Guidance Counselor

Guidance Counselor

Qualifications:

• Hold a masters degree in school counseling from an accredited college or university
• Meet the certification requirements for school counselor from the Indiana Department of Education

Primary Function:

• Develop and deliver school counseling curriculum in classroom setting
• Assist students in the areas of academic development, career development, and citizenship development, as well as emotional and social development
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, and parents to better understand and meet the needs of all students
• Provide individual and small group counseling as needed
• Make appropriate referrals of students and parents to outside agencies and specialists when necessary
• Make self a visible body in school by participating a variety of activities that contribute to the schools effectiveness
• Continually plan, evaluate, and revise the school counseling program
• Pursue continuous professional development and growth
• Promote an understanding and appreciation for diverse populations
• Develop, review, and revise a career and educational plan for each student
• Monitor and advise students and parents as to progress toward promotion and graduation
• Prepare students for transition to next level (middle to high school, high school to post high school)

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Counseling

• Provide individual planning sessions for each student in the areas of academic planning and career awareness
• Conduct small group counseling sessions in response to identified needs within the school system. Topics may include academic skill building, social development, career awareness, conflict resolution, family issues, making healthy choices
• Assist in transition to middle school, high school, and post secondary options
• Interpret tests, student data and other assessments and appropriately discuss results with students and parents in a counseling environment

Consulting

• Provide information and skills to parents, school staff, administration, and the community to assist them in helping students in academic, career, and social development
• Take a leadership role in working counseling content into the curriculum, staff development, and parent education programs
• Assist parents in addressing school related problems; refer parents to outside agencies and specialists when necessary
• Inform parents and students of test results and their implications for educational and career planning

Coordinating

• Advocate for equal access to programs and services for all students
• Plan and coordinate programs such as career and college fairs, scholarship programs, and other extensions of the counseling curriculum
• Coordinate parent education programs to assist students in making smooth transitions from elementary to middle school, middle to high school, and planning post secondary options

Curriculum Management

• Design, deliver, evaluate, and revise a sequential and developmentally appropriate school counseling curriculum which will include lessons in academic development, career development, and citizenship development
• Utilize resources available within the school and community to develop appropriate programs

Individual Planning

• Systematically develop and evaluate planning for high school and post high school on an annual basis through individual planning which will result in a written career and educational plan for each student
• Address objectives for each grade level

Program Management

• Review the school-counseling program annually with other school counselors and administrators.
• Articulate the school-counseling program to students, parents, teachers, staff, and community
• Develop and maintain skills needed to utilize technology systems and participate in professional development opportunities

School System

• Participate in school decision making and in activities which contribute to the effectiveness of the school
• Cooperate and collaborate with other professionals in enhancing the education of students. Communicate with administrators, teachers, staff, parents, and students as to the role of the school counselor in the overall educational process

Professionalism

• Adhere to the ethical standards of state and national school counselor associations
• Adhere to best practices prescribed by state and national school counselor associations
• Demonstrate knowledge of local policies and state and federal laws pertaining to school counseling
• Demonstrate personal growth and professional development

ADA Physical Demands:

The physical demands here are representative of those that must be met by the employee to perform the essential duties and responsibilities of the position successfully.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The position requires frequent changes in sitting, standing and walking throughout the day.

The employee may also need to do frequent bending and/or kneeling in order to reach technology components.

The employee must frequently speak and hear as well as utilize the telephone and computer. The position requires lifting and carrying technology components.

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.

Primarily works in climate controlled office setting in a school environment.

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.