provides appropriate career and educational counseling for individuals and student  groups.
2. Confers with parents, students, and teachers regarding student aptitude, achievement,and ability.
3. Conducts failure conferences with students each six weeks.
4. Is knowledgeable about community agencies and coordinates the referral of students to those agencies as appropriate.
5. Follows up on teacher and parent referrals for special diagnosis and counseling of students, working closely with other professionals.
6. Provides for small group activities to emphasize personal and social development.
7. Conducts support groups and/or other activities for at-risk students.
8. Conducts special programs for parents of at-risk students.
9. Other duties and assigned

Administrative

System Support/Individual Planning

Administrative duties are executed with initiative, organization, and efficiency and are completed in a timely manner.

1. Conducts staff development program as requested.
2. Works with receiving counselors during spring transitional activities; i.e., sixth grade pre-registration, fourth/fifth grade orientation to the new campus.
3. Assists the administration with the appropriate placement of students (to include, at the sixth grade level, coordinating the pre-registering of sixth grade students who move into the district after spring Junior High pre-registration has been completed).
4. Provides consultant services to faculty and staff.
5. Other duties and assigned

Professional Growth

System Support

Seeks methods by which a constant renewal, refinement, and acquisition of skills of counseling and guidance can be achieved; improvement and growth are a priority.

1. Prepares and submits to the building principal an annual performance plan, outlining the guidance and counseling goals for the year, a timeline of activities, and a method of measurement of outcome.
2. Plans for and engages in professional growth through attendance/follow-up activities at meetings, conferences and inservice.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job.  They are not intended to be an exhaustive description of all work requirements and responsibilities.  Additionally, the minimum level of education noted as a requirement could be supplemented by commensurate experience and/or certification(s) as determined by the hiring manager.