Jefferson County Schools

JOB DESCRIPTION

POSITION TITLE: School Counselor

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR: School Principal

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

EMPLOYMENT TERM: 210 days, pursuant to WV Code§18A-4-8; extended employment terms may be established by JCBOE

SALARY: Pursuant to WV Code 18A-4-8a, in accordance with Jefferson County Professional Salary Scale, based on verified degree level and years of experience.

EVALUATION: Performance in this position will be evaluated annually by the school principal and in accordance with WV State Code 18A-2-12, WV State Board Policy 5314, and JCBOE's Evaluation Policy for Professional Personnel.

JOB SUMMARY : School Counselors are vital members of the education team helping students in the areas of academic achievement, career development and social/emotional development, ensuring today’s students become the productive, well-adjusted adults of tomorrow. School Counselors help all students apply academic achievement strategies, manage emotions and apply interpersonal skills, and plan for postsecondary options (higher education, military, work force)

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPECTATIONS:

• Coordinate functions of the school counseling program including implementing the comprehensive counseling plan and the WV Standards for Student Success
• Establish and implement an improvement process for the area of counseling.
• Consult with the school principal to identify and resolve student issues, needs, and problems
• Establish good rapport with students, parents, staff and community in the area of counseling and student success.
• Provide short-term individual and/or group counseling for personal growth and self-understanding.
• Provide individual and/or group counseling for educational and career planning.
• Provide crisis intervention for students who have serious, urgent or chronic problems. Provides counseling/interventions to students who are frequently tardy and/or absent
• Provide individual counseling for students and parents new to the school.
• Provide individual counseling for potential dropouts.
• Serve as a member of the SB AT, Placement Advisory Committee, and PAC review team and other teams/groups as appropriate. Provide advocacy for students at Individual Education Plan meetings or other student-focused meetings
• Coordinate the referral of students to support departments and community agencies.
• Facilitate student transition from one grade level to the next.
• Conduct developmental group counseling activities such as field trips, orientation programs, financial aid programs, and Career Day and College/Vocational fairs. Refer students to summer youth and job training programs.
• Provide college applicants with enrollment information and with information on financial aid. Provide individual student academic planning and goal setting.
• Assist students in scheduling for appropriate classes and vocational/technical school. This responsibility includes attending scheduling orientation meetings. It also includes the review of submitted schedules.
• Assess, evaluate and revise the extent of each major goal of the comprehensive program that was met during the year and update it annually.
• Contribute to curricular development by serving on the curriculum team
• Establish and maintain on-going liaison relationships with personnel in other educational institutions and in community-based programs.
• Serve as the school's liaison with the Social and Emotional Support Department and Attendance Department
• Establish good rapport and be readily accessible to the staff.
• Respond to phone calls and other communications promptly and professionally.
• Orient new teachers to the counseling services and comprehensive program offered by the school.
• Use data analysis to identify student issues, needs, and challenges. Consult with teachers regarding the developmental needs of individual students.
• Prepare fall orientation programs and winter/spring scheduling sessions.
• Confer with parents regarding students and parental needs.
• Be readily available to parents.
• Provides crisis response
• Administer and interpret cognitive, aptitude, and achievement tests when appropriate.
• Demonstrate effective communication skills.
• Maintain professional work habits.
• Maintain and upgrade professional skills.
• Adhere to all school, county, and state laws, policies and procedures.
• Complete records, reports and duties accurately and on schedule.
• Adjust to new responsibilities and assignments with flexibility.
• React favorably to constructive criticism.
• Be punctual.
• Use good judgment to make sound decisions.
• Demonstrate a positive attitude.
• Show courtesy and tact in personal relations.
• Maintain confidentiality and protect student records and information by state and federal regulations.
• Show respect for individual differences.
• Maintain professional growth plan to improve competence.
• Maintain and upgrade professional skills by involvement in the following: reading professional materials, pursuing advanced degrees, joining professional associations, conducting and attending professional conferences.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Hold, at minimum, a master’s degree in school counseling
• Meet the WVDE certification/licensure requirements for a school counselor
• Criminal background check conducted pursuant to WV Code§l8-5-1Sc and/or§ ISA-3-10, as appropriate; Meet the qualifications outlined in WV Code §18A-3-2a and §ISA-2-9.
• Fulfill continuing education requirements through professional development including the WVDE School Counseling Conferences, WVSCA Conferences, ASCA offerings, etc.
• Uphold ASCA ethical and professional standards
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Ability to communicate effectively with students, parent, staff, school leadership, and county offices.
• Ability to demonstrate self-control and favorable response to constructive criticism.
• Ability to maintain and upgrade professional skills by attending local, regional, and state meetings and workshops related to area of responsibility and as directed by administrator.
• Ability to exhibit unbiased attitude toward fulfillment of the goal/initiatives of the Jefferson County School Board and the Office of Superintendent.
• Ability to work with people: Demonstrate poise and empathy for situations in leadership for counseling issues in an atmosphere conducive to discussion.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS: The physical demands described 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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may frequently lift and/or move at least 10 pounds of materials. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision such as reading either handwritten or typed material, small print, and view a computer screen for prolonged periods of time, and the ability to adjust focus. Ability to tolerate exposure to noisy conditions. Ability to be understood in face-to-face communications, to speak with a level of proficiency and volume to be understood over a phone or computer. The position requires the individual to meet multiple demands from several people and interact with students, the public and other staff members; work cooperatively with others; work independently; work indoors. Ability to read, write understand and interpret and apply information at a moderately complex level essential for successful job performance, math skills, judgement and the ability to process information quickly; learn quickly and follow verbal procedures and standards; give verbal instruction; rank tasks in order of importance, copy, compare, compile and coordinate information and records. Understand how to manage stress especially during high student need, meeting deadlines, opening and closing the school year, student challenges, and crisis situations.

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. Most commonly, the educational setting is indoors with outdoor settings for recess and field trip activities. The noise level in the work environment is low to moderate (20-60 dB). Exceptions include inside schools and gymnasiums where noise levels may be moderate to loud (60-90 dB).

The information contained in the job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive list of duties performed by this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned by the Superintendent or his/her designee.

ADDITIONAL JOB INFORMATION:

A successful work history and a minimum of three supervisory references required for consideration.

Jefferson County Schools is bound by statute to recommend the most qualified applicants for position vacancies. In order to determine those qualifications as set forth by the West Virginia Code, we require all applicants to fill out an application, which includes supervisory references, and, in many instances, participate in interviews. Failure to provide references, negative references, and failing to participate in requested interviews may impact negatively a candidate's qualifications.

Applicants who have been dismissed or have had their contracts non-renewed for cause are not eligible for consideration. Applicants who receive unfavorable reference recommendations will not be eligible for consideration. Applicants must complete the entire application and provide all documents required. Failure to complete the application, provide requested items, or falsification of information will result in the application not being considered.