Elementary School Counselor

The Marion School District is seeking a dedicated and passionate fully licensed Elementary School Counselor to join our innovative, dynamic learning community. We are committed to the success of our students in and out of the classroom and in life. Ideal candidates will have a strong commitment to their profession and proven record of fostering positive and engaging learning environments. This position requires that an applicant be certified in elementary counseling and can work with other counselors in all tasks regarding student academics, career readiness, and social and emotional guidance.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Adheres to the Code of Ethics as set forth by the Arkansas Department of Education.
• Evaluates and maintains complete and accurate files regarding the students' academic progress and physical, social and emotional growth, and communicates with parents or guardians on the individual student's progress.
• Identifies the needs of a group of students, as well as individual students, and provides for continuous assessment to meet individual needs.
• Responsible for appropriate use of space, equipment, and material storage.
• Responsible for creating and maintaining a healthy and safe environment within the counselor''s office and the school.
• Adheres to all school systems, protocols and policies that are developed.
• Maintains professional competence through participation in school provided in-service activities and/or self-selected professional growth activities related to job responsibilities.
• Initiates, plans and participates in parent/guardian conferences and other contact, as well as sending written information home as needed, in a timely manner.
• Fulfills other assigned duties as prescribed by the Principal/Supervisor.
• Maintains a valid Arkansas teaching license registered in the manner provided by law during employment.

School Participation and Team Work:

• Arrives at work on time, punctually attends and actively participates in all required meetings and training.
• Required to be a respectful, cooperative, and reliable team member and participant in school activities.
• Consults with Principal or designee, in a timely fashion, to address the needs of students who are struggling.
• Responsible for communicating child behavior and coordinating parent communication and reports through meetings as needed.
• Participates on required committees as prescribed by the Principal.
• Participates in the assessment and planning of curriculum development and other programs to meet the needs of the school.
• Attends regular supervisory meetings with the Principal.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:

• Ability to foster a nurturing environment that respects all students and encourages them to do their best.
• Required to respect the confidentiality of information about enrolled children and families, personnel issues, contributors, and other school operations.
• Required to be a respectful, cooperative, and reliable team member and participant in school activities.
• Ability to multi-task and act independently; exercise sound judgment.
• Must be committed to building a diverse community.
• Confidentiality: Required to respect the confidentiality of information about enrolled children and families, personnel issues, contributors, and other school operations, as per FERPA regulations and policies.

Essential Functions:

Language: Must have superior expressive and receptive English language skills, to be able to communicate with and be understood by students, co-workers and parents, receive their responses and respond to them appropriately.

Sensory: Must have the ability to track and observe students to ensure compliance and safety. Must be able to visually or otherwise access written and printed content, and respond verbally and in writing. Must have the ability to understand and respond to the verbal expressions of others, often in a noisy environment with multiple speakers and background noise, or outside.

Movement: Must have the ability to move around inside on hard surface and industrial carpeted surfaces, and to travel at a brisk, walking pace relatively long inside distances, without needing to stop or rest. (If applicable: Must be able to perform sustained CPR with the subject on the floor.)

Attendance: Must have the ability to work for the duration of the daily contracted time period, and to be physically present and at assigned work, with only infrequent unexcused absences, during the contract year.

Cognitive: Must be able to conform behavior to that which is socially accepted as being appropriate to an adult and positive role model who is working with young and impressionable children. Must have content mastery of subject area as well as employing pedagogical best practices. Must have knowledge and compliance with relevant state and federal laws governing education. Must have good executive functioning skills sufficient to ensure timely and accurate compliance with detailed federal, state and local record keeping requirements. Must be able to convert complex state and district content standards into successful and functional lessons that are differentiated and appropriate for the ages and

skill levels of the assigned students. Must be able to present this material to students and determine, in the moment, based on verbal and non-verbal cues of students, whether or not the expressive language used by the teacher has been received and is being processed appropriately by students.

Marion School District recognizes the worth of all individuals and groups. It is the policy of Marion School District that there will be no discrimination or harassment of individuals or groups on the grounds of age, color, creed, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation in any educational programs, activities or employment.