Long Term Subsitute Guidance Counselor Grades 5-8

Primary Responsibilities:

• Teach social-emotional learning (SEL) lessons to students in small groups, whole-class settings, and a daily-rotating middle school elective using school-provided curriculum and lesson plans.
• Build positive relationships with students by providing daily check-ins, encouragement, and problem-solving support while referring significant social, emotional, or mental health concerns to school administration.
• Support students' behavioral, social, and emotional success by serving as a confidential, trusted adult for students while working under the direction of school administrators and teachers to help implement and reinforce school expectations and established intervention plans.
• Assist with school culture initiatives, student wellness activities, and special events that promote belonging, leadership, and a positive school climate.
• Support 8th grade students and families through the high school transition process by assisting school administrators with registration activities, distributing information, and participating in student and family meetings as directed.

Additional Responsibilities

• Facilitate small groups focused on topics such as organization, friendship skills, conflict resolution, emotional regulation, and study skills using provided materials.
• Support student success by maintaining clear communication with students, families, and staff; monitoring attendance and engagement patterns; and helping identify and address social-emotional barriers such as anxiety, stress, low confidence, sense of belonging, motivation, or other factors that may impact a student's ability to fully engage and succeed academically.
• Collaborate with teachers and administrators to identify students who may benefit from additional academic, behavioral, or social-emotional supports.
• Monitor student concerns and communicate observations with administrators, teachers, and families while maintaining appropriate confidentiality and following school reporting procedures.
• Participate in student support meetings, including MTSS, 504, and Exceptional Children (EC) meetings, by sharing observations and supporting the implementation of plans developed by the appropriate school-based teams.
• In partnership with administration and the elementary counselor, facilitate mid-year SEL universal screening efforts, data collection, and analysis to help identify students who may benefit from additional support.
• Maintain accurate documentation of student interactions and assigned responsibilities as directed by administration.
• Help foster a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive school environment while modeling professionalism, flexibility, and strong communication skills.
• Perform occasional student supervision duties, including carpool, lunch, or other assigned responsibilities.