Guidance Director/Department Head

Nashoba Regional School District•Bolton, MA

About The Position

Guidance Director/Department Head Position: The Guidance Director/Department Head is employed without regard to age, physical, mental or psychiatric disability, genetics, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, or military status. NRSD welcomes employees with diverse racial, cultural, religious, class, and/or gender backgrounds and experiences. Organizational Scope: The Guidance Director/Department Head provides strategic leadership for a comprehensive school counseling program supporting the academic, career, and social-emotional development of all students. This role supervises counseling staff, coordinates key student support systems, maintains a reduced student caseload, and collaborates with administrators, faculty, families, and community partners to ensure equitable access to high-quality counseling services.

Requirements

Master's degree in school counseling, guidance, or related field.
Massachusetts DESE licensure in school counseling (or eligibility).
Minimum 5 years' experience in school counseling, preferably in a high-performing secondary school.
Extensive experience with college admissions and postsecondary planning.
Strong leadership, communication, collaboration, and organizational skills.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with students, families, faculty, administrators, and community partners.
Commitment to equity, student access, and comprehensive school counseling services.

Responsibilities

Leads and oversees the school counseling program for grades 9-12.
Develops, implements, and continuously improves a comprehensive counseling program addressing academic, career, and social-emotional needs.
Aligns school counseling programs with multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), interventions, and monitoring, employing visionary thinking to support current programming and guide new program development.
Aligns counseling strategies and programming with ASCA National Model and DESE guidelines for mental health support services in schools.
Provides department leadership and serves as a resource to counselors on complex student cases, program design, and professional growth.
Analyzes student, program, and access data to identify needs, monitor effectiveness, and drive service improvements.
Ensures compliance with all local, state, and federal policies and regulations.
Develops and manages the school counseling budget and program priorities.
Evaluates, researches, and recommends counseling strategies, interventions, and tools to enhance service delivery based on evidence-based best practices.
Supervises counselors, counseling secretary, registrar, and other assigned personnel.
Leads regular department meetings to review operations, student needs, curriculum, and program planning.
Supports hiring, mentoring, evaluation, and professional development of counseling staff.
Assists counselors with day-to-day student concerns, case coordination, and problem-solving.
Serves as a resource for counselors in the 504 process and other student support systems.
Maintains a reduced counseling caseload and provides direct support to students and families.
Meets with students individually and in groups as needed.
Supports students' academic planning, social-emotional well-being, college/career development, and crisis response.
Participates in MTSS student meetings and supports counselor follow-through at each grade level.
Provides guidance on college, career, apprenticeship, and military pathways.
Collaborates with special education and student support staff to ensure appropriate services for students with disabilities and other needs.
Coordinates registration, transfer procedures, scheduling, and course placement for current and incoming students.
Oversees course selection, add/drop procedures, and master schedule development in collaboration with administration.
Ensures accurate student records, transcript maintenance, and retention in accordance with regulations.
Reviews incoming transcripts and determines credit awards aligned with graduation requirements.
Oversees summer school enrollment, graduation tracking, and student progress toward diploma requirements.
Manages or oversees student information and guidance tools such as SchoolLinks, Total Registration, and related systems.
Leads college and career counseling efforts, including college planning, scholarships, testing, and postsecondary readiness.
Manages PSAT and AP testing programs.
Manages scholarship processes, including donor relations, application review, and awards ceremonies.
Delivers annual school profile and NCAA course compliance.
Supports the 8th-grade transition program and other student transition initiatives.
Coordinates with staff on programming supporting access to internships, enrichment, and postsecondary opportunities.
Communicates regularly with families through events, newsletters, and other outreach.
Serves as a liaison to faculty and administration on counseling-related issues, student needs, and scheduling.
Consults with administrators on course-taking patterns, student planning, and master schedule development.
Collaborates with department chairs, student support teams, and other school personnel to support student success.
Develops and utilizes community resources for department needs; engages with colleagues and community members regarding current and emerging initiatives.
Initiates or oversees partnerships and programs expanding student access to academic, social-emotional, and career supports.
Reviews and updates crisis team protocols in collaboration with school and district administrators.