Summary

Provides a functional, comprehensive program of direct services for all students utilizing the expertise gained through professional training in the areas of school counseling, school social work or school psychology. These services will emphasize counseling students; consultation with teachers, parents and other significant adults; and coordinating a variety of activities and functions related to the academic, social, emotional and physical needs of students.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Counsels students, individually and in small groups, concerning a variety of developmental tasks and problems.
• Provides prevention programs through classroom guidance activities.
• Consults with teachers and parents about students’ needs, concerns, and academic issues.
• Collaborates with school staff and community representatives in assessing student needs and utilizes the data to plan and evaluate the guidance program.
• Coordinates with faculty, parents, attendance personnel and District Court to correct the attendance problems of truant students.
• Provides home visits as needed to assess family circumstances and make needed referrals to community resources for problems interfering with the child’s academic progress, social, emotional or physical development.
• Serves as a resource person on the Special Education Admissions and Release Committee when appropriate.
• Refers students to the proper authorities for child abuse or neglect when suspicion exists and provides support services to those students as needed.
• Assists or serves as the coordinator of testing and interprets test data to teachers and parents as needed.
• Consults with teachers in planning and providing classroom guidance activities.
• Assists new students with orientation and acclimation to their new school environment.
• Selects and purchases program materials and manages its budget allocation.
• Selects and attends professional development as required by the State and District.
• Maintains regular attendance.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge & Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Principles, methods, techniques, strategies, and trends in educational, vocational, career, social, and emotional adjustment counseling.
• Applicable and appropriate aptitude, interest, and achievement appraisal instruments, techniques, and procedures.
• Social service and youth service agencies in the local area.
• Social, emotional, and behavioral characteristics of adolescent students.
• Program evaluation and research techniques, strategies, and procedures.
• Appropriate curriculum and instructional programs pertaining to students with a variety of aptitudes and varying interests.

Ability to:

• Assist students in effectively analyzing and developing alternative solutions to behavioral, educational, social, and emotional problems and concerns.
• Conduct, analyze, and effectively utilize a variety of individual and group testing procedures and instruments applicable to student clients.
• Effectively deal with site and District personnel, parents, social, and youth service agencies in resolving student problems and concerns.
• Effectively participate in the planning and implementation of school guidance and curricular programs.
• Communicate effectively in oral and written form and as required by the assignment utilize a second language.
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions with minimal accountability controls.
• Establish and maintain effective organizational, public, and community relationships.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work is performed while standing, sitting and/or walking.
• Requires the ability to communicate effectively using speech, close/distance vision, and hearing.
• Requires the use of hands for simple grasping and fine manipulations.
• Requires bending, squatting, crawling, climbing, and reaching.
• Requires the ability to lift, carry, and push or pull weights up to 50
• Requires a high level of physical endurance to meet the demands of extended workdays (coverage of building activities and extra-curricular activities, etc.).
• Requires the ability to handle and balance multiple demands at the same time.

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.

• The noise level in this environment is quiet to loud depending upon the activity in a particular part of the workday.

Education and/or Experiences

• Master’s Degree in School Counseling, Social Work or School Psychology

Licenses and Other Requirements

• School Counseling Certification, School Social Work Certification, or School Psychology Certification is required.